A Brutal August

Fall camp 2026 was a costly one across college football. CBS Sports' Brad Crawford has compiled the definitive injury tracker of the preseason, cataloguing every notable starter who went down between early August and this week's final practices. The list spans position groups, conferences, and playoff contenders — and it will shape Week 1 games more than any single scheme decision.

The Headliners

Ahmad Hardy, RB, Missouri — ruled out for Week 1 while recovering from a gunshot wound suffered this summer. The Tigers' 1,150-yard rusher is progressing well physically, per coach Eli Drinkwitz, but contact work is weeks away; a late-September return remains the projection. His absence forces a committee of Jamarion Johnson and Tre'Quan Jefferson against Central Arkansas, and his recovery timeline hangs over Missouri's entire playoff run.

Kansas' running back room — the most decimated position group of camp. Starter Devoan Binns tore his ACL in a mid-August scrimmage, and backup Forest Bess also went down with a lower-body injury that will keep him out of Week 1. The Jayhawks enter the season with true freshman Marcus Moore as the likely lead back — a cold start for a program that entered camp with playoff ambitions.

The ACL wave — at least six FBS starters tore ACLs in August. The confirmed season-ending list includes Georgia Tech LB Kevin Harris, Utah CB Jason Malki, Duke's starting center Miles Mikkelsen, and Stanford safety Jamir Thomas — none of whom will play a snap in 2026.

Week 1 Question Marks

Not every injury is season-ending. The tracker's 'questionable for Week 1' tier includes:

  • Ohio State WR Carnell Tate — hamstring strain suffered in practice Tuesday; the Buckeyes will decide Friday. Tate's absence would change the passing game's vertical profile immediately against Rutgers.
  • Notre Dame TE Mitchell Evans — ankle; the Irish open Week 1 against Fresno State, and Evans' status will be confirmed at Thursday's practice.
  • Clemson QB Chris Vizzina — a minor AC joint issue, but he is expected to start against Appalachian State.
  • Washington CB Ephesians Prysock — shoulder; the Huskies' secondary is thin without him against a Baylor passing game that led the Big 12 in yards per attempt.

The Full Tracker (Notable)

The complete list as of Wednesday night:

  • Ahmad Hardy (Missouri RB) — out Week 1 (shooting recovery)
  • Devoan Binns (Kansas RB) — ACL, out for season
  • Forest Bess (Kansas RB) — lower body, out Week 1
  • Kevin Harris (Georgia Tech LB) — ACL, out for season
  • Jason Malki (Utah CB) — ACL, out for season
  • Miles Mikkelsen (Duke C) — ACL, out for season
  • Jamir Thomas (Stanford S) — ACL, out for season
  • Carnell Tate (Ohio State WR) — hamstring, questionable Week 1
  • Mitchell Evans (Notre Dame TE) — ankle, questionable Week 1
  • Ephesians Prysock (Washington CB) — shoulder, questionable Week 1
  • Chris Vizzina (Clemson QB) — AC joint, expected to start

What This Means for CFB 27

In College Football 27, the Fall Camp injury wave is reflected in the Week 1 roster update through the game's injury system: season-ending designations drop player ratings to zero for the year and free up their NIL budget in Dynasty mode, while 'questionable' players carry a permanent -5 OVR until they play. The Kansas backfield is the most punishing Dynasty situation in the game at launch — the Jayhawks' offense enters Week 1 with a 74 OVR true freshman lead back and no depth. Missouri players should carry Hardy on the bench with a planned return in Week 4-5, mirroring the real-world timeline. The game's injury-tracking UI makes the preseason tracker essential reading: teams like Stanford and Duke, which lose starting defenders for the year, see their defensive chemistry ratings drop — a hidden stat that does not recover until the following season.