The Georgia football team will be without one of their top offensive players for the second straight week. Bulldogs wide receiver Ladd McConkey won't play in Saturday's game between the Georgia football team and Ball State, according to The Athletic's Emerson. Ladd McConkey has yet to make his 2023 season debut because of a back injury.

Heading into the Georgia-Ball State game, it was thought that McConkey might be able to suit up. The Georgia football team will hold the wide receiver out for at least one more week.

The Georgia football team might simply be taking a cautious approach with McConkey as he recovers from his injury. It wouldn't make much sense to risk the Georgia receiver exacerbating the injury Saturday. The Bulldogs are massive six-touchdown favorites against Ball State and are expected to cruise to victory.

There was little doubt that Georgia's 2023 season opener would be an easy win with or without McConkey. The Bulldogs rolled past UT Martin 48-7.

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Georgia is making sure that McConkey is healthy for a national championship run and doesn't negatively impact his NFL Draft stock. The Bulldogs are trying to win their third straight title. No team has successfully three-peated in the College Football Playoff era.

McConkey is viewed by some to be a Day 2 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He was the top wide receiver on last year's national championship team. The Georgia receiver led all Bulldog wide outs with 58 receptions for 762 yards and seven touchdowns.

Maybe McConkey will take the field next week when Georgia hosts South Carolina in its first SEC matchup of the 2023 season.