Injured Auburn offensive linemen Mike Horton and Darius James are expected to return to practice Tuesday, but their status for Saturday's rendition of the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry remains to be seen.

Horton (ankle) and James (leg) both started against Texas A&M before exiting early in the game due to lingering effects from their injuries, which they sustained weeks earlier.

"Everybody, we're expecting to practice today," Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said. "We may not know exactly what they means, who's going to start and all that, until we get to Thursday or Friday. I know the two we had to pull out in the game, I know they're great competitors. I know they want to play this week.

"They're going to do everything in their power to do that, but we'll just see where that goes."

Horton has started seven games at left guard this season, but he injured his ankle against Ole Miss and sat out games against LSU and Arkansas before returning to the starting lineup last weekend against Texas A&M. James has started eight of nine games at right tackle this season, missing the Missouri game due to a neck injury and leaving the Arkansas game in the third quarter with an undisclosed leg injury.

With time to recover during the bye week, both Horton and James felt they would be able to play last weekend against Texas A&M, but after three ineffective drives, they told offensive line coach Herb Hand that they didn't feel healthy enough to contribute at a high level.

Auburn adjusted its offensive line on the ensuing drive, with Austin Golson moving from left tackle to right tackle in place of James, Prince Tega Wanogho Jr. moving to left tackle and Marquel Harrell filling in for Horton at left guard. The Tigers promptly moved the ball downfield with a 12-play, 75-yard touchdown drive for their first score of the game.

"I thought they did a good job," Malzahn said of Harrell and Wanogho. "That was the same two that played very well against Arkansas. I thought both of them did some very good things against A&M, and A&M's got a pretty good front."

If James and Horton are unable to play against top-ranked Georgia on Saturday, the Tigers will likely turn to the same lineup along the line that finished the Texas A&M game. It would mark the sixth different starting lineup Auburn has fielded along the offensive line this season.

"I'm going to say this again: I don't think I've ever experienced this many new faces and new guys up front," Malzahn said.

Despite the constant changes in the trenches, Auburn's offensive line has played well and continued to improve as the season has progressed. The Tigers' pass protection has improved after a disastrous start to the season, the run game ranks 19th nationally and the passing attack is one of the most efficient in the country.

"That's very impressive," running back Kerryon Johnson said. "And that's a constitute (sic) to those guys, it's a constitute (sic) to coaching. Sometimes I get out there, and I don't know who's going to be where. They've got Starter 1, Starter 2 and Starter 3 o-line. And all of those guys are ready to play. So whenever their number is called on, they're ready to step in and ready to contribute.

"That just proves who they are as humans. They have high character and all come to work every day at practice and come to work every game. They're always ready. That's what you have to be."

Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.