CFB Week 10 QB Injury Updates

**College Football Week 10: Quarterback Injury Report Dominates Headlines**

AUSTIN, TX – As college football approaches its pivotal Week 10 slate, scheduled primarily for Saturday, November 4th, a cloud of uncertainty hangs over several high-profile quarterback situations. Player injuries, particularly among signal-callers, are dictating narratives and impacting critical conference and national championship races. The most scrutinized situation remains in Austin, where the No. 7 Texas Longhorns face significant questions under center.

Texas (7-1, 4-1 Big 12) is navigating injuries to both of its top two quarterbacks ahead of a crucial home contest against No. 25 Kansas State (6-2, 4-1 Big 12), a matchup with significant Big 12 Championship implications. Starting quarterback Quinn Ewers has been nursing a shoulder injury sustained during the October 21st victory over Houston. He was sidelined for last week’s game against BYU, where redshirt freshman Maalik Murphy stepped in, leading the Longhorns to a 35-6 win. Ewers’ status remains “day-to-day,” with head coach Steve Sarkisian noting his starter is “progressing well.” His availability for the Kansas State game remains a game-time decision, a situation closely watched by playoff committees.

Further complicating matters for Texas, highly touted freshman Arch Manning is also on the injury report with a shoulder issue. While he, too, is “day-to-day” and missed a couple of practices, it’s widely understood that his role as the third-string quarterback means he was unlikely to see action against the Wildcats regardless of his health. Should Ewers be unable to go, Murphy would once again command the offense, a challenge Sarkisian has expressed confidence in.

**Key Starters Expected to Play Despite Minor Issues**

While Texas grapples with major QB questions, several other starting quarterbacks, crucial to their teams’ title aspirations, are dealing with minor ailments but are generally expected to be active for their Week 10 matchups:

* **Jayden Daniels (LSU):** The electrifying LSU (6-2, 4-1 SEC) quarterback, who temporarily left the Week 9 game against Florida due to a head injury, has been cleared for a monumental SEC West clash against No. 8 Alabama (7-1, 5-0 SEC) in Tuscaloosa. His dual-threat capabilities will be vital for the No. 14 Tigers.
* **Jordan Travis (Florida State):** Despite battling a lower-body injury, the No. 4 Florida State (8-0, 6-0 ACC) leader is “fully confident” he’ll play against Pitt. Coach Mike Norvell’s assurance underscores the importance of Travis for the undefeated Seminoles’ ACC title and College Football Playoff aspirations.
* **J.J. McCarthy (Michigan):** The No. 2 Michigan (8-0, 5-0 Big Ten) quarterback has “a little something going on,” according to coach Jim Harbaugh, but the issue was downplayed, with McCarthy confirmed to play against Purdue.
* **Michael Penix Jr. (Washington):** The Heisman contender for No. 5 Washington (8-0, 5-0 Pac-12) is “doing great” with a ribs injury and is expected to start in a high-stakes Pac-12 showdown against No. 24 USC.
* **Bo Nix (Oregon):** The No. 8 Oregon (7-1, 4-1 Pac-12) quarterback admitted he “took some hits” last week, but expects to be “ready to go” for their game against California as the Ducks chase a Pac-12 title.
* **Drake Maye (North Carolina):** After a hard hit to the head in Week 9, the star quarterback for No. 17 North Carolina (6-2, 3-2 ACC) is expected by Coach Mack Brown to play against Campbell, providing relief for Tar Heels fans.
* **Drew Allar (Penn State):** The No. 9 Penn State (7-1, 4-1 Big Ten) quarterback, dealing with an undisclosed issue, is “good” to play against Maryland, a crucial game for the Nittany Lions’ Big Ten East hopes.
* **Dillon Gabriel (Oklahoma):** Despite an undisclosed injury, the No. 9 Oklahoma (7-1, 4-1 Big 12) quarterback is expected to play against No. 22 Oklahoma State in the final Bedlam rivalry game as members of the Big 12, according to Coach Brent Venables.
* **Cam Ward (Washington State):** Washington State’s quarterback has a “little ding” but is “totally fine” and cleared for their game against Stanford, per coach Jake Dickert.
* **Spencer Rattler (South Carolina):** The South Carolina (3-5, 2-4 SEC) quarterback played through a knee injury suffered against Texas A&M and then against Jacksonville State, and expects to be out there against Mississippi State.
* **Sam Hartman (Notre Dame):** The Notre Dame (7-2) veteran has a finger injury on his non-throwing hand, but it’s not expected to keep him off the field against No. 10 Clemson.

**Confirmed Out: Duke’s Riley Leonard, Texas A&M’s Conner Weigman**

Unfortunately for Duke (5-3, 2-2 ACC), quarterback Riley Leonard will be sidelined for their Thursday, November 2nd game against Wake Forest (4-4, 1-4 ACC). Leonard reaggravated a high ankle sprain that originally occurred in Week 5 against Notre Dame, an injury that had already caused him to miss games against NC State and Florida State. His absence is a significant blow for the Blue Devils, who have seen their early-season momentum tempered by injuries. Henry Belin IV is expected to start in Leonard’s place.

For Texas A&M (5-3, 3-2 SEC), quarterback Conner Weigman is out for the season with a foot injury he sustained back in Week 4 against Auburn. Max Johnson has continued as the starter, leading the Aggies through a challenging SEC schedule.

As Week 10 kicks off, the health of college football’s most impactful players remains a dominant storyline, with every snap carrying heightened significance for teams vying for conference titles and a spot in the College Football Playoff.