Texas Longhorns Star Officially Ruled Out vs. Vanderbilt

As the No. 20 Texas Longhorns gear up for a battle with the No. 9 Vanderbilt Commodores at DKR on Saturday morning, the team received a slight setback in their gameplan on the defensive side with kickoff less than an hour away.

Safety Michael Taaffe, who has been recovering following thumb surgery a short time ago, has officially been ruled out for the second consecutive game.

Taaffe practiced throughout the week, but it seems that he still has not progressed enough to perform at his typical elite level, and Steve Sarkisian would prefer for his star defensive back to be as close to 100 percent as possible as they take on a tough opponent from the SEC.

How Will The Defense Be Without Taaffe?

Last week in their first game without the All-American against the Mississippi State Bulldogs, the Longhorns defense struggled, at least in the early stages of the game.

Texas Longhorns defensive back Michael Taaffe (16) celebrates after the Kentucky Wildcats fail to score. — Oct 18, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Texas Longhorns defensive back Michael Taaffe (16) celebrates after the Kentucky Wildcats fail to score during overtime at Kroger Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

The team was down 24-14 at halftime, and were down by 17 with only 10 minutes left in the game, before the Burnt Orange defense stepped up when it mattered, only allowing the Bulldogs to advance the ball 15 yards in their last 16 plays of the ball game, which allowed the Horns to score three touchdowns as well as a field goal in the final 10 minutes of regulation and during the overtime period, capping it all off by strip sacking Blake Shapen to end the game.

Taaffe, one of the team captains, has recorded 51 total tackles, a sack, and an interception on the 2025 season, as the Austin native is primed to repeat his All-American production from last season once he is back to full health.

The Longhorns come into the contest 6-2 on the season, a turnaround on the horizon after two early losses in the year to the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Florida Gators, but the going will not be easy against a fired-up No. 9 Vanderbilt team that has seen quite the turnaround themselves in the 2025 season, going from the laughingstock of the SEC gridiron to one of its titans, thanks to the play of quarterback Diego Pavia and the leadership of head coach Clark Lea.

The Commodores come fresh off of a close conference win last week against the Missouri Tigers, winning 17-10 after Missouri's game-tying Hail Mary attempt fell just one yard short.

The Longhorns and Commodores kick off from Austin at 11:00 AM on ABC.