CJ Baxter, Sam Greene Named Comeback Players of the Week
Senior running back CJ Baxter and senior outside linebacker Sam Greene have been named two of the 2026 Comeback Players of the Week, as announced by the College Sports Communicators in association with the Associated Press and the Fiesta Sports Foundation on Wednesday.
Baxter, a 6-foot-1, 230-pound running back from Boynton Beach, Florida, rushed 19 times for 87 yards and two touchdowns, surpassing 1,000 career rushing yards in the process, in helping lead the Wildcats to a 31-21 upset at No. 9/8-ranked Texas A&M last Saturday. Baxter, who now has 1,019 career rushing yards, scored on two short runs in the third quarter to tie his career rushing touchdowns in a game. He also added a 28-yard reception.
Baxter’s milestone follows a long but inspiring road back to the field. The Texas transfer missed the 2024 season after tearing the ACL, LCL and PCL in his right knee during fall camp. After working his way back to the field, he suffered a hamstring injury on the very first play of the game against UTEP in week three on Sept. 13, 2025, and was limited to just eight games and 196 yards rushing for the season.
Greene, a 6-foot-2, 251-pound senior from Washington, D.C., made numerous game-changing plays in UK’s upset. He totaled an interception, six tackles, one-half tackle for loss and a fourth-down stop for turnover on downs
On the Aggies’ first possession of the game, they drove to the UK 11. On 4th-and-1, Greene stormed in from his outside linebacker post to drop the runner for no gain and turn the ball over on downs.
That was just the appetizer for Greene.
On the Aggies’ second possession of the game, the home team drove to the UK 27, where Greene again quelled the advance, intercepting a pass and returning it seven yards. In the third quarter, on a 3rd-and-2 play, he again sliced from the edge to hold the runner to no gain, forcing a punt that Kentucky eventually turned into a touchdown drive as the Cats took control of the game.
Greene has had a sensational start to the season after spending much of his offseason rehabilitating from a major knee injury. Prior to suffering a torn ACL during Kentucky’s 38-7 win over Florida on Nov. 8, 2025, he had totaled 25 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sacks, a PBU and four quarterback hurries.
Baxter and Green were named to the Comeback Player of the Year Watch List earlier this season along with senior defensive back Aaron Gates. Since 2018, the award has recognized college football student-athletes for overcoming injury, illness, or other circumstances. At the conclusion of each season, in a vote by a panel of college football writers, editors and sports information directors, three college football student-athletes are honored at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl.
Kentucky has had two previous winners. J.J. Weaver was a recipient in 2021, and Kenneth Horsey was honored in 2020.
The Wildcats (2-1, 1-1 SEC) return home Saturday, Sept. 26 to play host to South Alabama at 12:45 p.m. ET on SEC Network. Tickets are available on ukathletics.com.
