OU football: Takeaways from the Sooners' SEC slate in 2024

Nearly two years since Oklahoma announced it would leave the Big 12 for the SEC, the Sooners finally know their inaugural schedule in their new conference.

After much anticipation, the 2024 SEC schedule was released on Wednesday night. The Sooners will have three true home games, four true road games and their annual neutral-site game with Texas at the Cotton Bowl.

It’s important to note that the Sooners’ 2024 schedule isn’t fully complete, as they still have to schedule two non conference games. However, the Sooners can now begin preparing for their SEC slate.

Here’s a few takeaways from the Sooners’ 2024 SEC schedule:

Missouri: OU leads 67-24-5 (OU won last meeting 38-28)

Alabama: OU leads 3-2-1 (Alabama won last meeting 45-34)

LSU: LSU leads 2-1 (LSU won last meeting 63-28)

Ole Miss: Ole Miss leads 1-0 (Ole Miss won 27-25)

Auburn: OU leads 2-0 (OU won last meeting 34-19)

Tennessee: OU leads 3-1 (OU won last meeting 31-24 OT)

Texas: Texas leads 63-50-5 (Texas won last meeting 49-0)

South Carolina: The two teams have never played each other

1. Compared to Texas, the Sooners face a much-tougher path in Year 1

According to multiple reports, the SEC schedule makers ensured the other 14 SEC teams each play either Texas or Oklahoma. However, the Sooners will have the tougher path compared to the Longhorns.

The Sooners not only get one fewer home game and one more true road game than the Longhorns, the Sooners’ opponents have a better combined record. OU's seven non-Texas opponents recorded a combined record of 59-32 in 2022, while Texas’ non-OU opponents went 54-37.

Now, it’s fair to point out a couple of things. The Longhorns do play the toughest opponent in Georgia, who went 15-0 last season en route to their second straight national title. It's also possible that things could even out for both teams, in terms of strength of schedule, as the SEC makes it schedules in the future.

So while things will even out in 2025, the Sooners face a steeper climb in their first SEC season.

2. Year 1: The Sooners’ reunion tour

Owen Field will see plenty of familiar faces in 2024.

The biggest one is Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel. Heupel, a Sooner legend, played quarterback for two seasons and led the Sooners to the 2000 national championship, finishing second in the Heisman Trophy voting. Heupel also coached at Oklahoma from 2011-2014, serving as co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

In 2022, Heupel led the Volunteers to an 11-2 record — their best season in over 20 years — and a tie with Alabama for the second-best record in the SEC.

Heupel isn’t the only familiar face. In addition to playing South Carolina for the first time in program history, the Sooners will also cross paths with coach Shane Beamer, who served as OU’s assistant head coach and tight ends coach from 2018-2020.

Beamer left OU for South Carolina’s head coaching job after the 2020 season. Beamer led the Gamecocks to an 8-5 record in 2022, marking the program’s second eight-win campaign since 2013.

3. The Sooners get three home games, and they’re all tough

If there’s a silver lining to the Sooners’ home slate, they’ll get their two toughest conference opponents in Norman.

The Sooners will face Alabama (11-2), Tennessee (11-2) and South Carolina (8-5) at Owen Field. Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide have finished with 11 or more years in every season since 2007.

2024 will also mark Saban’s first career game in Norman.

While the Sooners’ road schedule is less daunting, it certainly won’t be easy. They’ll travel to Death Valley to face Brian Kelly and LSU, and they’ll also head to Oxford, Mississippi to take on Lane Kiffen and Ole Miss.

The Sooners’ four road opponents combined for a 29-23 record last season. The Sooners’ three home opponents went 30-9. Either way, the Sooners will face several good teams led by high-profile coaches.

4. The Red River Rivalry lives on

OU and Texas announced the move to the SEC together and have fought hard to keep the annual matchup at the Cotton Bowl.

The 2024 schedule confirms that it will live on as a neutral-site game.

So while the Sooners are in for significant changes upon their arrival in the SEC, they know at least one thing will stay the same.