C.J. Baxter has been ruled out for the No. 9 Texas Longhorns’ Week 6 showdown at Florida, coach and team officials confirmed Friday via the SEC student-athlete availability report and an Inside Texas tweet from Justin Wells. The veteran running back last saw action against UTEP and will not make the trip to Gainesville, leaving the Longhorns without one of their more experienced options in the backfield.
Cornerback Malik Muhammad moved from probable to questionable on Thursday’s report and remains a game-day question, with multiple outlets indicating he is not expected to play against the Gators. Meanwhile, former Stanford wide receiver Emmett Mosley V is listed as probable and could make his Texas debut after missing time with a lower-body injury. Those shifts tweak Texas’ roster picture heading into SEC play.
Texas’ depth at running back takes on new importance with Baxter sidelined. The Longhorns figure to lean more on Jerrick Gibson and Christian Clark to shoulder the workload, and Tre Wisner’s expected availability would be a welcome boost if he can go. Wisner started the season opener and has been limited by a leg injury; his presence would help offset the loss of Baxter.
On the field, the absence of Baxter forces a tactical tweak. Expect more short-yardage, ball-control calls early while Texas looks for ways to create chunk plays through the air. Florida’s run defense has struggled this season, so the Longhorns have a clear avenue to exploit, provided their backups can handle the contact and sustain drives.
Head coach Steve Sarkisian now has to manage the roster, protect players, and avoid gifting the Swamp momentum. This SEC opener carries weight for both programs as the University of Texas tries to keep momentum from a three-game winning streak and the Florida Gators attempt to right a rocky start to conference play.
