Oklahoma’s secondary and offensive line are both carrying some uncertainty into Saturday’s matchup with No. 15 Kentucky, with cornerback Eli Bowen and tackle Michael Fasusi each landing on the initial SEC availability report as “questionable.”
Bowen’s status is especially worth watching after he got hurt late last week during a walk-through before the Red River Rivalry. He warmed up for that game with his left ankle heavily taped, but he never got onto the field. In his place, sophomore Trystan Haynes made his first career start and, after giving up an early touchdown, settled in and played well.
Fasusi’s designation is a step in the right direction after a rough few weeks on the report. He was initially listed as “out” before the Georgia game two weeks ago, then upgraded to “doubtful” ahead of last week’s game against Texas.
He has not played since the season opener, when he was hurt again just 17 snaps in while dealing with a shoulder issue. With Fasusi sidelined, Ryan Fodje has handled left tackle, while Noah Best and Heath Ozaeta have started at guard over the past two games.
Ozaeta is among the Sooners who showed up as questionable for Saturday, along with guards Eddy Pierre-Louis and Fred Hinton and wide receiver Parker Livingstone. Pierre-Louis started Oklahoma’s first three games after coming off the bench against Georgia, but he missed the win over Texas. Ozaeta dealt with an apparent injury in warmups before the Red River Rivalry, then still started and played most of the snaps at guard.
There are also two Oklahoma players listed as probable: running back Tory Blaylock and tight end Jack Van Dorselaer.
Five Sooners are officially out for the 6:30 p.m. game against Kentucky: wide receiver Trell Harris, linebacker Taylor Heim, cornerback Jacobe Johnson, running back Xavier Robinson and tight end Trynae Washington. Johnson will miss a second straight game after getting injured in the loss to Georgia.
Kentucky’s report includes former Sooners wide receiver Nic Anderson, who is listed as probable. Also on the Wildcats’ report are Grant Grayton, Antwan Smith, Jaden Smith and Tavion Wallace as out, Tyler Thomas as doubtful, Alex Afari Jr., CJ Baxter, Elijah Brown and Kalen Edwards as questionable, and Anderson plus Hassan Sykers as probable.
In Other News...
Arch Manning Debate Gets More Awkward After Oklahoma Win
Arch Mannings latest outing against Oklahoma only added fuel to a discussion that has followed him through much of this season. He threw two interceptions in the game, and the performance immediately drew criticism as observers weighed what the outing said about where his game stands right now versus the expectation that comes with the Manning name.
Texas coach Steve Sarkisian stepped in to defend his quarterback, arguing Manning would be viewed differently if he did not carry that level of recognition. But the pushback came quickly, with ESPN analysts Paul Finebaum and Jordan Rodgers publicly disputing Sarkisians read and casting doubt on Mannings current level of play, turning one rough game into a broader debate that is not going away anytime soon. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma Faces A Big Test After The Texas Statement Win
Kentucky comes to Norman riding a four-game winning streak, and the timing makes this one feel like more than just another SEC date on the calendar. The Wildcats have already shown they can survive a tight one, including an overtime win over LSU, while Oklahoma is coming off the kind of result that can change the mood around a season in a hurry after beating then-No. 1 Texas.
The challenge for the Sooners is turning that statement win into something sustainable, because the next week always says a lot about a teams habits. Both coaches have pointed to focus and preparation as the keys here, and with Kentucky arriving confident and unbeaten in its recent run, Oklahoma will have to match the emotion of last week with the discipline required to handle the one in front of it. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma Turned A Painful Red River Lesson Into A Winning Edge
The Red River game often turns on a handful of hidden snaps, and Oklahomas punt coverage was one of the reasons Saturday felt different from a year ago. The Sooners made a clear point of not letting Texas return man Ryan Niblett tilt the field, and the result was a far quieter afternoon in the kicking game than the one Oklahoma had lived through in the previous meeting.
Special teams coach Doug Deakin pointed to disciplined execution as the difference, with the group carrying the frustration of past experiences into its work. Niblett finished with just two modest returns, while most other punts ended in fair catches or minimal yardage, a small part of the game that helped Oklahoma keep control in a rivalry win that carried the weight of a lesson learned. [Read more 🡒]