Brock Bowers’ status is currently unclear for the SEC championship game pitting his Georgia Bulldogs against the Alabama Crimson Tide. However, UA coach Nick Saban is “assuming” Bowers will be in uniform and participating Saturday afternoon in Atlanta.

Coming back from October ankle surgery, Bowers missed two games before returning against Ole Miss on Nov. 11. He was held out of the Bulldogs’ latest win over Georgia Tech. While previewing UGA on Monday, Saban and multiple players were asked about stopping the preseason All-American.

“Obviously, Brock Bowers is a really, really good player. Probably the best player at his position in the country,” Saban said. ” … He’s a mismatch issue, but he’s also a good blocker and a really good competitor so it’s not only his pass-catching ability, it’s his ability to do all the things that really good football players do. And he does them all at a high level.”

No. 8 Alabama’s (11-1, 8-0) pass defense has only allowed more than 300 passing yards once this season. Texas managed 349 yards and three scores through the air. Alabama hasn’t conceded more than 160 yards since Nov. 4 against LSU. One difference between the Longhorns’ personnel and the others? Ja’Tavion Sanders, a tight end who totaled 114 yards across five catches in Bryant-Denny Stadium in September.

Bowers has worked his way back slowly since suffering an injury against Vanderbilt. He caught seven passes for 60 yards and a score against the Volunteers. He had a 100-yard performance against UAB, Auburn and Kentucky. Bowers has played Alabama twice, setting a career-best with 10 catches in the SEC title game and was limited to four catches and 36 yards a month later in a national championship match.

Alabama linebacker Deontae Lawson was asked about the threats the 6-foot-4, 240-pound Bowers can pose and if similarly-sized Tide tight end Amari Niblack can help them prepare. Defenders noted that Bowers can line up across the field, comparing him to Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs.

“He’s definitely challenging, you know a tight end like that that can do multiple things. He’s a tight end when he’s split out at receiver so we have to know what’s coming when he lines up in certain positions. It’s gonna be a tough week of preparing for him,” senior defensive back Malachi Moore said

The last two weeks have featured opposing offenses finding success on the ground against Alabama’s defense. Both Chattanooga and Auburn generated 90-yard rushers with at least one score coming on the ground.

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