Mississippi State needed good news Friday night, and the final full SEC availability report before the Texas game delivered the opposite. Safety Isaac Smith and linebacker Tyler Lockhart were both downgraded to doubtful, leaving a defense that has lost several starters this season even thinner heading into Austin.

Isaac Smith and Tyler Lockhart trend toward sitting

Smith’s status hurts the most. The senior from Fulton, Mississippi, led the SEC with 127 tackles in 2024, ranked seventh nationally, and posted 64 more last season while playing a hybrid safety and linebacker role. However, he did not feature against Oklahoma, and Mississippi State has not disclosed his injury.

Lockhart was questionable on Thursday before Friday’s downgrade. The sophomore from Kilmichael earned Freshman All-SEC honors from the league’s coaches in 2025 and has become a key piece of the linebacker rotation.

Worse yet, both players sit at positions where depth was a concern long before this week. Fatt Forrest and Zakari Tillman will likely shoulder more of the load at linebacker, while names like Duke Johnson and five-star freshman Bralan Womack could see a bigger share of snaps at safety.

DJ Chester’s absence reshuffles the line

The offense took its own hit Thursday when left guard DJ Chester was ruled out. He had started all seven games this season and allowed five quarterback pressures and one sack, according to Pro Football Focus, which made him one of the steadier pieces up front.

His absence leaves left tackle Miles McVay, center Cannon Boone, right guard LJ Pruitt and right tackle Jakeheem Shumpert-Perkins working next to a new partner. For a quarterback who will be making his first or second start of the season, a reshuffled line is the last thing anyone wanted.

Mississippi State’s full injury picture

Here is where the Bulldogs stand heading into Saturday night:

• QB Kamario Taylor (season-ending foot surgery) - Out
• LB Jalen Smith - Out
• OL DJ Chester - Out
• DL Diesel Moye - Out
• DL Trevion Williams - Out
• WR Ayden Williams - Out
• S Isaac Smith - Doubtful
• LB Tyler Lockhart - Doubtful

Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby still has not named his starting quarterback between Billy Puckett and AJ Swann, and that decision will not come until game night.

Texas will play without Colin Simmons

On the bright side, the Longhorns are pretty much banged up too. Edge rusher Colin Simmons was ruled out Friday with an ankle injury after moving from questionable to doubtful to out over the course of the week.

Simmons leads the FBS with 10.5 sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss, so his absence is a massive break for a Mississippi State line missing its starting left guard. Texas will also be without left tackle Trevor Goosby and edge rusher Richard Wesley.

Across the field, the news is better for the Texas offense. Receiver Cam Coleman and running back Hollywood Smothers were removed from the report on Thursday, and receiver Kaliq Lockett was listed as probable.

For a Bulldogs defense missing so many familiar faces, Saturday night will lean heavily on players who have waited most of the season for their turn.