Georgian football lost a key member of its offensive line on Saturday in its SEC opener win over Kentucky in senior Tate Ratledge.
And according to several reports Monday, Ratledge is expected to miss a few games after an MRI showed a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee and a sprained left ankle. This was first reported by Rusty Mansell of DawgsHQ.
Ratledge suffered his injury in the second quarter The bulldogs’13-12 victory against the Wild cats last week.
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Ratledge is in his third season as a starter for the Bulldogs. Last season, Ratledge was part of a Georgia offensive line that ranked first in the Southeastern Conference and seventh in the nation in sacks allowed (0.93 per game) and fifth in the nation in total offense (496.5 yards per game).
Georgia coach Kirby Smart is scheduled to participate in the SEC coaches’ conference call tomorrow.
Here’s the latest on Ratledge’s injury as Georgia heads into its bye week:
Tate Ratledge injury report
Ratledge is currently out with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee and a sprained left ankle.
The Bulldogs’ 6-foot-6 offensive lineman went down in the second quarter with a leg and knee injury in Saturday’s game against Kentucky. According to Marc Weiszer of the Athens Banner-Herald, Ratledge grabbed his left leg once he fell and motioned to the Bulldogs’ sideline for help. He was then helped off the field by Georgia’s training staff.
“I’ve been told about the ankle and the knee, but I don’t know what’s worse or how bad it is,” Smart said after Georgia’s 13-12 win at Kentucky on Saturday. “I don’t know a lot about it.”
Ratledge was seen in street clothes and walking boots and crutches as he left the field Saturday in Lexington, Kentucky, after Georgia’s victory.
How long will Tate Ratledge be out?
Ratledge is expected to return in time for Georgia’s Nov. 2 game against Florida at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Weiszer said.
After its bye week in Week 4, Georgia will face No. 4 Alabama, No. 2 Mississippi State and No. 2 Texas over the next three weeks. The Bulldogs will have their second bye week in Week 8 on Oct. 26.
This article was originally published on USA TODAY: Tate Ratledge injury update: Georgia OL expected to miss multiple games
