Texas will be without its most disruptive defender for the foreseeable future.
Longhorns defensive end Colin Simmons has a high-ankle sprain and is expected to miss several weeks, according to multiple reports. The junior from Dallas, who is considered a top 2027 NFL Draft prospect, leads the nation with 10.5 sacks this season.
The early outlook is that Simmons could sit out Texas’ next three to four games, starting with the Oct. 24 home matchup against No. 7 Ole Miss. He was carted off the field in Saturday’s 27-24 loss to Florida, and an MRI on Monday showed a sprain with no structural damage, according to Orangebloods.
Simmons has been on a tear, recording at least one sack in each of Texas’ last five games. That stretch included a 5.5-sack explosion at Tennessee on Sept. 26, a performance that set a new single-game program record.
His production has been historic across two seasons. After posting 9.0 sacks as a true freshman in 2024 and earning Shaun Alexander National Freshman of the Year honors, Simmons has now stacked back-to-back double-digit sack seasons. Before him, Texas hadn’t had a player hit 10 sacks in a season since 2013.
Texas enters the Ole Miss game favored, despite the rough start to the season. DraftKings lists the Longhorns as 3.5-point favorites in Austin, and ESPN’s Football Power Index gives them a 71 percent chance to win by more than a touchdown.
The injury report isn’t limited to Simmons. Running back Hollywood Smothers was also mentioned after the Florida game with an undisclosed injury, and his availability against Ole Miss is still up in the air.
There’s also a quarterback situation worth watching. Arch Manning has come under scrutiny after late turnovers helped sink Texas in losses to Oklahoma and Florida, pushing the Longhorns down the rankings. ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that Manning remains the projected starter against Ole Miss, though the increased workload for backup KJ Lacey in practice suggests the staff is at least preparing for the possibility of a shift if Manning’s issues continue.
Through six games, Manning has completed about 63 percent of his passes with 11 touchdowns and five interceptions. Those numbers don’t look ugly on paper, but his mistakes at the worst possible moments have become hard to overlook.
With Simmons sidelined, Steve Sarkisian may have to rethink how Texas generates heat off the edge.
In Other News...
Steve Sarkisian And Arch Manning Face A Texas Debate Thats Growing
Texas left Gainesville with a second straight loss and a familiar set of questions about whats holding the offense back. The Longhorns fell 27-24 to Florida after a night in which they never really found rhythm, finishing under 300 total yards and sputtering in both the passing and running games. For a team that came into the season with high expectations, the conversation has quickly shifted from individual mistakes to the broader structure of the offense.
Steve Sarkisians play-calling has come under sharper scrutiny, and Arch Mannings performance is now part of that discussion as well. When the passing game stalls and the ground attack cant compensate, every possession starts to feel heavier, and Texas is now dealing with the kind of debate that tends to grow louder after back-to-back losses. The numbers alone do not tell the whole story, but they do explain why the Longhorns are heading into the next stretch with so much to sort out. [Read more 🡒]
Florida Just Put Arch Manning In A Debate Texas Can't Ignore
Arch Mannings first real run as Texas starter has moved into the kind of stretch every quarterback eventually faces, with back-to-back 27-24 losses to Oklahoma and Florida putting the spotlight squarely on his play. The Florida game in particular was a rough one, and it has only sharpened the conversation around how much patience the Longhorns can afford as they try to stay on track in a season where every SEC slip carries weight.
Steve Sarkisian has already defended Manning, and Texas is still treating him as the projected starter. Even so, recent practice work has started to hint at a deeper conversation inside the program, with redshirt freshman KJ Lacey Jr. getting more reps as the Longhorns keep weighing their options if the struggles do not ease up. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Just Got A Brutal New Reality Check In The BCS
The latest BCS formula rankings brought a sharp reminder of how quickly the ground can shift in a crowded title race. Miami jumped to No. 1 after its double-overtime win against Florida State, while BYU climbed to No. 3 off its victory over Notre Dame, underscoring how much weight the computers can place on recent results and strength of schedule. For Texas, the bigger story was the drop, with the Longhorns sliding after a recent loss and losing ground in a system that now has very little patience for mistakes.
Alabama also took a noticeable hit in the rankings, and James Madison even cracked the conversation after a dominant showing, a sign that the BCS picture is already getting complicated well beyond the usual blue bloods. The AP and Coaches Polls may still paint a slightly different picture, but the coming slate of games will matter a great deal for Texas, which now has to start climbing again rather than simply holding serve. [Read more 🡒]