Texas Longhorns Will Once Again Be Without Half of Standout Running Back Duo

Texas football has had to deal with its fair share of injuries to start the season, adding running back CJ Baxter to the list of players out against Kentucky.

Aug 30, 2025; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Texas Longhorns running back CJ Baxter (4) rushes the ball against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the first half at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images | Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

Entering the team's matchup against Kentucky, Texas football will once again find itself without backup running back CJ Baxter.

According to the team's latest injury report, alongside a few other notable names on the offensive side of the ball, Baxter was listed as out for the team's game against the Wildcats.

How will Texas's run game fare without Baxter

Aug 30, 2025; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Texas Longhorns running back CJ Baxter (4) makes a catch against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the first half at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images | Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

Baxter is now set to miss his fourth straight game this season after suffering a hamstring injury on his first carry against UTEP in the team's third game of the season. Without Baxter, the team will look to starting running back Tre Wisner to once again handle the bulk of the carries.

Before his injury, Baxter had carried the ball 24 times for 111 yards, averaging 4.6 yards per carry. Having returned in 2025 after missing the 2024 season entirely, news of Baxter's hamstring injury was once again bad luck for the Longhorns.

Baxter was expected to be one-half of a dangerous rushing duo when paired with Tre Wisner this season. Though injuries for both backs have not yet allowed the Longhorns to take full advantage of that duo, when Baxter does return, Texas could see itself with an impressive run game.

In the meantime, Wisner will likely once again be the focal point of the run game for Texas, coming off his best performance of the season against the Oklahoma Sooners.

In the Red River Rivalry game, Wisner rushed 22 times for 94 yards, with an average of 4.3 yards per carry. Facing a Sooners defense that currently ranks third in the SEC in rush yards allowed per game, Wisner's performance was welcomed after a disappointing outing for the Longhorn running backs against Florida a few weeks ago.

Wisner himself has dealt with injuries this season as well, missing Texas's entire home stand after suffering a hamstring injury. Without Baxter in the rotation, having Wisner in the backfield will be crucial for the Longhorns to earn another win in the SEC.

It's not just Wisner that the team can rely on in the rush, but quarterback Arch Manning as well, who has shown off the ability to use his legs numerous times this season. Manning is currently the leading rusher for the Longhorns with 247 yards on the ground this season.

The Wildcats have the 12th-ranked rushing defense in the conference, allowing 153.6 rushing yards per game. The game is set for kickoff at 6 CT and will air on ESPN.