Oklahoma OT Michael Fasusi to Miss Today's Game at Temple

Oklahoma got just a little bad news before Saturday’s game at Temple.

Michael Fasusi, who started at left tackle against Michigan last week, is not dressed out today and has a protective boot on his left foot.

Fasusi sustained an ankle injury late last week against the Wolverines when a pile of players rolled up behind him and turned his ankle.

Third-year sophomore Logan Howland is expected to replace Fasusi in the starting lineup against the Owls.

The 6-foot-6, 322-pound Howland hails from Westfield, NJ — just 80 miles to the northeast from Lincoln Financial Field — and should have a large contingent of family and friends making the drive to watch him play.

Howland played in all 13 games last season, including six starts — five straight to end the season.

Fasusi missed the Sooners’ opening game against Illinois State after he experienced a heat-related fainting episode during the final week of preseason training camp.

Against Michigan’s talented defensive front last week, Fasusi started and played 66 offensive snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. He graded well, per PFF’s rating system, with a 76.8 run blocking grade, a 61.0 pass blocking grade and a 74.6 overall offensive grade.

Fasusi, a 5-star prospect at Lewisville, TX, came to the United States from Nigeria.

Howland played 502 offensive snaps last season for the Sooners and graded out 67.9 overall, 62.9 at run blocking and 70.2 on pass blocking, per PFF.

So far this season, Howland has played 81 snaps and boasts an outstanding pass blocking grade of 82.4, with a run blocking grade of 67.3 and an overall grade of 69.6.

Howland didn't start the opener against the Redbirds as that honor went to senior Jacob Sexton. But Sexton was injured early in that game, and Howland played the rest of the way at left tackle.

No. 13-ranked OU kicks off this morning against the Owls (11 a.m., ESPN2), with the SEC opener against Auburn looming next week in Norman.