AUBURN — Auburn football will travel down to Athens for its first road game of the season against the No. 4 Georgia Bulldogs.

In the deep south’s oldest rivalry, first played in 1892, Georgia leads the all-time series 64-56-8. The Bulldogs have won 18 of the last 23 games. However, Auburn owns a winning record in Athens (18-17) with the last victory coming in 2005.

Here's our scouting report on the Bulldogs, and a score prediction for the matchup on Saturday (2:30 p.m. ABC/SEC Network+).

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Watch out for Georgia's loaded defense

Georgia enters this week's game against Auburn ranked 18th nationally in scoring defense with 14.8 points per game. In the Kirby Smart era, the Georgia defense has ended the year ranked in the top five nationally in Scoring Defense five times — including leading the nation twice in 2019 and 2021.

All-America safeties Malaki Starks and Daylen Everette both finished the eight tackles each in Georgia's last two games. Senior defensive back Dan Jackson was the team's leading tackler in last week's loss to the University of Alabama. He finished with 10 tackles and an interception. Jackson and Starks are currently tied for second on the squad with 19 tackles.

Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins made his first career start against Tennessee Tech and finished with a career-high four tackles, including three for loss. Against Kentucky, he had three tackles, a sack and seven QB pressures to earn SEC lineman of the Week honors. Linebacker Raylen Wilson was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week after five tackles, a forced fumble and sack against Kentucky. Jalon Walker led the Bulldogs with six tackles and 1.5 sacks in a 34-3 win over No.14 Clemson to earn Reese's Senior Bowl Defensive Player of the Week honors.

Can't count out the Bulldogs' offense

Senior quarterback Carson Beck's top targets have been Dominic Lovett (18- for-214 yards, one score), Arian Smith (17-for-274 yards, two scores) and Dillon Bell (14-for-198 yards, two passing scores and a rushing touchdown).

Running back Trevor Etienne, who did not play in the season opener, had a team-best 78 yards on five carries in the win over Tennessee Tech. He had 55 rushing yards and one score on 12 carries — plus two catches for 11 yards at Alabama.

Georgia's offense is averaging 32.3 points and converts 94% of the time in the Red Zone with 11 touchdowns, five field goals and one turnover.

Score Prediction

Georgia 42, Auburn 21: Both teams are coming off bitter defeats last week, making this a redemption game for conference standings. Auburn fell short to the Bulldogs last season 27-20 in Jordan Hare-Stadium. Now, in its first road game of the season, in a hostile environment, the outcome of this year's matchup will not be as close as it was in 2023.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Auburn football vs. No. 4 Georgia: Full scouting report, for Saturday