While Brock Bowers has missed the last two games for Georgia, the Dawgs have been just fine offensively without him. Bowers had to leave the Vanderbilt game after sustaining a high-ankle sprain. Initially, the thought was his college career at UGA would be over. Once it was revealed that he only needed tight-rope surgery, it gave us a clearer indication as to when he could be returning to the field.
Georgia, and Bowers, were fortunate that the Vanderbilt game came ahead of the Dawgs' annual bye vs. Florida. That allowed Bowers an addition week to recover from his injury, without having to lose another game to it. The Dawgs handled business the last two weeks with a neutral-site victory over Florida in Jacksonville, as well as thrilling home win over the feisty Missouri Tigers for Homecoming.
With Bowers nearly a month removed from his injury, he is apparently back out on the field practice for Georgia. Radi Nabulsi's UGASports.com colleague Anthony Dasher wrote about Bowers' recovery from injury and how soon he could be returning to the field for the Dawgs. The typical injury timeline for a player recovering from tight-rope surgery is about four to six weeks, usually on the shorter end.
When asked if Bowers suits up Between the Hedges one last time on Saturday, Nabulsi expects it.
Bowers may only be a true junior, but he is a lock to go in the top-half of the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Georgia has two more regular-season games after the Ole Miss date, but those games are at Knoxville for Tennessee and then in Atlanta for some Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate with Georgia Tech.
While I do not expect Bowers to do much at all vs. Ole Miss, the guy is a freak of nature at tight end.
Let's discuss what news of Bowers' premature return from injury could mean for Georgia vs. Ole Miss.
Georgia beat writer thinks Brock Bowers will play vs. Ole Miss in Week 11
Not gonna lie, it would be fricking sweet if Bowers was able to tee it up Between the Hedges one last time in front of Dawg Nation. He may only be a decoy vs. the Rebels defense, but if he gave the Dawgs some variation of the Willis Reed game, The Classic City might erupt like Mount Vesuvius. Georgia is coming off its best win of the year over Mizzou, but the Dawgs need to beat Ole Miss to win the East.
Entering Saturday's huge game vs. Ole Miss, the Dawgs are 9-0 (6-0) on the season. While the fine folks that make up the College Football Playoff Selection Committee love them some wins over Notre Dame more than Lou Holtz loves the Fighting Irish himself, there is no way the Dawgs don't go to No. 1 with back-to-back victories over Mizzou and Ole Miss, especially right after they clinch the SEC East.
This is a playoff elimination game for Ole Miss, as the Rebels need to win out to have any realistic shot of getting in as an 11-1 (8-1). In some years, that mark might be good enough to get to Atlanta, but you have to beat the Alabama Crimson Tide first. Ole Miss winning out would be a strong candidate to make the final College Football Playoff under the current four-team format as an at-large in that case.
Overall, I think news of Bowers practicing is all about having Lane Kiffin and the rest of the Ole Miss staff having to prepare for the slightest of chances he might play. News of Bowers possibly returning could keep Ole Miss defensive coordinator Pete Golding up between now and the end of Saturday night's game. Here is to chasing countless cans of Red Bull or Monster with a nice tall glass of water!
Ultimately, Bowers' return from injury would serve as such a tremendous motivator from within. Nobody thought he could be back this soon. Bowers has been serving as a student-coach of sorts the last few weeks while he was on the mend. He essentially took a page out of the Nolan Smith playbook last year once his UGA career came to an end. You cannot put a price on great leadership.
While I would love to see Bowers play on Saturday, I am not counting on him playing much, if at all.
