Hugh Freeze and Auburn will have a tough task in Week 5 against back-to-back national champion Georgia. The Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry comes on the heels of Auburn’s first defeat under Freeze, a 27-10 loss at Texas A&M.

The 53-year-old head coach is new to the Auburn-Georgia rivalry and is taking a different approach against the No. 1 team in the nation.

“I’m not big on hate,” Freeze said. “I’m big on this meaning so much to so many people…I hope we compete because we love Auburn, and it means something to compete against Georgia. Love is a great motivator for me.”

Freeze added that from his limited perception, Auburn-Georgia isn’t nearly as contentious as other rivalries he’s been a part of. Freeze could be referencing his time at Ole Miss from 2012-16 when he coached against Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl.

“I don’t sense that is has,” Freeze said. “…I don’t know, I’m new here, but…I don’t sense that it has the same hatred that other rivalries that I’ve been in.”

Auburn-Georgia dates back to 1892. Georgia leads the all-time series 63-56-8 with 6 victories in a row against Auburn. Auburn’s last victory vs. Georgia was a 40-17 home win in 2017. The teams squared off in the 2017 SEC Championship Game, with Georgia winning 28-7.

Georgia at Auburn is slated for Sept. 30 at 3:30 p.m. EST and will be televised on CBS.