By BJ Bennett
SouthernPigskin.com

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There are tracks of red clay from the Plains to the Piedmont, marks left by some of the greatest running backs in college football history.

Athens, Georgia and Auburn, Alabama are separated by less than 180 miles and the directions between the two schools are simple; you veer left or right, counter back against the flow of traffic and drive, as hard as you can, as long as the lane stays clear. There are tracks of red clay from the Plains to the Piedmont, marks left by some of the greatest running backs in college football history.

As Auburn and Georgia set to square off in the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry, they do so with tradition in the rear-view.

In 123 meetings all-time, the Bulldogs narrowly lead a close series 59-56-8. The similarities, between the two programs, aren’t in record alone. Auburn and Georgia have long been home to many of the game’s most-dominant and most-dynamic rushers, lists that start with football royalty Bo Jackson and Hershel Walker, but far from end there. The Tigers have had 12 different All-American running backs, while the Bulldogs have nine.

Of the top 50 career rushing leaders in SEC history, 14 of them are from Auburn or Georgia.

This fall, the two teams continue to do what they both do best. The Tigers rank second in the SEC with 219.3 yards rushing per game, while the Bulldogs slot fourth at 215.9. Auburn is tied for the league lead with 23 rushing touchdowns and Georgia, at 5.58 team yards per carry, is 11th nationally. In many ways, the gameplans, for these physical football teams, for this weekend and very much the same.

When the likes of D’Andre Swift and JaTarvious Whitlow take the field this Saturday, they will do so in the shadows of legends.

“You go from Herschel all the way up to Gurley and even Sony and Nick now. Then Auburn with Bo to Lionel James, myself, Carnell Williams and then you have Tre Mason. Just so many guys have been part of that and that holds a special place,” former Auburn star Ronnie Brown explained. “As a running back I can speak for most guys who went to Auburn. To be able to be part of that and have the history related to it, it’s a big thing.”

For decades, the two backfields have been home to those who have taken pride in those who came before them.

“I feel very excited and privileged to be part of that lineage of players who came through Georgia and did great things to uphold that strong tradition of having great running backs at the university,” former Bulldog great Robert Edwards added.

Given production and proximity, Auburn and Georgia have attracted similar talent over the years, players who have often been at their best in this rivalry series. The Tigers and Bulldogs first met in 1982; they have competed against each other and, in some ways, against themselves ever since.

“It’s great for me to be able to be a part of that. Growing up I was a big Garrison Hearst fan, that was my guy,” continued Brown, a Georgia-native.

On Saturday in Jordan-Hare Stadium, Swift will need just 79 yards to reach the 1,000-yard mark for the second-consecutive season. Auburn has been a showcase game for him throughout his career as Swift scored on a signature 64-yard touchdown burst in the SEC Championship Game as a freshmen, then rushed for 186 yards and a score in the matchup a year ago. Getting back healthy, Whitlow, with seven touchdowns in his first five games, will be looking for his third 100-yard game of this season.

Though a winner will soon be determined, an answer, to a bigger question, may never be found.

“No question, Auburn is Running Back-U,” Brown stated. “Georgia has great history, but I have to go with Auburn. Given the last 10 years or so and looking at the guys who have played, I’d have to give the edge to Auburn.”

There is mutual respect on each side, but also conviction.

“No doubt, Georgia. They had Bo, but we have some of the best college football players to ever play,” Edwards added. “I would, with no doubt in my mind, say the University of Georgia.”

History remembers what happens in rivalries like these, understanding that you don’t just win when Auburn plays Georgia, you stake your claim.