AUSTIN, Texas — Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said Thursday Longhorns’ leading receiver Isaiah Bond, who suffered an ankle injury against Oklahoma, will probably be upgraded from “questionable” to “probable” for the top-ranked Longhorns’ showdown against No. 5 Georgia Saturday at 6:30 pm CT (on ABC).

“I would imagine tonight we’ll upgrade Isaiah [Bond] to probable for the game,” Sarkisian said, referring to the second SEC player availability report of the week released on Thursday night around 7 pm CT.

Sources told Horns247 that Bond was in a boot on Tuesday but practiced on Wednesday and Thursday.

“He’s not going be 100 percent, but he should be able to go,”

When asked on the SEC coaches’ weekly teleconference Wednesday for an update on Bond’s injury status, Sarkisian said, “Yeah, he had a pretty good practice today.”

The SEC student-athlete availability report that came out Wednesday night listed Bond as “questionable.” Texas offensive tackle Trevor Goosby joined the list of Longhorns’ players who are out for Saturday’s game along with S Derek Williams Jr., RB Velton Gardner and RBs CJ Baxter and Christian Clark. Williams suffered a season-ending knee injury last Saturday against Oklahoma, and Baxter (knee) and Clark (Achilles) suffered season-ending injuries in fall camp.

Texas opened the week as a 3.5-point favorite and the line moved Wednesday making Texas a 5.0-point favorite, according to.

Against Oklahoma, Bond injured the ankle “early” in the Longhorns’ 34-3 victory over the Sooners and then “re-aggravated it again later in the game,” Sarkisian said after the game. Bond had one reception on three targets for 5 yards against OU before leaving the game

On Monday, Sarkisian said, “I feel better about [Bond’s status] today than I felt [on] Saturday when he couldn’t finish the ballgame. I’m optimistic. He’ll be day-to-day. We’ll see how it looks as we get into Wednesday, Thursday.”

Having Bond, who transferred to Texas after two seasons at Alabama, available for the SEC showdown between Texas (6-0, 2-0 SEC) and Georgia (5-1, 3-1)  would give the Longhorns a playmaker with experience against the Bulldogs.

Bond had a team-leading five catches for 79 yards for Alabama last season in the Crimson Tide’s 27-24 victory over Georgia in the SEC Championship, which propelled Bama into the College Football Playoff.

Bond had four receptions for 67 yards on what turned out to be Bama’s game-winning touchdown drive with 5:47 left in the fourth quarter.

For Texas this season, Bond is tied with tight end Gunnar Helm for the team lead with 21 catches for a team-leading 369 yards. Bond’s three touchdown receptions are tied for the team lead with Matthew Golden and DeAndre Moore.

Bond is one of two receivers for the Longhorns – along with freshman Ryan Wingo – who have been credited with carries in the running game. Bond is credited with two carries for 51 yards, including a 26-yard touchdown run against Mississippi State (even though it came on a pass from Arch Manning behind the line of scrimmage).

Bond has five third-down catches this season, including two third-down conversion passes in Texas’ 31-12 win at Michigan.  Bond also has the most explosive pass receptions (of 15 yards or more) this season with nine. Bond had a season-high 103 yards receiving on five catches in 56-7 win against UTSA, including a 51-yard TD pass from Arch Manning.

“Isaiah has been a great addition to the team,” Sarkisian said last week. “You know, the transfer guys, it’s always difficult because, you know, they get ingrained into the culture that they’re coming from, and the style of play and the practice habits and all those things. And we have a firm belief in how we like to operate. But I give Isaiah a lot of credit, because he’s continued to work at it and buy into what we’re doing.

“I think, you know, his ability to pick up, pick up our offense systematically and have an impact, kind of instantaneously for us, has been big, and he’s improved a ton from where he was in spring ball to where he is now.”