ATHENS — Georgia receiver Lawrence Cager suffered a ‘serious’ ankle injury in Wednesday’s practice that could potentially prove season-ending, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.

Cager suffered a separated shoulder earlier this season and has been playing through that injury, along with bruised ribs. Cager missed the Texas A&M game last Saturday on account of the injuries.

Cager, who has not been taking any hits in practices, was expected to be held out of the No. 4-ranked Bulldogs’ game at noon on Saturday against Georgia Tech.

Smart explained last Saturday why Cager has continued to practice.

“It’s one of those deals where you say, ‘why don’t you just shut him down?’ ” Smart said. “Shutting him down doesn’t necessarily get him healthy, either. He doesn’t take the hits and the pounding during the week so it’s one of those he’s helping take a little mileage off the other guys and he’s also staying fresh in the offense.

“Sometimes when you step away, you get away. It’s not his legs that are tired, it’s his injury.”

Now, there’s another injury.

The preliminary information is the ankle injury Cager suffered on Wednesday could keep him out of the next two games against the Yellow Jackets and the SEC Championship Game against LSU on Dec. 7, at a minimum.

The early line on the LSU game and potential CFP matchups already projected the Bulldogs to be underdogs against College Football Playoff contenders, per one online site.

RELATED: Georgia the early underdog to LSU, CFP contenders

Georgia has yet to release any information on the injury Cager suffered on Wednesday.

Coach Kirby Smart has closed practices the past three weeks.

Cager, a 6-foot-5, 220-pound graduate transfer from Miami is Georgia’s leading receiver with 33 catches this season for 476 yards.

WATCH: Cager rises from the “dead,” lifts Georgia over Florida

Cager’s 7-catch, 132-yard performance keyed the Bulldogs’ 24-17 win over Florida and established him as Jake Fromm’s go-to target.

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