Kolton Houston will join his fellow seniors in the pregame senior ceremony before kickoff of Georgia’s game against Georgia Tech. But Houston may not actually play his last game in Sanford Stadium on Saturday should the NCAA grant the right guard’s appeal for a sixth year of eligibility.
“I’m going to do everything as a senior until I hear otherwise that I’m not a senior anymore,” he said.
The NCAA suspended Houston for what amounted to three years after he tested positive for a banned performance-enhancing substance. Georgia insisted that the steroid was medically administered after Houston had shoulder surgery in high school. Houston was finally reinstated on his 22nd birthday and has played the past two seasons for the Bulldogs.
After starting six games in 2013 and every game this season thus far, Houston has yet to achieve all of his goals in red and black.
“I’d like to be able to go to Atlanta and win in Atlanta,” Houston said. “I’m an older guy but I still feel pretty young. I’m not ready to hang up my cleats yet.”
A sixth year would be the best-case scenario in what has otherwise been a tumultuous college career for Houston. He said that when Georgia and the NCAA had agreed upon the unorthodox nature of the case, the NCAA said it would work with Houston to try and get him that extra year of eligibility.
“As of my knowledge, it’s fully noted and the NCAA has it,” Houston said. “It’s still a time thing. There’s no deadline to when we’ll find out, get an answer. But I expect somewhere … probably a week or two around the bowl game.”
Although the NCAA is about as predictable as teenager’s mood, Houston said he likes his odds. But he must look ahead to what is, for now, his last game with the Bulldogs at home.
“I’m pretty familiar with the whole limbo thing,” he said. “I’m going to treat it like it’s my last game. I’ve sort of treated it like this is my last go-around. I’ll be blessed to get another opportunity.”
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