Auburn Football Pregame Injury Report: Star CB a Game-Time Decision

The Auburn Tigers won't decide until close to kickoff if two players on defense will be available for the bout against Oklahoma

The status of Auburn Tigers cornerback Jay Crawford remains up in the air | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

The Auburn Tigers on Saturday released their final injury report ahead of their matchup at Oklahoma at 1 p.m. CDT.

The injury report, or “availability report,” as it’s officially known, was first put into effect by the SEC last season, and is a requirement for SEC teams ahead of each SEC matchup on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday before kickoff.

By rule, all gameday reports must be released no later than 90 minutes before kickoff, or 1:00 p.m. CDT, in this case for the Tigers.

Kickoff between the Tigers and Sooners is officially listed to take place at 2:30 p.m. CDT Saturday, and it’ll be broadcast on ABC.

Auburn Tigers Saturday Pregame Injury Report

Running back Durell Robinson - OUT

Defensive end Amaris Williams - Game-Time Decision

Cornerback Jay Crawford - Game-Time Decision

Notable Auburn WRs Will Play Against Oklahoma

On Wednesday, the Auburn Tigers’ injury report listed wide receivers Eric Singleton, Jr. and Malcolm Simmons as questionable and probable, respectively. On gameday, they’re off the report entirely.

Singleton has been a valuable receiving asset for the Tigers this year, posting an impressive 149 receiving yards and two touchdowns in just three games, so Jackson Arnold and company will surely be glad to have him back ahead of such a significant matchup.

He’ll fight through a hip pointer, as well as a lingering thigh injury from earlier in the season, as he steps onto the field in Norman this afternoon.

Additionally, Malcolm Simmons is still searching for his breakout game with the Tigers, especially since he played just one snap in last week’s South Alabama matchup. He’ll also take the field this week for the Tigers while fighting through a shoulder injury, bolstering an already impressive Auburn receiving room.

Notable Auburn Cornerback Jay Crawford is A “Game-Time Decision”

Plenty of narrative has followed Auburn cornerback Jay Crawford, as he fights with an undisclosed injury, though Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze said Thursday that he expects Crawford to play minimal snaps against Oklahoma.

On3’s Justin Hokanson reported Thursday that though Hugh Freeze said he “didn’t expect [cornerback] Jay Crawford to play many snaps against [Oklahoma], Freeze expects Rayshawn Pleasant to possibly get more snaps at corner opposite Kayin Lee.”

The absence of Crawford, a former All-American, will be a significant loss for the Tigers, though Freeze also stated earlier this year that he expects his team to be able to step up and cover each other’s injuries, though it’ll likely be young or transfer talent covering his spot.

“Somebody inevitably will go down, and someone has to step up and do that. For us, it’s going to be some young kids that are in those roles,” Freeze said.

Damari Alston Will Play

Speculation flew around social media this week after standout Auburn running back Damari Alston was listed as questionable on Wednesday, which marked the first instance in which he had a possibility of seeing the field since Auburn’s win over Baylor.

Accordingly, Alston has found himself sidelined for Auburn’s past two games, against Ball State and South Alabama, but is not listed on the game-day injury report ahead of Auburn’s matchup with Oklahoma.

Alston carried the ball 16 times against Baylor, posting 84 yards and a touchdown. His standout factor, though, is his 5.3 yards per carry, which, if he’s able to replicate against a strong Sooner defense, could serve as the difference in a game in which the Tigers are 6.5-point underdogs.

The Tigers’ hard work and perseverance will come to a head Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CDT when they head into Norman, Okla., to take on the Oklahoma Sooners in the Tigers’ first SEC matchup of the year. The game will be broadcast on ABC.