The Oklahoma Sooners have one of the more difficult college football schedules in the country. This year, SEC play will include the Tennessee Volunteers, Auburn Tigers, Texas Longhorns, South Carolina Gamecocks, Ole Miss Rebels, Missouri Tigers, Alabama Crimson Tide, and the LSU Tigers.
To be it bluntly, Oklahoma needs to go 8-4 or 9-3 this year. Anything worse is a bad season by Sooners’ standards. Anything better is icing on the cake. Fans likely don’t want to hear that because they are used to Oklahoma dominating its conference. However, that’s a realistic expectation based on where the program is today.
With that said, let’s take a look at how the Sooners’ season may look this year.
Oklahoma Football Game-By-Game Schedule Predictions 2024
August 31, 2024 vs. Temple Owls — Norman, Oklahoma
The Sooners start their season at home against the Temple Owls. Obviously, in the age of the transfer portal and with the incoming recruiting classes, it’s hard to predict how a team will look in the first game of the season. Still, this isn’t a game the Sooners should struggle with.
Could there be some first-game jitters? Sure. Ultimately, the Sooners should start the year off the right way.
Result: Win (1-0)
September 7, 2024: vs. Houston Cougars — Norman, Oklahoma
The Sooners and the Houston Cougars never faced off as Big 12 foes. Houston is going with an all-new coaching staff, hiring Willie Fritz away from Tulane. That’s a big hire, and it will pay dividends for Houston in the future; just not right now.
The Sooners should win this one handily; ironically, that coaching hire also affects the Sooners’ next game.
Result: Win (2-0)
September 14, 2024: vs. Tulane Green Wave — Norman, Oklahoma
The Green Wave lost their aforementioned head coach to Houston, so it will probably be a completely different team visiting Norman.
Oklahoma and Tulane faced off in 2021, where the Sooners narrowly escaped at home. However, these are two different teams. Originally this could have been OU’s most challenging non-conference game. After the coaching change, I’m not so sure anymore.
Result: Win (3-0)
September 21, 2024: vs. Tennessee Volunteers — Norman, Oklahoma
This will be emotional for both teams when Josh Heupel and his Volunteers return to Norman. Heupel is Oklahoma’s last national championship quarterback, but his departure as offensive coordinator after the 2014 season left a crack in the relationship.
It’s likely that Oklahoma will do something to honor and welcome Heupel back to Norman; at least, it should. However, this will be Oklahoma’s toughest test early in the season. Tennessee will be breaking in a new quarterback like the Sooners. Yet we know Heupel will have that offense playing well. This game could go either way, Oklahoma may have the edge.
Result: Win (4-0)
September 28, 2024: vs. Auburn Tigers — Auburn, Alabama
With the Sooners’ first road trip in the SEC, everyone immediately thinks this should be an easy win, but Auburn is an excellent team at home.
The Tigers lost to Alabama and Georgia by 10 points at home in 2023. This is a team that absolutely can knock off the Sooners. Ultimately, this was a tough game to project. However, this is one where the Sooners could lose.
Result: Loss (4-1)
October 5, 2024: Bye Week
Going into the bye week after a loss to Auburn would be bittersweet. However, being 4-1 heading into the Red River Rivalry isn’t a wrong place to be. The Sooners will not have much margin for error the rest of the way, but this bye allows the team to reset. It also allows quarterback Jackson Arnold to evaluate his play over the season’s first five games.
October 12, 2024: vs. Texas Longhorns (Cotton Bowl, Dallas)
The Red River Rivalry. There is just nothing like it. This game will come after a bye week for both teams. The Sooners will look to knock off Texas again, while Texas will look to avenge this season’s loss.
The Longhorns are likely to come away with the win in this game, only because Oklahoma has yet to fare well after a bye in the Brent Venables era.
Result: Loss (4-2)
October 19, 2024: South Carolina Gamecocks — Norman, Oklahoma
This is another homecoming of sorts as coach Shane Beamer returns to Norman. The South Carolina Gamecocks already lost some key players this season, but they’ve done an excellent job with recruiting.
Still, the Sooners should come away with the victory given the questions surrounding South Carolina’s quarterback situation and if the offensive line has improved from a season ago.
Result: Win (5-2)
October 26, 2024: at Ole Miss Rebels — Oxford, Mississippi
This might be the game fans are looking forward to the most. The Sooners head to Ole Miss to take on Lane Kiffin, Jaxson Dart, and the Rebels.
We know how much of an offensive genius Kiffin is, so he’ll have the Sooners on their toes. They also don’t have that tough of a schedule. This is another game that could go either way, but the Sooners will come away with the win in a close, hard-fought game.
Result: Win (6-2)
November 2, 2024: Maine Black Bears — Norman, Oklahoma
This is an easy pick. Oklahoma will have significant problems if they don’t win this football game handily. However, anyone can be beaten on any given day.
After all, we saw New Mexico State dominate Auburn at home in 2023 just for the Tigers to be a fourth-and-31 away from beating Alabama. Still, Sooners should roll.
Result: Win (7-2)
November 9, 2024: at Missouri Tigers — Columbia, Missouri
The Sooners take on an old Big 12 foe for the first time since the Missouri Tigers left for the SEC. This will be a November matchup at Missouri, so it’s bound to be cold, and weather could play a factor.
The Tigers had a surprising 10-2 season in 2023 and have the nation’s top player committed. The Tigers could win this, but there are too many question marks as we sit here today.
Result: Win (8-2)
Nov. 16, 2024: Bye Week
Heading into the final two games, 8-2 is an excellent place for the Sooners. The SEC title game and a berth in the College Football Playoff are still on the table.
November 23, 2024: vs. Alabama Crimson Tide — Norman, Oklahoma
The Sooners once again get a big-time game after a bye week. This will be a late November day, so it’s also bound to be cold in Norman. Ultimately, you would have preferred to get Alabama earlier in the season. By this point, the Tide usually has found its groove.
Result: Loss (8-3)
November 30, 2024: LSU Tigers — Baton Rouge, Louisiana
At this point in the season, Oklahoma, with three losses, still hang in there for a possible College Football Playoff berth. They must head to Death Valley to take on the LSU Tigers.
You hope this isn’t a night game because that could make this the most challenging game of the season for the Sooners. This is another game that could go either way. Yet we’ll lean the Sooners to pull off the upset in Baton Rouge.
Result: Win (9-3)
Analysis
Record: 9-3
Going 9-3 in the first season in the SEC isn’t a bad, especially considering the turnover on the offensive line Oklahoma will have to deal with this football season. If head coach Brent Venables can pull this off, it’ll be an excellent start to Oklahoma’s tenure in their new conference digs.
