College football is heating up as we head into Week 4 of the 2024 season! Unfortunately, we can’t have football without injuries, and the injury bug has arrived in full force. There are a number of key players with major injury concerns as we look ahead to the weekend slate. Here are the most impactful college football injuries heading into Week 4!
Here is everything you need to know regarding the BIGGEST injuries on both sides of the ball. However, injury news happens fast and can change quickly, so for the most up-to-date news and analysis, follow me on X @TheDegenDoc!
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Most Impactful College Football Injuries Heading Into Week 4
Cam Rising (QB) Utah Utes
Injury: Hand Injury
Injury Date: 9/7/2024
Expected Recovery Timeline: 1-2 weeks
Player Year: RS Senior
Surprise, surprise. Utah Utes star fifth year senior QB Cam Rising is back on the college football injury report for Week 4. After having an impressive debut, as expected, off his ACL tear from two years ago, it only took two games for Rising to pick up another injury. Rising was carving up the Baylor Bears defense last week and unfortunately Baylor called in their secret weapon. The Utah QB was scrambling out of the pocket and got ran out of bounds and run right into the Gatorade coolers on the sidelines.
There was some immediate concern for the oft-injured quarterback as he went into the locker room early and came back out in street clothes. Thankfully, he seems to have dodged a major bullet. Rising injured the ring finger on his throwing hand but there is no fracture or season-ending injury.
Utah decided to play it safe and rest their star QB against Utah State last week. This is looking like the right call as Rising is expected to play. With the injury occurring to his throwing hand it will be interesting to see if it affects his throwing motions or ability to grip the ball.
Utah WR Dorian Singer said QB Cam Rising will play at Oklahoma State, @JFurKSL reports. Last week, sources told @ActionNetworkHQ Rising would return vs. OSU. Rising injured ring finger on his throwing hand on Sept. 7 vs. Baylor that required stitches, source said
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) September 17, 2024
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Colston Loveland (TE) Michigan Wolverines
Injury: Undisclosed Injury
Injury Date: 9/14/24
Expected Recovery Timeline: ? weeks
Player Year: Junior
The Michigan offense is abysmal, and they need every playmaker to be available this week. Well, it sounds like star TE Colston Loveland may make this a reality. He was unable to finish the last game against Arkansas State and there was concern for this week. However, head coach Sherrone Moore said the injury is not very serious. It’s tough to gauge exactly how healthy Loveland is with no word on his injury type, but expect him out there this week.
Tyler Van Dyke (QB) Wisconsin Badger
Injury: ACL Tear
Injury Date: 9/14/24
Expected Recovery Timeline: 10-12 months
Player Year: Senior
The journey of QB Tyler Van Dyke has been a difficult one, and it doesn’t get any easier with the Week 4 college football injury report. After starting out well as home underdogs to Alabama, everything quickly derailed once Van Dyke went down with injury.
After not returning to the game, it was found that the Wisconsin QB tore is ACL. The ACL is a major stabilizing ligament of the knee and when fully torn, requires season-ending surgery. The recovery timeline is typically between 10-12 months for a player to return to the field.
Quinn Ewers (QB) Texas Longhorns
Injury: Abdominal Injury
Injury Date: 9/14/24
Expected Recovery Timeline: 2-4 weeks
Player Year: Junior
On their way to a 56-7 beat down of instate opponent UTSA, Texas had quite the scare with their starting QB Quinn Ewers. The star QB was forced to leave the field with an oblique injury and there were concerns it was a significant injury.
Fortunately, after some testing the injury was not deemed to be severe or as bad as initially feared. Oblique injuries can be tricky to deal with as they affect many movements and actions you make on a daily basis. The rotational aspect of the oblique musculature is especially important when considering a QB throwing a ball. Ewers is definitely out this week against ULM but with Mississippi State and a bye on deck, I would not be surprised for him to be out multiple weeks.
Nic Anderson (WR) Oklahoma Sooners
Injury: Lingering Injury
Injury Date: Sometime in Preseason
Expected Recovery Timeline: Soon
Player Year: Sophomore
The Oklahoma Sooners have begun the season without their top returning WR from 2023. WR Nic Anderson has been out with an undisclosed injury to start the season and the Oklahoma offense has looked lackluster.
Well, it finally seems that Anderson will be getting off the injury report and back on the field in Week 4. It comes at a great time as Oklahoma hosts Tennessee in a marquee matchup. Anderson is listed as officially probable to play and expected on the field Saturday night.
Grayson McCall (QB) North Carolina State Wolfpack
Injury: Undisclosed Injury
Injury Date: 9/14/24
Expected Recovery Timeline: 2-3 weeks
Player Year: Senior
The Grayson McCall experiment has not been a successful one for NC State. The transfer QB went from a highly sought after QB in the transfer portal, to not playing well, to being on the Week 4 college football injury report.
McCall suffered an injury against Louisiana Tech last week and had to be replaced by true freshman CJ Bailey. It looks like that trend will continue as Bialey has been named the starter for this week. For a true freshman, going up against a stout Clemson defense in your first start is a daunting task.
Grayson McCall is labeled as day to day, meaning it should not be a long term injury. For this week however, he’ll at least be starting this game on the sidelines.
Eugene Wilson III (WR) Florida Gators
Injury: Meniscus Surgery
Injury Date: 9/7/24
Expected Recovery Timeline: 3 weeks – 6 months
Player Year: Sophomore
The Florida Gators are a bad football team and they will only be worse due to the Week 4 college football injury report. Electric Sophomore WR Eugene Wilson picked up an injury two weeks ago during the best game of his career. Wilson put up over 140 yards and added a TD in a blow out win over lowly Samford. Unfortunately, it looks like he also picked up an injury along the way.
After a whole lot of uncertainty and question marks, the dynamic WR was ruled out last week. Following a disappointing loss to Texas A&M, it was recently revealed that Wilson was dealing with a meniscus tear that requires surgery. He had the surgery this week, meaning he will definitely be OUT for this week.
Regarding his return timeline, it all depends if he had his meniscus repaired or removed. A simple meniscus removal comes with only a 3-6 week recover window. A meniscus repair however, comes with a much longer recovery timeline of 4-6 months.
🚨Gators WR Eugene Wilson III Injury🤕
A bad team gets worse 👎
Reportedly had meniscus surgery this week
Unconfirmed is meniscus repair or removal
Repair : 100% OUT for season
Removal : 3-6 Week Recovery
Either way OUT this week against Mississippi State#GoGators 🐊 https://t.co/0t3XiO9Ljw
— Sebastian Fearon DPT, CSCS, OCS (@TheDegenDoc) September 20, 2024
Jaydn Ott (RB) California Golden Bears
Injury: Low Ankle Sprain
Injury Date: 8/31/24
Expected Recovery Timeline: 1-2 weeks
Player Year: Sophomore
This next college football injury is a huge difference maker in an interesting Week 4 matchup. Cal heads to Tallahassee this week to begin a new ACC conference rivalry. As the Golden Bears look for and undefeated 4-0 start, they hope that their best player is back to his normal self. During their first game, sophomore stud RB Jaydn Ott limped off the field after rolling his ankle. Thankfully it appears he only suffered a mild low ankle sprain which comes with a short recovery timeline.
Low ankle sprains refer to damage to the lateral ligaments of the ankle due to the foot rolling inward. This is a fairly common injury that comes with a short recovery timeline. In minor cases such as this one, most players play the following week without much negative effect.
Ott returned to the lineup in Week 2 only a week after his injury, but this proved to not be a smart move. The talented RB had 10 carries for only 11 yards and clearly did not look like himself. After being questionable in Week 3, the coaching staff chose to err on the side caution and keep him out. Looking ahead to Week 4, Ott is probable for the matchup and I expect him to be ready to roll. A healthy Ott would be a HUGE post for this Cal offense.
