Ole Miss may be heading into Saturday afternoon’s trip to Florida without one of its biggest playmakers.
When the latest SEC injury reports dropped Friday night, Rebels running back Kewan Lacy was downgraded to doubtful for the matchup at No. 21 Florida.
The game is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC, and the No.
4 Rebels now face the possibility of being without one of their top offensive weapons in Gainesville.
Lacy picked up the injury during Ole Miss’ Week 3 win over LSU. He had been listed as questionable on the first two editions of the week’s SEC availability report, but Friday’s update moved him to doubtful, a change Ole Miss fans clearly did not want to see heading into Week 4.
The same injury report brought better news for Texas.
Hollywood Smothers was upgraded to probable for Saturday afternoon’s showdown at No. 14 Tennessee, which kicks off at noon ET on ABC.
The top-ranked Longhorns had listed Smothers as questionable earlier in the week because of a lower leg injury, and that status held on Thursday. Friday night brought a more encouraging turn.
Smothers missed practice on Thursday, but Texas now appears to believe he is in better shape than he was 24 hours earlier.
With a slate full of ranked SEC games on Saturday, the winners will take a meaningful step toward the conference title picture in December. Here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about the top teams’ chances to be the last 1 standing in the SEC:
In Other News...
Tennessee Texas Finish Just Got An Official Officiating Twist
The Southeastern Conference added an officiating wrinkle to Tennessees loss to Texas, saying the Volunteers drop-kick onside attempt was handled incorrectly. The league said the kick should have drawn a five-yard penalty and a replay of the down because it was taken from behind the required 35-yard line, a violation of free-kick rules.
Even so, the correction does not change the result of Texas 20-17 win over Tennessee. For the Volunteers, it leaves one more frustrating detail attached to a game already decided by a narrow margin, even if the official ruling stops short of altering the final scoreboard. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessees Secondary Just Took Another Brutal Hit Before Auburn
Tennessees secondary is dealing with another setback heading into Auburn, with sophomore defensive back Dylan Lewis expected to miss the remainder of the 2026 season because of a foot injury he suffered against Kennesaw State. Lewis had already been listed as out in SEC availability reports before the Texas game, and he was later seen in a walking boot, a clear sign the injury was serious enough to keep him sidelined for an extended stretch.
For a defense already managing other season-ending injuries in the back end, losing Lewis only tightens the margin for error. The Vols have had to keep adjusting their depth and rotations in the secondary, and now they head into the Auburn matchup with another important piece unavailable, leaving the coaching staff to sort out how to patch together a group that has been hit hard. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Fans Are Stuck On One Faizon Brandon Debate
Tennessees loss to Texas left plenty of fingerprints on the offense, but the loudest postgame debate has centered on Faizon Brandon and how much of the struggle was really on the quarterback. Brandon finished 17 of 29 for 145 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions, yet the bigger number was the sacks, with Tennessees protection breaking down often enough to make the whole night feel hurried and uneven.
Film analyst Brooks Austin pushed back on the idea that Brandon alone was responsible, pointing to a shaky run game and the lines problems up front as part of the picture. Josh Heupel sounded similarly measured, saying Brandon may have been sped up and stressing that the answer has to come from more than one player. For Tennessee, the uncomfortable part is that the debate is still open, and the film may only deepen it. [Read more 🡒]