The Texas Longhorns got a lift from their win over Ole Miss, but the calendar hasn’t exactly gotten kinder. With Mississippi State coming to Austin on Saturday night, Texas can’t afford a slip if it wants to keep its College Football Playoff hopes in decent shape.
That makes the latest availability update worth watching closely. The SEC’s initial report lists wide receiver Cam Coleman as probable and edge rusher Colin Simmons as questionable for the matchup.
Coleman’s status matters because he exited the Ole Miss game with a shoulder injury, and even with some drops in the mix, his production has been hard to ignore. The Auburn transfer leads Texas with six receiving touchdowns and remains one of the team’s biggest downfield threats. Alongside Ryan Wingo, he gives Arch Manning a dangerous receiver pairing.
Simmons is a different kind of problem for opponents. Texas’ top defensive star is working back from a high ankle sprain he suffered against Florida, an injury that typically takes 4-to-6 weeks to recover from. Even so, his tag moving to questionable suggests progress and keeps open the possibility that he’ll be on the field.
Mississippi State, meanwhile, also has a notable name on its report, with safety Isaac Smith listed as questionable.
Texas enters the game 5-2 overall and 2-2 in SEC play, while Mississippi State is 4-3 and 2-3 in the conference. The Bulldogs will also be without Kamario Taylor-less for the trip to Austin.
Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
In Other News...
Arch Manning Just Became Texas Biggest Quarterback Watch
Arch Mannings long-term future at Texas has become one of the most closely watched quarterback stories in the sport, and the conversation now stretches well beyond Austin. Analysts and insiders have already started floating possible landing spots if he ever decides to move on, with Ole Miss among the schools mentioned because of the Manning family ties that still carry weight in Oxford. Georgia, USC and Miami have also come up in the mix, a reminder of how quickly the recruiting and transfer markets can change around a name like his.
For now, Manning remains on Texas roster and there has been no public indication that he plans to leave, but the speculation has only grown because of the uncertainty around what comes next. Steve Sarkisian has said he wants to see improvement from the quarterback, which adds another layer to a situation already loaded with attention, expectation and outside noise. For Rebels fans, the possibility is enough to keep one eye on Texas and another on the family connection that has never really gone away. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Has One Real Upset Path Against Ole Miss
Ole Miss returns home for a Week 9 SEC matchup with Auburn carrying a clear defensive question that has followed the Rebels into this stretch of the season. The concern is the run game, where Auburn can try to make life difficult by leaning on quarterback Byrum Brown and forcing Ole Miss to prove it can close down the ground attack before the Tigers get comfortable.
The wrinkle for Ole Miss is that Auburn has not exactly been clean up front when the game shifts into obvious passing situations. Its offensive line has had trouble in pass protection, which gives the Rebels a chance to dictate terms if they can keep Auburn behind schedule. For a game that already looks like it will hinge on control and discipline, the trench battle may end up deciding whether Auburn has any real upset shot at all. [Read more 🡒]
Lane Kiffin Just Reopened A Painful Ole Miss What-If
Lane Kiffins first season at LSU has already settled into the kind of high-stakes grind he expected, with the Tigers navigating a few challenges but still giving him reason to feel good about the job. He has said the move has fit the football culture around him, and the sense of statewide backing in Louisiana has been hard to miss as LSU turns its attention to a pivotal matchup with Alabama.
For Ole Miss fans, the more delicate part is how naturally Kiffin can now talk about life in Baton Rouge without sounding like a man carrying second thoughts. With LSU and Alabama both sitting on two losses, the game looming this week has the feel of one of those defining checkpoints that can shape a season, and it also serves as a reminder of just how quickly the Rebels old what-if can resurface whenever Kiffin gets comfortable somewhere else. [Read more 🡒]