Georgia will take the field for the Sugar Bowl on Wednesday missing at least 13 players.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported the number on Tuesday, adding those players made 149 combined appearances in games this season. Six of them are starters, and 12 of them appear on the Bulldogs’ two-deep depth chart, according to the report.
While the reasons behind the absence of some of the players are known, coach Kirby Smart has declined to talk about why others won’t be available when No. 5 Georgia (11-2) takes on No. 7 Baylor (11-2) at the Superdome in New Orleans.
“We’re going to focus on who’s here,” Smart said when the Bulldogs arrived in New Orleans. “This trip, this team and this game, and that’s really it.”
The list could increase to 14 if running back D’Andre Swift is unable to play because of a shoulder injury he suffered late in the regular season, before the SEC championship game loss to No. 1 LSU. A junior, he recorded 1,000-yard seasons in 2018 and 2019 and is expected to enter the NFL draft.
Swift told The Athletic that his shoulder “isn’t 100 percent” but that he intends to play in the game. Smart has not confirmed that.
“I don’t know, we’re going to wait and see,” Smart said Tuesday.
“He’s competed, he’s done everything we’ve asked him to do. If he feels like he’s able to go, and go at 100 percent, then we’re going to use him. He’s done more this last week in practice than he did before the SEC championship game, that’s for certain, so excited to see where he goes.”
The Journal-Constitution identified these players as those who won’t face the Bears:
–OL Ben Cleveland (academics)
–OL Andrew Thomas (NFL draft preparation)
–OL Isaiah Wilson (NFL draft preparation)
–OL D’Marcus Hayes (undisclosed)
–RB Brian Herrien (undisclosed)
–WR Lawrence Cager (ankle)
–WR Dominick Blaylock (knee)
–DB J.R. Reed (foot)
–DB Divaad Wilson (undisclosed)
–DL Tyler Clark (undisclosed)
–OLB Walter Grant (concussion)
–ILB Quay Walker (undisclosed)
–DB Tyrique McGhee (undisclosed)
