The Georgia Bulldogs have arrived in South Florida to get ready for their upcoming Orange Bowl clash against the Florida State Seminoles.
Both teams presented strong cases for inclusion in the College Football Playoff, but ultimately fell just outside the final four programs chosen by the committee to vie for college football’s top honor. While the majority of Georgia’s key players, who played a pivotal role in maintaining the Bulldogs’ status as the No. 1 team in the nation for most of the college football season, intend to participate in the Orange Bowl against the Seminoles, a few notable players were conspicuously absent when the team commenced preparations for the game.
Georgia Bulldogs Arrive To Orange Bowl Without Brock Bowers And Amarius Mims
According to On3, the tight end Brock Bowers and offensive tackle Amarius Mims were not observed disembarking from the plane with the rest of the team at Miami International Airport on Tuesday night. Head coach Kirby Smart did not provide much clarification on their status. Both players have been contending with ongoing injuries, casting doubt on their availability for the Orange Bowl.
Smart addressed the issue of opt-outs, stating, “Right now, we’ve got our guys that are healthy playing. Guys that are completely healthy and cleared to play, they’ve all said they’re going to play.” When specifically asked about Bowers, Smart mentioned, “That’s up to Brock. Brock’s been with us the whole time and he’s been doing all the things he’s got to do. It’s more important though that he’s 100%. The guy probably played earlier than he should have, came out there and competed his butt off. He’s done everything he can for Georgia. He’s not 100%, so it makes it a little harder to do.”
The absence of Bowers and Mims from the plane does not necessarily confirm their exclusion from the game; it merely suggests the possibility. There remains a chance that both players could still participate for the Georgia Bulldogs in the upcoming Saturday matchup.
Last week in Athens, Bowers expressed uncertainty about his availability for the showdown with No. 5 Florida State but mentioned he had been participating in team meetings and practice ahead of the Orange Bowl. Despite his desire to play, Bowers is cautious about jeopardizing his health and future NFL Draft prospects in a game that holds no significance other than pride in concluding the season with his team.
