Georgia RB Branson Robinson to miss 2023 season with knee injury as Dawgs offense loses key role player
Robinson is out for the season after showing promise as a freshman for the Bulldogs
Georgia running back Branson Robinson will miss the 2023 season after rupturing his patella tendon, coach Kirby Smart announced. The non-contact injury occurred Tuesday as the Bulldogs continue preparations for their Sept. 2 season opener against Tennessee-Martin.
“Tough, tough break for him,” Smart told reporters Wednesday, per 247Sports. “I hate it for Branson because he had really worked hard.”
Robinson showed promise as a true freshman in 2022 while rushing for 330 yards and three touchdowns on 68 carries in 12 games. He was expected to factor into the team’s running back rotation again behind seniors Kendall Milton and Daijun Edwards as UGA vies for a third straight national title. The injury marks the latest setback for Robinson, who dealt with a foot injury in April that forced him to miss Georgia’s spring game and limited him at the beginning of preseason practice.
The highlight of Robinson’s freshman season came in an Oct. 8 win over Auburn, when he rushed for 98 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries. He also scored two touchdowns in UGA’s 65-7 beatdown of TCU during the CFP National Championship.
Robinson ranked as a four-star prospect and was the No. 9 running back in the Class of 2022, according to 247Sports.
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Georgia football injury report
A look at who is in and who is out for the Bulldogs against the Crimson Tide
ATLANTA — The Georgia Bulldogs took care of business for 12 straight games on their way to another 12-0 regular season. The Bulldogs now shift into postseason mode, a move which begins with a matchup against a bitter conference rival.
No. 1 Georgia (12-0, 8-0 SEC) is set for an SEC championship game showdown with No. 8 Alabama (11-1, 8-0 SEC) that will kick off at 4 p.m. ET and will be televised by CBS. This matchup marks the first time since 2009 that the teams playing in the SEC title game went undefeated in conference play and stands as the first meeting between the Bulldogs and the Crimson Tide since Georgia beat Alabama 33-18 in the 2022 College Football Playoff national title game.
The Bulldogs enter the game after just holding off their in-state rival for another road win.
Georgia leaned heavily on a run game headlined by Kendall Milton to build a lead and hold on late for a 31-23 victory over rival Georgia Tech last Saturday. The Bulldogs’ win ended their regular season with a 12-0 record and extended their winning streak against the Yellow Jackets to six games.
Georgia’s win over Georgia Tech gave the Bulldogs 29 consecutive victories, which broke the SEC record set by Alabama from 1978-80 and tied by the Crimson Tide from 1991-93.
Looking at college football history, Georgia is now tied for the ninth-longest winning streak ever.
Teams that still have bragging rights over the Bulldogs include 1953-57 Oklahoma (47 games), 1908-14 Washington (40), 1969-71 Toledo (35), 2000-02 Miami (34), 1969-72 Nebraska (32), 1914-18 Pitt (31), 1948-50 Oklahoma (31), and 1968-70 Texas (30).
To put it simply, the Bulldogs are in rare air when it comes to their recent success. That said, they’ll have to show up ready to play on Saturday in order to extend the win streak to 30 games.
The Bulldogs have several notable players who entered this week banged up. Here’s the latest on what we know about their availability.
Note: Be sure to check back in roughly one hour before kickoff when we’ll update this story based on who is warming up and who is watching from the sideline:
RUNNING BACK BRANSON ROBINSON (OUT)
The running back position for the Bulldogs became a concern just before the start of the season thanks in part to the loss of Branson Robinson, who ruptured his patella tendon during fall camp and will miss the season as a result. Two weeks ago Kirby Smart was asked about Robinson and if the expectation is for Robinson to be back in time for spring practice.
“You know, I don’t know the answer to that,” Smart said. “The closest thing we had was Rian Davis went through this the one year, and it’s a long, arduous process. I can’t answer that. I think he’ll probably be cleared, but I don’t know if he’ll be able to go through live tackling and everything.”
Smart spoke about Robinson shortly after the back suffered the injury during the last week of fall camp.
“Tough, tough break for him,” Smart said when Robinson was injured. “He was coming back from a toe injury on the other leg and actually was not even in a contact drill. He cut and planted and ruptured the patella tendon. He’ll make a full recovery but, unfortunately he’ll be out for the season, which puts us in a tough situation at back.”
Robinson played in 12 games for Georgia during his true freshman season and wound up being the team’s fourth-leading rusher after taking 68 carries for 330 yards and 3 touchdowns. He ended his freshman season in style by taking 7 carries for 42 yards and 2 touchdowns in the Bulldogs’ blowout victory over TCU.
Robinson’s injury left Georgia with four scholarship backs: Kendall Milton, Daijun Edwards, Roderick Robinson, and redshirt freshman Andrew Paul.
WIDE RECEIVER LADD MCCONKEY (IN)
Ladd McConkey’s 2023 season has been derailed a bit due to injuries. McConkey started the season with a back issue and has lately been dealing with an ankle injury, which left him limited to six snaps against Tennessee and unable to suit up against Georgia Tech.
McConkey went through pre-game warm-ups with no noticeable limitations.
Kirby Smart was asked on Thursday about McConkey’s availability along with the availability of Brock Bowers, Tate Ratledge, and Rara Thomas. Smart did not have much to say in regards to McConkey, saying, “the other guys [McConkey and Thomas] have been able to run and do some things.”
McConkey has 26 receptions for 418 yards and 2 touchdowns in seven games this season.
Rara Thomas has developed into a true deep threat for the Bulldogs, but a bone bruise has slowed him down. Smart said after Georgia’s Week 12 win over Tennessee that Thomas’ foot was bothering him during pre-game warm-ups but that it was not an ankle sprain and that X-rays were negative. Thomas did not participate in pre-game warm-ups for the Georgia Tech game and ultimately did not play against the Yellow Jackets.
Thomas did not dress out for Saturday’s game and will be unavailable against Alabama.
Smart’s comments on Thomas were limited to what was included above about McConkey.
Thomas has appeared in 11 of Georgia’s 12 games this season. In that time, he has 23 receptions for 383 yards and 1 touchdown.
TIGHT END BROCK BOWERS (IN)
Brock Bowers came back 26 days after ankle surgery to play in Georgia’s Week 11 win over Ole Miss. Bowers played against Tennessee the next week before sitting out the Week 13 win over Georgia Tech due to ankle soreness.
Bowers went through pre-game warm-ups with no noticeable limitations.
Smart said on Thursday that the injured players have “worked kind of independently” this week and that Bowers has been able to do a little bit of drill work and 11-on-11 work. Smart remained noncommittal about the availability of all five of the injured players in question.
Bowers participated in pre-game warm-ups prior to the Georgia Tech game but ultimately did not play. He has appeared in nine games and has 51 receptions for 661 yards and 6 touchdowns.
OFFENSIVE GUARD TATE RATLEDGE (IN)
Georgia right guard Tate Ratledge suffered an apparent knee injury with just over a minute to go in the first quarter of Georgia’s Week 12 game against Tennessee. Replay showed Ratledge was rolled over by a Tennessee defender, which led to the injury.
Ratledge had to be helped to the sideline after being injured and soon after went to the locker room. He did, however, return to the sideline in the second half and was not wearing a brace. Dylan Fairchild shifted to right guard with Micah Morris playing left guard once Ratledge exited the game.
Ratledge went through pre-game warm-ups with no noticeable limitations. He repped at first-team right guard during pre-game warm-ups.
The outlook for Ratledge is among the most positive in regards to the banged-up Bulldogs. Smart said on Thursday that Ratledge “has done some drill work, some 11-on-11 stuff” this week in preparation for the SEC championship game.
Ratledge was dressed out for pre-game warm-ups for the Week 13 game against Georgia Tech but did not participate. Xavier Truss took his spot at right guard.
Ratledge has started 24 of Georgia’s last 26 games at right guard, including the first 11 games for the Bulldogs this season.
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