Cam Riley did not see the field on defense during Auburn’s loss to LSU last weekend, but head coach Bryan Harsin expects the junior linebacker to make the trip to Athens, Ga., this week and be available when Auburn plays No. 2 Georgia.

Riley started each of Auburn’s first four games at linebacker but was limited to two snaps on special teams coverage, according to Pro Football Focus, and not take the field with Auburn’s defense during the team’s 21-17 loss at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

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“Yeah, we expect him to travel and play,” Harsin said Wednesday during the SEC coaches teleconference. “…He practiced. We expect him to play, and he’ll definitely be with us at this game. And he’s excited to be in it.”

A junior out of Evergreen, Riley earned a starting job at linebacker opposite senior Owen Pappoe this offseason following the departures of Zacoby McClain and Chandler Wooten for the NFL. The 6-foot-5, 230-pounder started alongside Pappoe in each of Auburn’s first four games this season and was the team’s leading tackler heading into last weekend’s game against LSU.

Riley had 31 tackles through the first four games, eclipsing his career total of 23 tackles during his first two seasons on the Plains. He opened the year with a noteworthy 16-tackle effort against Mercer in which he set a career-high and surpassed his tackle total from all of last season (14). His 16 tackles against Mercer were the most by an Auburn player in a single game since McClain had 17 against Texas A&M in 2020.

Riley followed it up with five tackles against San Jose State, a team-high tying six tackles against Penn State and then four in Auburn’s overtime win against Missouri.

Fellow junior Wesley Steiner started in place of Riley against LSU and finished with a team-high 11 tackles, including 10 solo stops. Harsin did not mention why Riley did not see the field with Auburn’s defense in the loss.

Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.