Georgia’s secondary took a hit Wednesday night when All-American safety KJ Bolden showed up on the Bulldogs’ injury report as questionable for Saturday’s 3:30 p.m. matchup with Auburn in Sanford Stadium.
Bolden has been one of Georgia’s most active defenders this season, ranking fourth on the team with 22 tackles and sharing the team lead with three others with an interception. His status is the biggest surprise on a report that also kept several familiar names in view for both teams.
Georgia tailback Nate Frazier, however, was not listed. That matters after the rib injury he suffered Sept. 26 at Arkansas, especially because he was a late scratch before Georgia’s game at Alabama after pain flared up in warmups.
Frazier has totaled 211 rushing yards on 26 carries with five touchdowns in three games, including two carries for 9 yards against Vanderbilt on Oct. 3.
Chauncey Bowens, on the other hand, is out for Auburn. Bowens appeared to hurt an ankle or foot against Vanderbilt on Oct. 3, then limped to halftime before returning in the second half.
He later surfaced unexpectedly on last week’s injury report. Bowens has 35 carries for 124 yards and a team-high six rushing touchdowns.
Georgia turned to Dwight Phillips Jr. against Alabama with Frazier and Bowens unavailable, and he responded with a season-high 17 carries and 120 yards in the 20-17 win in Tuscaloosa. Phillips wasn’t on the report this week, though he did say Monday he felt “a little beat up” and also made clear he expected to be ready.
Receiver Isiah Canion was also listed as out. He had been questionable last Wednesday and Thursday before being downgraded to out Friday night and sitting out against Alabama.
On the other side, Auburn will be without preseason All-American linebacker Xavier Atkins, who is out unrelated to injury. The Tigers also listed offensive lineman Tai Buster and tight end Hunter Herring as out.
Georgia’s report also included defensive back Tyriq Green as out with an ankle injury, outside linebacker Amaris Williams as out with a knee injury, and receiver Thomas Blackshear as out with a shoulder injury. Offensive lineman Marcus Harrison, meanwhile, moved from out last week to probable for Saturday.
In Other News...
Georgia Enters Auburn Stretch With One Offensive Question Looming
Georgias stretch run has a familiar heavyweight feel, with Alabama and Auburn lined up in consecutive weeks again, a scheduling setup that stands in contrast to recent seasons when Auburn was spared that kind of back-to-back grind. The Tigers will also be without linebacker Xavier Atkins for the matchup with Georgia, a hit that could matter if Auburn is trying to generate consistent pressure against a Bulldogs offense still sorting through its personnel.
For Georgia, the bigger immediate question is at running back, where Chauncey Bowens remains uncertain for the game and the workload may again fall to others who have already shown they can step in. There is also a recruiting subplot worth watching, with the Bulldogs having recently flipped three-star cornerback Nash Johnson from Auburn, another small reminder that this rivalry keeps spilling beyond the field even as the next meeting comes into view. [Read more 🡒]
Georgias Backfield Suddenly Faces A Big Test Before Auburn
Georgias backfield depth is suddenly under the microscope heading into Auburn, with Chauncey Bowens ruled out and no clear timetable for his return after an injury suffered weeks ago. Bowens had settled in as the No. 2 running back, so his absence takes away another layer of insurance for a rushing attack that has already been forced to adjust.
Nate Fraziers availability is the bigger question hanging over the game, since Georgias top back has been dealing with his own injury and sat out recent contests, including the Alabama game. The encouraging sign for the Bulldogs is that Dwight Phillips and Bo Walker handled themselves well against Alabama, giving Georgia some confidence if the depth chart has to carry a heavier load again this weekend. [Read more 🡒]
Georgias Toughest Remaining Test Might Not Be Who Fans Expected
Georgias road win over Alabama changed the feel of the rest of the regular season, because the Bulldogs now have six games left and a clearer view of what still stands between them and a clean finish. Three of those matchups look manageable on paper, but the middle stretch still carries some real intrigue, especially with Florida, Ole Miss, and Missouri all waiting in the mix.
Missouri may be the one that ends up demanding the most attention. Florida and Ole Miss have both flashed but also been uneven enough to make their games hard to read, while Missouri has built a strong record and stacked up recent wins in a way that suggests a sturdier test. For Georgia, the next few weeks are less about surviving one obvious trap and more about navigating the opponent that may have quietly become the most difficult of the bunch. [Read more 🡒]