Texas Tech has been hit with one setback after another, yet the Red Raiders have managed to stay perfect at 5–0 so far. However, their latest injury concern could put a dent in that momentum. Running back Cameron Dickey went down with an injury during the team’s last game against Colorado, and his return to the field remains a bit dicey.

According to On3’s Pete Nakos, there is no clear timetable for Dickey’s return. However, the good news for Texas Tech fans is that his injury is not considered season-ending.

Cameron Dickey got injured early in the second quarter of the Week 5 game against Colorado. While making a 4-yard run, his left ankle bent awkwardly as a Colorado defender tackled him down. He tried to hobble his way off the field on his own but collapsed and had to be helped by the Texas Tech training staff without putting any pressure on his left leg.

Dickey was taken straight to the locker room and was later seen in a wheelchair. After the game, Texas head coach Joey McGuire said that Dickey’s X-rays came back negative, and the injury is most likely a high ankle sprain.

While he didn’t make much of an impact in the first quarter, his absence was felt in Texas Tech’s short-yardage situations. Texas Tech found themselves in need of one yard on the 4th down twice in the second quarter after Dickey left. The first snap was fired towards J’Koby Williams, who failed to complete the play. Running back Quinten Joyner took the second snap, and to everyone’s surprise, even he failed to convert the play into a first down.

Those stoppages gave the Buffs momentum when their offense was struggling to get going. As a result, Colorado led 7-3 at halftime. Learning from their mistakes, McGuire made a few changes when they landed in a similar situation in the 4th quarter. They went for a field goal this time rather than running a play to get those 2 yards. Stone Harrington took the 46-yard kick and gave the Red Raiders a 15-7 advantage.

Through five games this season, Dickey rushed for 242 yards and five touchdowns on 57 carries. His best performance came against Sam Houston State, when he had 91 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries.

In Dickey’s absence, J’Koby Williams and Quinten Joyner shared the carries against Colorado. Williams went for 88 yards on 17 carries, while Joyner added 63 yards and a touchdown on 10 attempts. Joey McGuire can also call upon the likes of Ashton Roden and Sawyer Wilkerson for the upcoming games.

While the Dickey injury happened during the game, McGuire got another shocking news ahead of the game that changed his plans for Colorado.

Why was Tommy Castellanos not on the field against the Buffs?

Tommy Castellanos was not on the field against the Buffaloes because a sudden legal reversal ruled him ineligible just a day before the game. On Friday, October 2, 2026, a three-judge panel from the Kentucky Court of Appeals sided with the NCAA. They dissolved the temporary restraining order that had previously granted Castellanos his fifth year of college eligibility as a member of the high school recruiting class of 2022. 

The ruling came less than 30 hours before kickoff. Texas Tech had to immediately rule him out and leave him behind in Lubbock. It was so chaotic that they even arranged a late flight for freshman reserve Lloyd Jones III to serve as an emergency depth piece.

It came as a big shock for the QB, as he did appear in the last three games for Texas Tech; now his future seems very shaky. Cody Campbell was also not happy with this sudden change.

“The fact that something like that would happen on a Friday, and then he may be eligible again next week – it’s just insanity,” Texas Tech regent chair Cody Campbell told The Associated Press before the game.

Castellanos’ absence didn’t hurt the Red Raiders as starting QB Will Hammond played through the game.