Insides As Mississippi State Football Releases Massive Injury Report Ahead Of SEC Opener vs Florida
The first availability report of the season has been released for Mississippi State football.
This season, the SEC has introduced weekly player availability reports for conference matchups. Teams are now required to disclose which players might be out due to injury, providing an official status update before each SEC game. This is a significant shift for SEC football, as coaches must communicate players’ conditions weekly.
As Mississippi State football prepares for its SEC opener against the Florida Gators, we have the Bulldogs’ first availability report of the season.
Florida at Mississippi State Wednesday injury report pic.twitter.com/l4Ico6wksN
— SEC Mike (@MichaelWBratton) September 19, 2024
Defensive lineman Kalvin Dinkins will be sidelined for Mississippi State for the third consecutive week. The sophomore tackle injured himself in the season opener against Eastern Kentucky and will not play against the Gators. Dinkins is considered one of the most talented defensive linemen on the team, and his absence has been felt, especially given Mississippi State’s struggles in that area.
Backup cornerback Traveon Wright will miss his third game this season after sitting out the opener, playing in Week 2, and then missing the game against Toledo. Starting cornerback Kelley Jones, who was unavailable last week, is not listed with any injury concerns. Backup safety Tyler Woodard will also miss the first half against Florida due to a targeting penalty from the previous game.
The Bulldogs’ depth at defensive tackle is further threatened this week as starter Kedrick Bingley-Jones is questionable for the matchup against Florida. With Dinkins unavailable and Eric Taylor no longer on the team, the depth in the defensive interior is already stretched thin, and losing Bingley-Jones would be significant.
Backup cornerback DeAgo Brumfield, who dressed for last week’s game after missing the first two, is also questionable for Saturday. Additionally, backup safety Chris Keys Jr. is questionable following an injury against Toledo, while kickoff specialist Marlon Hauck is listed as questionable as well.
On a positive note, safety Corey Ellington is probable to make his season debut against Florida. Listed as a starter on the initial depth chart, Ellington has missed the first three games due to injury. His return would be crucial for the secondary, given his experience. True freshman running back Xavier Gayten is also listed as probable for the game against the Gators.
In contrast, Florida will be missing several key starters against Mississippi State, notably wide receiver Eugene Wilson III. Wilson led the Gators in touchdown receptions last season and has 13 catches for 191 yards and one touchdown this year. He did not play in last week’s game against Texas A&M.
Starting nickel Aaron Gates will also be unavailable for Florida, along with starting safety Asa Turner, who will miss his third consecutive game. Additionally, the Gators will be without one of their top defensive ends, Joey Slackman.