Oklahoma’s defense took an unwelcome hit Friday as the SEC availability report added a new wrinkle heading into the Red River Rivalry.
Eli Bowen showed up as questionable for Saturday’s game against No. 1 Texas, a development that could matter a lot for an Oklahoma team already trying to overcome the odds.
The Sooners are unranked and underdogs, and the Golden Hat returning to Norman was always going to be a difficult ask. Bowen’s status only makes the task tougher.
The cornerback has started all four games this season and has 21 starts since making his first start in 2024 against Texas. He also missed the first few games last season before returning against Kent State. His late-week appearance on the report suggests Oklahoma may have picked up an undisclosed injury while wrapping up preparations for the Longhorns.
Oklahoma still has several players ruled out, including Taylor Heim, Trell Harris, Xavier Robinson, Jacobe Johnson and Fred Hinton, with Hinton having been downgraded on Thursday’s report. Michael Fasusi was also moved to out. He has now missed every game since playing 17 snaps in the opener against UTEP.
There was better news elsewhere for the Sooners on Thursday. Michael Boganowski, Jer’Michael Carer, Owen Heinecke, Cole Sullivan and Jack Van Dorselaer were all listed as probable, and all signs pointed to those players being available. Carer had been in a boot on his right foot since the New Mexico game.
Eddy Pierre-Louis remained doubtful for Oklahoma.
Texas, meanwhile, had a much lighter report. Tight end Nick Townsend was removed from the report on Thursday and is available to play.
Jordan Coleman was first ruled out on Wednesday, then joined by Kaliq Lockett and Zion Williams on Thursday. Defensive lineman Justus Terry moved from doubtful to probable on Thursday and stayed there Friday, putting him on track to return.
Oklahoma Out: Michael Fasusi, OT; Trell Harris, WR; Taylor Heim, LB; Jacobe Johnson, CB; Fred Hinton, LT; Trynae Washington, TE.
Doubtful: Eddy Pierre-Louis, OG
Questionable: Eli Bowen, CB
Probable: Jack Van Dorselaer, TE; Michael Boganowski, LB; Jer’Michael Carer; Owen Heinecke; Cole Sullivan
Texas Out: Jordan Coleman, OL; Kaliq Lockett, WR; Zion Williams, DT
Probable: Justus Terry, DL
In Other News...
SEC Nation Just Handed Oklahoma Fresh Red River Fuel
The Red River Rivalry is still months away, but SEC Nation already delivered a little early bulletin board material for Oklahoma. On the shows 2026 game picks, Paul Finebaum and the rest of the cast lined up behind Texas, with Finebaum pointing to Oklahomas recent offensive struggles and the Longhorns more balanced profile as the reason for his pick.
For a rivalry that never needs much help finding edge, a unanimous Texas lean from SEC Nation and College GameDay will only add to the noise when October rolls around. Oklahoma still has plenty of time to shape the conversation before the Cotton Bowl meeting, but the early national temperature check is clear, and it is leaning orange. [Read more 🡒]
Sooners Defense Has Oklahoma Fans Believing In Red River Upset Chance
The Red River Rivalry is once again shaping up as one of the biggest draws on the schedule, and this time the conversation has started with Oklahomas defense. ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit pointed to Texas as the favorite, but he also singled out the Sooners ability to get off the field on third down, a strength that has helped keep them in games even when the offense has had trouble finding a rhythm.
Herbstreit also noted the uneven offensive play on both sides of the matchup, including Arch Mannings underwhelming production for Texas and Oklahomas own struggles moving the ball. Even so, his read was that this one should be tight before the Longhorns eventually find a way through, which is hardly the kind of verdict that settles anything for Sooners fans hoping their defense can turn the rivalry into a real upset chance. [Read more 🡒]
UCLA Is Building A Familiar Portal Formula Oklahoma Fans Know Well
UCLAs roster makeover under Bob Chesney has started to look a lot like the kind of quick-fix blueprint college football fans in Oklahoma have seen work elsewhere. The discussion around Chesney naturally circles back to Curt Cignetti, whose career path and program-building success set a familiar template: identify the right transfers, keep the most important pieces in place and raise the floor fast. For UCLA, that means a team shaped heavily by portal additions and by the presence of former James Madison players who already know how Chesney wants things done.
The biggest reason the Bruins draw attention is the way theyve held onto key names while still layering in new talent. Quarterback Nico Iamaleava and running back Wayne Knight remain central to the discussion, and their retention gives the roster a different feel than a typical stop-and-start rebuild. For Oklahoma fans, the broader lesson is easy to spot: this is not just about adding bodies, but about building a program identity quickly enough to matter before the season slips away. [Read more 🡒]