Georgia coach Kirby Smart said Thursday he’s not yet sure if four injured offensive starters — including All-America tight end Brock Bowers — will be able to play in Saturday’s SEC championship game vs. Alabama.

Bowers (ankle), guard Tate Ratledge (knee), wide receiver RaRa Thomas (foot) and wide receiver Ladd McConkey (ankle) all sat out last Saturday’s game vs. Georgia Tech. When asked what their status was for Saturday, Smart said he had no more information than he did earlier in the week.

“That’s a great question, because I’m trying to figure that out myself,” Smart said. “And I don’t have a lot more answers now than I had on Monday. They have not been able to do a lot. Each one has worked kind of independently.

“Tate has done some drill work, some 1-on-1 stuff. Brock has sprinkled in some of that. The other guys have been able to run and do some things, but we’re gonna find out today what their availability is, to be honest.”

Bowers — who has 51 receptions for 661 yards and six touchdowns in nine games this season — underwent “tightrope” surgery for an ankle injury suffered on Oct. 14 vs. Vanderbilt and sat out two games before returning on Nov. 11 vs. Ole Miss. He has been bothered by ankle soreness of late, however.

Ratledge, arguably the Bulldogs’ top offensive lineman, suffered a bone bruise in his knee Nov. 18 vs. Tennessee. McConkey has been limited to six games this season, while Thomas played in the first 11 before sitting out vs. Georgia Tech.

Smart said all four are legitimately injured and were not merely being held out because the Bulldogs were heavy favorites last week vs. the Yellow Jackets.

“It bothers me that people have said out there that we sat these guys for the last game,” Smart said. “That wasn’t the case at all. They couldn’t go, and I don’t know if they’re going to be able to go in this game. It’s just unfortunate to have those kinds of injuries, especially four starters.”

The 2023 SEC championship game kicks off at 3 p.m. Saturday at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The game will air live on CBS.