Simulating Auburn's 2020 season: Georgia

Day 96 without Auburn sports.

I rummaged up a copy of NCAA Football 14 for the Xbox 360, downloaded 2020 rosters for every team, set up the schedule, and simulated Auburn's entire 2020 football season — because, at this point, why not?

Video-game depictions of sporting events have become common during the pandemic, and fans seem to eat it up. Look at Barstool Sports' NCAA 14 series, for example, which netted more than 125,000 viewers during a national championship earlier this month.

But our usage of the game will differ slightly. Here are the ground rules, for those who missed the first installment. In short, I don't touch the controller; I let the CPU simulate the game how it will.

Onto the games.

• Auburn picks up two first downs on its opening drive before D.J. Williams fumbles at midfield. Georgia D-lineman Devonte Wyatt falls on it.

• Owen Pappoe makes a good open-field tackle on Georgia tailback Zamir White to force a field goal. 3-0 Georgia.

• Bo Nix starts out crisp and with a clean pocket. He's completes 10 of his first 11 passes to seven different receivers.

• He works the Tigers into the red zone, but no dice on third down. A field goal ties it. 3-3.

• Georgia goes three-and-out, and Nix stuns the defense with a 49-yard touchdown pass down the sideline to Seth Williams. 10-3 Auburn.

• It's becoming apparent that Georgia QB Jamie Newman is having a tough time against the pressure of Auburn's defensive line. The Bulldogs go three-and-out again, punting on fourth-and-23 after Tyrone Truesdell sacks Newman.

• Georgia's run defense is holding strong at the line, but Nix is still on the money. The quarterback is reeling off some good runs of his own, however, on zone-read keepers.

• Again Auburn gets into the red zone but can't get into the end zone. Georgia's run defense remains nasty, but Nix has 187 passing yards in the first half. Tank Bigsby has 0 yards on his first five carries. Auburn gets a field goal. 13-3 Auburn.

• Newman strings together some completions before the half to get Georgia into field-goal range. 13-6 Auburn.

• Newman isn't able to get anything going against Auburn's front. The teams trade punts out of the break.

• Georgia gets into the red zone with its best drive of the game, but Roger McCreary pulls down an interception in the corner of the end zone, stepping in front of George Pickens.

• After a good Auburn punt, Newman makes a bad read for Dominick Blaylock, and Christian Tutt steps in front of the pass for another pick. Auburn has a chance for points here at Georgia's 28-yard line.

• Shaun Shivers shakes off one defender and scores from 12 yards out. 20-6 Auburn.

• Auburn's defense still has the clamps on. Nothing doing for Georgia and Newman, and the Bulldogs punt again. Pappoe and McCreary are having great games.

• Nix heats up again and starts to drive Auburn down the field, having his best game of the season against a top defense.

• On a third-and-goal play action call, Nix finds Shivers wide-open on a rollout for the touchdown. 27-6 Auburn.

• Georgia responds, going 75 yards and getting its first touchdown of the night on a rushing score from James Cook. 27-13 Auburn.

• Auburn is able to run down a lot of clock, but can't pick up a third down at midfield and is forced to punt.

• Newman drives Georgia for a second straight touchdown, finding receiver Demetris Robertson in the end zone with only 20 seconds left. 27-20 Auburn.

• Auburn's Luke Deal lands on the onside kick. Ballgame.

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TOTAL YARDS

Auburn: 359

Georgia: 345

PASSING YARDS

Auburn: 210

Georgia: 279

RUSHING YARDS

Auburn: 149

Georgia: 66

THIRD DOWNS

Auburn: 6-of-14

Georgia: 3-of-14

TURNOVERS

Auburn: 1

Georgia: 2

PASSING

B. Nix (AU): 21-for-28, 210 yards, 2 TDs

J. Newman (UGA): 28-for-41, 279 yards, TD, 2 INTs

RUSHING

B. Nix (AU): 10 carries, 55 yards

D. Williams (AU): 14 carries, 49 yards, lost fumble

T. Bigsby (AU): 8 carries, 26 yards

S. Shives (AU): 4 carries, 19 yards, TD

H. Joiner (AU): 1 carry, 0 yards

Z. White (UGA): 14 carries, 46 yards

K. McIntosh (UGA): 3 carries, 26 yards

J. Cook (UGA): 5 carries, 12 yards, TD

J. Newman (UGA): 8 carries, -18 yards

RECEIVING

S. Williams (AU): 6 receptions, 115 yards, TD

J. Shenker (AU): 3 receptions, 41 yards

H. Joiner (AU): 3 receptions, 17 yards

D. Williams (AU): 4 receptions, 13 yards

T. Bigsby (AU): 1 reception, 9 yards

S. Shivers (AU): 2 receptions, 7 yards, TD

A. Schwartz (AU) 1 reception, 5 yards

S. Jackson (AU): 1 reception, 3 yards

G. Pickens (UGA): 7 receptions, 81 yards

D. Robertson (UGA): 4 receptions, 66 yards, TD

D. Blaylock (UGA): 3 receptions, 59 yards

J. Fitzpatrick (UGA): 3 receptions, 46 yards

Z. White (UGA): 5 receptions, 12 yards

D. Washington (UGA): 2 receptions, 9 yards

J. Cook (UGA): 4 receptions, 6 yards

AU DEFENSIVE LEADERS

O. Pappoe (AU): 9 tackles, TFL, PBU

R. McCreary (AU): 8 tackles, PBU, INT

C. Tutt (AU): 5 tackles, INT

T. Truesdell (AU): 4 tackles, 2 TFLs, sack

S. Monday (AU): 5 tackles, TFL, PBU

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EAST

1. Florida (6-0, 4-0 SEC)

2. Tennessee (4-2, 2-1 SEC)

3. Missouri (4-2, 1-1 SEC)

4. Georgia (4-2, 1-2 SEC)

5. South Carolina (3-3, 1-3 SEC)

6. Kentucky (3-3, 0-3 SEC)

7. Vanderbilt (1-5, 0-3 SEC)

WEST

1. Alabama (6-0, 3-0 SEC)

2. Auburn (6-0, 3-0 SEC)

3. Mississippi State (5-0, 2-0 SEC)

4. Texas A&M (4-1, 1-1 SEC)

5. LSU (4-2, 1-1 SEC)

6. Ole Miss (2-4, 1-3 SEC)

7. Arkansas (2-4, 0-3 SEC)

PREVIOUS SIMULATIONS

Week 1 vs. Alcorn State

Week 2 vs. North Carolina

Week 3 at Ole Miss

Week 4 vs. Southern Miss

Week 5 vs. Kentucky