Brady Cook is listed as doubtful for Missouri football’s game against South Carolina.

Mizzou released its first SEC-mandated availability report of the week Wednesday evening, and the status of its starting quarterback — as was expected — will remain in question until later in the week. The doubtful designation, however, indicates that he faces an uphill battle toward availability.

The Tigers play the Gamecocks on Saturday at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina.

Cook is seemingly dealing with an injury to the hand/wrist area on his throwing hand, which he sustained against Alabama on Oct. 26, and a high-ankle sprain sustained against Auburn on Oct. 19.

On Saturday for Missouri’s game against Oklahoma, Cook was on the sideline and did not appear to have a noticeable limp, nor did he appear to be wearing a cast on his hand.

All SEC teams are required to release reports each night in the three days leading up to an in-conference matchup and one final report 90 minutes before the game kicks off. The possible designations, from most likely to play to least likely, are: available; probable; questionable; doubtful; out.

That means, per the language of the report, that Cook is more likely to miss the game against the Gamecocks than he is to play. That could, of course, change as the week progresses.

Elsewhere on Missouri’s availability report: Starting wide receiver Mookie Cooper was listed as doubtful, and backup linebacker Brayshawn Littlejohn was listed as questionable.

Neither running back Nate Noel nor left guard Cayden Green, who have been battling recent injuries, were listed on the report, meaning they are currently available and expected to play.

As was announced Tuesday by MU head coach Eli Drinkwitz, starting center Connor Tollison has been added to the list of players out for the season, which includes backup QB Sam Horn, defensive ends Joe Moore III and Darris Smith and linebacker Khalil Jacobs.

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If Cook can’t go, his backup, Drew Pyne would be in line for a second straight start and an appearance in a fifth straight game. After difficult days against both Auburn and Alabama, including a three-interception relief appearance against the Crimson Tide, Pyne had three passing touchdowns in the second half against OU to help lead the Tigers to a comeback win.

“I just can't say how proud I am of Drew Pyne for all the crap he's taken,” Drinkwitz said after the Oklahoma game. “You know, I feel like I'm up here all the time having to defend my quarterback, which is not great, but for all the crap he's taken on Twitter and X, for him to come out here, ignore the noise, some of it from y'all in this room, he goes out there … and delivers in the (key) moments in the fourth quarter, after fans have been booing. He just goes out there and delivers.”

On Tuesday, during his weekly press conference, Drinkwitz said Missouri will not know much about Cook’s status until later in the week. He added that the team would “prepare for Drew to be the starter” in the event Cook can’t play.

Mizzou will release its next report at approximately 7 p.m. Thursday.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Missouri football injury update: Brady Cook status on availability report