Oklahoma rules out OL Ryan Fodje again; Maikkula, Peyton Bowen questionable vs South Carolina

Oklahoma will be without offensive lineman Ryan Fodje for a second straight week. He was listed as out on Wednesday's first SEC availability report for Saturday's home game against South Carolina, The Oklahoman reported. Fodje got hurt in the Kentucky game. Guard Eddy Pierre-Louis is also out, so the Sooners line is already missing two players before anyone checks on the center.

That center is Jake Maikkula, and he is questionable after getting hurt in the second half of last week's 23-15 win at Mississippi State. If he can't play, The Oklahoman expects Western Kentucky transfer Caleb Nitta to start in the middle. Fred Hinton, another lineman, is questionable too, and Heath Ozaeta is probable.

Safety Peyton Bowen left the Starkville game after taking a hit following his interception, according to Sooners On SI, which noted he was just named a Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist. He is listed as questionable. Coach Brent Venables sounded calm about it on his Monday show, saying Bowen "is good," per The Oklahoman. Cornerback Eli Bowen is questionable as well. He has been out since he first showed up on the report before the Texas game.

The defense lost a sure starter, though. Linebacker Cole Sullivan, who left the Mississippi State game and did not come back, is out. So are linebacker Taylor Heim, defensive backs Dakoda Fields and Jacobe Johnson, receiver Trell Harris and tight end Trynae Washington. Receiver Elijah Thomas is doubtful. Defensive back Reggie Powers III, who was banged up against Georgia, is available.

South Carolina has its own problems up front. The Gamecocks list offensive linemen Josiah Thompson, Dayne Arnett and Seth Smith as out, along with receiver Jayden Sellers and edge rusher Kobby Sakyi-Prah. Running back Jawarn Howell and defensive back Quay'sheed Scott are doubtful.

What it means for Saturday

Both teams come in at 4-3, but they have gotten there in very different ways. Oklahoma's season has been built on defense. Through seven games the Sooners have allowed 124 points, and the 41 they gave up at Georgia is the only time an opponent topped 24. The offense has been thin. Leave out the 51-0 opener against UTEP, and Oklahoma has averaged under 17 points a game, with no more than 27 in any of those six. Losing two starting linemen, and maybe a third at center, makes that harder.

South Carolina has scored 253 points, more than 36 a game, and has the momentum. After a 1-3 stretch that included a 49-18 loss at Alabama and a one-point loss to Kentucky, the Gamecocks won 38-19 at Florida and then beat Tennessee 27-24. The two teams have one opponent in common, and they went opposite ways against it: Oklahoma beat Mississippi State, but South Carolina lost to the Bulldogs 41-34.

Oklahoma is still favored at home. On this site's board, which tracks 11 venues, Novig has the Sooners at -186. The best price anywhere is FanDuel's -182, and South Carolina is +174 on Novig. The spread is not quite settled. Novig lists Oklahoma at -5.5 (+104), while FanDuel has the Sooners at -4.5 (-110). The total ranges from 44 at Pinnacle to 44.5 at Novig and 45 at BetRivers, which is a low number for a South Carolina team that has been putting up points. Sportsbook hold on the moneyline runs from 3.1% to 6.9%.

Kickoff is 3:15 p.m. at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on SEC Network. The final availability report will show whether Maikkula and the Bowens make it.