CRASHING THE BOARDS. IT’S ALL UP TO YOU. LET’S GO. EVERYBODY, WELCOME INTO THE SHOW TONIGHT. I’M BRIAN KEATING ALONGSIDE HANNAH HOOVER. IT IS TIME FOR CRASHING THE BOARDS. I LOVE TO HEAR IT. I LOVE THAT LITTLE JINGLE YOU GIVE US EVERY TIME AT THE VERY BEGINNING. IT’S SUNDAY NIGHT, MAN. YOU CAN’T GO TO BED WITHOUT A LITTLE JINGLE FOR CRASHING THE BOARDS. HERE WE GO. YEAH. COLLEGE FOOTBALL. THE NEXT TWO WEEKS, LET’S GO. ARE YOU READY FOR FOOTBALL? I KNOW WE’VE BEEN ASKING THIS FOR A LONG TIME, AND THIS TIME OF THE YEAR, YOU KNOW, THE PRACTICE STARTS AND YOU THINK, MAN, WE’RE GETTING CLOSE. AND HERE WE GO. AND THEN. BUT NOW IT FEELS REAL. IT DOES FEEL A LITTLE BIT REAL. IT FEELS REAL BECAUSE WE HAD NEWS THIS WEEK RIGHT. THE NEWS OF THE WEEK WAS THAT ALI GORDON COULD POTENTIALLY BE HURT. AND THERE’S ALL KINDS OF THINGS IN THE RUMOR MILL. I THINK MOST OF THAT’S GONE TO BED BECAUSE THE THE PHOTO THAT YOU JUST SAW WAS ACTUALLY POSTED ON THE OSU SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS, AND TO ME, IT LOOKED LIKE ALI GORDON RUNNING. AND THE PEOPLE THAT I TALKED TO, LOOK, HE’S GOING TO BE FINE. I DON’T THINK THERE’S ANY REAL CONCERN AS FAR AS ALI GORDON. SO THAT’S GREAT NEWS. AS FAR AS OKLAHOMA STATE BECAUSE HE’S ONE OF THE BEST PLAYERS IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL. AND HE CERTAINLY GIVES THEM A WHOLE LOT BETTER CHANCE TO WIN. SO I DON’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT ALI GORDON A WHOLE LOT. WHAT I DO WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS OKLAHOMA STATE TRYING TO MOVE FORWARD AND GETTING CLOSER TO THE FIRST GAME OF THE SEASON. HANNAH, YOU KNOW WHO THEY PLAY, WHO THEY PLAY. THEY PLAY SOUTH DAKOTA STATE. AND WHO IS RANKED WHAT NUMBER ONE IN THE FCS. AND I LOVE THIS QUIZ. WE HAVE GOING ON RIGHT NOW. GO AHEAD AND SO THEY’VE ALSO NOT LOST A GAME IN 29 GAMES. SO THEY’VE GOT QUITE THE WIN STREAK. GUNDY SAID THEY’RE GOING TO TAKE THIS GAME AWAY FROM SOUTH DAKOTA STATE. HERE’S WHAT I’M GOING TO PUT ON MY BOARD. YOU KNOW I DON’T WANT TO BRING UP SPECIFICS, BUT LAST YEAR AGAINST SOUTH ALABAMA, I CAN’T SPELL. BUT THAT’S OKAY. I’LL TELL YOU WHAT IS WHAT I’M GOING FOR. THAT’S WHAT THEY NEEDED. THAT’S WHAT THEY NEED TO INTERRUPT YOU REAL FAST. LET’S RUN. MIKE GUNDY TALKING ABOUT SOUTH DAKOTA STATE I’LL GIVE YOU A CHANCE HERE. ALL RIGHT. LET’S GO. I STARTED TELLING HIM IN JANUARY AND THEN TOLD HIM AGAIN IN THE SPRING AND TOLD HIM AGAIN BEFORE WE STARTED PRACTICE. THEY’RE VERY AWARE OF WHO THIS TEAM IS, AND THEY’RE VERY AWARE OF THE SUCCESS THEY’VE HAD. AND THEY’VE WATCHED TAPE ON THEM. THEY’RE PHYSICAL ENOUGH IN THE BOX TO PLAY AT THIS LEVEL. OKAY. AND THEY HAVE THEY HAVE A VERY EXPERIENCED QUARTERBACK. THE PLAYMAKER. SO IT’S A DANGEROUS CHALLENGE FOR US. ALL RIGHT. SO THAT’S MIKE. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT MIKE AND HIS I THINK REAL CONCERN ABOUT SOUTH DAKOTA STATE I MEAN THEY HAVE TO GET OFF TO A FAST START THIS SEASON. THAT’S WHAT I WAS MENTIONING BEFORE I WAS READY TO GET THE BALL ROLLING HERE. BUT YEAH, AT THE END OF THE DAY, LIKE WE CAN’T HAVE A SOUTH ALABAMA SCENARIO. I KNOW YOU WERE PRETTY FIERY ABOUT THAT LAST YEAR. I MEAN, WHO WAS IT CAN’T BE LOSING TO SOUTH ALABAMA AT HOME. I DON’T WANT TO BRING THAT UP AGAIN. YOU DID. LET’S JUST BE DONE WITH THAT COMMENT. I KNOW THAT’S A SORE SUBJECT FOR A LOT OF POKE FANS, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU GOT TO YOU GOT TO START FAST. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE HOPE TO SEE ALI GORDON CARRYING THOSE CARRYING THE BALL. I WAS TRYING TO SAY SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN YOU DID BECAUSE HERE’S THE THING WITH OKLAHOMA STATE IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, THEY HAVE HAD A TENDENCY TO START SLOW TO START SLOW AND NOT PLAY THEIR BEST. SO I TRY TO BE REALLY CREATIVE HERE AS YOU WENT ALONG, BUT IT’S IT’S NOT. SOMETIMES IT’S AS SIMPLE AS SIMPLE. IT’S A FAST START. YOU GOT TO START FAST. YOU GOT TO BE READY, PREPARED. I DO THINK THAT’S WHY YOU HEARD MIKE SAY SOME OF THE STUFF THAT THAT HE SAID, BECAUSE HE KNOWS THEY HAVE A REAL TEAM COMING IN. NOW. OKLAHOMA STATE’S GOING TO HAVE BETTER PLAYERS AND MORE TALENT. THEY’RE GOING TO HAVE MORE DEPTH. THEY’RE GOING TO HAVE ALL THOSE THINGS A BETTER RUNNING BACK AND QUARTERBACK. AND I THINK THEY’RE SCARY GOOD OFFENSIVELY. BUT YOU HAVE TO BE PREPARED TO PLAY FROM THE START OF THE SEASON, AND IT’S NOT JUST LAST SEASON. THEY HAD A CHANCE IN 2021 TO LOSE AT HOME TO MISSOURI STATE, AND THAT’S THE YEAR THEY WENT TO THE BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP AND HAD A CHANCE AT THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS. SO IT’S JUST BEING PREPARED FROM THE JUMP. RIGHT. AND MIKE KIND OF LET’S HE LIKES TO LET THE SEASON BEGIN AND LET HIS TEAM KIND OF GET INTO IT. AND THEY WANT TO BE PLAYING THEIR BEST FOOTBALL AT THE END OF THE SEASON. THAT IS STILL THE CASE, BUT THEY’RE GOING TO HAVE TO PLAY GOOD FOOTBALL EARLY BECAUSE IT’S NOT JUST SOUTH DAKOTA STATE IN THAT FIRST GAME. WEEK. NUMBER TWO IS ARKANSAS FROM THE SEC. AND THEN AT TULSA. AND SO THEY HAVE TO REALLY HIT THE GROUND RUNNING. IT’S A FORCED FAST START. IT IS IT’S A FORCED FAST START. LIKE THEY HAVEN’T HAD IN A NUMBER OF YEARS. THEY’VE HAD YEARS WHERE THEY OPENED WITH GEORGIA MISSISSIPPI STATE I DON’T KNOW I KIND OF FORGET FROM FLORIDA STATE WHO IS COMING OFF A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. SO IT’S NOT TOTALLY UNFAMILIAR. BUT THEY GOT TO PLAY THERE. THEY GOT TO PLAY BETTER FOOTBALL EARLIER IN THE YEAR THAN I THINK THEY HAVE. THE LAST COUPLE OF SEASONS. THAT GETS US TO THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA, AND WE’VE TALKED A WHOLE LOT OVER THE SUMMER AND THROUGH SEC MEDIA DAYS ABOUT A NEW CONFERENCE AND A NEW LEAGUE AND A NEW QUARTERBACK. AND IT’S STILL THE STORY. HOW WILL JACKSON ARNOLD PLAY IN HIS FIRST GAME, BY THE WAY, HIS FIRST GAME TO START AT MEMORIAL STADIUM. HE JUST HADN’T PLAYED A LOT OF FOOTBALL THERE. SO THEY GOT A MUCH EASIER GAME AGAINST TEMPLE. BUT HERE’S A COUPLE OF HIS TEAMMATES TALKING ABOUT JACKSON ARNOLD, THE LEADER AND A FOOTBALL PLAYER. ROLL IT. HIS LEADERSHIP ROLE. HE’S BEEN THERE. AND LIKE I SAID PHYSICALLY HE’S THROWING THE BALL. HE’S PUTTING THE BALL WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE, WHEN AND WHERE. SO HE’S DONE A GREAT JOB AND I’M REALLY PROUD OF HIM. I’VE SEEN HIM GROW A LOT AND IT’S REALLY IT’S REALLY NICE TO SEE, LIKE I LIVE WITH THEM. SO I SEE LIKE LIKE HE’S NOT HOME, OKAY. HE’S UP THERE WATCHING FILM STILL LIKE IT’S IT’S A GREAT FEELING TO KNOW THAT OUR STAR QUARTERBACK IS DOING ALL THAT PREPARATION AND HARD WORK IN THE DARK, THAT PEOPLE DON’T SEE ALL RIGHT. SO THAT’S THE SOONERS ON JACKSON. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT WHERE JACKSON ARNOLD IS? WELL I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE’RE GOING TO ASSUME THE BEST. WE DON’T KNOW. JUST A TON TO BE TOTALLY HONEST. HE HADN’T PLAYED A LOT. WE HAVEN’T SEEN A LOT. AND SO WITH THAT SAID, YOU KNOW, I GO BACK TO WHAT LEBBY SAID. COACH LEBBY AT SEC MEDIA DAYS. HE’S EXPECTING HIM TO HAVE A REALLY GREAT SEASON IN THE SEC THINKS HE’S GOING TO PUT UP BIG NUMBERS. I KNOW THAT’S GOING BACK LIKE A MONTH AGO, BUT THAT RINGS IN MY HEAD. AND THE REASON IS BECAUSE DENTON GUYER’S, HEAD COACH, WHEN I SAT DOWN WITH HIM, THIS IS JACKSON ARNOLD’S OLD COACH. HE SAID THAT LEVY WAS A HUGE PART OF HIS PROCESS. JACKSON ARNOLD’S PROCESS TO GO TO O.U, HE RECRUITED HIM. SO THE FACT THAT HE’S, YOU KNOW, SINGING HIGH PRAISE, I THINK THAT MEANS SOMETHING. I ALSO THINK WHEN IT COMES TO LATRELL, THE NEW OC AND SOMEONE WHO, YOU KNOW, OKLAHOMA’S VERY FAMILIAR WITH, LET’S TALK ABOUT THE AIR RAID. I MEAN, JACKSON ARNOLD IS A PERFECT GUY FOR THIS BECAUSE HE HAS SUCH A STRONG ARM TALENT AND YOU KNOW, LATRELL’S BEEN UNDER GUYS LIKE SONNY -- AND MIKE LEACH WHO ARE FAMOUS FOR THAT. SO I WOULD EXPECT TO SEE A LITTLE BIT OF PASSING WHEN IT COMES TO THE OFFENSE. I WOULD TOO, AND I’LL BE CURIOUS TO SEE WHAT SETH WANTS TO RUN AND HOW HE WANTS TO DIFFERENTIATE HIS OFFENSE. YOU KNOW, AS OPPOSED TO GUYS THAT HE’S WORKED FOR. AND WHEN HE WAS A HEAD COACH AT NORTH TEXAS. BUT I JUST THINK ALL THIS STUFF WITH JACKSON ARNOLD AND YOU’RE RIGHT, WE DON’T KNOW A LOT ABOUT HIM. WE JUST DON’T KNOW. WE JUST DON’T. HE HASN’T PLAYED A LOT OF FOOTBALL. AND YOU CAN GO BACK TO THE BOWL GAME SOME. BUT BOWL GAMES ARE FUNNY BECAUSE TEAMS HAVE DIFFERENT PLAYERS AND DIFFERENT COMBINATIONS WITH THE PORTAL AND AND OU CERTAINLY WITH THE DRAFT. SO WE JUST DON’T KNOW. BUT BUT HERE’S THE DEAL. WELCOME TO BEING QB1 IN OKLAHOMA. AND YOU KNOW WHAT THE PRESSURE IS GOING TO BE LIKE. YOU KNOW WHAT THE EYEBALLS ARE GOING TO BE LIKE. YOU KNOW WHO’S GOING TO COME CALLING. YOU KNOW, WHO’S WHO’S GOING TO BE WATCHING YOU. JUST YOU UNDERSTAND VERY QUICK. AND I’M NOT EVEN SURE JACKSON QUITE REALIZES WHAT BEING THE QUARTERBACK AT OKLAHOMA REALLY IS. UNTIL YOU GET OUT THERE, SOMETIMES YOU DON’T FIGURE THAT OUT UNTIL YOU EITHER WIN A REALLY HUGE GAME OR YOU LOSE ONE. AND SO THAT THAT THAT’S WHEN HE’LL FIGURE IT OUT. BUT THE KID IS SUPER TALENTED. HE IS A TREMENDOUS ATHLETE. HE HAS A BIG TIME ARM. HE CAN REALLY RUN. AND SO HE JUST HAS ALL THE TOOLS TO BE ONE OF THE BEST PLAYERS IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL AND BE WHAT A QUARTERBACK AT OKLAHOMA IS SUPPOSED TO BE. AND I’VE BEEN SAYING IT AND IT’S THE SAME. I CAN’T WAIT TO WATCH HIM PLAY BECAUSE IT WILL BE FASCINATING BECAUSE IT’S BEEN I KNOW SPENCER RATTLER WAS A FRESHMAN WHEN HE CAME IN. ARNOLD’S GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE EXPERIENCED THAN A REALLY FRESHMAN RATTLER, BUT IT’S BEEN A WHILE SINCE THEY’VE BEEN IN THIS SITUATION WITH A GUY, AND SO I CAN’T WAIT. WE ARE LESS THAN TWO WEEKS AWAY NOW FROM THE START OF THE FOOTBALL SEASON. OKLAHOMA ON FRIDAY AGAINST TEMPLE AND THEN OKLAHOMA STATE AT HOME ON SATURDAY AGAINST SOUTH DAKOTA STATE. BUT BUT I MEAN FOOTBALL SEASON IS HERE NEXT SUNDAY. YOU KNOW WE’RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT A GAME AND THE POINT SPREAD WHO’S GOING TO WIN
OU Football: What you need to know before the Sooners kick off in 2024
Below is what you need to know before the season starts
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Updated: 8:57 AM CDT Aug 20, 2024
It's almost football time in Norman, and the University of Oklahoma Sooners are set to kick off their inaugural season as a member of the SEC.Below is what you need to know before the season starts.Schedule vs. Temple, 6 p.m. Aug. 30 in Norman (ESPN)vs. Houston, 6:45 p.m. Sept. 7 in Norman (SEC Network)vs. Tulane, 2:30 p.m. Sept. 14 in Norman (ESPN or ESPN2)vs. Tennessee, 2:30-3:30 p.m. or 5-7 p.m. Sept. 21 in Norman@ Auburn, 2:30-3:30 p.m. Sept. 28Texas, 2:30 p.m. Oct. 12 in Dallas (KOCO 5 or ESPN)vs. South Carolina, 11 a.m. to noon Oct. 19 in Norman@ Ole Miss, 11 a.m. to noon Oct. 26vs. Maine, 1:30 p.m. Nov. 2 in Norman (ESPN+ or SEC Network+)@ Missouri, 2:30-3:30 p.m. or 5-7 p.m. Nov. 9vs. Alabama, 2:30-3:30 p.m. or 5-7 p.m. Nov. 23 in Norman@ LSU, 2:30-3:30 p.m. or 5-7 p.m. Nov. 30TicketsTickets are either sold out or almost gone for most of the Sooners' home games. While the tickets are limited, they may still be available through thirty-party vendors like SeatGeek, Ticketmaster, Vivid Seats and StubHub.How OU Did Last SeasonThe Sooners enter their first season as a member of the SEC after posting a 10-3 record in 2023. OU played well out of the gate, winning their first seven games. Their first five wins were each by double digits, and then the Sooners came back to beat Texas with a last-minute touchdown before defeating UCF by two in late October.Brent Venables' squad hit a bit of a road bump the next two weeks, falling to Kansas on the road and then losing the last Big 12 matchup against in-state rival Oklahoma State.The Sooners righted the ship with wins against West Virginia, BYU and TCU to close out the season and earn a spot in the Valero Alamo Bowl.With true freshman Jackson Arnold at quarterback, OU dropped the bowl game against Arizona. Arnold, however, showed signs of promise by throwing for 361 yards and two touchdowns during his first career start.Key PlayersJackson Arnold: The quarterback from Denton, Texas enters his sophomore season with little playing time under his belt. As a backup for the majority of 2023, Arnold threw for 563 yards and four touchdowns and three interceptions in seven games. He made one start in the Alamo Bowl, throwing for two scores. Arnold is now tasked with leading the Sooners as they enter new SEC territory.Danny Stutsman: The Sooners' defense will be anchored by the third-team AP All-American and second-team Walter Camp All-American senior linebacker. During the past two seasons, Stutsman combined for 229 tackles, including 26.5 for loss. He also posted three sacks in each of the past two seasons. In 2023, Stutsman picked off one pass, forced two fumbles, recovered a fumble and had three pass breakups. Billy Bowman Jr.: The returning All-Big 12 First Team member will patrol OU's secondary after starting all 13 games last season at defensive back. Bowman recorded six interceptions (second in the nation), four pass breakups and 63 tackles last season. Three of those six interceptions were returned for touchdowns. Click here to see the Sooners' full roster. Preseason RankingThe Sooners enter the 2024 season as the No. 16 team in both the Associated Press Top 25 and the USA Today Sports AFCA Coaches Poll. This marks the 25th consecutive season OU has been ranked in the AP Top 25 and the 66th time Oklahoma has appeared in the preseason poll.The Sooners are among a slew SEC teams in this year's preseason AP poll, with others being No. 1 Georgia, No. 4 Texas, No. 5 Alabama, No. 6 Ole Miss, No. 10 Missouri, No. 13 LSU, No. 15 Tennessee and No. 20 Texas A&M.OU is slated to play three of the top six teams in the preseason poll and six of the top 15 schools.Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial StadiumThe Sooners call Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Union, aka the "Palace on the Prairie" on the east side of OU's campus in Norman home. The 2024 season marks the 100th in the stadium's history.The stadium holds more than 80,000 fans, is the largest sports venue in Oklahoma and ranks among the 20 largest college football stadiums in the country.The "Palace on the Prairie" sits on the corner of Lindsey Street and Jenkins Avenue and is across Asp Avenue from Gaylord Hall.Click here to see a map of Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. ParkingGeneral public parking is limited on OU's main campus on game days, and fans are encouraged to arrive early. There are several paid parking locations (click here for the full parking map). There is a $30 charge for parking, and spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Norman city officials will enforce parking restrictions on game days. The primary area of enforcement will be in "No Parking" areas that are not exempted on game days. OU also offers certain lots for reserved parking on game days. Reserved physical disability parking is available for a fee and is located in the Asp Avenue Parking Facility connected to the west side of Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. People with more questions about reserved physical disability parking can call OU's parking office at 405-325-3311.Free game day parking also is available at the Lloyd Noble Center, which is about 1 mile south of the football stadium. From there, fans can take a $5 game day shuttle that runs continually starting three hours before kickoff.Click here for more on parking and game-day traffic.TailgatingThe University of Oklahoma made changes to its tailgating policies ahead of the 2024 season. OU invites fans to tailgate anywhere on campus excited for a limited number of areas marked as restricted on the university's tailgating map, which you can see here. OU encourages fans to set up in the recommended tailgating spaces marked on the map by Boyd Lawn and the north Asp Avenue area, Brook Street, Lindsey Street and the Duck Pond. Public tailgating areas are free and available on a first-come, first serve basis.People can start setting up tents, awnings and similar equipment at 5 p.m. on the day before a home game. While the space may be occupied between noon and 5 p.m., stakes cannot go into the ground until 5 p.m. All items must be taken down and removed by noon on the day after the game.All tents, awnings and similar equipment must be securely anchored, and stakes may not be longer than 12 inches long. Tents must be set up no closer than 3 feet from either side of the sidewalks, and any tents, awnings, generators, similar items and tailgating activities of any kind are not allowed within 3 feet of either side of sidewalks.Tents also must be set up at least 10 feet from any OU building, and tents larger than 400 square feet require a permit.OU also has site-specific rules on the south side of Lindsey Street between Jenkins and Asp avenues out of respect for students living on campus.Tailgating may only take place on the grassy area between the Lindsey Street curb and the north side of the sidewalk. People wanting to set up tents, awnings and similar equipment can start at 7 a.m. on the morning of a home game, and the space can be occupied starting at 5 p.m. on the day before the game. All items must be taken down and removed by noon the day after the game.Dropping off supplies at Lindsey Street tailgating sites is allowed up to 5.5 hours before kickoff. At that time, streets around campus will close, and tailgating sties will become inaccessible by vehicle. Officials say vehicles dropping off supplies must be clear of the area by:5:30 a.m. for an 11 a.m. gameat 8 a.m. for a 2:30 p.m. gameat 12:30 p.m. for a 6 p.m. gameTailgating supplies must be hand-carried to the site from the designated drop-off area on Jenkins Avenue. All supplies must be maintained within the claimed spaces. Open flames are prohibited, but gas and charcoal grills with covers are allowed and should be attended to at all times. Gas and charcoal grills are prohibited in all OU parking garages and cannot be within 50 feet of campus buildings or under tents.Click here to learn more about OU's tailgating policies and the tailgating map.Bag PolicyThe University of Oklahoma has a clear-bag policy and walk-through metal detectors at all athletic events. The approved clear bag size is 12 inches-by-6 inches-by-12 inches or a one-gallon clear plastic freezer bag. OU also allows non-transparent clutch purses no larger than 6.5 inches-by-4.5 inches. Clear fanny packs or a clear crossbody bag also is allowed.All guests are limited to one bag per person, and all bags are subject to search.Allowed ItemsClear plastic tote bags (1 per person) no larger than 12" x 6" x 12"One-gallon clear plastic freezer bags (1 per person)Non-transparent clutch wallets no larger than 4.5" x 6.5" (1 per person)Clear fanny packs and clear crossbody bagsBags necessary for approved medical equipmentApproved family care items (diapers, formula, etc.) must be included in the clear plastic tote bagEMPTY, clear plastic water bottles less than 17 oz.Seat cushions and chair backs smaller than 16" wide and without frames or armrestsProhibited ItemsAlcohol (in all forms)Baby seatsBaby strollersBags, backpacks, fanny packs & hard binocular casesBanners/signsBeach balls, footballs, balls or other sporting equipmentCameras with lenses longer than 6 inchesChair backs with frames, armrests and/or wider than 16 inchesCoolers, containers or ice chestsExplosives, firearms or weaponsFolding chairs or stoolsFood or drinkLaptopsLaser pointersNoisemakers of any type (i.e. air horns, plastic horns, whistles, etc.)Personal heatersPets (with the exception of registered service dogs)Selfie sticks, bi-pods, monopods, etc.Umbrellas Video camerasClick here to learn more about OU's bag policy.
NORMAN, Okla. — It's almost football time in Norman, and the University of Oklahoma Sooners are set to kick off their inaugural season as a member of the SEC.
Below is what you need to know before the season starts.
Schedule
- vs. Temple, 6 p.m. Aug. 30 in Norman (ESPN)
- vs. Houston, 6:45 p.m. Sept. 7 in Norman (SEC Network)
- vs. Tulane, 2:30 p.m. Sept. 14 in Norman (ESPN or ESPN2)
- vs. Tennessee, 2:30-3:30 p.m. or 5-7 p.m. Sept. 21 in Norman
- @ Auburn, 2:30-3:30 p.m. Sept. 28
- Texas, 2:30 p.m. Oct. 12 in Dallas (KOCO 5 or ESPN)
- vs. South Carolina, 11 a.m. to noon Oct. 19 in Norman
- @ Ole Miss, 11 a.m. to noon Oct. 26
- vs. Maine, 1:30 p.m. Nov. 2 in Norman (ESPN+ or SEC Network+)
- @ Missouri, 2:30-3:30 p.m. or 5-7 p.m. Nov. 9
- vs. Alabama, 2:30-3:30 p.m. or 5-7 p.m. Nov. 23 in Norman
- @ LSU, 2:30-3:30 p.m. or 5-7 p.m. Nov. 30
Tickets
Tickets are either sold out or almost gone for most of the Sooners' home games.
While the tickets are limited, they may still be available through thirty-party vendors like SeatGeek, Ticketmaster, Vivid Seats and StubHub.
How OU Did Last Season
The Sooners enter their first season as a member of the SEC after posting a 10-3 record in 2023.
OU played well out of the gate, winning their first seven games. Their first five wins were each by double digits, and then the Sooners came back to beat Texas with a last-minute touchdown before defeating UCF by two in late October.
Brent Venables' squad hit a bit of a road bump the next two weeks, falling to Kansas on the road and then losing the last Big 12 matchup against in-state rival Oklahoma State.
The Sooners righted the ship with wins against West Virginia, BYU and TCU to close out the season and earn a spot in the Valero Alamo Bowl.
With true freshman Jackson Arnold at quarterback, OU dropped the bowl game against Arizona. Arnold, however, showed signs of promise by throwing for 361 yards and two touchdowns during his first career start.
Key Players
- Jackson Arnold: The quarterback from Denton, Texas enters his sophomore season with little playing time under his belt. As a backup for the majority of 2023, Arnold threw for 563 yards and four touchdowns and three interceptions in seven games. He made one start in the Alamo Bowl, throwing for two scores. Arnold is now tasked with leading the Sooners as they enter new SEC territory.
- Danny Stutsman: The Sooners' defense will be anchored by the third-team AP All-American and second-team Walter Camp All-American senior linebacker. During the past two seasons, Stutsman combined for 229 tackles, including 26.5 for loss. He also posted three sacks in each of the past two seasons. In 2023, Stutsman picked off one pass, forced two fumbles, recovered a fumble and had three pass breakups.
- Billy Bowman Jr.: The returning All-Big 12 First Team member will patrol OU's secondary after starting all 13 games last season at defensive back. Bowman recorded six interceptions (second in the nation), four pass breakups and 63 tackles last season. Three of those six interceptions were returned for touchdowns.
Click here to see the Sooners' full roster.
Preseason Ranking
The Sooners enter the 2024 season as the No. 16 team in both the Associated Press Top 25 and the USA Today Sports AFCA Coaches Poll. This marks the 25th consecutive season OU has been ranked in the AP Top 25 and the 66th time Oklahoma has appeared in the preseason poll.
The Sooners are among a slew SEC teams in this year's preseason AP poll, with others being No. 1 Georgia, No. 4 Texas, No. 5 Alabama, No. 6 Ole Miss, No. 10 Missouri, No. 13 LSU, No. 15 Tennessee and No. 20 Texas A&M.
OU is slated to play three of the top six teams in the preseason poll and six of the top 15 schools.
Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
The Sooners call Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Union, aka the "Palace on the Prairie" on the east side of OU's campus in Norman home. The 2024 season marks the 100th in the stadium's history.
The stadium holds more than 80,000 fans, is the largest sports venue in Oklahoma and ranks among the 20 largest college football stadiums in the country.
The "Palace on the Prairie" sits on the corner of Lindsey Street and Jenkins Avenue and is across Asp Avenue from Gaylord Hall.
Click here to see a map of Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.
Parking
General public parking is limited on OU's main campus on game days, and fans are encouraged to arrive early. There are several paid parking locations (click here for the full parking map). There is a $30 charge for parking, and spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Norman city officials will enforce parking restrictions on game days. The primary area of enforcement will be in "No Parking" areas that are not exempted on game days.
OU also offers certain lots for reserved parking on game days. Reserved physical disability parking is available for a fee and is located in the Asp Avenue Parking Facility connected to the west side of Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. People with more questions about reserved physical disability parking can call OU's parking office at 405-325-3311.
Free game day parking also is available at the Lloyd Noble Center, which is about 1 mile south of the football stadium. From there, fans can take a $5 game day shuttle that runs continually starting three hours before kickoff.
Click here for more on parking and game-day traffic.
Tailgating
The University of Oklahoma made changes to its tailgating policies ahead of the 2024 season.
OU invites fans to tailgate anywhere on campus excited for a limited number of areas marked as restricted on the university's tailgating map, which you can see here. OU encourages fans to set up in the recommended tailgating spaces marked on the map by Boyd Lawn and the north Asp Avenue area, Brook Street, Lindsey Street and the Duck Pond.
Public tailgating areas are free and available on a first-come, first serve basis.
People can start setting up tents, awnings and similar equipment at 5 p.m. on the day before a home game. While the space may be occupied between noon and 5 p.m., stakes cannot go into the ground until 5 p.m. All items must be taken down and removed by noon on the day after the game.
All tents, awnings and similar equipment must be securely anchored, and stakes may not be longer than 12 inches long. Tents must be set up no closer than 3 feet from either side of the sidewalks, and any tents, awnings, generators, similar items and tailgating activities of any kind are not allowed within 3 feet of either side of sidewalks.
Tents also must be set up at least 10 feet from any OU building, and tents larger than 400 square feet require a permit.
OU also has site-specific rules on the south side of Lindsey Street between Jenkins and Asp avenues out of respect for students living on campus.
Tailgating may only take place on the grassy area between the Lindsey Street curb and the north side of the sidewalk. People wanting to set up tents, awnings and similar equipment can start at 7 a.m. on the morning of a home game, and the space can be occupied starting at 5 p.m. on the day before the game. All items must be taken down and removed by noon the day after the game.
Dropping off supplies at Lindsey Street tailgating sites is allowed up to 5.5 hours before kickoff. At that time, streets around campus will close, and tailgating sties will become inaccessible by vehicle. Officials say vehicles dropping off supplies must be clear of the area by:
- 5:30 a.m. for an 11 a.m. game
- at 8 a.m. for a 2:30 p.m. game
- at 12:30 p.m. for a 6 p.m. game
Tailgating supplies must be hand-carried to the site from the designated drop-off area on Jenkins Avenue. All supplies must be maintained within the claimed spaces.
Open flames are prohibited, but gas and charcoal grills with covers are allowed and should be attended to at all times. Gas and charcoal grills are prohibited in all OU parking garages and cannot be within 50 feet of campus buildings or under tents.
Click here to learn more about OU's tailgating policies and the tailgating map.
Bag Policy
The University of Oklahoma has a clear-bag policy and walk-through metal detectors at all athletic events.
The approved clear bag size is 12 inches-by-6 inches-by-12 inches or a one-gallon clear plastic freezer bag. OU also allows non-transparent clutch purses no larger than 6.5 inches-by-4.5 inches. Clear fanny packs or a clear crossbody bag also is allowed.
All guests are limited to one bag per person, and all bags are subject to search.
Allowed Items
- Clear plastic tote bags (1 per person) no larger than 12" x 6" x 12"
- One-gallon clear plastic freezer bags (1 per person)
- Non-transparent clutch wallets no larger than 4.5" x 6.5" (1 per person)
- Clear fanny packs and clear crossbody bags
- Bags necessary for approved medical equipment
- Approved family care items (diapers, formula, etc.) must be included in the clear plastic tote bag
- EMPTY, clear plastic water bottles less than 17 oz.
- Seat cushions and chair backs smaller than 16" wide and without frames or armrests
Prohibited Items
- Alcohol (in all forms)
- Baby seats
- Baby strollers
- Bags, backpacks, fanny packs & hard binocular cases
- Banners/signs
- Beach balls, footballs, balls or other sporting equipment
- Cameras with lenses longer than 6 inches
- Chair backs with frames, armrests and/or wider than 16 inches
- Coolers, containers or ice chests
- Explosives, firearms or weapons
- Folding chairs or stools
- Food or drink
- Laptops
- Laser pointers
- Noisemakers of any type (i.e. air horns, plastic horns, whistles, etc.)
- Personal heaters
- Pets (with the exception of registered service dogs)
- Selfie sticks, bi-pods, monopods, etc.
- Umbrellas
- Video cameras
Click here to learn more about OU's bag policy.
