Week 12 of the college football slate is loaded with big games, all of which have massive implications on the College Football Playoff as the 12-team postseason inches closer and closer. While the power conferences across the country all have big games, none are bigger than two massive clashes in the SEC.
No. 4 Alabama will take on No. 11 Oklahoma in the afternoon on Saturday before No. 10 Texas heads to Athens to play against No. 5 Georgia in the evening. Both the Longhorns and Sooners are sitting right on the edge of the projected CFP field with two losses, and both likely need wins on Saturday to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Texas has been playing some of its best football of the season lately, and now they are starting to get healthy for the home stretch of the regular season.
Star wide receiver Ryan Wingo and standout safety Michael Taaffe both were dealing with injuries heading into Texas' bye week, but both are on track to play on Saturday after the weekly SEC availability report came out on Wednesday and neither were listed, according to Pete Nakos of On3 Sports.
Wingo is one of the most explosive weapons that Texas has in the passing game, as evidenced by his 75-yard touchdown on a short pass at the beginning of Texas' win over Vanderbilt in Week 9. Wingo suffered a thumb injury in the first quarter of that game and did not return, though Steve Sarkisian said he could have played if needed.
Taaffe is one of the best safeties in the SEC, but he has missed Texas' last two games after breaking his thumb during a win over Kentucky in mid-October. It is unclear if he will have any extra protection on it on Saturday, but it looks like he will be out there regardless.
In order to go into Sanford Stadium and pull off a much-needed upset on Saturday, Texas will need all hands on deck and all of its stars playing their best football. Getting Wingo and Taaffe back is huge in that regard and will make the job just a little bit easier on both sides of the ball.
