🚨 The Lone Star Showdown between the Texas Longhorns and the Texas A&M Aggies—a rivalry renewed with high stakes in the SEC Football landscape—will be decided not only on the field at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium but also in the final seconds of the pre-game injury report. Just 90 minutes before the momentous Friday kickoff, the Longhorns’ defense received a glimmer of hope as star junior linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. was officially listed as a game-time decision for the contest.
This late-week upgrade from “doubtful” on Tuesday’s conference-mandated release to “questionable” and now a final “game-time decision” is a significant development, underscoring the team’s optimism about Hill’s fractured hand. The broken metacarpal, sustained just two weeks prior in a tough loss to a highly-ranked Georgia squad, threatened to sideline the Longhorns’ leading tackler for this critical end-of-season matchup. Hill’s potential availability is a massive psychological boost and a necessary personnel lifeline for the Texas Longhorns football program as they prepare for a bitter rivalry clash that could have College Football Playoff implications.
Depth Crisis: Hill’s Return Critical After Targeting Suspension
The urgency surrounding Hill’s status is compounded by the confirmed suspension of sophomore linebacker Ty’Anthony Smith. Smith, a crucial source of speed and coverage at the linebacker position, was ejected for a targeting foul during the Longhorns’ victory over the Arkansas Razorbacks last Saturday.
Despite Texas’s immediate appeal to the SEC, the conference officially denied the request, confirming that Smith will be unavailable for the entire first half of the Texas A&M Aggies game. This leaves the Longhorns’ defensive coordinator scrambling to adjust the depth chart. The tandem of Hill and Smith represents a vast majority of the team’s defensive production, and facing the Aggies’ potent offense—even without two of their own starters—makes the presence of a first-team All-SEC talent like Hill absolutely paramount.
The SEC’s availability reporting protocol, introduced in the 2024-2025 season to increase transparency, requires teams to submit an official final report 90 minutes before kickoff, a policy that has kept both fan bases on edge awaiting the final word on Hill. The progression of his status indicates he has been testing the hand and may be cleared to play, likely with a brace or specialized cast.
Aggies Face Their Own Defensive and Offensive Hurdles
Across the field, the Texas A&M Aggies enter the Lone Star Showdown without two of their own impact players, a blow that somewhat levels the injury playing field for the SEC Football Rivalry. Head Coach Mike Elko’s squad has officially ruled running back Le’Veon Moss and linebacker Scooby Williams OUT for the game.
Moss, a key piece of the Aggies’ ground game who has missed several weeks with an ankle injury, will be unavailable, forcing the offense to rely more heavily on its backup rotation and quarterback Marcel Reed. Meanwhile, the loss of Williams—who, like Hill, is an integral component of the defensive unit—removes a veteran presence in the Aggies’ front seven.
For the Aggies (who may be undefeated and pushing for a Playoff bye, based on the hypothetical scenario data suggests), a victory over their in-state rivals is essential to maintain their pole position. The confirmed absences of Moss and Williams underscore the “next man up” mantra that both teams must embody in this high-pressure, season-defining contest.
The focus remains squarely on the medical tent at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Anthony Hill Jr.’s injury update is the most significant storyline heading into the Texas vs. Texas A&M game, and his final playing status will undoubtedly shift the betting lines and dramatically impact the defensive strategy for the Longhorns in the first half of the Lone Star Showdown.