For the second year in a row, Texas football is participating in the College Football Playoff. Five-seed Texas (11-2, 7-1 SEC) hosts the 12-seed and ACC Champion Clemson Tigers (10-3, 7-1 ACC) at DKR for a first-round Playoff matchup in the inaugural 12-team CFP bracket this postseason on Dec. 21.
Lingering injuries have been a massive storyline for this Playoff matchup for the first time ever at DKR in Austin on Saturday afternoon. Both Texas and Clemson have major critical starters dealing with the injury bug entering the postseason, especially at the skill positions on the offensive side of the ball.
Late this week, the increasingly gloomy outlook for junior wide receiver Isaiah Bond was updated for his injury status by ESPN's Pete Thamel. Bond reportedly is facing "long odds" to play this weekend in the first-round Playoff matchup against Clemson due to a high ankle sprain he reaggravated in the SEC Championship Game a couple of weeks ago against the Georgia Bulldogs.
Bond didn't practice on Monday for the Longhorns when the media was there for the viewing session at DKR on Dec. 16.
Here's a look at the full injury report for the first-round College Football Playoff matchup between No. 3 Texas and No. 16 Clemson at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, TX, on Dec. 21 at 3 p.m. CT.
Texas football injury report vs. Clemson
Derek Williams Jr., S (Out)
CJ Baxter Jr., RB (Out)
Christian Clark, RB (Out)
Velton Gardner, RB (Out)
Isaiah Bond, WR (Questionable)
Bond originally suffered the ankle injury in the Red River Rivalry game in early-to-mid October against the Oklahoma Sooners. He missed the Vanderbilt game in late October and reaggravated the ankle sprain against Georgia in the SEC Championship in Atlanta on Dec. 7.
Quinn Ewers, QB (Probable)
Quarterback Quinn Ewers has been improving from an ankle injury he suffered on Senior Day in the win over Kentucky in late November. Ewers was a full participant in Monday's practice, where he was seen without the ankle brace on Dec. 16.
Kelvin Banks Jr., OT (Probable)
Junior starting left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. appears ready to go for this weekend's Playoff first-round matchup against Clemson after missing the SEC Championship on Dec. 7 against Georgia.
Banks was rolled up on in the win over Texas A&M in College Station on Nov. 30. Banks was seen wearing a big ankle brace in practice on Monday, but he was a full participant in drills throughout this week for the Longhorns.
Clemson injury report vs. Texas
Jay Haynes, RB (Out)
DeMonte Capehart, DT (Out)
Tyler Brown, WR (Questionable)
Phil Mafah, RB (Probable)
Corian Gipson, DB (Out)
Quinn Castner, K/P (Out)
Trent Howard, OL (Out)
Elyjah Thurmon, OL (Out)
Dietrick Pennington. OL (Questionable)