Auburn throttles rival Georgia at home, remains in playoff hunt

AUBURN, Ala. -- Kerryon Johnson and the Auburn Tigers delivered an emphatic statement to the rest of the Southeastern Conference: Don't forget us. The 10th-ranked Tigers emerged from the shadows of the nation's top two teams, riding Johnson and a smothering defense to a 40-17 victory over No. 2 Georgia on Saturday. With Johnson running for 167 yards and catching a 55-yard touchdown pass from Jarrett Stidham , Auburn (8-2, 6-1 Southeastern Conference) remained in Western Division and potentially playoff contention after snapping a three-year losing streak to one of its top rivals. The Bulldogs (9-1, 6-1) came in with the top spot in the playoff rankings and could get a rematch if Auburn can beat No. 1 Alabama in two weeks. The first go around wasn't pretty for Georgia. The Tigers held Nick Chubb , Sony Michel and the SEC's top ground game to 46 yards, 233 below their season average.