AUBURN, Ala. — With 1:25 remaining against Auburn, 70X Takeoff became Georgia’s ticket to the SEC Championship Game Dec. 7.

The play instantly took its place in Georgia lore, right next to P-44 Haynes, which beat Tennessee last year in Knoxville.

Georgia head coach Mark Richt made the do-or-die call with the Bulldogs trailing 21-17 at Auburn’s 19-yard line and needing 15 yards on fourth down.

Sophomore quarterback David Greene pump faked to sophomore receiver Fred Gibson and then lofted a pass to the left corner of the end zone, where junior receiver Michael Johnson went up top over two defenders to make the reception.

“It was just the go-route, and coach called my number,” Johnson said. “The coaches had faith in me, I had faith in God, and God was good.”

With injured receivers senior Terrence Edwards and junior Damien Gary watching on the sideline, Richt directed the play to Johnson.

“I felt like if anybody was going to win a jump ball, it was going to be him,” Richt said.

Johnson racked up 141 yards and one touchdown on 13 receptions, catching more passes for more yards than he had in Georgia’s 10 previous games this year combined.

Going up 7-0 midway through the first quarter, Auburn led the game until Johnson’s dramatic reception. After narrowing the deficit to four late in the third quarter, Georgia gave up the ball five straight times before getting a final shot with 1:58 remaining.

“(We said) this is the drive to take us to Atlanta,” senior offensive tackle Jon Stinchcomb said. “If we want to reach our goals and finally cash in on an opportunity that we’ve already missed on, then it has to be done right now.”

The Bulldog defense held the Tigers to four downs six straight times to allow the comeback.

“Tonight, we always thought (the offense was) going to score,” senior linebacker Tony Gilbert said. “Even when it was fourth-and-15, I went to Boss (Bailey) and said, ‘something good is going to happen.”