Monroe Freeling injury update: Wednesday availability report reveals status of ailing Georgia OL vs. Auburn

Saturday night will mark the 130th edition of the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry between Auburn and Georgia in a game that dates back to 1892 and has been played every year since 1944. The 10th-ranked Bulldogs (4-1, 2-1 SEC), winners of eight straight in the series, hold a 65-56-8 all-time advantage over the rival Tigers, which have only won three of the last 20 meetings.

No. 10 Georgia opened as a 3.5-point road favorite over the unranked Tigers (3-2, 0-2 SEC) with an over-under point spread of 46.5 points, according to BetMGM’s Sportsbook. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 pm ET from Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, with the game televised on ABC.

The Bulldogs responded nicely to their first loss of the season two weeks back against Alabama by rolling over Kentucky 35-14 last Saturday in Athens. Meanwhile, the Tigers are coming off its first bye of the season still in search of its first SEC win in its third season under Hugh Freeze.

After dropping its first two conference games on the road at No. 11 Oklahoma (24-17) and No. 9 Texas A&M (16-10), Auburn now faces a motivated Georgia squad on Saturday before a fourth-consecutive Top 25 game against Missouri next week.

As an SEC matchup, Auburn and Georgia must release availability reports throughout the week, beginning with tonight’s initial report. The final report will come out 90 minutes before the 7:30 pm ET kickoff.

Auburn Tigers

Out:
WR Horatio Fields
RB Durell Robinson

Georgia Bulldogs

Out:
TE Ethan Barbour
WR Talyn Taylor
OL Malachi Toliver
WR Thomas Blackshear

Questionable:
OL Monroe Freeling
OL Earnest Greene III

The Bulldogs first-string offensive line has been a patchwork unit throughout the first six weeks of the season while ravaged by various injuries. That is expected to continue this week with junior right tackle Earnest Greene III still dealing with a lingering back ailment. The biggest question mark is with junior left tackle Monroe Freeling, who left last Saturday’s win over Kentucky with an ankle injury after the first offensive series and wouldn’t return. Reserve sophomore tackle Bo Hughley, who started at right tackle against Alabama before being replaced by true freshman Juan Gaston, took over for Freeling at left tackle last Saturday.

“Monroe’s been able to do a little bit. He’s been able to run and workout and do some things. But it’s still going to be more like today and tomorrow we find more out,” Smart said Wednesday during his weekly appearance on the SEC Coaches Teleconference. “He has been moving around on it and running on it and doing some on-air things. But obviously the requirement it takes to be able to strain and play at this level, we’ve got to find out if he’s able to do that.”

Auburn will still be without the services of receiver Horatio Fields, who remains out for another four to six weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a broken foot suffered in practice Sept. 23. The status of talented running back Durell Robinson is also in doubt after he missed the Tigers’ last three games after being rushed to the hospital in early September.