Not long after Alex McPherson’s right leg swung through the ball, Toomer’s Corner looked like it had been blanketed by a blizzard.

His teammates hoisted him on their shoulders. New coach Alex Golesh was looking for someone to hug after the first signature moment of his tenure as Auburn coach, later choking up when he tried to measure the win’s significance. An unranked Tigers team hadn’t beaten a No. 1 team since 2001.

But in the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry, it was upstart Auburn that bested behemoth Georgia, with McPherson’s leg providing the final blow as time expired.

In the locker room afterward, Golesh implored his team to block out the noise.

“Alex McPherson, if they’ve never had to go through what you have,” he said in front of the team. “This is for life, not football. Why? Then why would you listen to ‘em?”

Two years ago, McPherson’s life was derailed just as much as his career. Months after being named a Freshman All-American and a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award as college football’s best kicker, he dropped to around 110 pounds, losing 55 pounds in just a few months.

“Skin and bones, pretty much,” he told The Athletic on Sunday.

His life looks different now. It feels different now. Better. But even as it improved, it was never quite as good as it was Saturday night when he handed Auburn its proudest moment in years.

Even McPherson struggled to believe the moment was real as teammates mobbed him on the field and hoisted him in the air.

He wasn’t thinking about the pain or the anxiety at the lowest point of his life. He wasn’t thinking about the doubts about his future on the field. He wasn’t thinking about the colostomy bag subtly strapped to his waist beneath his pads, secured in a pouch he’d bought online.

Read the rest here for free: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7703048/2026/10/19/alex-mcpherson-colon-auburn/?unlocked_article_code=1.J1E.J60Z.Gd1NvMCogQfb&source=emp_shared_article&smid=url-share-ta

https://x.com/crainandcone/status/2111208951995863269

Not even including Tuberville’s last 3 seasons following our last win @UGA in 2005

Anyone else feel this way, even the people with your FAIR. ENTIRELY FAIR criticism?

All day I have been thinking, it finally feels different. I’m excited again. Even if we go 6-6 and steal a bowl win this feels how a Sunday after a big road game should feel. I trust this coach. I didn’t trust the last two.

War. Damn. Eagle.

WAR DAMN EAGLE!!!!

I’ve watched Jackson Arnold Cam Coleman Xavier Chaplin and many others like singleton etc and the only one to actually be producing is Ashton Daniel’s who I wished could have stayed

UNLV isn’t worth anything but Dan Mullen said “Auburn didn’t use him right” either way he’s still no good

Coleman left for a big check and has done minimum for how hyped up he was

Just shows that these big name guys were only big name because of Auburn and how much they payed them

I love and respect the guys we have now and they’ve shown there’s a fire to be lit

War eagle

Byrum took more abuse and late hits than any QB this Saturday and didn’t run afraid the whole game. For all the criticism he’s gotten this year the guy balled out for four quarters and shoved it down THUGA’s throat. If that isn’t an Auburn QB I don’t know what is, that guy is a gamer and a tough SOB. War Damn Eagle

Before you get gaslit, here are the facts.

Also, head-to-head in B/D and Jordan-Hare, Aub has a three game lead.

WDE.

.... a trap game?

I understand that a lot of us (myself included) are still on a high from Saturday. The team certainly felt different in how the offense and defense executed the game plan. Are we on an artificial high to where we feel TOO good about Saturday?

Yes, I liked how the play calling was different on offense (for the first three quarters but got conservative in the fourth) but am I buying a false narrative? This was only for one game. But I want to feel like they turned a corner but that could just be me still boogin' after Saturday. If they can win at Georgia, then they can win anywhere against anyone.

It feels like the narrative on the team (by the fanbase) has changed completely in the past 48 hours and I am wondering if it is real or if I am just drinking the Kool-Aid.

Prove me wrong

Kirby during the last play right before the ball was hiked. Refs thought he was clapping so play went on. Kick was good.

What was more surprising, Auburn winning the game or scoring 24 unanswered points? I almost think the later since Georgia had not given up more than 20 points all year.

I still believe that Georgia has one of, if not the best, team in the country and still wouldn’t be shocked to see them win the national championship.

Posted this in the post game thread but I think this deserves it's own thread. Golesh just gets it and if anyone doubts his love for Auburn and these players then you're just wrong.

I’m proud of the team for how much fight they’ve had all season and especially yesterday. I think it’s a fantastic sign for our program changing for the better. HOWEVER, I’ve noticed that in so many games this season (not just Auburn games), refs are just being blind to holding penalties. Almost every replay during the game yesterday, I saw Georgia players and our players committing holding penalties. I don’t know the exact number of calls actually made, but if I’m not wrong, it was only a couple the entire game. While I’m glad we benefitted from some of the missed calls, it’s also just a bad standard to have for the team mindset. They are still committing those penalties and it’ll eat us eventually.

I don’t even need to go into how many bad and missed calls benefitted Georgia, like that pass interference ruling about the ball that was definitely not catchable. I just want to be able to watch the games and have the refs show an ounce of common sense and respect for the games rather than the big name teams

Auburn’s win total probability heading into Saturday, per SP+:

- 6-6: 38.3%
- 7-5 or better: 35.8%
- 5-7 or worse: 25.8%

Auburn’s win total probability after beating Georgia:

- 7-5 or better: 68.7%
- 6-6: 26.3%
- 5-7 or worse: 5%

h/t Justin Ferguson for compiling