Even Without Todd Gurley, Georgia Is a Legitimate SEC Title Contender

While Georgia was celebrating Saturday's emphatic 34-7 win over Auburn between the hedges, there was still concern for its future.

Star running back Todd Gurley, who rushed for 138 yards and a touchdown in his first game back from a four-game suspension due to receiving money in exchange for autographs, suffered a knee injury while making a cut midway through the fourth quarter.

He was helped off the field and then walked to the locker room with help from trainers, and according to Bleacher Report's Matt Miller, Bulldog Nation's worst fears have come true.

It's horrible news for Gurley, who, as Miller points out, will likely be one of the top picks in the 2015 NFL draft if he elects to leave college. After missing time with injuries in each of the past two seasons, it's hard to imagine a scenario where Gurley—a true junior—will want to risk playing another season in college when he can rehab while gaining a paycheck.

John Bazemore/Associated Press

In the short-term, though, Georgia should be fine.

The Bulldogs are in the clubhouse with a 6-2 SEC record, and if Missouri falls once in its final two games (at Tennessee, vs. Arkansas), head coach Mark Richt's crew will represent the SEC East in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

If they get to that point, they're more than capable of getting hot in the Georgia Dome and winning the SEC Title regardless of the opponent.

The reason is simple—freshman Nick Chubb.

Player	School	Car.	Yds.	YPC	TDs
Cameron Artis-Payne	Auburn	228	1,276	5.60	10
Nick Chubb	Georgia	152	1,039	6.84	9
Josh Robinson	Miss. St.	158	1,021	6.46	11
Jonathan Williams	Arkansas	159	932	6.01	11
Todd Gurley	Georgia	123	911	7.41	9
Alex Collins	Arkansas	150	886	5.91	11
Mike Davis	S. Carolina	173	875	5.06	9

The Cedartown, Georgia, native has 1,039 yards and nine touchdowns in only four starts on the season and thoroughly took over games at Missouri and Arkansas in Gurley's absence. The 5'10", 228-pounder rushed for 144 yards and two touchdowns against Auburn—the fifth straight game in which he's gone north of the century mark—and added two catches for 48 yards.

"[Nick] Chubb is a physical back who runs with determination," Richt said in postgame quotes released by Georgia. "He has more ability to make people miss than you'd think and he has good vision. He's a good back, a special back."

As the clip above from ESPN's College GameDay Twitter account shows, the combination of size and speed makes Chubb a dangerous weapon.

He's already proven that he can be a feature back, and if fellow studs Sony Michel and Keith Marshall get back from injury prior to the SEC Championship Game, the Bulldog offense will be able to get back to the original plan and spread carries around for a full four quarters.

Couple that with a run defense that seems to have regrouped well after the Florida debacle, and Georgia is suddenly a threat.

Even if Georgia doesn't get the luck it needs to get to Atlanta and Missouri wins out, the future is still very bright in Athens. 

David Stephenson/Associated Press/Associated Press

Chubb, Marshall and Michel should all be back next season, and with a new quarterback taking over for redshirt senior Hutson Mason, the experience they received—Chubb in particular—in 2014 will allow the new starter to ease into the role.

Georgia has been preparing for the post-Gurley era for quite some time, and unfortunately, it appears that has started earlier than anticipated.

If Saturday was his last night in the red and black, he left a legacy at Georgia that is going to be difficult to top. Running backs have been labeled as "the next Herschel Walker" for generations at Georgia, but it might be time to retire that moniker. While Walker will always be mentioned, top-tier prospects will now be striving to become "the next Todd Gurley."

Fortunately for Georgia, one might already be on the roster.

His name is Nick Chubb.

Barrett Sallee is the lead SEC college football writer and video analyst for Bleacher Report as well as a co-host of the CFB Hangover on Bleacher Report Radio (Sundays, 9-11 a.m. ET) on Sirius 93, XM 208.

Quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. All stats are courtesy of CFBStats.com, and all recruiting information is courtesy of 247Sports. Follow Barrett on Twitter @BarrettSallee.