Texas football is feeling enough heat ahead of its SEC showdown with No. 18 Missouri. Saturday comes across as a make-or-break game despite its surprise high College Football Playoff ranking. Now running back Hollywood Smothers isn't healthy.

Smothers' name showed up in a lengthy injury report released on Wednesday. He's officially ruled out for the heavyweight battle of aspiring CFP teams.

This isn't the first time Smothers has felt banged up. He dealt with a lower body injury before the Tennessee contest in late Sept. 2026. Smothers eventually sat out in that 20-17 road win at Knoxville. His teammate and Arizona State transfer Raleek Brown led the Longhorns in rushing that day with 67 yards and two touchdowns.

But Smothers isn't the only notable injury that coach Steve Sarkisian and Texas are dealing with. Star wide receiver Cam Coleman left with his own ailment during the Mississippi State contest. Edge rusher Colin Simmons endured an ankle injury that prevented him from facing Mississippi State on Halloween.

Article Continues Below

Yet amid the injury pileup, Texas turned heads on Tuesday for another reason: Landing at No. 7 overall in the debut of the 2026 College Football Playoff rankings. The Longhorns even landed higher than current unbeaten UCLA, which fell to eighth overall. Texas also is ahead of one-loss teams in BYU and Notre Dame.

So Texas and Missouri can help crystallize the CFP and SEC title game race. Both are 6-2 teams but a loss can certainly jeopardize someone's pursuit of the postseason and conference championship. Texas will aim to carry its newfound momentum from the Ole Miss victory here.