The last time Brock Bowers played Alabama in an SEC Championship game, the Georgia tight end set a personal best and game-record 10 catches. With the Tide and Bulldogs set to square off once again in Atlanta, will Bowers even get a chance to follow up?

“As far last night, Brock was probably the closest of being able to go of (the injured players),” UGA head coach Kirby Smart said on Sunday. “It just didn’t feel as good as he had. He was a little sore. We wanted to be able to use him situationally or see what he could do if he felt comfortable with it, just didn’t think that he could go.

“Nothing about who we’re playing or anything else. He’s gotta be able to go compete at a high level and feel good about what he’s doing.”

One of the best players in the country has battled an ankle injury this fall, undergoing tightrope surgery in October. Bowers missed two games and has been relatively kept in check by his gaudy standards, 10 catches for 94 yards and two touchdowns, since returning. Smart didn’t play Bowers in a 31-23 win over Georgia Tech on Saturday night. He tweaked his ankle against the Volunteers.

Bowers is listed at 6-foot-4, 240 pounds through Georgia’s internal roster. He’s caught 51 passes for 661 yards and six scores. He also ran the ball six times for 28 yards and one touchdown. Bowers was a consensus pre-season All-American and a potential first-round pick in the NFL Draft.

The Tide has defensive backs Malachi Moore and Caleb Downs to match up with Bowers in the slot. It could also rely on linebacker Jihaad Campbell for an athletic matchup. Alabama held Ole Miss tight end Cadn Prieskorn to one catch for 21 yards. Texas’ Ja’Tavion Sanders gashed the Tide for five catches and 114 yards in a Week 2 loss.

Alabama head coach Nick Saban, who’ll gameplan and ultimately face UGA in Saturday for the SEC title in Mercedes-Benz Stadium, was asked about the challenges of facing a “good tight end.”

“I think that, first of all, tight ends are bigger people and when they’re athletic and very good receivers. It’s like basketball in a way. … I think it’s a mismatch issue that comes really and the guys are really good blockers so if you have smaller guys blocking them that’s a mismatch issue in the run game,” Saban said.

Georgia guard Tate Ratledge “was not 100%,” Smart said but sounded more sure in his availability this weekend. The Bulldogs “just don’t know” about the status of wide receivers Ladd McConkey (ankle) or Rara Thomas (foot). Both pass-catchers have combined for three touchdowns and over 700 yards this season.

Nick Alvarez is a reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @nick_a_alvarez or email him at [email protected].