The Oklahoma Sooners might not need to be at full-strength to beat New Mexico, which is a good thing, considering they're definitely not.
The No. 24 Sooners host the 2-0 Lobos at 6:30 p.m. CT Saturday in Norman while looking to bounce back from a loss to Michigan last week. For the third week in a row, Oklahoma again has a list of players it will be without.
Here is OU's injury report for its Week 3 matchup with New Mexico, which includes who has to fill in because of the injuries, and will be updated until kickoff just in case something changes.
OL Michael Fasusi: OUT
We're heading into Week 3, and the Sooners still haven't had a fully healthy offensive line yet.
Starting left tackle Michael Fasusi will be out again against New Mexico after also being sidelined last week with a shoulder injury. He's expected to return for the Sooners' trip to No. 2 Georgia next week, and hopefully then, OU is 100% up front for the first time in 2026.
Replacement: The offensive line should look the same as last week against Michigan, which really didn't go well. Ryan Fodje will move from his usual spot at right guard to left tackle to fill in for Fasusi. That will have freshman Noah Best in the starting lineup at right guard. Best has started every game of his brief career so far, with his debut coming at center.
The rest of the O-line will include Eddy Pierre-Louis at left guard, Jake Maikkula at center and E'Marion Harris at right tackle.
WR Trell Harris: OUT
Even if wide receiver Trell Harris is listed as out for the rest of the season, he still deserves all the respect from Sooner Nation. He took a massive hit against Michigan and still returned before ending up in the hospital a few hours later with a laceration to one of his major internal organs, according to Sooners on SI.
Chris Bracy lays down a BIG hit, but somehow Trell Harris holds onto it for a first down pic.twitter.com/6Cvj1zu7o7
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 12, 2026
Venables announced this week that Harris will be out "for the foreseeable future," and it's unknown if he'll be back at all in 2026. This is Harris' first season at OU after transferring from Virginia, where he was Third-Team All-ACC in 2025.
Replacement: When Venables gave the update about Harris, he later also specifically mentioned sophomore Elijah Thomas as a player who needs to step up while Harris is out.
Fans have been waiting for Thomas to break out ever since he signed in 2025 as a freak athlete from in-state Checotah High School. Thomas caught one 24-yard pass in Week 1, but didn't record a stat against Michigan.
Washington State transfer Mackenzie Alleyne could also be someone who gets more time. He caught a touchdown last week after Venables suggested mid-game that he get more looks.
RB Jonathan Hatton Jr.: AVAILABLE
Freshman running back Jonathan Hatton Jr. didn't touch the field against Michigan, but Venables later revealed that Hatton was banged up throughout the week and missed some practice. He's healthy again, and so is sophomore Tory Blaylock, so the Sooners' backfield should be 100%.
Neither has done much this season, but Blaylock was the Sooners' leading rusher last year, and Hatton turned a lot of heads during fall camp.
LB Kip Lewis: OUT
Linebacker Kip Lewis is the Sooners' biggest blow so far this year after suffering a non-contact injury during Michigan's first possession last week. Venables did not sound optimistic after the game, but then updated on Monday that, "We got some good news there. He’ll be back sooner than maybe we initially thought, so that’s awesome.”
The timeline is still murky, but it's at least known that Lewis will be out against New Mexico. He's the heartbeat of the Sooners' defense and led OU with 76 total tackles in 2025.
Kip Lewis with a non contact injury. Not good. pic.twitter.com/tjUNwJ5kBt
— Chad Fisher DNP (@ChadFisher) September 12, 2026
Replacement: Junior James Nesta is expected to make his first career start against New Mexico to fill in for Lewis. He appeared in every game last season, but mostly on special teams, with this season being his first with consistent playing time on defense.
Fellow linebackers Owen Heinecke and Michigan transfer Cole Sullivan will also have to step up and pick up some slack while Lewis is on the sidelines. Heinecke tallied a team-high 10 tackles last week with Lewis out most of the game.
Add us as a preferred source on Google