Georgia’s offensive line picture got a little murkier on Thursday, with center Drew Bobo landing on the team’s availability report and being listed as questionable.
Bobo has started every game for Georgia this season at center, so his status matters. If he can’t go, the Bulldogs have a few options ready to step in. Cortez Smith and Malachi Toliver are the most obvious candidates, and Zykie Helton could also handle the spot if needed.
Toliver is the familiar name in that mix. He filled in for Bobo last season when Bobo was sidelined by a hand injury and then a foot injury against Georgia Tech that ended his year.
Toliver has three career starts. Smith, meanwhile, worked with the second-team offense at center in Georgia’s win over Ole Miss and is in his second season in Athens.
Toliver has been working at guard, though the two have rotated between those spots this season.
The good news for Georgia is that the starting offensive line has stayed intact all season. That group helped the Bulldogs pile up 295 rushing yards against Ole Miss last week, and now it gets a Missouri defensive front that ranks third in the SEC in run defense.
Georgia also picked up some recognition for that unit this week, being named a semifinalist for the Joe Moore Award, which goes to the nation’s top offensive line.
Bobo wasn’t the only Bulldog on the report. Defensive tackle Joshua Horton also joined him as questionable, while outside linebacker Amaris Williams was listed as out.
The SEC will release another availability report on Friday, followed by one more update 90 minutes before kickoff. Georgia and Missouri are set for 3:30 p.m. ET.
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The concern for the Bulldogs is that Missouri can also create extra possessions on defense, thanks to a strong turnover margin, while still finding enough playmakers to keep pressure on a game. Senior wide receiver Caydn Lee and quarterback Austin Simmons have both been central to that formula, with Simmons in particular giving the Tigers a passing element that can swing a contest if Georgia loses focus. The one area that still leaves questions is how often Missouri can finish drives when it gets close, and that could end up being the hinge point again. [Read more 🡒]
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What makes this move stand out is the way it reflects Georgias broader approach. The Bulldogs have built a reputation for pairing player development, championship expectations and a clear plan for the future, and Matthews reportedly chose that package even though other schools were offering more on the NIL front. For Georgia fans, that is the part worth savoring, because it suggests the programs appeal still reaches beyond the checkbook. [Read more 🡒]
Missouri Can Make Georgia Pay For One Problem That Wont Go Away
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Missouri arrives with a defense built to capitalize on mistakes, and that makes this a far more dangerous game than a typical late-season SEC meeting. With playoff implications hanging over it, Georgias margin for error is thin, and the biggest question may be whether the Bulldogs can finally protect the football against a unit that has made a habit of turning pressure into takeaways. [Read more 🡒]