Georgia has again looked like a national championship contender through the first six weeks of the college football season. The Bulldogs are 6-0 overall and 4-0 in SEC play, earning the No. 1 spot in the AP Top 25 after a series of convincing wins and a dramatic victory over Alabama last weekend. Georgia opened the season with dominant performances against Tennessee State and Western Kentucky before beating Arkansas on the road, Oklahoma and Vanderbilt at home, and then edging Alabama 20-17 in Tuscaloosa.
The Bulldogs now turn their attention to Auburn on Saturday, with the Tigers arriving in Athens as 19.5-point underdogs. Being heavy favorites, Georgia already had momentum on its side. But just before kickoff, ESPN's Pete Thamel delivered the news that star running back Nate Frazier is expected to return and start after dealing with a rib injury.
More news: Nick Saban Shares Strong Take on College Football Playoff Expansion Frazier is Georgia's top running back and one of their best offensive weapons. He showed out early, rushing for 211 yards and five touchdowns on just 26 carries through the first four games, averaging a whopping 8.1 yards per carry. He earned third-team All-SEC honors last season after rushing for 947 yards and six touchdowns on 173 carries (5.5 yards per carry).
Frazier suffered his rib injury during Georgia's win in Arkansas. He briefly returned against Vanderbilt the following week, recording just two carries for nine yards, but was held out of the Alabama game with the injury. With Frazier sidelined, Dwight Phillips Jr. stepped up, rushing for 120 yards on 17 carries (7.1 yards per carry) against the Tide.
More news: Kirk Herbstreit Takes Aim at Notre Dame Ahead of BYU Game More news: Arch Manning Is Still Helping Texas in One Key Area Getting Frazier back would give Georgia another experienced back and take some pressure off Phillips. The Bulldogs have been averaging 211.8 rushing yards per game, even with injuries to Frazier and Chauncey Bowens. But Frazier is the lead back for a reason, and having him back in the rotation could make their already productive ground game even more dangerous.
After Auburn on Saturday, the Bulldogs have a bye week before matchups against Florida, Ole Miss, Missouri, South Carolina, and Georgia Tech. Having Frazier healthy during that stretch will be especially important.
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