Week one of the 2024 college football season is upon us. In just a few days, the Oklahoma Sooners will play their first game of the season when they host the Temple Owls on Friday night.
The nonconference will provide the Sooners a chance to get off to a strong start and they’ll need to pick up wins in all three games with the daunting schedule they have in year one. The Sooners will play six teams ranked in the top 15 of the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll.
Paul Myerberg of USA TODAY Sports considers the Sooners slate one of the 10 toughest schedules in college football.
Four of Oklahoma’s final five games come against Mississippi, Missouri, Alabama and LSU; all but the Crimson Tide come on the road. Hey, welcome to the SEC. That stretch joins the neutral-site rivalry with Texas, a road game against Auburn and the Sooners’ SEC debut against Tennessee on Sept. 21. OU also gets a pair of feisty non-conference opponents in Houston and Tulane. – Myerberg, USA TODAY Sports
Myerberg points to Texas, Alabama, and at LSU being OU’s toughest games in 2024. Well, the Sooners beat Texas last year. Alabama doesn’t have Nick Saban leading the charge anymore. LSU is replacing Heisman-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels and a pair of first-round wide receivers and is trying to improve upon a defense that was one of the worst in the SEC in 2023.
Oklahoma’s opponents had a combined 62.3% winning percentage in 2023. But a new year brings a new set of teams. What happened a year ago doesn’t always translate.
Just like Oklahoma is dealing with turnover, everyone else on the schedule is dealing with turnover or trying to find a way to improve from lackluster seasons.
Tennessee – New starting quarterback
Auburn – Was just 6-7 last year
Texas – Turning over their entire skill position units
South Carolina – was 5-7 last year
Ole Miss – trying to improve a lackluster defense
Missouri – replacing a good defensive coordinator
Alabama – replacing a legendary head coach
LSU – replacing a Heisman trophy winner
So while the Sooners have questions, the rest of the SEC, aside from maybe Georgia, is dealing with some things too. The season will be tough, but it was always going to be tougher going into the SEC. But Brent Venables and his staff have been building for this moment.
Are they ready for it? We’ll find out soon enough.
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