Missouri got a good sign on Wednesday: wide receiver Cayden Lee was not listed on the first SEC Student-Athlete Availability Report ahead of Georgia, which means he is available to play.
That matters because Lee left the Texas game in the fourth quarter after taking a hard hit and dealing with a knee injury. But coach Eli Drinkwitz said Tuesday that the knee showed no structural damage.
"Cayden Lee has no structural damage to the knee. We are very fortunate," Drinkwitz said. "When you watch it it looks bad, but the cleat was not in the ground, which is a real relief there, and so anticipate him trying to practice today, and we'll monitor that situation as it goes."
Drinkwitz sounded upbeat about Lee’s chances to go, and he pointed to the receiver’s competitiveness in his remarks.
"He was out in practice yesterday and he is probably as tough a competitor as I've been around, so nothing would shock me more than if he wasn't playing. But again, I don't know how his body will respond to that injury," Drinkwitz said.
Lee’s durability has been one of the steady themes of his college career. After appearing in 10 of 13 games as a freshman, he has not missed a game since. He played in all 28 games across his time at Ole Miss and has been on the field for all nine Missouri games this season.
The former third-team All-SEC selection has put together a big year, with a career-high 62 catches, five touchdowns and a team-leading 835 receiving yards, which puts him close to his best mark in that category as well.
Missouri did get a tougher update elsewhere. Drinkwitz said Tuesday that starting edge Langden Kitchen is out for the rest of the season after injuring his knee early against Texas. Kitchen had surgery Tuesday morning, and he was listed out as expected.
The Tigers are also without Malae Fonoti, Josh Atkins and Gavin Hoffman. All three have been sidelined for the entirety of SEC play.
Georgia’s report is shorter. Defensive tackle Josh Horton is listed as questionable, while outside linebacker Amaris Williams is out after a season-ending injury in the spring.
UGA cornerback Ellis Robinson IV was listed as (tk) after leaving the Ole Miss game with a lower body injury. Robinson, a preseason All-SEC First Team selection, has 19 tackles, two interceptions and six pass deflections this season.
In Other News...
Missouri Faces A Brutal Test At No. 1 Georgia
Missouri is walking into one of the toughest spots on its schedule with a trip to face No. 1 Georgia, a team that has looked every bit the part of a national contender on both sides of the ball. The Bulldogs have paired a productive offense with one of the stingiest defenses in college football, and they also bring a long history of success in this series into Saturdays matchup.
Georgias edge has shown up in the details, from its turnover margin to the way it has limited opponents defensively, even while working through some injuries. Gunner Stockton has helped steady the offense, and linebacker Chris Cole gives the Bulldogs another impact presence on defense, leaving Missouri with a major challenge and plenty to solve if it wants to keep this one competitive. [Read more 🡒]
Missouris Unbeaten Start Faces Its First Real Home Test
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Now comes the first real chance to see how that start holds up at home. UT Martin and Lindenwood are next on the schedule, and both bring enough recent form and stylistic quirks to make these games more than routine tuneups, especially for a Missouri team trying to keep building rhythm while protecting its unbeaten record. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Could Be Running Out Of Proven QB Options
The quarterback market is tightening fast, and Missouri fans watching the transfer portal know how quickly that can reshape the board. Mississippi States Kamario Taylor is reportedly finalizing a deal to stay with the Bulldogs, a move that would put him in line to become the highest-paid quarterback in college football and take one more big name off the market. Around him, other notable passers have also chosen to remain put, including Missouris Austin Simmons and Oregon States Braden Atkinson, underscoring just how many programs are opting to keep their own answers in place.
For teams still searching, the pool of proven options is shrinking by the day. That matters in Columbia too, because the portal has become a race for quarterbacks and the supply is not matching the demand. With several programs still looking for help and fewer impact arms available, the pressure on the remaining targets only grows, and the next wave of decisions could determine which schools are left scrambling for a fallback plan. [Read more 🡒]