Oklahoma’s injury picture is still cloudy heading into Saturday’s trip to Mississippi State, but there is at least a hint of movement in the right direction.
The Sooners will be without Ryan Fodje and Eddy Pierre-Louis, both of whom were among six players listed as out on Wednesday’s initial SEC availability report. Fodje’s absence is another hit to an offensive line that has already been stretched thin, while Pierre-Louis also missed last week’s 21-13 loss to Kentucky and remains sidelined.
There is, however, a longer list of Sooners who still have a shot to suit up. Seven players were listed as questionable, including Michael Fasusi, Heath Ozaeta and Eli Bowen. Fasusi and Ozaeta had been tagged as doubtful on last Friday’s report before sitting out the Kentucky game, so their move to questionable is a meaningful step.
Fasusi has not played since appearing for 17 snaps in the season opener, and Brent Venables sounded encouraged about the possibility of getting him back. “He's just about ready.
I'm excited and everybody's excited to get another great player back," Venables said. "He's got to clear another hurdle here in the next few days."
Bowen is also in the questionable group after missing the last two games. The cornerback hurt his ankle during a walkthrough before the Texas game, which opened the door for Trystan Haynes to step into the starting lineup.
"He was trying to give it a go today," Peyton Bowen said after the Texas game. "Sucks what happened, I mean, we're in a walk-through, he just steps on somebody, but twisted ankles happen all the time."
Haynes handled the load against Texas, playing all 66 defensive snaps and finishing with seven tackles and a pass breakup, then stayed in the lineup against Kentucky.
Oklahoma also has uncertainty at running back and receiver, with Parker Livingstone and Xavier Robinson both questionable after being ruled out against Kentucky. Tory Blaylock and Elijah Thomas are in the same category, and Blaylock’s status is especially worth watching after he returned against Kentucky following a head injury suffered in the second quarter against Texas.
The rest of the Sooners ruled out for Saturday are Taylor Heim, Trell Harris, Trynae Washington and Jacobe Johnson.
Venables said this week he still expects reinforcements to arrive soon. “I do think we're gonna get more guys back here shortly," he said on his coaches show.
In Other News...
Oklahoma Faces A Frightening Sean Hutton Situation After Practice
A frightening scene unfolded at Oklahoma practice when sophomore offensive lineman Sean Hutton collapsed during a non-contact incident and was taken to a hospital for evaluation. The university confirmed the incident but did not identify Hutton by name, leaving the focus squarely on the young linemans health as the Sooners tried to sort through what happened.
Sean Huttons father, JD Hutton, later provided some detail on the situation and said he had been in contact with Oklahomas coaches and trainers. For a team that has already spent the fall dealing with the usual grind of camp and roster battles, the priority now is simply getting answers and making sure Hutton is taken care of, with more clarity still to come. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma Heads To Mississippi State With One Major Line Concern
Oklahoma heads into its road trip to Mississippi State with the kind of injury report that can make a staff hold its breath, especially along the offensive front. The Sooners listed 13 players on the report, and four of them are linemen, which puts extra attention on a unit that already shapes everything from pass protection to the run game.
Michael Fasusi, the star left tackle, is questionable to return after suffering a shoulder injury, while Ryan Fodje and Eddy Pierre-Louis have already been ruled out. Mississippi State has its own uncertainty with quarterback Kamario Taylor and running back Fluff Bothwell both listed as questionable, but for Oklahoma the bigger issue is clear: how well the line can hold together before a tough SEC road test. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Suddenly Has A Sarkisian Problem Oklahoma Fans Will Love
Steve Sarkisian entered the season with Texas looking like a team that could steady the pressure around its program, but the last two weeks have changed the tone around Austin quickly. After opening 4-0, the Longhorns have stumbled into consecutive losses to Oklahoma and Florida, and the frustration is starting to show even with the contract extension he signed in January 2025. For Oklahoma fans, the sight of Texas suddenly having to answer bigger questions about its coach is the kind of development that never goes unnoticed.
Now Texas has to turn the page to Ole Miss with the spotlight still fixed on Sarkisian and the direction of the program. He has already committed to Arch Manning as the starting quarterback, but the broader concern is whether the Longhorns can settle things down before the noise around his job security gets louder. Around these parts, any sign of instability in Austin tends to draw attention in a hurry, especially when it arrives this early in the season. [Read more 🡒]