Here is a look at the key injuries leading into Week 4 of the college football season. Whether these players play or not will significantly impact their team.
As the 2016 college football season heads into Week 4, there are plenty of big names will be out this week, and possibly longer. In most conferences, teams will start to battle it out against each other, as non-conference schedules are almost done for most schools. The next few weeks will tell a lot about who may end up in conference championship games across the nation.
Some of the bigger conference games come from the Big Ten, as No. 4 Michigan will host Penn State, and No.8 Michigan State welcome No. 11 Wisconsin to Spartan Stadium. In addition, the SEC lineup will feature No. 12 Georgia vs No. 23 Ole Miss, and No. 19 Florida against No. 14 Tennessee. There are some key players missing from a few of these matchups, which should be must-see TV this weekend.
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Here is a look at some key players who may miss their Week 4 match-up.
Quarterbacks
Anu Solomon, Arizona: Solomon continues to battle knee issues and was limited in practice all week. Backup Brandon Dawkins played extremely well in his absence last week, racking up four touchdowns in the Wildcats win against Hawaii. The Wildcats may proceed with caution, as Dawkins has filled in nicely.
Drew Barker, Kentucky: Barker will miss the rest of the season with a back injury, which he suffered during last week’s win against New Mexico State. Backup Stephen Jackson filled in nicely, throwing for 310 yards and three touchdowns against the Aggies. Kentucky plays South Carolina in a SEC matchup on Saturday.
Luke Del Rio, Florida: Gators quarterback Luke Del Rio will miss this week’s matchup against #14 Tennessee. Del Rio injured his knee during the team’s blowout victory against North Texas last week. Austin Appleby will be the team’s starter until Del Rio returns.
Jalen Hurts, Alabama: Hurts left the Crimson Tide’s game against Ole Miss with an injured wrist, and it is unclear whether he will play on Saturday. Alabama plays host to Kent State this week, so it may be wise to keep him out this week.
Sefo Liufau, Colorado: The Buffaloes are looking better than expected this season, and that is mostly due to the play of their quarterback. However, Liufau was injured last week, and has been making progress to get back on the field during practice. If he cannot go, Steven Montez will get the biggest start of his life, as Colorado faces Oregon on Saturday.
Running Backs
Royce Freeman, Oregon: The running back for the Ducks had to leave last week’s game against Nebraska. Freeman suffered an injury to his shin, and is listed as questionable for the Colorado game this week. He is the one who makes the Ducks offense go, so if he is out, they may not be able to hang with the Buffaloes.
Corey Clement, Wisconsin: The Badgers were without Clement last week, as he continues to try to come back from an ankle injury. Clement missed the Georgia State game last Saturday because the team wanted to hold him out against weaker competition. Wisconsin faces Michigan State this week and they will need Clement back if they want to compete against the Spartans defense.
Saquon Barkley, Penn State: Barkley is the main cog in the Penn State offense, and he is expected to be back this week. The sophomore running back hurt his leg in the first quarter of the Nittany Lions win against Temple last week. He will give it a go in the team’s biggest game of the year, a road contest against #4 Michigan.
Nick Wilson, Arizona: The Wildcats will likely be without their star running back on Saturday, as Wilson was downgraded to doubtful on Thursday. Wilson is still suffering from a lower leg injury, which means Arizona will be without one of their biggest weapons heading into this week’s showdown with #9 Washington.
Boom Williams, Kentucky: During Kentucky’s win over New Mexico State last week, Boom Williams injured his neck. He was able to come back into the game and finish it, but he was limited a bit in practice this week. However, all signs point towards him being able to go against South Carolina on Saturday.
Wide Receivers
Saeed Blacknail, Penn State: The Nittany Lions may be without Blacknail on Saturday, as he has been battling an issue with his fingers. Head coach James Franklin said on Thursday that he would be out if the game was that day, so keep an eye out. Penn State takes on #4 Michigan on Saturday.
Devon Allen, Oregon: The Ducks will be without Allen for the rest of the season, as he tore his ACL during the team’s loss to Nebraska last week. The Olympic hurdler suffered a non-contact injury covering a punt, ending his 2016 season. This is the second time Allen has torn his ACL in the last two years.
Antonio Callaway, Florida: The Gators are hoping to have Callaway back this week, and he was recently upgraded to probable. Florida plays Tennessee on Saturday, in a matchup of top-25 teams. Quarterback Luke Del Rio has already been ruled out for the game, so getting Callaway back will be huge for backup Austin Appleby.
Josh Smith, Tennessee: Smith has been battling an ankle injury for a few weeks now, and it has already cost him the Ohio game. The Volunteers are hoping to get the playmaker back for their SEC tilt against Florida this week. Smith has gotten himself ready to play this week, and is currently listed as probable for the game.
Tight Ends
Jake Roh, Boise State: The Broncos will finally get their star tight end back this week. Roh has missed the first three games of the season for Boise State, as he battles a leg injury. He is expected to be a full go for Saturday’s matchup against Oregon State.
Jon Mundt, Oregon: Mundt continues the long list of Oregon offensive weapons who may be out for the Colorado game this week. Mundt has missed the last two games with a knee injury, and is listed as questionable for Saturday. Quarterback Dakota Prukop is hoping to get him back next week.
Noah Togiai, Oregon State: The big fella will be hoping to get back on the field this week, after leaving the Idaho State game with an injury. Togiai is the Beavers H-Back, and does a little bit of everything. Oregon State faces Boise State this weekend, though as of now, Togiai looks doubtful to be ready to go.
Defensive Stars
Daniel McMillan, Florida: The Gators will face one of the best running backs in the nation on Saturday, as Jalen Hurd will be looking to run all over the Florida defense. Florida may be without Daniel McMillan, who is still coming back from an ankle injury. He is currently questionable for the game, and would be a big miss if he cannot go.
Josh Sweat, Florida State: As the Seminoles were getting ready to take on Louisville last week, star defensive end Josh Sweat injured his knee. The injury required surgery on his meniscus, which he underwent on Thursday. He is expected to be out the next week or so.
Brandon Wilson, Houston: The Cougars have been without Wilson since September 10, when he injured his leg during the Lamar game. Wilson missed the team’s game against Texas State this past week, and it appears he will not be ready to go this week. He is the team’s best cornerback and also their kick returner, so he definitely leaves a hole for as long as he is out.
Noah Furbush, Michigan: Furbush and the rest of the Wolverines have a big game on Saturday, as they welcome Penn State to the Big House. The big guy is listed as probable for the game, which should help Michigan contain Penn State running back Saquon Barkley. Furbush appears to be 100% over the leg injury that has limited him in recent weeks.
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Fadol Brown, Ole Miss: Brown is listed as doubtful for the team’s game against the Georgia Bulldogs this Saturday. In fact, the injury to Brown’s foot is so severe, that the team feels it may be a long-term issue. He is one of the best players on the Rebels defense, so the longer he is out, the longer the defense is going to suffer.