Georgia claimed its second SEC Championship in three years and its third under head coach Kirby Smart on Saturday afternoon when the Bulldogs tackled Texas 22-19 in overtime.
But the win did not come without a major negative. Quarterback Carson Beck suffered an injury on the final play of the first half against Texas and only returned for the final play of the game after backup Gunner Stockton lost his helmet and had to be replaced for the next play.
Georgia left the game with Beck’s availability uncertain for the playoffs. The Bulldogs provided an injury update on Monday afternoon that was far from promising.
“Carson Beck suffered an elbow injury during Saturday’s Southeastern Conference Championship game,” a Georgia statement read. “He and his family are exploring treatment options and there is no current timetable on his return.”
On3’s Pete Nakos reported Monday that the elbow injury is Beck’s UCL which was the same type of injury Brock Purdy suffered in the 2023 NFC Championship game.
Needing surgery to repair a UCL injury typically leads to a six to nine month recovery period. With Beck exploring options it’s clear that he’s trying to avoid the surgery that was certainly end his season.
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The recovery period for players that don’t need surgery to recover from a UCL injury is anywhere between three to eight weeks. That wide time frame could open up a way for Beck to return this season but even then it is not a given.
Beck is a two-year starting quarterback for the Bulldogs. He’s completed 65% of his passes this season for 3,485 yards, 28 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
If Beck can’t go, dual threat sophomore Gunner Stockton will lead the Bulldogs in the playoffs. Stockton played in mop up duty against Tennessee Tech and UMass earlier in the season before getting his first meaningful action in the second half of the SEC Championship.
Against the Longhorns, Stockton completed 12-of-16 passes for 71 yards and an interception. He also rushed for eight yards on eight total carries.
Georgia earned the two-seed and a first round bye by winning the SEC Championship. They’ll face the winner of Notre Dame-Indiana in the Sugar Bowl on New Years Day. Boise State, Penn State and SMU are also on Georgia’s side of the bracket.