Georgia lost preseason All-American safety Richard LeCounte with 3:49 left in the first half Saturday night against Auburn for a targeting call. LeCounte was ejected from the game, but won't have to miss next week's game against Tennessee. On a third-and-3 at the Georgia 15, LeCounte hit wide receiver Shedrick Johnson when he tried to catch a pass from Bo Nix while falling down. LeCounte appeared to hit Johnson with his shoulder but it struck the wideout in the head and the targeting call stood. Following Georgia's 27-6 win, Linebacker Monty Rice disagreed with the referees' assessment of the play. "Y'all saw it, we all saw it, I think it was the best way that he could have tackled him without targeting," Rice said. "Obviously they called it, but that was textbook the way he played it, in my opinion." Auburn defensive back Smoke Monday was also ejected in the first quarter for a targeting call. Georgia held Auburn on a 20-yard field goal for its first points to cut the Georgia lead to 24-20. LeCounte, a senior, had two interceptions last week against Arkansas. - Athens Daily Banner