Georgia QB Joe Cox has ‘flu-like symptoms,’ taking later flight to Oklahoma State

Georgia QB Joe Cox has ‘flu-like symptoms’

ATLANTA — Quarterback Joe Cox is expected to play in No. 13 Georgia’s opener at No. 9 Oklahoma State on Saturday despite suffering “flu-like symptoms” that forced him to miss the team’s flight on Friday.

Georgia’s sports information director Claude Felton confirmed that Cox did not travel with the team. Felton said Cox was to fly on a private Georgia athletic association plane from Athens to Oklahoma City on Friday night.

“I think it was a combination of giving him a little more time to rest and the second part was to keep him separated from the team,” Felton said.

The travel by private jet is less grueling. The team took a 90-minute bus ride from Athens to Atlanta before making the flight to Oklahoma City. By flying on the private jet from Athens, Cox was spared the bus ride.

Felton said Cox, who did not practice on Thursday, was feeling better on Friday and is expected to play on Saturday.

Cox, a senior, is entering his first season as a starter after playing behind Matthew Stafford, the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s NFL draft, the past three years.

Sophomore Logan Gray enters the season as Cox’s backup. Gray, from Columbia, Mo., had two carries for 21 yards against Georgia Southern last season, but most of his playing time came on special teams. He had six punt returns for 72 yards.