Alabama vs Oklahoma Injury Report & Updates: Latest on Jam Miller, Jake Maikkula

• No. 9 Alabama travels to face No. 8 Oklahoma in the College Football Playoff first round on Friday, December 20
• RB Jam Miller returns for the Crimson Tide after missing the SEC Championship Game with a lower leg injury
• Oklahoma center Jake Maikkula is doubtful after being hospitalized with an infection

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The No. 9 Alabama Crimson Tide and No. 8 Oklahoma Sooners square off in Norman for a College Football Playoff rematch Friday night. Both teams updated their availability reports Thursday with key players listed for this first-round showdown. Alabama gets a major boost with the return of starting running back Jam Miller. Meanwhile, Oklahoma will likely be without starting center Jake Maikkula in a potential slugfest between two teams that met just over a month ago. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, with ABC providing the broadcast coverage. Jump to: Alabama Injury Report | Oklahoma Injury Report | How Injuries Impact the Game

Final Injury Report Update (6:30 p.m. ET)

The College Football Playoff released the final availability report 90 minutes before kickoff. Oklahoma center Jake Maikkula has been ruled out after being listed as doubtful Thursday. Alabama tight ends Josh Cuevas and Danny Lewis Jr. are listed as “game-time decisions” according to ESPN’s Wyatt Fulton. Both were upgraded to probable on Thursday’s report. Oklahoma also ruled out wide receiver Manny Choice, who has been a key special teams contributor this season.

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Alabama vs Oklahoma Injury Report: Key Updates

The biggest news for both teams centers on offense. Alabama’s Jam Miller appears ready to go after missing the SEC Championship Game, while Oklahoma’s Jake Maikkula was downgraded from questionable to doubtful Thursday. Here’s the complete injury picture for both teams.

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Alabama Injury Report: Jam Miller Returns

The Crimson Tide got good news on their starting running back. Jam Miller, who missed the SEC Championship Game against Georgia with a lower leg injury, was left off Alabama’s initial CFP availability report Tuesday.

Alabama Availability Report

Jam Miller Injury Update

Miller sustained the lower leg injury in the Iron Bowl against Auburn on November 30. He missed the SEC Championship Game, where Alabama managed just negative-3 rushing yards on 16 carries in the 28-7 loss to Georgia. Head coach Kalen DeBoer confirmed Monday that Miller was “making some progress” and the team was “optimistic at this point” about his return. Miller was seen participating in practice leading up to Friday’s CFP matchup.

Pressure from Alabama EDGE Qua Russaw (#4) forces the Wisconsin quarterback to fade in the pocket… and then, he meets LT Overton (#22). pic.twitter.com/mnrYFXX4OZ

— Ryan Roberts (@RiseNDraft) September 15, 2024

Offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb sounded optimistic about Miller’s status Tuesday. “Jam’s always got a fire,” Grubb said. “He looks great. He was out there running around today. Did an awesome job. Feel like he’ll be a full go, ready to contribute.” Miller has rushed for 493 yards and three touchdowns on 123 carries this season. He also has 18 receptions for 108 yards. In the first meeting between these teams, Miller managed just 27 yards on nine carries against Oklahoma’s defense.

Josh Cuevas on Pitch Count

Tight end Josh Cuevas will play Friday but on a limited snap count. ESPN’s Holly Rowe reported Cuevas will be limited to 20-25 snaps as he works through a foot injury that kept him out of the SEC Championship Game. Cuevas was a monster in the first Alabama-Oklahoma meeting. The tight end hauled in six receptions for 80 yards and a touchdown, tearing through the Sooners defense. His presence, even in a limited role, gives Alabama another weapon in the passing game.

LT Overton Out for Alabama

The biggest loss for the Crimson Tide is defensive lineman LT Overton. The starter is Alabama’s second-leading sack artist this season and also missed the SEC Championship Game. His absence weakens an already depleted pass rush.

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Oklahoma Injury Report: Maikkula Downgraded

The Sooners got some good and bad injury news this week. While they got several players back healthy, starting center Jake Maikkula was downgraded to doubtful Thursday after spending several days hospitalized with an infection.

Oklahoma Availability Report

Jake Maikkula Ruled Out

Maikkula was officially ruled out in the final availability report released 90 minutes before kickoff. The Oklahoma center missed the regular-season finale against LSU on November 29 after being hospitalized with an infection. The 6-foot-5, 299-pound redshirt junior transfer from Stanford was listed as questionable through Wednesday before being downgraded to doubtful Thursday. He didn’t recover in time for Friday’s playoff matchup. Head coach Brent Venables talked about Maikkula’s importance to the offense. “Jake touches the ball every snap. There’s a lot of impact and influence and things that guy does,” Venables said Saturday. Maikkula started 10 of 11 games at center this season. He’s been Oklahoma’s highest-graded offensive lineman according to Pro Football Focus, allowing just two sacks on 384 pass-blocking snaps. With Maikkula out, starting right guard Febechi Nwaiwu will make his second straight start at center. Nwaiwu made his first career start at center against LSU in Maikkula’s absence. Ryan Fodje slides into the starting right guard spot.

R Mason Thomas Returns

The Sooners got a big boost on defense. Star defensive end R Mason Thomas was removed from Oklahoma’s availability report after missing the final three games of the regular season with a quad injury. Thomas leads the Sooners with 6.5 sacks despite missing three games. He didn’t play in the first meeting against Alabama, and his return helps Oklahoma’s pass rush. Venables called him “one of the more explosive defensive players in the country.”

Jovantae Barnes Available

Running back Jovantae Barnes was upgraded from probable to available this week. Barnes hasn’t appeared in a game since the SEC opener against Auburn but gives Oklahoma additional backfield depth after Xavier Robinson (knee) and Tory Blaylock (shoulder) played through injuries late in the season. Venables said Monday that Barnes could “potentially” have a role against Alabama.

Manny Choice Ruled Out

Wide receiver Manny Choice was added to Oklahoma’s final availability report and ruled out. Choice has been a key special teams contributor throughout the 2024 season but hasn’t seen any playing time at receiver.

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How Injuries Impact Alabama vs Oklahoma

The final injury report confirmed what Oklahoma feared. Jake Maikkula is officially out, forcing the Sooners to start Febechi Nwaiwu at center for the second straight game. Nwaiwu handled the role against LSU but now faces a much tougher test against Alabama’s defensive front. Alabama gets its starting running back back after rushing for negative-3 yards without him against Georgia. Jam Miller’s return should stabilize an offense that struggled badly on the ground in the SEC Championship Game. Josh Cuevas and Danny Lewis Jr. are game-time decisions for the Crimson Tide. Cuevas was a monster in the first Alabama-Oklahoma meeting with six catches for 80 yards and a touchdown. Even if limited, his presence gives Alabama another weapon. Oklahoma loses its starting center but gains back its best pass rusher. Thomas missing the first meeting was significant — he leads the Sooners in sacks and creates havoc up front. His return could make life difficult for Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe. The absence of LT Overton for Alabama balances the pass-rushing equation somewhat. Both teams will be without key defensive linemen, which could open things up for the quarterbacks. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET from Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on ABC.