Georgia will be without another key defender against Auburn, and this time it’s KJ Bolden.
Friday’s availability report made it official: the junior safety has been ruled out for Saturday’s game, ending a run of 34 straight appearances across his last three seasons. It’s the first game Bolden has missed in his career.
That absence matters because Bolden has been one of Georgia’s steadier pieces in the secondary. With him sidelined, senior Kyron Jones, junior Ja’Marley Riddle and fifth-year Zion Branch should all see more snaps.
Bolden was active from start to finish in last week’s game against Alabama, finishing with 7 tackles, 1 pass break-up, 0.5 sacks and 0.5 tackles for loss. He was also seen Monday wearing a compression sleeve on his right leg.
Georgia’s injury list already included several other names before Bolden was added to it. Running back Chauncey Bowens, wide receivers Isiah Canion and Thomas Blackshear, outside linebacker Amaris Williams and safety Tyriq Green were all previously listed as out.
Bowens hurt his foot late in the first half against Vanderbilt in Week 5. He briefly came back out in the second half before leaving again, then was ruled out last Wednesday for the Alabama game.
Canion’s injury dates back to Week 3 at Arkansas, where he was checked in the injury tent before spending the rest of the game on the sideline. He was later ruled out for Alabama on Friday night. Through three games, the Georgia Tech transfer has 3 catches for 28 yards.
Blackshear was injured in the first half of the Commodores game and later appeared on the sideline with his right arm in a sling. Kirby Smart said at the start of Alabama week that the sophomore “has an upper-body injury.”
Green is still working back from the ankle injury he suffered in Week 2. The freshman was already ruled out for Alabama in Wednesday’s availability report.
On Auburn’s side, there were no changes. Linebacker Xavier Atkins, offensive lineman Tai Buster and tight end Hunter Herring remained out.
Smart also referenced Green earlier this week when asked about possibly shifting a player into the running back room.
"We don't have anybody to move there. Tyriq Green?
He can't move there," Smart said. "We've got the guys we've got."
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Georgias injury list is the part Bulldogs fans will watch most closely, with running back Chauncey Bowens and defensive back KJ Bolden among the players listed as injured or doubtful. Even with the top ranking and momentum on its side, Georgia is heading into this one with enough uncertainty to keep the attention fixed on availability as much as on the opponent across the field. [Read more 🡒]
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For Georgia, the bigger ripple may come from what disappears along with the new format. The expanded playoff would wipe out conference championship games, including the SEC title game, while creating automatic bids for Power 4 champions and filling the rest of the bracket with at-large teams. ESPN is also set to pay more for the broadcast rights, which shows how much momentum the plan has, even if the last formal steps still have to be completed. [Read more 🡒]