They say change is the only constant. For college football this season, it’s more like injury is the only constant. During the 2024 kickoff, injuries played the ugliest role when it came to turning the program and the players’ fate. Already the numbers are rising one after the other. Every day there is a player who faces the harsh reality of staying on the bench for the rest of the season. Florida QB Graham Mertz and Utah QB Cam Rising are already on the list. On October 14, another update dropped in. This time it’s the Colorado State Rams star, Tory Horton whose season takes a detour.

October 12 has been a big day indeed for Jay Norvell’s crew. They crushed San Jose State 31-24. Yet the HC couldn’t manage to get a good night’s sleep. How could he? After all, their senior WR Horton fell prey to a serious injury at Canvas Stadium. Last Saturday, during the first half, when he went down with a left knee injury, hardly did they expect that it would be his final game for this season. On Monday, October 14 night Norvell announced, “His injury is season-ending, but he will fully recover and have his chance at the next level with the National Football League.”

Horton too came up with a heartbreaking update as he released a statement, “My season and college career are unfortunately over, but this is not the end.” Even though the wideout has been banged up this season, Tory Horton’s injury leaves fans chewing over regrets. The WR managed to come up with 26 catches for 353 yards and a score.

Carrying a record 3,615 yards receiving, the Colorado State fans are left gnawing at what could’ve been. The sudden halt to Horton’s college stint ends with him within shouting distance of multiple career benchmarks at CSU. The Fresno native will fall 35 yards short of Colorado State’s Rashard Higgins’ conference record of 3,649 yards. Fortunately or unfortunately he is not the only one.   

Like Tory Horton, Graham Mertz, and Cam Rising face painful exits 

Just like Horton, there are a few others whose college football journey has been cut short by injury. Florida Gators champ Mertz is out for the season as well. The sixth-year senior QB suffered an ugly fate during Saturday’s loss to the Tennessee Volunteers. In an attempt to put Billy Napier’s program up 10-0 in a game, he suffered a non-contact injury while throwing a touchdown pass on a third-quarter play.

This time Mertz suffered a torn ACL. However, it’s nothing new as last season he suffered a broken collarbone during a loss to Missouri. Like Horton, the Florida QB too released a statement, “During my recovery, I will remain a part of the program and do whatever I can in meeting rooms and from the sideline to help my teammates win.” 

Things were already bad for Utah Utes QB Cam Rising, who already missed the majority of the season due to his injuries. The seventh-year signal caller missed three of his team’s first five games struggling with a lacerated finger injury on September 7 against Baylor. Week 7 further ushered in bad news as the QB suffered a season-ending knee injury in the loss to Arizona State. It seems like the injury list will only grow longer as the season progresses.