UVA Availability Report: Several Crucial Cavaliers Unlikely To Play at SMU

The ACC availability report was released Wednesday evening, with a few updates on the status of key characters in Virginia's upcoming game at No. 24 SMU.

For the Cavaliers, a few players were previously questionable and have since been downgraded. Some players, like Rico Flores Jr., have suffered potentially major injuries and will miss several games. That list is long.

Coach Tony Elliott told the media Tuesday that starting cornerback Omillio Agard will miss the rest of the season due to a torn ACL. Fellow starting corner Jacobie Henderson has also been hit with ailments, as he suffered a shoulder injury late in the game against Syracuse. Henderson is officially good to go as of Wednesday night.

However, SPUR Corey Costner has surprisingly been downgraded to doubtful. Another key defensive back, Brandyn Hillman, is now doubtful after he suffered an ankle injury against the Orange. Linebacker Caleb Hardy is also a surprise addition to the doubtful list.

If Costner and Hillman are unable to play, the Cavaliers could turn to a bevy of backups. Safeties Montino Williams and Christian Ellis might wind up starting, while cornerback Justin Ross also steps in and Jaylen Jones sees heft snaps at SPUR.

Virginia has yet to play a game with its starting lineup fully healthy. The closest was against West Virginia, but Kam Robinson was acclimating and Flores was on a snap count. Since then, the Cavaliers lost Agard, defensive tackle Jason Hammond and possibly Flores to season-ending injuries. There has not been an official update on Flores as of Wednesday, other than that he will not play at SMU.

As for the Mustangs, they are missing a few key players too. SMU will not have one of its starting defensive ends, nor the No. 2 running back or No. 4 receiver. The Mustangs' starting kicker, Nick Reed, is questionable. Other than that crew, SMU's key players are generally healthy — especially compared to a battered Cavaliers team.

Virginia will need all hands on deck for a crucial road battle against the Mustangs. Winning in Dallas has been extremely difficult since Coach Rhett Lashlee took over. And as if the stakes weren't high enough, the loser of this game is effectively eliminated from ACC championship contention.

SMU and the Cavaliers will kick off at 12 p.m. on The CW. Sixty minutes will determine the trajectory of a critical season for both programs.