Auburns Bowl Push Suddenly Hinges On One Key Injury Decision

Will Jeremiah Koger make a timely return for Auburn, or will his absence impact their chances against Arkansas and bowl eligibility?

Auburn may be getting a key piece back just in time for Saturday’s matchup with Arkansas.

Wide receiver Jeremiah Koger sat out last weekend’s game at Ole Miss, but head coach Alex Golesh sounded encouraged about where things stand heading into Week 10. During Monday’s press conference, Golesh said Koger had already been back on the field.

"He ran this morning. We’re hoping to have them back. I’ll have a way better idea on Wednesday," Golesh said Monday (via Tyler Raley of Auburn Undercover).

That update was backed up, at least in part, by the SEC’s initial Student-Athlete Availability Report for Week 10. Koger was listed as "questionable" when the report came out Wednesday evening, a designation that leaves his status uncertain for Saturday’s game against the Razorbacks. The conference’s injury report will still be updated Thursday and Friday nights, and again 90 minutes before kickoff, so there is still room for his status to change.

Koger’s return would matter for Auburn’s offense after DeShawn Spencer and Christian Neptune handled the workload well in his absence. As the Tigers move closer to bowl eligibility, getting Koger back in the rotation would be a boost.

Auburn’s Wednesday report also included a pair of defensive backs. Cornerback Andre Jordan Jr. and safety Sylvester Smith-Reed were both listed as "questionable" after leaving the Week 9 game at Ole Miss.

Tight end Hunter Henry was also upgraded to "questionable" after missing several weeks, while offensive lineman Tai Buster remains out for another week.

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