I wrote a notebook for today's newspaper. For some reason the link I put up doesn't have any text on it, so here's the full notebook.

AUBURN, Ala. — Conventional wisdom says Georgia should have a homefield advantage when it hosts Auburn on Saturday.

That doesn’t seem to apply to the Deep South’s oldest rivalry.

The road team has had great success of late in the rivalry. Both schools have a winning record on the road in the series, Auburn holding an 18-10 mark in Athens and Georgia a 14-9-2 record on the Plains.

“Most of the time you always want your homefield advantage, especially in this conference, but it seems like this game through the years it hasn’t really mattered,” Auburn cornerbacks coach Phillip Lolley said. “And I don’t know the reason for that. But I do know that when we go there, it’s not like we’re going into a strange place for some reason.”

The Tigers have won 10 of their last 13 games at Sanford Stadium. Their last three coaches — Tommy Tuberville, Terry Bowden and Pat Dye — all had better records against Georgia in Athens than in Auburn.

“I reckon because we have a lot of Georgia kids on the roster and they’re just very familiar with their program,” Lolley said. “And same for them when they come here.”

Auburn has 20 Georgians on its roster, making up a little less than one-fifth of its players. Georgia only has two Alabamans on its roster, although Auburn is so close to the border that many western Georgia cities identify with the school.

Despite the trend, Auburn hasn’t won in Athens since 2005, when the Tigers pulled out a 31-30 victory.

100 pounds lighter

It took receiver DeAngelo Benton 10 games to notch his first collegiate catch. That might be all it takes to get the former five-star recruit going.

Benton had six catches for 88 yards against admittedly sub-par opposition in Furman last week, but it was a confidence boost nonetheless for the soon-to-be 22-year-old freshman.

“DeAngelo is totally different now,” wide receivers coach Trooper Taylor said. “I mean, guys it’s like he dropped 100 pounds off his back because he is totally different. Just the smile on his face. He was frustrated.”

Benton missed two years while trying to qualify for college, going to Hargrave Military Academy one year before returning to his hometown of Bastrop, La., the next. The rust was considerable.

“It was kind of hard on this type of level, the competition, the SEC,” Benton said. “You have to be extremely ready to play on this level.”

Darvin Adams, Auburn’s leading receiver, has helped bring him along, so much so that Benton jokingly calls the 19-year-old sophomore his “big, little brother.”

Taylor thinks last Saturday’s game is the first sign that Benton is starting to realize his potential.

“I told him the worst compliment we could have is potential,” Taylor said. “That means you haven’t done it yet. If you want to make him mad, say ‘D-Lo, you’ve got a lot of potential’ and watch his face. Do it from a couple feet away. I learned that myself. He has a lot of pride.

“I told you guys before, he’s what you’re looking for. He will rewrite the books before we leave here. I’ve been around some special ones and he’s got it.”

Doak Walker semifinalist

Ben Tate has been named one of 10 semifinalists for the Doak Walker Award, given annually to the nation’s top running back.

Tate is third in the SEC and 12th nationally averaging 114.2 yards per game. He has eight touchdowns. His 1,142 yards this year are 13th on Auburn’s all-time single-season rushing list.

The award’s three finalists will be named Nov. 23. The winner will be announced live on ESPN’s College Football Awards show Dec. 10.