Oklahoma won’t have its full roster in place when it meets New Mexico on Saturday night, and that reality is starting to shape the Week 3 matchup as much as the opponent itself.
The No. 24 Sooners host the 2-0 Lobos at 6:30 p.m.
CT in Norman, still trying to shake off last week’s loss to Michigan. And for the third straight week, Oklahoma is working around a fresh injury list that keeps forcing changes on both sides of the ball.
Up front, the Sooners are still waiting to get their offensive line all the way back together. Starting left tackle Michael Fasusi will miss another game because of a shoulder injury after sitting out last week as well.
He is expected to return for Oklahoma’s trip to No. 2 Georgia next week, with the hope that the Sooners can finally get their line fully healthy there.
For now, the lineup should look the same as it did against Michigan. Ryan Fodje is set to slide from right guard to left tackle in Fasusi’s place, which opens a starting spot for freshman Noah Best at right guard.
Best has started every game of his brief career, and his first start came at center. The rest of the unit is expected to feature Eddy Pierre-Louis at left guard, Jake Maikkula at center and E'Marion Harris at right tackle.
The receiving group also takes a hit. Trell Harris is out, and Venables said this week that Harris will be out "for the foreseeable future," with no certainty he returns in 2026.
Harris, in his first season at Oklahoma after transferring from Virginia, was a Third-Team All-ACC selection in 2025. His injury came after a brutal collision against Michigan, one that still ended with him going to the hospital a few hours later with a laceration to one of his major internal organs, according to Sooners on SI.
With Harris sidelined, Oklahoma will need others to take on more. Venables specifically pointed to sophomore Elijah Thomas as a player who has to step up.
Thomas arrived in 2025 as a highly touted athlete from Checotah High School, and so far his Oklahoma production has been limited to one 24-yard catch in Week 1. He did not record a stat against Michigan.
Washington State transfer Mackenzie Alleyne could also see more opportunities after scoring a touchdown last week, following Venables’ mid-game suggestion that he get more looks.
There is better news in the backfield. Freshman running back Jonathan Hatton Jr. is available after being banged up during the week and missing some practice.
He did not play against Michigan, but he’s healthy again, as is sophomore Tory Blaylock. That gives Oklahoma a full group at running back, even if neither player has made much noise this season.
Blaylock was the Sooners’ leading rusher last year, while Hatton made a strong impression in fall camp.
The defense, though, has the biggest hole to fill. Linebacker Kip Lewis will miss the New Mexico game after suffering a non-contact injury on Michigan’s first possession.
Venables initially sounded concerned, but later said Monday, "We got some good news there. He’ll be back sooner than maybe we initially thought, so that’s awesome.”
Even with that update, Lewis is out for now, and Oklahoma will feel his absence. He led the Sooners with 76 total tackles in 2025 and has been the centerpiece of the defense this season.
Junior James Nesta is expected to make his first career start in his place. Nesta played in every game last season, mostly on special teams, and this year has become a more regular part of the defense.
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Finebaum also took aim at the Big Tens overall showing this year, saying he regretted having spoken so highly of the league earlier. For Oklahoma, the criticism lands in a familiar place, with the Sooners once again serving as a flashpoint in the SEC versus Big Ten debate and leaving plenty of room for the discussion to grow beyond a single Saturday. [Read more 🡒]