Falcons win Thursday night, UGA tries to rebound vs. Auburn

The Falcons beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Thursday night 36-30 in an overtime thriller that moves them into first place in the NFC South.

Why it matters: Atlanta is now in the driver seat of what's becoming a competitive season.

---

Stunning stat: Quarterback Kirk Cousins threw for 509 yards, a franchise record and four touchdowns. The Falcons 36 points were their most in a single game since 2022 when they beat the Panthers 37-34.

Fun fact: Former Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan was inducted into the team's Ring of Honor during Thursday's game. Ryan is the franchise leader in nearly every major statistical category for a quarterback but watched his single game passing record of 503 yards fall.

• He'll be Hall of Fame eligible in 2028.

What's next: The Falcons stretch of three consecutive division games continues next Sunday as they head to Charlotte to take on the hapless Carolina Panthers.

UGA's chance to bounce back

Quarterback Carson Beck will need to play sharper as UGA tries to recover after a heartbreaking loss. Photo: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

After losing to Alabama in what's sure to become an instant classic , UGA has another rival coming to town in the Auburn Tigers.

Yes, but: The Deep South's Oldest Rivalry has favored the 'Dawgs in recent history, as Georgia has won the past seven games and nine of the last 10.

• Auburn enters Saturday's tussle having lost its first two SEC matchups of the season.

What we're watching: How well will UGA's defense respond? Heading into the game versus Bama they hadn't allowed a touchdown in their first three games.

• The Crimson Tide scored five, with three coming in the first quarter.
• Kick off against Auburn is at 3:30pm on ABC.

Burnt ends

Georgia Tech is back in action and hosting Duke at 8pm.

• Meanwhile, Georgia State, Georgia Southern and Mercer are all idle Saturday.