Get ready, college football fans, because this Saturday’s Red River Rivalry in Dallas just got a whole lot wilder, especially for Texas. While the Longhorns are rolling into the showdown almost at full strength, their heated rival, Oklahoma, is facing a nightmare with a whopping 13 names on their first availability report of the week. This contrast is absolutely massive heading into one of the biggest games of the season.
Texas Looks Healthy, Smothers Cleared for Battle
Let’s talk about Texas first, because the news is mostly good for the Longhorns. The biggest sigh of relief has to be senior running back Hollywood Smothers. He didn’t even appear on Wednesday’s availability report, which is massive! Smothers, the team’s leading rusher, was suited up but had to sit out that tight 20-17 win at Tennessee back on September 26, nursing a leg injury. This dude transferred from North Carolina State before the 2026 season and he’s already racked up 41 carries for 198 yards and two touchdowns. Getting him back, or at least off the report, is huge for their ground game.
Beyond Smothers, Texas only has a few other names on their SEC-mandated report. Tight end Nick Townsend is probable, while receiver Kaliq Lockett and defensive lineman Justus Terry are both doubtful. Offensive lineman Jordan Coleman is out, but that’s a pretty clean bill of health compared to what’s coming next.
Oklahoma’s Laundry List of Unavailable Players
Now, hold onto your hats, because if Texas is looking healthy, Oklahoma is definitely not. The Sooners dropped their first availability report and it’s a laundry list of players. We’re talking 13 names here, people, and that’s not just bumps and bruises.
On the “out” list, they’ve got linebacker Taylor Heim, receiver Trell Harris, running back Xavier Robinson, and defensive back Jacobe Johnson. Those are key positions, no doubt. Then there’s the “doubtful” crew, which is even longer: tight end Trynae Washington, offensive linemen Michael Fasusi, Fred Hinton, and Eddy Pierre-Louis, receiver Jer’Michael Carter, linebackers Cole Sullivan and Michael Boganowski, and tight end Jack Van Dorselaer. That’s eight more guys whose status is seriously up in the air. Finally, only one player, linebacker Owen Heinecke, is listed as probable for the Sooners. This isn’t just a few minor issues; this is a significant chunk of their roster potentially missing or severely limited for one of the biggest games of their season.
So, with Saturday’s Red River Rivalry looming in Dallas, Texas is looking to capitalize on their health advantage, especially with their leading rusher cleared. Oklahoma, on the other hand, has a mountain to climb, trying to patch together a game plan with so many key players potentially sidelined. It’s going to be an intense one, but you gotta wonder how much these availability reports will factor into the final score.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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