The Georgia Bulldogs looked lost without KJ Bolden at safety against Auburn.
If the star junior is out again this week against Florida, Georgia can’t afford another bad game from its back end. Bolden was listed as questionable for the annual rivalry game on Georgia’s Wednesday availability report due to a right leg injury, but there is optimism that he'll be able to play.
The moment looks like it could fall on Ja’Marley Riddle, Rasean Dinkins and Zion Branch back deep. Even if Bolden does play they'll have to be ready to go as well.
Geogia's secondary needs to improve vs Florida
Georgia’s secondary looked discombobulated in its upset loss to Auburn. Dinkins and Riddle were frequently out of position, and the tackling was bad on the perimeter. Dinkins, Riddle, nickel Khalil Barnes and cornerback Demello Jones each had some tough whiffs on tackle attempts.
The biggest coverage gaffe of the game was when Riddle and Ellis Robinson IV appeared to have a halfback pass trick play double covered in the end zone, only for Riddle to run into Robinson, knocking the cornerback down and allowing the touchdown.
The Gators are gunning for their first win over Georgia since 2020, as the Bulldogs look to avoid a second consecutive loss on the schedule for the first time since 2018.
Before this year’s rivalry showdown, now in Atlanta, Florida head coach Jon Sumrall was asked what makes Georgia’s defense different without Bolden. He preferred to focus on the guys behind him.
“I think what makes Georgia unique is the depth of their roster is probably greater than most other people in college football right now,” he said. “So when he leaves, yeah, maybe they lose a catalyst or a cornerstone of their defense, but they got other good players that come in, and they got a lot of great players around that defense.”
KJ Bolden could be the missing piece for Georgia
Bolden has been an invaluable piece of Georgia’s defense since his first college game back in 2024, when he led the entire team in defensive snaps. Since then, he’s grown into one of college football’s best safeties. Bolden’s blend of instincts, athleticism, ball skills and smarts have made him one of the top players in the country.
They’ve also made him the kind of player who can erase others’ mistakes, mistakes that were more amplified against Auburn without him out there. Georgia was prone to communication busts, poor tackling and general lapses in coverage that we haven’t been used to seeing from this team.
Plus, Auburn beat Georgia while only completing one pass that traveled more than 10 yards through the air.
Florida quarterback Aaron Philo will start for Florida at quarterback, but he may still be a bit injured. One thing is certain though, the Gators have much more talented pass catchers than Auburn.
Dallas Wilson, Vernell Brown III and Eric Singleton Jr. are as talented of a trio of pass-catchers as Georgia will see all season. You’ve got your physical, size-speed vertical weapon in Wilson, your burner in Singleton and your after-the-catch dynamo in Brown.
It’s going to be a lot on this Georgia defense to handle those guys, whether it’s Philo throwing passes or Tramell Jones Jr. Throw in a dangerous running game featuring star running back Jadan Baugh, and an offensive coordinator with a track record of cooking the Bulldogs in Buster Faulkner, and this is looking like a formidable Florida offense.
Not a good week to have Bolden sidelined. Dinkins has flashed some good tackling chops and a feel for coverage at some points this year, but has to put it all together in this one. Branch and Riddle are former transfers who need to have their best games as Bulldogs.
The Gators have real firepower against a Georgia secondary missing one of its two best players. This is going to take a big game from some unheralded heroes of the Bulldogs’ secondary.
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