Texas at Georgia injury updates: Friday availability report revealed

The eyes of the SEC will descend on the Classic City on Saturday night as Texas takes on host Georgia in a high-stakes conference showdown between two Top 10 programs with plenty on the line. Kickoff is set for 7:30 pm ET Saturday with the game televised on ABC.

The No. 5 Bulldogs (8-1, 6-1 SEC) opened the week as a 6.5-point home favorite over 10th-ranked Longhorns (7-2, 4-1 SEC) with an over-under total of just 49.5 points, according to BetMGM. Even Vegas oddsmakers expect a close defensive battle between the two budding SEC rivals.

Georgia and Texas obviously haven’t been rivals long, but after meeting twice last season — including in last season’s epic SEC Championship that the Bulldogs won 22-19 in overtime — this year’s matchup comes with significant College Football Playoff implications for both programs.

A third regular season loss on Saturday would effectively doom both the Longhorns’ Playoff and SEC title game hopes. Meanwhile, a second SEC loss by the ‘Dawgs would eliminate any chance of defending their SEC title in Atlanta, and likely cost Georgia a first-round home game in the Playoffs.

Georgia Bulldogs

• WR Colbie Young – Out
• TE Ethan Barbour – Out
• WR Talyn Taylor – Out
• DB Kyron Jones – Out
• DL Jordan Hall – Out

Texas Longhorns

• None to report

After starting the week listed as “probable” on Wednesday’s initial availability report, Georgia tight end Lawson Luckie and defensive tackle Josh Horton were completely absent from Thursday’s report, signaling both should be available Saturday vs. Texas. The Bulldogs previously ruled out five players — defensive lineman Jordan Hall, defensive back Kyron Jones, tight end Ethan Barbour and receivers Talyn Taylor and Colbie Young.

Fresh off their final bye week of the season, Texas has continued to report no absences on its first two availability reports of the week. That’s great news for a Longhorns program that has turned its season around with four straight SEC wins. Much of that success is attributed to continued growth from first-year starting QB Arch Manning, who combined for 674 passing yards and six touchdowns to one interception on 70.9-percent passing in back-to-back wins over Mississippi State and Vanderbilt prior to the bye.

Meanwhile, Georgia is riding high after putting together its most complete game of the season in last Saturday’s 41-21 road drubbing of Mississippi State. Powered by a career-best 181 rushing yards from sophomore Nate Frazier, the Bulldogs’ beleagured ground game broke out with a season-high 303 rushing yards and 6.9 yards-per-carry average.