Georgia Bulldogs Expected To Be Without Two Key Starters In Orange Bowl Against Florida State

The Seminoles won’t be the only team missing key players in the Orange Bowl.

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Florida State’s roster has been decimated by opt-outs and transfers leading up to the Orange Bowl against the Georgia Bulldogs. The Seminoles will be missing a ton of playmakers on both sides of the ball such as running back Trey Benson, wide receiver Keon Coleman, wide receiver Johnny Wilson, tight end Jaheim Bell, defensive end Jared Verse, defensive tackle Fabien Lovett, cornerback Jarrian Jones, and cornerback Renardo Green.

It appears that FSU won’t be the only team without key players this weekend. The Bulldogs are expected to be without star tight end Brock Bowers and offensive tackle Amarius Mims against the Seminoles after neither player was spotted when Georgia arrived in South Florida on Tuesday evening.

This would be a big loss as Bowers is Georgia’s leading receiver with 56 catches for 714 yards and six touchdowns while also adding a score on the ground. The projected first-round pick has dealt with injuries throughout the 2023 season and was sidelined for multiple weeks after a surgical procedure to repair a sprained ankle.

Bowers caught a season-high eight passes for 157 yards and a touchdown in a win over Kentucky in October. He was named a First-Team All-SEC selection following the regular season. If Bowers doesn’t play, the Bulldogs will likely turn to sophomore Oscar Delp, who has 21 catches for 253 yards and three touchdowns this season.

Mims appeared in seven games, with six starts, at right tackle while battling injuries of his own. He underwent surgery early in the year to address an ankle ailment. Mims reinjured the same ankle during the ACC Championship against Alabama.

The Bulldogs have also had 18 players enter the NCAA Transfer Portal over the last couple of weeks.

Florida State and Georgia will meet in the Orange Bowl on Saturday, December 30. The game will kick off at 4:00 p.m. and be televised on ESPN.

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Georgia Bulldogs vs. Florida State: Predictions and odds for 2023 Orange Bowl

The 2023 Capital One Orange Bowl is set to host a highly anticipated game between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Florida State Seminoles at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida. This game is of particular importance to both teams as they were left out of the four-team College Football Playoff matchups despite being strong contenders for a national title.

Florida State made history by being the first undefeated Power 5 conference champion not to make it to the playoff teams. The Seminoles’ main storyline continues to be who will lead at quarterback after Jordan Travis’ season ended early with a leg injury. Tate Rodemaker took over quarterback duties when Travis exited the game against North Alabama and the conference title game and is set to lead the Seminoles.

On the other hand, Georgia held the No. 1 spot heading into the SEC title game against Alabama. Unfortunately, the Bulldogs’ 29-game winning streak ended with a loss to the Crimson Tide, causing Georgia to drop out of the top four in a shocking turn of events.

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The Bulldogs will rely on quarterback Carson Beck, who had an impressive 2023 season, completing 289 of 399 pass attempts for 3,738 yards, 22 touchdowns and six interceptions. Beck will have a tough task against Florida State’s defense, who have gone nine straight games without giving opponents more than 20 points a game.

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2023 Orange Bowl: No. 6 Georgia Bulldogs vs. No. 4 Florida State Seminoles Predictions:

BetMGM: Georgia will win

Staff writes: “Based on recent trends, the winning team model predicts Georgia will win this bowl game with 90.3% confidence.”

ESPN: Georgia has a 60% chance of winning

According to the ESPN Matchup Predictor, the Georgia Bulldogs have a 60.9% chance of beating the Florida State Seminoles in the Capital One Orange Bowl.

Bleacher Nation: Bulldogs to win

Staff writes: “Our prediction for Georgia vs. Florida State sees the Bulldogs (-675 on the moneyline) as the pick to win. For the over/under, we pick the over at 44.5 points.”

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