Georgia got the update it needed on Nate Frazier, and it’s the kind of news that takes a lot of pressure off the Bulldogs heading into Oklahoma week.
Kirby Smart said Monday that the starting running back should be ready to go after leaving the Arkansas game with an injury and not returning. Frazier’s absence sparked immediate concern, but Smart made it clear the situation does not appear serious.
“Nate I think is going to be fine. Gonna be day-to-day. I expect him to be available to play.”
Smart also indicated after the Arkansas game that Frazier likely could have come back if Georgia had truly needed him, but with the game already out of reach, the Bulldogs kept him on the sideline as a precaution. That leaves Georgia in a much better spot than it first seemed Saturday.
That matters because Frazier is not just another back in the rotation. Georgia has depth behind him, but he brings the kind of explosiveness that is hard to replace, even in a room that has plenty of bodies. He is also especially important right now because Georgia still hasn’t settled its passing game identity this season, which puts even more on Frazier’s shoulders while that side of the offense gets sorted out.
The good news for Georgia didn’t stop there. Smart also gave positive updates on three other Bulldogs: linebacker Chase Linton, defensive back Tyriq Green and wide receiver Isiah Canion. Linton has not played yet this season, Green missed the Arkansas game, and Canion was hurt early against the Razorbacks.
Kirby asked for an update on Tyriq Green, Chase Linton and Isiah Canion… “Yup, they’ll all be back soon.”
It’s still unclear whether any of those three will be available against Oklahoma, but the fact that all of them are trending in the right direction is a welcome sign for Georgia.
Linton was expected to be one of Georgia’s top defenders this season, and while the Bulldogs have managed without him so far, the schedule is about to get tougher. Canion is one of the players who could grow into a key role in the passing game, especially with Gunner Stockton still looking for a true breakout target at receiver. Green, who scored two touchdowns against Western Kentucky, is more of a depth piece in the secondary as a true freshman, but he still gives Georgia another option.
For now, the bigger picture is simple: Georgia has dodged a major injury scare with Frazier, and the rest of the injury news is trending in the right direction too. That puts the Bulldogs in a strong spot as they move into the heart of SEC play with more health than they’ve had in recent years.
In Other News...
Georgia Fans Have Every Right To Hate This Vanderbilt Kickoff Slot
The SEC has set up Georgias Week 5 trip to Vanderbilt for an early start, with the Bulldogs and Commodores slated for either noon or 12:45 p.m. ET rather than a night kickoff. It is a jarring assignment for a game that already has some extra juice, especially with both teams unbeaten at 3-0 and the conference choosing to put Arkansas at Texas A&M and McNeese State at LSU into the night windows instead.
Georgia fans have an obvious gripe, and the matchup only gets more interesting because Vanderbilt quarterback Jared Curtis was once committed to Georgia before ending up with the Commodores. A primetime slot would have given the game a bigger stage, but instead the Bulldogs will have to get ready for an early one with plenty of context already baked in and a little less spotlight than many around the program probably expected. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Still Has One Clear Issue Despite Another Comfortable Win
Another Saturday brought another comfortable result for Georgia, but the wider SEC picture kept shifting around the Bulldogs anyway. Ole Miss 32-24 win over LSU at Vaught Hemingway Stadium pushed the Rebels up to No. 4 in the AP Top 25, and Trinidad Chambliss turned in the kind of performance that changes the conversation around a league in which Georgia remains one of the standard-bearers.
For Georgia, the ranking movement only sharpened the focus on what still needs cleaning up, even after another routine victory. The Bulldogs are still very much in the mix with Texas, Kentucky and Tennessee in the leagues weekly churn, but the latest results made it clear that comfortable wins alone do not erase the one issue that continues to linger in the background. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Drew Heat For One Arkansas Moment Before Oklahoma Showdown
Georgias 45-17 win over Arkansas came with an extra layer of scrutiny after a timeout led the Bulldogs defensive line to keep working on drills on the sideline. The scene rubbed some Arkansas fans and media the wrong way, but Georgia pushed back on the idea that anything unusual was happening, saying the drills are part of a standard routine meant to squeeze in extra work no matter who is on the other side.
Now the focus shifts to Oklahoma, where Georgia is already dealing with some injury concerns as it turns the page from one SEC game to the next. The sideline debate from Saturday may fade quickly, but it offered a reminder that even in a comfortable win, the Bulldogs can still find themselves under a microscope as the schedule tightens. [Read more 🡒]