Latest: Three Key Injured Texas Player Heading Into Colorado State. As injury Woes Deepens.

Texas football and head coach Steve Sarkisian faced several injury challenges during the recent preseason camp. The team lost a starting running back and another scholarship player at that position for the entire 2024 season.

Heading into Week 1 against Colorado State, Texas has managed to maintain relative health at other positions despite these setbacks. In the latter part of preseason camp, the Longhorns reduced full-contact drills and scrimmages to mitigate further injuries.

With the season’s start, Texas now has sufficient depth on both offense and defense to handle potential injuries. This depth is especially crucial as the Longhorns embark on their first season in the SEC, widely regarded as the top college football conference.

Additionally, the expanded College Football Playoff, now featuring 12 teams, could extend the Longhorns’ season, making roster depth even more critical.

Entering the 2024 regular season opener on August 31 at DKR against Colorado State, Texas’s injury report includes the following updates:

**Christian Clark, RB**
Freshman running back Christian Clark suffered a season-ending torn Achilles during fall practice, marking the second scholarship running back lost for the season. To address the injury-related depth issues, Texas experimented with players from other positions, including senior tight end Juan Davis and redshirt freshman wide receiver Ryan Niblett, who were given reps at running back. The Longhorns also added Velton Gardner, a senior transfer from Kansas and SMU, from the portal. Gardner provides experienced depth and should fit well into Sarkisian’s ground game.

Davis may see action in short-yardage and goal-line situations as a wildcat back, while Gardner is expected to contribute effectively with his experience in power conference play.

As Week 1 of the regular season kicks off, No. 4 Texas football is set as a strong favorite at home against head coach Jay Norvell and the Colorado State Rams at DKR on August 31. The Longhorns are eager to start their season, aiming to gain momentum with a decisive win over Colorado State before their highly anticipated Week 2 clash against the defending National Champion Michigan Wolverines on September 7.

Texas begins its first season in the SEC with four of its first five games at home, starting with the matchup against Colorado State in Week 1. The game against Michigan in Ann Arbor the following week is Texas’s only away game in the first month of the season, which runs from late August to the end of September.

Fans can expect a hot game day at DKR on Saturday afternoon with kickoff scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CT. The weather forecast for Austin on August 31 predicts temperatures in the low-to-mid 90s with a possibility of rain.Entering the 2024 season, Texas has high expectations, holding a top-five spot in both major preseason polls for the first time since 2009. Under head coach Steve Sarkisian, the team boasts significant experience and talent, particularly with third-year starting quarterback Quinn Ewers leading the offense.

Last year, Texas captured the Big 12 Championship for the first time since 2009 and made its inaugural appearance in the College Football Playoff. Sarkisian’s squad had a standout season in 2023, winning twelve games, including four against ranked opponents.

Colorado State, meanwhile, features a top quarterback-receiver duo in the Group of Five. Sophomore quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi and standout wide receiver Tory Horton, who were rumored to have received lucrative offers from other schools, chose to stay with the Rams for another year. Their passing game will challenge what is expected to be an improved Texas secondary in Week 1.

Here’s a preview of the opening betting odds for the season opener between No. 4 Texas and Colorado State at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, TX, on August 31 at 2:30 p.m. CT.