CJ Baxter injury update: Friday availability report reveals RB's status for Texas-Mississippi State

No. 22 Texas (5-2, 2-1 SEC) hits the road again Saturday to take on host Mississippi State (4-3, 0-3 SEC) at 4:15 pm ET in Starkville. It’s the Longhorns’ third road game in its first four weeks of SEC play this season ahead of what will be a difficult closing stretch against three Top 10 SEC teams over the final four weeks.

Texas opened the week as 6.5-point road favorite, but the line has moved slightly in favor of the visiting Longhorns, who are currently 7.5-point favorites over the host Bulldogs with an over-under of 46.5 points, according to BetMGM.

Beginning on Wednesday of each week, the SEC releases daily availability reports for its intra-conference games. The final report will be revealed 90 minutes before the game’s kickoff on Saturdays.

Mississippi State Bulldogs

• DL Will Whitson – Out
• OL Brennan Smith – Out
• OL Blake Steen – Out
• CB Jett Jefferson – Doubtful
• RB Fluff Bothwell – Questionable
• LB Zakari Tillman – Out (1st half)

Texas Longhorns

• WR Aaron Butler – Out
• DB Michael Taaffe – Out
• OL Cole Hutson – Out

Texas has already ruled out Texas safety Michael Taffe after On3’s Pete Nakos broke the news he underwent thumb surgery following last week’s win at Kentucky. An exact timeline for his return is not quite yet known, further muddying things for the Longhorns defense.

Taaffe has played in all seven games this season for Texas, recording 51 tackles and one tackle for a loss. His lone interception of the year came when the Longhorns traveled down to Gainesville, a game they eventually lost to Florida.

On the brightside, Nakos revealed Friday that running back CJ Baxter is expected to return for Saturday’s game at Mississippi State after the team upgraded his status to “probable” on Thursday’s report. Baxter’s been severely limited by nagging injuries this season, appearing in just three games with 110 rushing yards on 24 carries on the year.

Meanwhile, Bulldogs running back Fluff Bothwell remains “questionable” to play Saturday after being carted off with a leg injury two weeks ago at Texas A&M. Despite missing time, Bothwell remains Mississippi State’s top rusher this season with 465 yards and six touchdowns through six games.

Whether Bothwell plays or not, expect it to be tough sledding for the Bulldogs’ ground game with offensive linemen Brennan Smith and Blake Steen already ruled out in the game.