Oklahoma injury updates: Who the Sooners will be without vs. Illinois State

It's only Week 1, but the Oklahoma Sooners are already dealing with multiple injuries as the 2025 college football season kicks off.

The Sooners will start their season against Illinois State at 5 p.m. CT Saturday in Norman, but not with everyone available. Some of the unavailabilities, though, could be out of an abundance of caution since the Sooners don't need to be 100% to beat Illinois State, but have Michigan looming next week.

Who will OU be missing in season opener?

Just before kickoff, Toby Rowland reported on the radio that OU will be without offensive linemen Heath Ozaeta, Michael Fasusi and Derek Simmons. According to Tulsa World's Mason Young, cornerback Jacobe Johnson will also be unavailable.

Fasusi was an anticipated debut as the Sooners' No. 1 recruit from the 2025 signing class. He was expected to immediately for a starting tackle spot. Simmons' debut was also put on hold after transferring from Western Carolina.

The first depth chart of the season that was released Monday had some notable players missing, all but confirming they would not be available to start the season. Defensively, the Sooners will be without two expected starters in the secondary with cornerback Eli Bowen and cheetah Kendel Dolby, who was also going to play some corner this season.

Sooner Nation hasn't seen Dolby since he broke his leg Week 4 against Tennessee last year. Bowen had a breakout freshman campaign last season, but then missed all of spring ball with a boot on his left leg and still wasn't ready for fall camp.

Offensively, wide receivers Jayden Gibson and Javonnie Gibson, and running back Taylor Tatum were absent from the Week 1 depth chart. Jayden Gibson hasn't seen the field since an injury he suffered during last year's fall camp that forced him out all of 2024.

Javonnie Gibson just transferred from Arkansas-Pine Bluff with expectations to immediately contribute, but then he broke his leg during spring ball. At SEC Media Days, OU head coach Brent Venables still expected Javonnie Gibson to be ready for the start of the season.

Venables also announced this week that Tatum is still dealing with an injury that will make him unavailable for now. The Sooners' running back group was banged up all fall camp, with general manager Jim Nagy stating OU went over two weeks with Jovantae Barnes and freshman Tory Blaylock as the team's only healthy running backs.

Barnes and Blaylock earned the RB1 and RB2 spots, respectively, for Week 1 after getting through fall camp healthy. Cal transfer Jaydn Ott, who was expected to lead the backfield, was listed as RB3 with Xavier Robinson after missing a chunk of fall camp. Ott is still available, though, and was fully dressed during pregame warmups.

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