Oklahoma’s availability picture took another hit Friday, with two players officially ruled out and another key lineman sliding down to doubtful ahead of Saturday’s SEC home opener against Kentucky.
Receiver Parker Livingstone and cornerback Eli Bowen will not play. Bowen had already missed last week’s win over Texas, a game in which Trystan Haynes stepped into action. Livingstone started in the Cotton Bowl, though most of his impact came on special teams.
Offensive tackle Michael Fasusi also saw his status worsen. He moved from questionable to doubtful for Saturday.
There was better news for a couple of other Sooners. Running back Tory Blaylock dropped off the report after showing up as probable on Wednesday and Thursday.
Blaylock left last week’s win over Texas in the second quarter after carrying the ball twice for seven yards and catching two passes for nine yards. Tight end Jack Van Dorselaer was also upgraded and is no longer listed after previously being probable.
Guard Heath Ozaeta, meanwhile, went in the wrong direction. He was downgraded to doubtful after being listed as questionable on Thursday.
Ozaeta started last week at right guard opposite freshman Noah Best, who was lined up at left guard in the Red River Rivalry. If Ozaeta can’t go, Peyton Joseph is the likeliest option to start across from Best, probably at right guard.
Joseph has seen limited offensive work in three games this season. He played 27 offensive snaps in the opener against UTEP, according to Pro Football Focus, then added 14 against Georgia and six against Texas.
Eddy Pierre-Louis remained doubtful as well.
Earlier in the week, several Sooners were already ruled out. Linebacker Taylor Heim was sent to the sideline Wednesday and is out for the year.
Receiver Trell Harris still has not returned after getting hurt against Michigan. Running back Xavier Robinson, tight end Trynae Washington and defensive back Jacobe Johnson were also ruled out for a second straight week.
Kentucky had its own injury list to navigate. Running back CJ Baxter, who leads the team in rushing with 484 yards and eight touchdowns on 87 carries, was listed as questionable along with tight end Elijah Brown and defensive lineman Kalen Edwards.
The Wildcats will also be without linebackers Antwan Smith and Tavion Wallace, defensive backs Jaden Smith and Grant Grayton and defensive end Tyler Thomas.
Kentucky also announced Friday that former Sooners Nic Anderson and Jovantae Barnes will serve as captains on Saturday.
In Other News...
Oklahoma Heads Into Kentucky With A New Offensive Line Worry
Oklahomas offensive line is again trending toward a reshuffle as the Sooners prepare for Kentucky, with three starters listed as doubtful and their availability looking unlikely. Michael Fasusi, Eddy Pierre-Louis and Heath Ozaeta are all on that side of the injury report, a familiar and frustrating development for a group that has spent much of the season trying to piece itself together while the offense has searched for consistency.
If those absences hold, Peyton Joseph would be in line for his first career start at right guard, slotting into a front that would also include Ryan Fodje, Noah Best, Jake Maikkula and E'Marion Harris. For Oklahoma, the bigger issue is less about one game than the cumulative effect of constant line turnover, which has made it difficult to build rhythm up front and now leaves the Sooners facing another test of depth at a crucial spot. [Read more 🡒]
These Overlooked Sooners Could Decide Oklahomas Edge Against Kentucky
Sullivans return against Texas gave Oklahoma another piece to work with on defense, even if his role was limited to 13 snaps after the injury layoff. The Sooners are expecting him to factor in again as they try to shore up an edge group that has to hold up against Kentuckys offense, while the offense has been getting a different kind of lift from Jonathan Hatton at running back. Hatton started there and showed enough promise alongside Lloyd Avant to give Oklahoma some options as it keeps searching for reliable depth.
Isaiah Sategna has been the steady receiving presence so far, leading the Sooners in catches and yards, but this matchup could come down to the fronts on both sides of the ball. Adepoju Adebawore and Jayden Jackson have already been central defensive pieces through five games, and Oklahoma is leaning on Adebawore in particular to help contain Kentucky quarterback Kenny Minchey and squeeze the Wildcats' run game. For a defense still sorting out roles, those lesser-sung snaps could end up mattering just as much as the headline names. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma Still Has One Big Problem After Beating Texas
Oklahomas win over Texas gave the Sooners a needed jolt, but it also left the same question hanging over the offense as the calendar turns toward No. 15 Kentucky. Ben Arbuckles unit has shown enough to believe it can make noise in the SEC race, and John Mateer remains the kind of playmaker who can keep a defense honest. Even so, the Sooners know a rivalry win only matters if it becomes a launch point rather than a one-off spark.
What comes next is less about celebrating the result and more about tightening the screws in practice, where Lloyd Avant and the rest of the staff have to push for cleaner execution and more reliable rhythm. Tate Sandells presence helps in the margins, but Oklahoma still needs more consistency on offense if it wants to turn momentum into something lasting. Against Kentucky, the Sooners will find out quickly whether the progress they saw in Dallas was a sign of real growth or just a brief burst. [Read more 🡒]