College Football Injury Report: Week 12
By Brad Weiss
Here is a look at the key injuries leading into Week 12 of the college football season. Whether these players play or not will significantly impact their team.
Week 11 of the 2016 college football season saw some of the mighty fall for the first time. The No. 2, 3, and 4 teams in the country all took losses, while top-ranked Alabama stayed unbeaten. On Thursday night, Louisville lost their second straight game, as Houston throttled them, 36-10. Who knows what Week 12 has in store for us after seeing all of the upsets a week ago.
Some key matchups to keep an eye on are No. 23 Florida vs No. 16 LSU in an SEC matchup, No. 22 Washington State taking on No. 10 Colorado in a huge Pac-12 battle, and No. 9 Oklahoma going up against No. 14 West Virginia in the Big 12. No. 1 Alabama should roll this week, as they play Tennessee-Chattanooga. With that in mind, lets take a quick look at some injuries.
Here is a look at some key players who may miss time this week due to injury.
Quarterbacks
Davis Webb, Cal
The California Golden Bears suffered a rough loss this past week against Washington State, though they did get good play out of their quarterback. However, Davis Webb injured his shoulder during the game, and it has been nagging him this week. He is expected to be ready to go against Stanford this week.
Deondre Francois, Florida State
Florida State quarterback Deondre Francois had to leave last week’s game with a shoulder injury, but he is expected to play this week. Francois has a shoulder contusion, and while painful, he will be under center against Syracuse on Saturday. The Seminoles should be able to coast against the Orange in ACC action.
Montell Cozart, Kansas
It has been an up and down season for Montell Cozart, who lost his starting spot earlier in the year. He has since regained his starting job, but the Jayhawks are having another horrible season. Cozart missed the last game with a concussion, but he is expected back against Texas.
Wilton Speight, Michigan
The Michigan Wolverines lost their first game of the season on Saturday, and in the process, may have lost their starting quarterback for the rest of the year. Wilton Speight injured his collarbone in the loss to Iowa, and is uncertain to play this week against Indiana. If he cannot go, expect John O’Korn to be under center.
Tommy Armstrong Jr., Nebraska
Nebraska started the 2016 regular season red-hot, but have since fallen on hard times. On Saturday, quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr. may not be ready to go against a hungry Maryland team. The Cornhuskers will decide at game time whether or not the ankle and hamstring injuries will keep Armstrong out against the Terrapins.
Eric Dungey, Syracuse
Eric Dungey is one of the better all-around quarterbacks in the ACC, and is the lifeblood of the Syracuse Orange. Syracuse will be taking on a tough Florida State team this weekend, and may be without Dungey. He missed the last game with a concussion, and is likely to miss the game against the Seminoles as well.
Running Backs
Leonard Fournette, LSU
The LSU Tigers will take on Florida this weekend, in a matchup of two top-25 SEC teams. Last week, the two-headed monster of Leonard Fournette and Derrius Grice ran all over Arkansas in a dominating effort. Fournette may be limited against the Gators this week, however, as he is still nursing an ankle injury.
Kerryon Johnson, Auburn
Auburn has an easy matchup against Alabama A&M this weekend, though they may be without their top running back. Kerryon Johnson is uncertain to play in the game, which would leave them severely short-handed at the position. Fellow running back Kamryn Pettway has already been ruled out.
Demario Richard, Arizona State
The Arizona State Sun Devils have lost their last four games, and will face one of the best teams in the Pac-12 this weekend. Running back Demario Richard has been battling an undisclosed injury, but head coach Todd Graham expects him to be ready. The Sun Devils started the year out at 5-1, so a win against the Huskies would be huge.
Bo Scarbrough, Alabama
The Alabama Crimson Tide play the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga this weekend, in what should be quite the blowout. Running back Bo Scarbrough practiced this week, and could be back on the field on Saturday. Scarbrough injured his knee earlier in the month, and was seen wearing a brace during drills.
Gerald Holmes, Michigan State
Michigan State has a tall order on Saturday, as they take on an Ohio State team that is trying to stay in the picture for the College Football Playoff. Running back Gerald Holmes has been battling a leg injury, and his status for the game is uncertain. The Spartans are going to need all hands on deck if they wish to hang in with a fired-up Buckeyes squad.
Wide Receivers
Chad Hansen, Cal
The Cal Golden Bears have had no problems moving the ball through the air this season, and Chad Hansen has played a huge role in that. The wide receiver caught 11 balls last week, but had to leave the game due to an ankle injury. He is uncertain to play this weekend against Stanford.
Torii Hunter Jr., Notre Dame
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are having one of their worst seasons in recent memory, and head coach Brian Kelly could be on the hot seat. Wide receiver Torii Hunter Jr. may not play this weekend against Virginia Tech, after hurting his knee last week. Hunter is one of the captains of the Irish, and will certainly be missed if he cannot go.
Riley Ridley, Georgia
Riley Ridley is going to be a nice piece for the Georgia Bulldogs going forward, and is fresh off the best game of his collegiate career. However, he is battling an ankle injury, and his status has been in question this week. All signs point to him being on the field when the Bulldogs take on Louisiana this week.
Cameron Posey, Purdue
The Purdue Boilermakers are having another rough year, and they will face one of the better teams in the conference on Saturday. Purdue may have to do battle against Wisconsin without wide receiver Cameron Posey, who was injured last week. Posey has caught 16 balls the last three weeks combined.
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Defensive Stars
Reuben Foster, Alabama
The Alabama Crimson Tide have a cakewalk scheduled for this weekend, as they will take on the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Star linebacker Reuben Foster is battling a finger injury, but he is expected to play. Foster is likely going to be a first round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.
Jarrad Davis, Florida
Jarrad Davis is one of the better linebackers in college football, and has all the talent to play at the next level. However, he has been dealing with an ankle injury that kept him out of action last week. He is uncertain to play against an LSU team that likes to run the ball down teams’ throats.
Malik McDowell, Michigan State
The Michigan State Spartans will take on Ohio State this week, and they may be without their biggest play maker on defense. Defensive tackle Malik McDowell has been bitten by the injury bug on a few occasions this season, and was forced to miss the team’s game last week. He is uncertain to play against the Buckeyes this weekend, which would be a huge blow to the Spartan defense.
Armani Watts, Texas A&M
Texas A&M has really fallen from grace the past few weeks, and will now have to go the rest of the way without their starting quarterback. On defense, the team may be without Armani Watts, a strong cornerback who is dealing with a leg issue. The Aggies will look to get back on the winning track against the University of Texas at San Antonio this week.
DeMarcus Walker, Florida State
The Florida State Seminoles are loaded with talent on both sides of the ball, though they are starting to get a bit banged up. Quarterback Deondre Francois is batting an injury, as is DeMarcus Walker, an explosive defensive end. Both players are expected to be ready to go against Syracuse this weekend.
Delano Hill, Michigan
The Michigan Wolverines have one of the better defensive back units in all of college football, and they should get a big name back on Saturday. Delano Hill is expected to rejoin the team after dealing with an undisclosed injury. Hill has three interceptions this season, including one returned for a touchdown.