Texas Football vs. Georgia: LB D’Andre Walker missing Sugar Bowl along with Deandre Baker?

Even though he could still play against Texas football in the Sugar Bowl, the injury status of senior linebacker D’Andre Walker is big for Georgia.

Some of the most detrimental news to the cause of the Georgia Bulldogs for the Allstate Sugar Bowl this year was the announcement that senior All-American cornerback Deandre Baker would be absent. Baker is one of the best and most experienced players that head coach Kirby Smart boasted on either side of the ball for his squad. Now, Texas football could be facing Georgia in the Sugar Bowl with another key player missing.

Star senior Georgia linebacker D’Andre Walker is listed as a game-time decision for the injury report the final day before the Sugar Bowl kicks off in New Orleans, LA. According to that final injury report for Georgia heading into the Sugar Bowl, Walker will be a game-time decision due to a groin injury that he suffered in the SEC Championship Game loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide.

If Georgia is missing both Walker and Baker in the Sugar Bowl, it will give the offense for Texas football a pretty big leg up. For most of the regular season, Walker and Baker were by far the two best defensive players for the Dawgs and they would be sorely missed against this potent and balanced offensive attack from Texas football.

The leader in interceptions and pass deflections for the Georgia defense is Baker. And, the leader in sacks and tackles for loss for the Georgia front seven is Walker. Georgia would be missing out on two of its best seniors that are key to holding back both the Texas football passing game and rushing attack.

However, there were no indications from Georgia before the release of this final injury report that Walker would be missing the Sugar Bowl. There are a few other key defensive players for Georgia, against Texas football in the Sugar Bowl, that are key names to watch on the injury report.

Freshman defensive lineman Jordan Davis is also a player to watch that could be missing some of the Sugar Bowl. It seems as if the depth is starting to thin out on the defensive side of the ball for the Dawgs.

On the other hand, the Texas Longhorns were mostly fortunate to be void of significant injuries ahead of the Sugar Bowl. Most of the injured players for Texas football that will be missing the Sugar Bowl have been on the injury report for a while, like freshman wide receiver Josh Moore and tight end Malcolm Epps.

You never want to see players, especially top tier NFL Draft prospects from the Dawgs, absent from a New Year’s Six Bowl game. Although, you can’t deny the advantage this could give Texas football as it looks to claim its first NY6/BCS Bowl win in more than a decade.