Georgia’s latest injury update brought a mixed message heading into Saturday’s game against Auburn: one offensive lineman came off the report, but a key piece of the secondary took a hit.
Safety KJ Bolden was downgraded from questionable to doubtful, while offensive lineman Marcus Harrison was removed from the availability report altogether. Bolden has been one of Georgia’s most valuable defenders this season, piling up 22 tackles, 2 pass breakups, 2.0 tackles for loss and an interception. He also led the Bulldogs in snaps played against Alabama.
Georgia is already thin in a few spots. Defensive back Tyriq Green, outside linebacker Amaris Williams, wide receiver Thomas Blackshear, wide receiver Isiah Canion and running back Chauncey Bowens are all listed out. Green is dealing with an ankle injury, and he’s out again after hurting it against Western Kentucky.
If Bolden can’t go, Georgia has some ways to patch things together on the back end. The Bulldogs could move Rasean Dinkins over to safety and pair him with Kyron Jones, which would let Khalil Barnes stay at star.
Barnes, the Clemson transfer, has been excellent in that role for Georgia this season. Other names in the mix include Zion Branch, Ja’Marley Riddle and Blake Stewart.
There’s also some uncertainty around the backfield. Georgia’s offense got 120 rushing yards from Dwight Phillips and 69 more from Bo Walker, but with Bowens and Dante Dowdell both out, it remains to be seen whether Frazier will get on the field. That was the same situation last week, before Frazier was held out of Georgia’s win over Alabama.
The Bulldogs go into the Auburn game as a nearly three-touchdown favorite, and they’ll have an off week after this one. After the way the first six weeks have played out, Georgia looks like a team that could be headed for a long season, which only makes the health of Bolden and Frazier more important down the stretch.
The SEC will release another availability report on Friday, followed by a final update 90 minutes before kickoff.
In Other News...
Alabama Finally Responded After Raylen Wilson Postgame Confrontation
Georgias win at Bryant-Denny Stadium was already a big postgame moment, but it quickly turned into something else when a confrontation with linebacker Raylen Wilson was caught on video and spread across social media. Alabama later identified the fan involved and took action, a response that brought some closure to an incident that never should have followed the game into the tunnel area.
Kirby Smart had already pointed to Wilsons composure in the moment, a steady response from a player who had every reason to be rattled by the exchange. Alabama also condemned the behavior as unacceptable, and the episode now stands as another reminder of how quickly emotions can spill over after a high-profile SEC matchup, especially when the cameras keep rolling. [Read more 🡒]
Gunner Stockton Faces A Bigger Test As Georgia's Backfield Thins
Gunner Stockton is one of the names getting early Heisman buzz, but the more immediate concern for Georgia is the shape of its backfield as the schedule keeps getting tougher. The Bulldogs have leaned on Stockton to steady the offense, and his upcoming matchup now comes with added importance because the people around him may not be as plentiful as before.
For Georgia, that changes the equation in a hurry. A thinner backfield can put more on the quarterbacks plate, especially when the defense knows the game plan may have to be trimmed and every possession matters. Stockton has already put himself in the national conversation, but this next stretch will say a lot about how well he can carry it when the margins get tighter. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Faces A Rivalry Test That Could Say A Lot Saturday
Auburns trip to Athens arrives with the kind of backdrop that usually makes October feel bigger than the schedule says it should. Georgia is unbeaten at 6-0, Auburn comes in at 3-2, and the Bulldogs have controlled the series with nine straight wins, but Kirby Smart has spent enough time around this rivalry to know records only explain so much when these two line up. The game is set for Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, with the usual SEC edge hanging over it from the start.
Smart also pointed to Auburns new coach as part of what makes this one worth watching, which is hardly surprising in a series that tends to sharpen even ordinary weeks. For Georgia, the bigger question is not just whether it can extend the streak, but whether it can handle the kind of test that reveals how sturdy an undefeated start really is. [Read more 🡒]