Losses take toll on back

ATHENS, Ga. --- Ben Tate doesn't want to finish his Auburn career going 0-for-Georgia.

"This is one that I want very badly, just being here over the years and not beating them one time at all," the senior running back said.

"Being 0-for-3 against those guys is pretty tough."

It's not just that the Tigers have lost each of the past three years against their border state rivals, it's the story lines surrounding the games that have stuck with Tate.

"Remembering just the ways that they beat us and the times that they beat us leaves a bad taste in my mouth," Tate said. "My freshman year when (Matthew) Stafford was a freshman, they came in here, we were ranked (No. 5) and had a chance to go play for the national championship and they ended that. Then the next year in '07 they came out with the blackout and just stomped on us and did the Soulja Boy all over us.

"Things like that I don't forget. It's something that I want very, very badly and the seniors and some of the juniors, they want very, very badly."

The Bulldogs can send off their seniors with something they won't forget.

They have a chance to beat the Tigers four consecutive times for the first time since 1944-48.

"They definitely had some great players in the past couple of years and we've won some good games," Georgia tight end Aron White said. "The one memorable one was the blackout two years ago. That was a great game for us."

Auburn's last win against Georgia came in 2005, in Bulldogs junior linebacker Rennie Curran's junior year of high school.

"I remember watching Georgia play Auburn as a recruit and when they lost, it was like I lost," said Curran, who watched the '05 game on TV. "It felt bad.

"It felt horrible. I don't want to experience that."

Auburn has 20 players from Georgia, including leading receiver Darvin Adams and running back Mario Fannin -- both of whom scored touchdowns for Auburn in last year's game.

Georgia has just two players who signed out of schools from Alabama: offensive linemen Ben Jones and Jonathan Owens.

"Auburn being so close to our border, just about every guy that we have on our team was more than likely recruited by Auburn and has been to Auburn and has seen what they are all about," Georgia coach Mark Richt said. "I think that adds to the flavor, too."

Reach Marc Weiszer at marc.weiszer@morris.com.