Big Gameday Injury Update on Georgia Football's Nate Frazier

ATHENS - Georgia football is expected to get back a major star as they head into the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry against the Auburn Tigers.

Nate Frazier is expected to start for the Bulldogs Saturday Between the Hedges. Frazier missed last Saturday’s 20-17 win over No. 6 Alabama with what has been reported as a rib injury.

Frazier only played limited snaps two weeks ago against Vanderbilt. He was pulled out of the Dawgs’ game against Arkansas in middle September. From that time until this Saturday only the second-half snaps against Vanderbilt have been all the Compton native has played.

Frazier was seen emotional before the Alabama game - he did not play against the Tide. But Dwight Phillips did, and the reserve running back slashed through Alabama for 120 yards on 17 runs. Bo Walker added another ten carries and 69 yards.

“What a great kid, man. This Dwight Phillips, man, y'all don't know how special this kid is,” Smart said after the win over Alabama. “He hasn’t complained one time since being here, and he's so tough for his size. (Mike) Bobo came to me before the game and said, ‘Hey, Nate isn't going to go.’ I said, ‘We have to give it to Peanut [Dwight Phillips Jr.]. He said, ‘[Do] you remember that game when we were at Georgia, and they gave the ball to Torin Kirtsey, and he weighed about 175.’ I don't know how many times Torin carried, maybe 30. I said, ‘If we have to give it to Dwight that many times, he can do it. He and Bo [Walker] stepped up big, even the young kid [Nick Peal]. This kid was in high school six months ago, Peal. He's a really good football player, and he's going to get better.”

ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported Frazier’s status during Gameday Saturday morning.

Frazier has 211 yards on only 26 carries this season. He has five touchdowns. Frazier has been one of the most durable running backs in college football. Before this injury he only missed one game in his previous two seasons. All told Frazier has 2,035 total yards on 361 and 20 touchdowns on 361 total touches for his career.