Georgia NT John Jenkins Will Miss Capital One Bowl Due to Academics

The Georgia Bulldogs will try to stop the Nebraska Cornhuskers without the anchor of their defensive line as nose tackle John Jenkins will miss the Capital One Bowl. 

The Macon Telegraph's Seth Emerson tweeted out the news, which he received from head coach Mark Richt:

"

Georgia NT John Jenkins (academics) will miss the Capital One Bowl, per Richt.

— Seth Emerson (@SethEmerson) December 26, 2012"

Marc Weiszer of the Athens Banner-Herald added that Richt said he will not be at the bowl game and that there were no others with academic issues that would keep them from playing. 

However, Jenkins' absence is a big one. He is a disruptive force along the defensive line and is eighth on the team with 50 tackles. Weiszer also notes that he was "fourth on the team with 15 quarterback hurries."

These numbers are even more impressive considering Jenkins is a nose tackle—a position that does not typically lend itself to big stats. It is no surprise, then, that he was rewarded by being named a second-team All-SEC performer. 

The 6'3", 358-pounder is a senior. So, this suspension marks the end of his Georgia career.

This is Jenkins' second season with Georgia. He moved to the Bulldogs after playing at the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. He definitely made his impact felt and he started every game this season. 

His absence could certainly be problematic for the Bulldogs as they take on the Cornhuskers. Nebraska loves to run the ball and it does it well—ranking eighth in the nation with 254.5 rushing yards per game. 

Jenkins' ability to occupy blockers and penetrate into the opposing backfield has been key to Georgia's rush defense. With Jenkins, the Bulldogs have allowed 177.8 rushing yards per game.

That rush defense was going to have a hard time with Nebraska to begin with, and that task just got a lot more difficult with this news.