The biggest game of Saturday’s college football slate will take place in Tuscaloosa, where the No. 6 Alabama Crimson Tide will host the No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs.
Both teams are relatively healthy entering the contest. But Alabama received one notable injury update Saturday morning ahead of the game’s scheduled 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff on ABC.
Alabama Gets Major Injury News
Alabama tight end Josh Ford broke his arm last week in a win over Mississippi State. He underwent surgery this week and practiced leading up to the game.
While Alabama had not confirmed Ford’s status entering game day, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported on “College GameDay” that Ford will likely play against Georgia.
“There’s another reason for this crowd to get fired up,” Thamel said. “Star Alabama tight end Josh Ford is expected to play tonight against Georgia. He broke his arm against Mississippi State in the first quarter, played the rest of the game, had surgery Sunday. He’s practiced significantly this week. It’s hard to overstate his value in the run game.”
There are a lot of storylines to follow this college football Saturday, @PeteThamel provides updates from around the sport ✍️ https://t.co/sl1NrRnmQ2
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) October 10, 2026
DeBoer’s Comments on Ford’s Injury
Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer said earlier this week that he was “optimistic” Ford would be able to play based on how he was progressing in practice, despite the injury.
“Josh, he actually broke his arm in the game on Saturday,” DeBoer said this week. “Had surgery on Sunday and is determined to get on the football field. Actually, progressing along fairly well right now. We’ll kind of see how the week continues for him, and I know where his mindset’s at. He’s got to make sure he meets the levels that we need him to meet as far as being physically ready. So he’s doing a great job. It’s going well, so, you know, we’re optimistic.”
Ford isn’t a premier receiving tight end for the Crimson Tide, but he has scored one touchdown this season. His biggest contribution comes as a blocker, particularly in the run game, where he’ll play a crucial role as Alabama looks to defeat Georgia.
Alabama Gets Major Injury News Ahead of Pivotal Georgia Game