Missouri LB Chad Bailey to miss Georgia game

The Missouri Tigers will be without linebacker Chad Bailey against Georgia this weekend, per ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

Bailey, a senior, has 17 tackles, one sack and a forced fumble to his credit this season. He totaled 112 tackles throughout his sophomore and junior seasons but has missed time nursing ailments this year, keeping his production at a minimum.

Kickoff between the No. 12 Tigers and No. 2 Bulldogs is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET live on CBS. Missouri is a 15.5-point underdog on the road, per Vegas Insider, while the over/under total is set at 55.5 points.

More on Bailey

When it was announced that Bailey was expected to miss the first month of the 2023 season due to undergoing an undisclosed procedure, Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz let the media in on Bailey’s mindset throughout his setback.

“He’s attacking it. He’s got the right mentality,” Drinkwitz said. “He’ll be back as soon as possible. So disappointed for him, but Dae Dae has done a really good job. Dameon Wilson‘s done a really good job. Chuck Hicks has done a really good job stepping up in his absence. We’ve been kind of in this mode all of fall camp, so those guys have gotten the majority of the reps.”

Wilson is a sophomore who saw action for Missouri in 12 games last season, making two starts but has not paned out as Drinkwitz expected him to during the preseason.

Hicks, meanwhile, is a graduate student who did not appear in a game in 2022 due to injury. He is a former Wyoming transfer who has made a limited impact in his time at Missouri so far, joining before the 2021 season. That has changed this season, as he has logged 21 tackles and a sack to his credit this year.

Still, even if the Missouri defensive unit was at full strength — competing against Georgia between the hedges is a tall task for the best of teams. Even though this is Missouri’s best season since the College Football Playoff’s inception, it’s a safe bet to assume that the Tigers are better off shooting for next season’s expanded postseason tournament.

If the improbable does, however, happen — expect Missouri to not only be favored to win the SEC East but to also be the SEC’s favorite to make the CFP’s field of four if their Cinderella season continues. But let’s get through the weekend first.