Uga VIII will miss the Liberty Bowl on Friday because of illness.
Georgia’s bulldog mascot is sidelined with a “gastro-intestinal condition,” the university announced late Thursday afternoon, and did not make the trip to Memphis.
“Russ,” the former interim mascot, again will fill in, as he did for the final two games last season and the first six this year. Russ has bowl experience, having been in Shreveport for Georgia’s victory over Texas A&M in last season’s Independence Bowl.
Uga VIII took over as Georgia’s mascot at the Oct. 16 homecoming game against Vanderbilt.