Georgia football suffers another crushing injury amid Carson Beck uncertainty
Georgia football received tough injury news a few days after the SEC Championship game. The Bulldogs won an overtime thriller against the Texas Longhorns to clinch the No. 2 seed in the College Football Playoff. The gritty win for head coach Kirby Smart’s team came after quarterback Carson Beck left the game with a UCL injury. The Bulldogs’ star QB is now expected to miss the Sugar Bowl.
Kirby Smart’s team received another unfortunate health update on Monday. According to College Football Insider for Action Network, Brett McMurphy, punter Brett Thorson picked up a season-ending knee injury vs. Texas. Thorson, is one of the best punters in the country, and his absence leaves a big hole for Georgia football on special teams.
Georgia football is the clear favorite to make the National Championship
Georgia Bulldogs punter Brett Thorson (92) punts the ball to the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the 2024 SEC Championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
A junior from Melbourne, Thorson is averaging 47.6 yards a punt. That stat ranks seventh in the FBS and was on full display against Texas. Thorson had a game-high 60-yard punt during the contest. Special teams are units that can ultimately decide games when the stakes are at their highest. Georgia football must beat three elite programs to win its third national title in four years. Not having Thorson is a blow to those chances.
Nevertheless, Kirby Smart’s team is still the favorite to make it to the final on its side of the bracket. Based on ranking, not seeding, the Bulldogs’ biggest threats are No. 4 Penn State and No. 5 Notre Dame. These two programs have yet to beat a team in the top 20 and would come into a hypothetical matchup against the Bulldogs as the underdogs. The other teams on this side include No. 8 Indiana, No. 9 Boise State, and No. 11 SMU.
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The Broncos carry the three-seed and are led by Heisman Trophy finalist Ashton Jeanty. Georgia’s run defense will need to be in the same form it was against Texas to shut down the best running back in the country in this hypothetical matchup. Indiana and SMU, on the other hand, are dangerous but inexperienced programs that do not hold a win against a ranked team this season. With the gauntlet the Bulldogs had to endure in 2024, Kirby Smart’s team has been happy with its draw.
However, Georgia’s forgiving draw does not mean they are owed anything. This recent string of injuries reflects that nothing is guaranteed in this sport. Fortunately, backup quarterback Gunner Stockton showed he was ready for the moment against Texas. The sophomore might be the Bulldogs’ sign-caller from here on out.
That possibility doesn’t change Georgia’s expectations at all.
Overall, Kirby Smart has set the standard for this program. The Bulldogs are in title-or-bust mode for the foreseeable future. Georgia football and its fans wouldn’t have it any other way.
