WSU OL Christian Hilborn out against No. 4 Ole Miss with apparent knee injury

OXFORD, Miss. — Washington State had to play Saturday’s first half against No. 4 Ole Miss without a key cog up front.

Veteran right tackle Christian Hilborn was seen pregame on crutches and his left knee in a big brace, signaling he would miss Saturday’s game — and maybe longer. It’s unclear when the injury happened, either against Colorado State or in the weeks of practice that followed.

Division II transfer Jaylin Caldwell, a left tackle by trade, started in place of Hilborn. He acquitted himself relatively well in the first half, which ended with Ole Miss taking a 10-7 lead. The Cougars scored an early touchdown and later missed a long field goal, the first miss in kicker Jack Stevens’ WSU career.

Hilborn’s absence means a costly loss for the Cougs, who had relied on his steady hand on the offensive line for the past several seasons. Listed at 6-foot-5 and 318 pounds, Hilborn is best as a pass-blocker, which he has displayed in spades over the last several years.

Hilborn had started all five games this season at right tackle. He’s played in 45 games for his career, underscoring the veteran presence he has provided for WSU, which heads into Saturday’s game with a 3-2 record.