ATHENS - Georgia will open the season with a cautious hand on a few of its most important pieces, but Kirby Smart said the Bulldogs are planning to have center Drew Bobo and EDGE defender Gabe Harris available Saturday against Tennessee State.
“They’ve taken every single rep. They’re good to go,” Smart said.
Still, Smart made it clear Georgia will be smart about how it uses both players. Bobo has worked back from a foot injury that required surgery after the Georgia Tech game last season, and he also dealt with a finger injury in fall camp on his non-snapping hand. Behind him, Cortez Smith and Malachi Toliver have been competing for the backup center role, with Toliver having started in Bobo’s place to close last season.
Harris’ path back has been longer. He injured his toe in Georgia’s SEC championship game win over Alabama, had surgery, and was limited for much of the spring and fall. Defensive line coach Tray Scott said Harris has attacked the rehab process the right way.
“Gabe is tough, first thing, and extremely resilient, and I think he handled it well,” Tray Scott said. “If we didn’t protect Gabe from himself, he would have probably done something even crazier to it.
That’s one thing you want to see with players. Gabe is looking for a way in, not a way out.
So I think he’s done really good with just leading with his actions, coming to work, and just grinding it out.”
If Harris needs to be eased in, Georgia has options. Joseph Jonah-Ajonye, JJ Hanne and Isaiah Gibson are all in position to help at defensive end, while Quintavius Johnson is also expected to be a key part of the defensive line rotation.
The Bulldogs spent fall camp trying to keep the injury list from growing, knowing they need to be at their best late in the 2026 season. Safety Kyron Jones has been on a pitch count while returning from the foot injury that ended his 2025 season, but he had a strong camp and is expected to start in the secondary.
Wide receiver Craig Dandridge also appears on track to play. He wore a black noncontact jersey during Georgia’s second scrimmage, but he is expected to be available Saturday, giving the Bulldogs another young pass catcher to evaluate in the receiver room.
Georgia’s opener against Tennessee State kicks off at 3 p.m. ET and will air on ESPN+.
“Our guys are ready to go play someone else other than beat up on ourselves,” Smart said.
In Other News...
Georgia Leaves Fall Camp With Two Troubling Questions On Offense
Georgia came out of fall camp with a clearer picture in the backfield, where Dwight Phillips took advantage of the extra work and looked like one of the more encouraging offensive developments before the opener against Tennessee State. The defense also got a boost from Ellis Robinsons strong showing, but the offense never quite found the same level of rhythm through the passing game, leaving Georgia with a few more questions than it would have liked as the season gets ready to start.
The most obvious concern is at wide receiver, where the group had issues creating separation and securing catches, and the staff even moved freshman Kaiden Prothro from tight end to receiver to help address the depth and consistency problems. Behind center, Ryan Puglisi still has not locked down the backup quarterback job, which only adds to the uncertainty around an offense that is otherwise trying to turn a promising camp into a clean start once the games begin. [Read more 🡒]
Nate Frazier Is Chasing A Georgia Running Back Rarity
Nate Frazier has quickly become one of the most dependable pieces in Georgias offense, and his rise has already put him in rare company. Since arriving in 2024, he has led the Bulldogs in rushing in back-to-back seasons, earned SEC All-Freshman honors and came close to the 1,000-yard mark in 2025, all while looking like the kind of back the Bulldogs can build around.
Looking ahead to 2026, Frazier is expected to be Georgias starting running back again, which gives him a chance to chase a milestone the program has not seen in a long time. If he finishes as the Bulldogs leading rusher once more, he would become the first Georgia running back to top the team in rushing yards three straight seasons since 1992, a reminder of just how unusual sustained production has been at that spot. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Suddenly Has A Defensive Line Depth Issue To Solve
Georgias defensive front took an unexpected hit this week when Xzavier McLeod disappeared from the roster and, according to a social media post, retired from football. McLeod had been part of the mix for two seasons after transferring from South Carolina, and he was a steady presence last fall, appearing in all 14 games as Georgia leaned on its depth up front through another long season.
The timing matters because Kirby Smart had already been talking about the lines depth and the need to keep that group stocked for the grind ahead. Georgia did at least get a boost with the addition of freshman Valdin Sone, but McLeods exit creates another opening in a room that was built on competition and rotation. For a program that usually expects answers to be waiting on the bench, this is one of those developments that forces an early recalibration. [Read more 🡒]