ATHENS – Georgia wide receiver Colbie Young has pleaded not guilty to charges of assault and battery on an unborn child.

Young did so Tuesday at the Athens Clarke-County Courthouse. His court date is scheduled for May with Judge Charles A. Auslander. Young’s attorney, Kim Stephens, requested an expedited court date of Jan. 6, 2025, and Judge Ryan Hope said it could be moved forward.

Young declined to comment to reporters after his plea.

Since the charges were not dismissed by the state, Young remains ineligible to compete for Georgia. With the trial date set for May, it is now unlikely that Young will be reinstated and allowed to play in Georgia’s Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1.

Young has been indefinitely suspended from the Georgia team since his arrest on October 8th.

Young’s attorney moved to dismiss the charges against Young after Young’s accuser signed an affidavit stating that she wanted to drop the charges against Young. The woman also said she had informed the law firm several times that she wanted to drop the charges.

The Georgia wide receiver was cleared for arrest by the University of Georgia’s Equal Opportunity Office on Nov. 25. This allowed Young to return to training and continue to utilize Georgia’s football facilities.

Georgia coach Kirby Smart said in his most recent statement regarding Young that the Georgia wide receiver cannot return to competition until his legal status changes.

“Colbie’s competitive status has not changed and we have no timelines or real expectations for this process. He’s practicing with us again and using the facilities,” Smart said Nov. 26.

In five games this season, Young caught 11 passes for 149 yards and 2 touchdowns. He hasn’t played since Georgia’s win over Auburn.

Currently, Georgia only has seven scholarship wide receivers after Nitro Tuggle and Michael Jackson III entered the transfer portal following Georgia’s win over Texas.

The Bulldogs have some time to move forward as they don’t play again until Jan. 1 when they play in the Sugar Bowl. The Bulldogs don’t know who they will play yet, as Georgia will face the winner of Notre Dame and Indiana.

Georgia is also currently dealing with some uncertainty at the quarterback position as quarterback Carson Beck is dealing with a UCL injury. His status for the Sugar Bowl is questionable. If Beck is unable to play, Gunner Stockton would step in as quarterback for the Bulldogs.

Young is a senior and will be ineligible for college after the conclusion of the 2024 season. Young transferred from Miami to Georgia this offseason. He is originally from Binghamton, NY.