Todd Gurley suffered a torn ACL during Georgia’s 34-7 home win over SEC rival Auburn on Saturday, leading to speculation that his Bulldogs’ career could effectively be over.
Once viewed as a top Heisman Trophy contender early this season, the 20-year-old star running back fell during a non-contact play after a six-yard gain with just over five minutes left in the fourth quarter while Georgia was comfortably ahead 27-7. After being assisted to the sidelines, Gurley was spotted sitting on the Bulldogs’ bench, his knees heavily wrapped in ice, as teammates tried to comfort him.
It was Gurley’s first game back for Georgia since serving a four-game, NCAA imposed suspension for accepting money for autographs and other signed memorabilia rumored to have pocketed him be in excess of more than $3,000 over a two-year period.
When he was suspended, Gurley ranked second in the country for all-purpose yards. This season, he ran for 911 yards and scored nine touchdowns in six games. Gurley had his best season with the Bulldogs as a freshman, rushing for 1,385 yards and 17 touchdowns. He then had a solid sophomore year, rushing for 989 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Prior to the injury, most NFL pre-draft boards pegged the 6-1, 226 pound Gurley as a surefire first-round draft pick who could potentially go as high as in the Top 10 in next year’s draft.
“He hurt his knee,” coach Mark Richt told reporters shortly after Saturday’s game and before the results of Gurley’s MRI were known on Sunday. “We’ll just have to see what it was. I’m just as curious as everybody else. I just don’t know.”
With the win, the No.16 Bulldogs improved to 8-2 overall and 6-2 in the SEC. Georgia hosts Charlestown Southern and Georgia Tech in its last two regular season games.
[Photo Credit: Diamond Duste]