Three Oklahoma starters were still on the fence Thursday as the Sooners headed into Saturday’s game against South Carolina, with offensive lineman Jake Maikkula and defensive backs Peyton Bowen and Eli Bowen listed as questionable on the SEC availability report.
Eli Bowen has now missed Oklahoma’s last three games. The junior was playing at a high level before a practice injury in the week leading up to the Red River Rivalry game on Oct.
- So far in 2026, he has 12 tackles and two pass breakups.
Peyton Bowen has been just as important on the back end. He is one of 15 semifinalists for the Jim Thorpe Award, which goes to college football’s most outstanding defensive back. Bowen returned an interception for a touchdown in Oklahoma’s 27-24 win over Texas and added a fourth-quarter interception against Mississippi State.
Maikkula’s season has been more stop-and-start, but he’s still a key piece up front. The fifth-year center missed the opener against UTEP, then played in every game after that. He has started six times in 2026 after making 10 starts last year.
There was some good news on the offensive line, too. Heath Ozaeta was removed from the injury report Thursday after playing through an injury against Texas and then sitting out the Mississippi State game.
Running back Xavier Robinson stayed probable on the week’s second report. The junior has 50 rushing yards on 13 carries this season.
Fred Hinton was the only Sooner to move in the wrong direction Thursday. The offensive lineman, who transferred to Oklahoma from Eastern Kentucky before the season, has appeared in only two games this year.
Oklahoma had already ruled out eight players before Thursday’s update: linebackers Cole Sullivan and Taylor Heim, wide receiver Trell Harris, defensive backs Dakoda Fields and Jacobe Johnson, offensive linemen Eddy Pierre-Louis and Ryan Fodje, and tight end Trynae Washington.
Saturday’s game between the Sooners and the Gamecocks is set for 3:15 p.m. and will air on SEC Network.
In Other News...
Sooners Injury Report Leaves Two Major Concerns Hanging Over Saturday
Ryan Fodje will miss his second straight week for Oklahoma, leaving the Sooners without another piece of their offensive line heading into Saturdays matchup with South Carolina. The latest injury report also leaves several other names in limbo, including Peyton Bowen and Jake Maikkula, as Oklahoma works through availability questions that could affect both the lineup and the way the staff pieces together its depth.
For a team trying to stay sharp in a tough conference stretch, the uncertainty is almost as important as the absences themselves. The full report includes players from both sides, but the Sooners are the ones watching closest, waiting to see how much they can count on the rest of the roster before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma Faces Another Injury Crunch Before South Carolina Test
Oklahoma is heading into its South Carolina matchup dealing with another familiar roster squeeze, with center Jake Maikkula listed as questionable and the injury report again touching both sides of the ball. Safety Peyton Bowen and cornerback Eli Bowen are also in question, adding more uncertainty to a defensive backfield that may already be stretched thin, while the offensive line is working through its own depth issues.
Several players have already been ruled out, including Eddy Pierre-Louis and Ryan Fodje, leaving the Sooners to sort through more lineup adjustments before a game that could test their depth early and often. However the final availability shakes out, this is the kind of week where Oklahoma's margin for error gets a little smaller and every healthy body matters a little more. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma Finally Gets A Sean Hutton Update Fans Will Love
Oklahoma finally has a reassuring update on sophomore offensive lineman Sean Hutton, who collapsed during a practice and spent several days in the hospital after a rare medical event. Since then, Hutton has been released and is back at the team facility, a welcome turn for a program that had been holding its breath while he recovered.
Brent Venables and several teammates have already made clear how much the news means inside the building, where the focus has shifted from concern to gratitude. For a team trying to move forward, Huttons return to the facility is the kind of development that can steady everyone around it, even as the full road back remains something to watch. [Read more 🡒]