Top Georgia players not playing in Orange Bowl Game against Florida State

Georgia is set to face the undefeated ACC champions, Florida State, at the Orange Bowl on Dec. 30 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. The Bulldogs were the top-ranked program in college football all season long until, in Week 13, they could not overcome their last hurdle at the SEC championship.

In a 27-24 game that will be long remembered, the Alabama Crimson Tide defeated the reigning champion to take the SEC title.

Georgia fell from No. 1 to No. 6 in the College Football Playoff rankings. It was the first time a top-five team dropped out of that group on selection weekend since the inception of the playoffs in 2014.

The Fawgs will now have to take on a No.5 Florida State unit that was also snubbed from the College Football Playoff despite being an undefeated Power Five champion, another first in the history of the playoffs.

Many fans wonder if they will see both teams at full strength for this clash, considering the players would instead be playing for a national title. In the case of Georgia, coach Kirby Smart said the following about giving time for his players to unwind after the tough loss to Alabama:

"They need some time to decompress, I'm not expecting anyone to not play, to be honest with you. When the conversation comes, we'll have those conversations with 'em. We'll talk to 'em. … We'll have guys into the portal, opt to not play in the game."

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Georgia Players not playing in the Orange Bowl

• Xavian Sorey, LB (transfer portal)
• Nyland Green, CB (transfer portal)
• Jared Zirkel, K (transfer portal)
• Jonathan Jefferson, DL (transfer portal)
• CJ Madden, EDGE (transfer portal)
• Austin Blaske, OT (transfer portal)
• Jackson Meeks, WR (transfer portal)
• Brock Vandagriff, QB (transfer portal)
• Darris Smith, EDGE (transfer portal)
• Smoke Bouie, CB (transfer portal)
• Yazeed Haynes, WR (transfer portal)
• Aliou Bah, OL (transfer portal)
• Mateen Ibirogba, DL (transfer portal)
• Mekhi Mews, LB (transfer portal)
• EJ Lightsey, LB (transfer portal)
• Marvin Jones Jr., LB (Transfer portal)

An interesting fact from this list is that all the players confirmed not to feature in the Orange Bowl are going into the transfer portal. No player expected to declare for the draft has come forward announcing that he won't play, probably because they are being given time to make their choice, as Coach Smart said.

The two players Georgia fans wish to know the most about are tight end Brock Bowers and wide receiver Ladd McConkey. Both are essential to Georgia's offense but carry significant injuries from the season's only beating. However, there has not been any indication of whether they will play.