Whit Weeks, Gabe Reliford trend up for LSU vs. Texas

Weeks was listed as doubtful the week LSU played Alabama, so questionable is real progress. He also wasn't the only Tiger who got good news.

Reliford is the surprise. He tore his ACL in spring ball, and nobody expected him back for the regular season. Now he's listed as probable for one of the biggest home games on LSU's schedule. Weston Davis is the other piece. The right tackle got knocked out of the Alabama game and is also probable, which matters for an LSU line about to see a healthy Texas pass rush.

Koki Riley

@KokiRiley

Gabe Reliford was seemingly done for the season after tearing his ACL in the spring. Looks like he’s on track to return against Texas. #LSU

Jon Blau

@Jon_Blau

LSU LB Whit Weeks has advanced from "doubtful" the week of the Alabama game to "questionable" for this weekend's game against Texas. Also, RT Weston Davis is probable after being knocked out vs. Alabama. And so too is DE Gabe Reliford, who suffered an ACL tear in spring. t.co/t9uZA2yyxE

That's the right way to look at it. You don't build a game plan around a guy coming off a spring ACL tear, but even a handful of snaps off the edge from Reliford in November is a bonus LSU wasn't counting on. Weeks is the bigger swing. When he's healthy, he's the heartbeat of that defense, and he's one of the few players on it the other team actually game-plans for. Questionable isn't a promise, but the arrow is pointing the right way.

Here's the catch for Tiger fans: Texas got just as much good news, and theirs is more certain. Cam Coleman and Colin Simmons, 2 of the Longhorns' biggest playmakers, don't carry any designation at all.

Pete Thamel

@PeteThamel

Texas WR Cam Coleman is not listed, which means he’s available to play. No Colin Simmons either. LSU’s Whit Weeks upgraded to questionable.

The Simmons news is the one that should worry LSU. He's the best edge rusher Texas has, and his status was a real question coming out of last weekend.

Adam Rittenberg

@ESPNRittenberg

No Colin Simmons on the availability report for Texas, which visits LSU. Simmons didn't finish the game last week at Missouri.

Texas' only listed player who isn't already ruled out is defensive lineman Hero Kanu. He tore his bicep against Missouri and is questionable, but he's expected to play through it. So the Longhorns roll into Baton Rouge about as healthy as anyone can expect in mid-November, while LSU is still waiting on Weeks and hoping Reliford and Davis give them something.

No. 6 Texas visits No. 21 LSU Saturday at 6:30 p.m. CT at Tiger Stadium. These reports update before Saturday, so watch for Weeks' status on the final one. If he moves to probable, LSU gets its best defender back for a night game it badly needs. If he doesn't, Texas has its full arsenal and LSU is short-handed in the middle.