A weekend of injuries in college football is putting many playoff contenders in trouble

As the college football season reaches its halfway point, many playoff contenders are suddenly dealing with season-ending injuries to big-name players.

Notre Dame cornerback Benjamin Morrison, Tennessee linebacker Keenan Pili and Texas defensive lineman Derrick Williams are out for the remainder of the season, their coaches announced Monday. Ohio State left tackle Josh Simmons is also dealing with an injury that puts his availability in doubt for the rest of the season.

It all came amid a brutal weekend that saw Florida quarterback Graham Mertz tear his anterior cruciate ligament and Utah quarterback Cam Rising suffer a lower leg injury that will keep him out indefinitely.

Mertz and Pili were both injured in No. 11 Tennessee’s 23-17 overtime win over Florida. Due to Pili’s ACL injury, the Volunteers will be without one of their team captains as they prepare to host No. 7 Alabama on Saturday.

Pili’s college career is over. He’s 26 and transferred to Tennessee from BYU. He suffered a season-ending triceps injury early in the 2023 season and has taken not one, but two medical redshirts. Injuries limited him to just seven games in two seasons with the Vols.

“There is no one who represents Tennessee better than him,” coach Josh Heupel said Monday. “He is a great leader and will continue to be in our building. He and his family are just heartbroken. A guy who does absolutely everything right. Special.” Player, but a special person. He has a great future.”

Heupel said either Arion Carter or Jeremiah Telander would take over for Pili to wear the helmet-integrated communications device on defense.

Morrison, who has a hip injury, was arguably the top player missing at the weekend. The preseason second-team Associated Press All-America selection had nine career interceptions and was considered a possible first-round draft pick.

“Obviously it’s a blow to our team,” said Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman. “You lose a captain, a great football player. You feel terrible for the boy because he gives everything he has to football and preparation. It’s just hard. But he’s a tough kid. He is a tough person. He’s been through this before, he’s going to have surgery and get back to work to become the best version of Benjamin.”

Morrison is the latest notable Notre Dame defensive player to lose this season. No. 12 Notre Dame ranks eighth in points allowed per game (11.7), 11th in yards allowed per game (270), and fourth in yards allowed per game (4.25), But the Fighting Irish have already lost defensive linemen Jordan Botelho and Boubacar Traore to season-ending injuries.

The Irish now lose Morrison, just three weeks after cornerback Jaden Mickey announced four games into the season that he would redshirt to retain a year of eligibility while he prepares to transfer.

With Morrison’s injury, freshman cornerback Leonard Moore is likely to take over a starting role alongside Christian Gray as Notre Dame prepares to face Georgia Tech at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian announced Monday that Williams would also miss the remainder of the season. Texas officials did not disclose the nature of Williams’ injury.

Williams intercepted a pass in a win at No. 24 Michigan last month, and on Saturday he forced and recovered a fumble in the top-ranked Longhorns’ 34-3 win over Oklahoma. His injury comes as Texas prepares to host No. 5 Georgia.

No. 4 Ohio State fans are still waiting for word on the severity of the injury suffered by Simmons, who was carted off the field during the Buckeyes’ 32-31 loss to No. 2 Oregon. Coach Ryan Day expressed pessimism in his postgame press conference on Saturday.

“I need to check in on Simmons, but things aren’t looking good for him to come back this season,” Day said. “This is a great success for us.”

The notable injuries weren’t limited to top teams.

Mertz suffered a torn ACL in his left knee after throwing a touchdown pass in Florida’s loss to Tennessee. Mertz, a transfer from Wisconsin, suffered a season-ending injury in each of his two years at Florida. Last November, he broke his collarbone during a game against Missouri.

His latest injury makes freshman DJ Lagway the Gators’ starting quarterback.

Utah coach Kyle Whittingham announced Monday that Rising is out indefinitely after suffering a lower leg injury Friday in a 27-19 loss to Arizona State that knocked the Utes out of the AP Top 25.

Rising, which is in its seventh season, has already missed three games this season due to a throwing hand injury. He had to miss the entire 2023 season due to a knee injury.

Freshman Isaac Wilson, the younger brother of Denver Broncos quarterback Zach Wilson, will take Rising’s spot. Utah went 2-1 in the three games Wilson started when Rising was sidelined with a hand injury.

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AP Sportswriters Mark Long and Teresa M. Walker and AP freelance writer John Coon contributed to this report.

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