Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral suffered a lower leg injury during the first quarter of Saturday night’s Sugar Bowl against Baylor, and he was carted off to the locker room.
Matt Corral has left the field in a lot of pain after this play. Praying for him 🙏#Baylor #Bears #SicEm #BUncommon #OleMiss #Rebels #HottyToddy #SugarBowl #CollegeFootball #BowlSeason pic.twitter.com/Be3NM9i33r
— Mr Matthew CFB (@MrMatthewCFB) January 2, 2022
The star quarterback returned to the sideline on crutches in the second quarter with tears in his eyes.
Ole Miss star QB Matt Corral — who's also in the conversation for top NFL draft QB prospect — is on crutches. pic.twitter.com/RvzhqCSViL
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) January 2, 2022
After leaving the game injured, an emotional Matt Corral returned to the sideline on crutches to support his team❤️ pic.twitter.com/faN1DOAAxK
— ESPN (@espn) January 2, 2022
Corral isn’t just one of the best quarterbacks in the country; he’s arguably the top quarterback prospect in the 2022 NFL Draft. His injury is an example of why many NFL draft prospects choose to opt out of these bowl games- a serious injury could cause a prospect’s draft stock to fall (maybe significantly).
This injury also happens after ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit and Desmond Howard made ridiculous comments on the topic of college football players choosing to opt out, suggesting that these players don’t “love football.”
Perhaps those comments led to ESPN analyst Greg McElroy saying that “you understand why guys decide to opt out” on the Ole Miss-Baylor broadcast after Corral’s injury.
Wonder if someone at ESPN sent out a memo after the Herbstreit comments. https://t.co/5ENntAC7w0
— Michael Grant (@MichaelGrant_CJ) January 2, 2022
Matt Corral is hurt. His knee got rolled up on. He can barely even walk off the field.
This is why players opt out.
Matt Corral loves football and he loves Ole Miss.
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) January 2, 2022
After we won the Heisman in 2011, I made the decision to play in our bowl game because our program hadn’t won one in 19 years. That was my decision. Don’t condemn guys for opting out. Matt Corral’s injury is exactly why they do. Pray he is okay and his draft stock isn’t impacted.
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) January 2, 2022
Corral recently explained why he chose to play in the Sugar Bowl instead of opting out.
Matt Corral on playing in the Sugar Bowl even though it’s a “meaningless game”
"I wouldn't be in this position w/o them. I won't just leave. I know what's on the other side but I'm gonna give these guys everything I got."
— Unnecessary Roughness (@UnnecRoughness) December 14, 2021
Hopefully it’s not a serious injury and Corral can maintain his first-round draft stock.