Georgia’s leading rusher, freshman Isaiah Crowell, appears on track to play on Saturday after missing the Georgia Tech game with an ankle injury.

“I think he will practice Monday. So unless there’s a setback I would think he would play in the game,” Richt said.

But Richard Samuel’s status is less certain. The junior tailback, who would figure to share carries with Crowell (Carver High) if healthy, has been out since an ankle surgery on Nov. 1. Richt said “we’re hoping” Samuel could play, but said he wouldn’t practice today.

LSU coach Les Miles was asked about preparing for Georgia’s tailback given the injuries.

“We’re going to prepare for their best,” Miles said. “I suspect that every able-bodied man will be ready and able to take every snap. I would think that they would be as healthy as they need to be to compete.”

Starting defensive end DeAngelo Tyson, who missed most of the Georgia Tech game with an ankle injury, is also uncertain to play.

LSU’s defense is preparing to face any and all threats out of the Bulldogs backfield.

According to Miles, LSU is preparing to stop Georgia’s running plays rather than a specific player or two.

“Certainly, the guys that will be in will run the plays that are designed and that they’ve run before,” Miles said. “I suspect that every able-bodied man will be ready and able to take a snap.”

Bowl outlook

Georgia knows its bowl destination if it upsets LSU: The Bulldogs would get the SEC’s automatic bid to the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans on Jan. 3.

But if Georgia loses, it could end up in any of three different bowls:

The Capital One (in Tampa on Jan. 2) gets first pick of SEC teams that don’t make the BCS.

Through its Twitter feed on Sunday night, it indicated it was favoring Arkansas, although Georgia “could force more talk next week.”

Then comes the Cotton Bowl (in Dallas on Jan. 6), which can pick either Georgia or South Carolina, since both are 10-2.

The furthest Georgia could slip would be the Outback Bowl (in Tampa on Jan. 2). The SEC has a rule that would prevent a bowl from bypassing a team with Georgia or South Carolina’s record for an Auburn (7-5) or Florida (6-6).

Reid returning

LSU free safety Eric Reid, the defensive back who picked off Alabama’s trick play in the Tigers’ 9-6 overtime win, is on his way back from a thigh injury.

Reid warmed up before LSU’s win over Arkansas on Friday, but the Tigers elected to sit him and start cornerback Tyrann Mathieu at free safety against the Razorbacks.

Reid has 58 tackles, two interceptions, two fumbles forced and a fumble recovery.

“Eric is expected to play,” Miles said. “He went through warmups and was really pretty good in warmups this last Friday, but we decided not to use him.”