ATHENS - Former Alabama coach Nick Saban gave a very clear warning Saturday that Georgia football is still learning a lesson from after a 27-24 upset loss to Auburn.

"Don't turn the ball over,” Saban said Saturday on ESPN’s College Gameday. “People that are turning the ball over are getting their ass beat.”

The Bulldogs had a -3 turnover margin to the Tigers - the most-direct reason for the Bulldogs losing to Auburn last weekend. Perhaps no turnover during the game was more pivotal than Gunner Stockton’s fumble late in the game that gave Auburn the ball at midfield.

“I need to execute a little bit better and take care of the ball,” Stockton said after the game. “Ball security, it's everybody's, uh, livelihood, so I just got to protect the ball.”

Stockton had nearly as many turnovers in the one game against Auburn as he had to that point of the season so far. Stockton’s two interceptions occurred inside the Auburn 30-yard line.

“People that are turning the ball over are getting their ass beat.”

ESPN's Nick Saban

“I don't think you can really control turnovers,” Smart said after the Auburn game. “I don't know why we turned the ball over three times. That happens sometimes.”

The turnover problem Georgia had against Auburn has been rare for the Dawgs under Kirby Smart. During his 145 games as coach, the Bulldogs have only had a turnover margin of -3 or worse four times. Georgia is 1-3 in those games - with a 42-20 win over the Gators in Jacksonville in 2022. Georgia has never lost a game under Kirby Smart with a turnover margin of +3 or higher.

The Bulldogs are off this week, but return to action again Florida in Atlanta on Saturday. Smart said his team had to turn the page quickly in order to get ready for the Gators and the rest of the SEC season that looms.

"Number one, we’ve got to get in better shape. Number two, we’ve got to get some guys healthy and back,” Smart told reporters. “We had about eight or nine guys that really didn't practice this week in terms of getting them to the game coming out of the last game. We’ve got to improve. We can't turn the ball over, we can't have undisciplined penalties. But we're really good in some areas. I mean we got a good defense, we got a good offense, but we gotta get better. I need more players to play winning football. I need to be able to play more than five linemen. Need to be able to play more people up front that we can count on and, and be dependable.”

The last time Georgia lost the turnover battle in a game was against Florida (-1) last year.

“We just need more guys that can play winning football,” Smart said.

That clearly doesn’t involve more games with negative turnover margins.