From Athens to Ann Arbor: Oklahoma’s 2026 schedule loaded with playoff pedigree and first-time matchups
NORMAN, Okla. — On Thursday evening, the Southeastern Conference officially unveiled its 2026 conference football schedule, finalizing the Oklahoma Sooners’ complete 12-game regular-season slate for the upcoming cycle.
With the non-conference portion already set, the announcement locks in what promises to be one of the most challenging schedules in recent program history.
The Sooners will play a true home-and-road heavy slate in 2026, hosting six games inside the historic Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium (two non-conference and four SEC matchups), traveling for five true road contests, and renewing the Red River Rivalry against Texas in the neutral-site tradition at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.
Oklahoma’s nine SEC opponents were previously revealed in September: home games against Ole Miss, Kentucky, South Carolina, and Texas A&M; road trips to Missouri, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi State; and the annual showdown with Texas.
Remarkably, five of OU’s 12 opponents appear in the top 18 of the final 2025 College Football Playoff rankings, including four conference foes, underscoring the brutal nature of the SEC gauntlet.
Non-Conference Slate
The Sooners open the season with three non-conference games that feature a marquee road trip:
- Sept. 5 – UTEP (home)
- Sept. 12 – at Michigan (Ann Arbor)
- Sept. 19 – New Mexico (home)
The trip to Ann Arbor marks Oklahoma’s return visit after hosting the Wolverines in 2022, while UTEP and New Mexico provide winnable early-season tune-ups.
Conference Play Highlights
For the first time since joining the SEC, Oklahoma will open league play on the road — and it’s a doozy.
The Sooners travel to Athens on Sept. 26 to face Georgia in only the second all-time meeting between the storied programs and the first ever played on a campus site.
OU’s only prior matchup with the Bulldogs came in the 2018 Rose Bowl (a 54-48 double-overtime Georgia victory).
After an open date on Oct. 3, Oklahoma heads to Dallas on Oct. 10 for the Red River Rivalry. The Sooners will serve as the designated home team in 2026. OU has dominated the series in recent decades, winning 11 of the last 17 meetings and holding a 30-23-3 advantage since 1970.
The middle portion of the schedule alternates home and road games over a five-week stretch:
- Oct. 17 – Kentucky (home) – Only the Wildcats’ second visit to Norman and first since 1980
- Oct. 24 – at Mississippi State (Starkville) – First-ever football meeting between the programs
- Oct. 31 – South Carolina (home) – OU won 26-7 in Columbia earlier this season
- Nov. 7 – at Florida (Gainesville) – First regular-season meeting; Sooners crushed the Gators 55-20 in the 2020 Cotton Bowl
- Nov. 14 – Ole Miss (home) – Rebels make back-to-back trips to Norman
The regular season closes with two familiar foes:
- Nov. 21 – Texas A&M (home) – OU won the last conference meeting 41-25 in 2011
- Nov. 28 – at Missouri (Columbia) – Sooners won 17-6 in Norman last month
New SEC Scheduling Format Beginning in 2026
The conference confirmed in August that it will move to a nine-game league schedule starting in 2026 (up from eight), while eliminating divisions. Key elements of the new format include:
- One single standings table with no divisions
- Three permanent annual rivals for each school (for OU: Texas, Oklahoma State is no longer on the schedule, so the third slot remains fluid in public discussion)
- Six rotating opponents each year
- Every SEC team plays every other conference member at least once every two years, and home-and-away within four years
- Requirement for each program to schedule at least one Power 4 non-conference opponent (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, or Notre Dame) annually — OU satisfies this with the trip to Michigan
The SEC Championship Game, featuring the top two teams by winning percentage, is set for Saturday, Dec. 5, 2026, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Full 2026 Oklahoma Sooners Football Schedule
- Sept. 5 – UTEP (Norman)
- Sept. 12 – at Michigan (Ann Arbor)
- Sept. 19 – New Mexico (Norman)
- Sept. 26 – at Georgia (Athens)
- Oct. 3 – Open Date
- Oct. 10 – vs. Texas (Dallas – Red River Rivalry)
- Oct. 17 – Kentucky (Norman)
- Oct. 24 – at Mississippi State (Starkville)
- Oct. 31 – South Carolina (Norman)
- Nov. 7 – at Florida (Gainesville)
- Nov. 14 – Ole Miss (Norman)
- Nov. 21 – Texas A&M (Norman)
- Nov. 28 – at Missouri (Columbia)
Season Ticket & Waitlist Information
Demand for OU football tickets remains at an all-time high. The 2026 season ticket waitlist is now open.
Fans can secure their spot with a $50 deposit at soonersports.com/tickets. Those on the waitlist will have priority access to any available inventory as early as spring 2026, as well as first dibs on mini-plans and single-game tickets if full season tickets are not attainable.
For information on premium club seating options, contact the Sooner Club at 405-325-8000 or express interest online.
With a schedule loaded with College Football Playoff-caliber opponents and several historic first-time matchups, the 2026 season figures to be one of the most anticipated in Oklahoma history as the Sooners continue their adjustment to life in the nation’s premier conference.