COLUMBIA, Mo. • Missouri might dodge Georgia's best bullet for a second year in a row. UGA announced Friday that junior tailback Todd Gurley has been indefinitely suspended from competition by the school's Athletic Association during an ongoing investigation into an alleged violation of undisclosed NCAA rules.

The 13th-ranked Bulldogs (4-1, 2-1 SEC) play at No. 23 Missouri (4-1, 1-0) at 11 a.m. on Saturday.

"I'm obviously very disappointed," UGA coach Mark Richt said in a prepared statement. "The important thing for our team is to turn all our attention toward preparation for Missouri."

Georgia officials did not reveal the alleged violation, but SI.com reported that the school was investigating whether Gurley was paid $400 to sign 80 pieces of memorabilia on the Georgia campus this past spring.

The NCAA requires schools to declare players ineligible if they discover possible rules violations. They can apply for the player’s reinstatement after the investigation is completed, which happened in the past with stars such as Cam Newton and Johnny Manziel.

Gurley, a leading Heisman Trophy candidate, leads the SEC in rushing yards per game (154.6), yards per carry (8.2), touchdowns (nine) and all-purpose yards per game (194.6). Gurley missed last year's game against Missouri with an ankle injury.

Georgia's brief statement did not indicate whether Gurley could be reinstated in time for Saturday's game. The Bulldogs are missing two backup tailbacks with injuries: Keith Marshall (ankle) and Sony Michel (shoulder). Freshman Nick Chubb, who has 224 yards and two touchdowns on 31 carries, is listed as Gurley's top backup this week.

Missouri is coming off a bye week, and defensive coordinator Dave Steckel said he spent the extra week "studying the hell out of Gurley," the centerpiece of UGA's offense.

"The good Lord has blessed us with the extra week because they’re unbelievable," Steckel said. "Gurley is incredible. I think (quarterback Hutson) Mason does a great job of what they’re asking him to do. He’s a very talented kid. Their receivers scare the thell out of me. Their offensive line is very, very fundamentally sound. We have our work cut out for us."

Before the suspension was announced, UGA's depleted depth left the Bulldogs with limited options in the backfield. On Tuesday, Richt said Georgia's healthy running backs — Gurley, Chubb and sophomore Brendan Douglas — would wear green no-contact jerseys in practice to preserve the position's health.

Douglas led UGA with 14 carries for 70 yards and a team-best six receptions for 43 yards and a touchdown in last year's loss to Missouri in Athens.

"The majority of the carries will be Chubb and Gurley," Richt said. "I don't know how many snaps we'll get, but I would say a good percentage of our plays will go to our tailbacks, over half of whatever that number is. So if we play 70 plays, I would say at least 35 of them are going to go to those three guys. But I think (Gurley)'s holding up well."

Georgia leaned on its passing game the previous three seasons behind former quarterback Aaron Murray, but in his absence, Richt has been hesitant to put too much on fifth-year QB Mason, who's averaged just 20 passes per game.

"I don't know if we’re ever going to throw it the way we have been throwing it the last few years because we’re going to be titled more toward the run," Richt said. "We’ve got some very talented backs and it’s just wise to give them the ball right now, I think. We want to pass efficiently, but I don't think we’re going to be in the habit of throwing it for 300 yards a game."

But that was before Georgia announced Gurley's suspension. Could the Bulldogs change their philosophy if Gurley's suspension is upheld through Saturday?

The Associated Press contributed information for this story.