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Texas' CJ Baxter, Christian Clark named to Comeback Player of the Year watch list

On3 imageby: Justin Wells08/19/25
CJ Baxter
USA Today Network

No. 1/1 Texas Football running back duo CJ Baxter and Christian Clark were named to the preseason watch list for the College Football Comeback Player of the Year award, the VRBO Fiesta Bowl announced Tuesday afternoon. Both were sidelined during the 2024 season due to season-ending injuries sustained in fall camp.

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Baxter has also been tabbed to the preseason watch list for the Doak Walker Award for the second-consecutive season. Baxter is a sophomore running back from Orlando, Fla., who has played in 12 games with six starts in three seasons. As a true freshman in 2023, Baxter earned a second-team All-America nod by The Athletic, Freshman All-American Honorable mention by College Football Network, and honorable mention All-Big 12 honors, in addition to being honorable mention Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year. Baxter also received preseason second-team All-SEC accolades on offense in July. In his first season on the 40 Acres, Baxter ran the ball 138 times for 659 yards (4.8 ypc) and five touchdowns while also catching 24 passes for 156 yards. His 659 rushing yards are the 12th-most for a Longhorn freshman in program history.

Making the start at running back in Texas’ season-opening victory against Rice on Sept. 2, 2023, he became the first true freshman running back to start for the Longhorns since Ricky Williams in 1995. In a win versus Kansas State, he had 10 carries for 90 yards and one touchdown, including a 54-yard run. In the road victory at Iowa State, he established career highs in carries (20), rushing yards (117) and receptions (5), recording the first 100-yard rushing performance of his career. In the College Football Playoff semifinal against No. 2 Washington in the Sugar Bowl, he rushed nine times for 64 yards (7.1ypc) and one touchdown, while hauling in two passes for 39 yards, including a career-long 31-yard reception.

Clark is a redshirt freshman running back from Phoenix. A two-time all-region honoree at Mountain Pointe High School, he was rated as the No. 3 overall running back recruit in Arizona per ESPN. During his three-year varsity career, he compiled 1,890 rushing yards and 24 rushing touchdowns. As a senior in 2023, he rushed for 801 yards and six touchdowns while adding 144 yards on 12 receptions. He was an integral part of an offense that averaged 150.5 rushing yards per game. He registered three 100-yard rushing performances, including a 190-yard game versus Corona del Sol. As a junior, he was named the Arizona Varsity 6A Central Regional Player of the Year in 2022 after finishing the season with 1,105 all-purpose yards and 16 total touchdowns. 

Texas opens the 2025 season on the road at No. 3/2 Ohio State at 11 a.m. CT Saturday, Aug. 30, inside Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. The game will broadcast as part of FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff, and ESPN’s College GameDay will broadcast live from the Ohio State University campus. College GameDay will air for three hours from 8-11 a.m. CT, hosted by Rece Davis, Lee Corso, Desmond Howard, Pat McAffee, Nick Saban, Kirk Herbstreit and other ESPN personalities. It will be the final show for longtime ESPN personality Lee Corso as he is set to retire following Week 1 of the 2025 season.

(via Texas release)

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