Aaron Murray's season came to an abrupt and somber end Saturday when he was helped off the field by team staff only to find out he had torn his ACL.

Murray, the Georgia Bulldogs' quarterback of the last four years, will not be able to play the season finale against Georgia Tech, any bowl game they play in nor the Senior Bowl in February, ESPN reported.

Also in jeopardy will be his ability to showcase himself in the various workouts leading up to the NFL Draft in May. Bulldogs tight end Arthur Lynch said Sunday both he and Murray were planning on playing in the senior bowl and in February's NFL combine.

With the combine still months away for Murray, the Bulldogs cannot afford to dwell on the loss of their QB too long. Saturday is their last game of the season when they take on rival Georgia Tech. The last time they played their in-state rival without Murray under center was in 2009. Murray was preceded at Georgia by Matthew Stafford, who went on the be draft first overall and now Hutson Mason will get his chance.

Mason redshirted for a year to gain another year of eligibility and will take over the Bulldogs' offense earlier than he anticipated. He was all but a lock to be the starter in 2014, but his number has been called early.

"I think the whole team is confident in him," Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said of Mason. "He's been preparing for four years now for his moment. His moment's just come a little earlier than we thought it might. I know he's ready and I know everybody believes in him."

Murray's draft stock may take a hit, but he is not focusing on that just yet. Via Twitter, he thanked the Georgia community, expressed his gratitude and vowed to come back strong. ACL injuries are severe, but not career threatening; his recovery will likely be lengthy, but Murray is expected to make a full recovery.