Texas heads to Columbia on Saturday morning with the kind of injury report that makes coordinators reach for the Tylenol. Colin Simmons, who leads the entire NCAA with 10.5 sacks, is questionable with a high-ankle sprain that has already cost him two games. Wide receiver Cam Coleman joins him on the questionable list. Between them, these two players represent the Longhorns' most productive edge rusher and one of their top pass-catchers — the kind of absences that don't just reduce production but change game plans. The better news: Ryan Wingo was upgraded from questionable to probable, which matters because he and Coleman account for 11 of Texas' 15 receiving touchdowns this season. Defensive backs Kade Phillips and Graceson Littleton were also bumped to probable after starting in 15 of a possible 16 combined games. If those three suit up, Sarkisian's secondary and passing game retain their structural spine. The confirmed absences are painful on their own. Running back Hollywood Smothers and offensive tackle Trevor Goosby are done for the season, both lost to injuries in recent weeks. Tight end Nick Townsend and edge rusher Richard Wesley are also listed as out. That is four starters or key rotation players simply gone. Sarkisian's own word — "beat up" — is a coach's understatement doing heavy lifting. The Longhorns are navigating their first CFP ranking with a roster that is visibly thinner than it was a month ago. The offensive line lost its starting left tackle in Goosby. The backfield lost Smothers. The defense may lose its most disruptive player in Simmons for a third straight week. Missouri gets Texas at a vulnerable moment. The question Saturday isn't just whether Simmons and Coleman play — it's whether the Longhorns' depth can absorb this many hits simultaneously without the product on the field deteriorating. Kickoff from Memorial Stadium is set for 11 a.m. CT. For Texas, the next 48 hours are about warm-ups and game-time decisions. For the rest of the SEC, the availability report is a signal: even top-five teams erode when the injury list crosses a critical mass. The Longhorns have the talent to survive individual absences. The compound effect is the real test.
