Brent Venables isn’t ready to let elite nonconference games fade away.
As Oklahoma closes the book on its two-game set with Michigan on Saturday, the Sooners are staring at the same question that keeps hanging over college football’s scheduling future: are these heavyweight matchups still worth it? The answer, for Venables, is yes.
During his weekly Tuesday morning press conference, the Oklahoma coach was asked whether fans should expect fewer games like this one going forward. His answer pointed straight at the changing playoff picture.
"As long as the playoffs stay the way they are right now, probably that would be the case, I would guess," Venables said. "Less and less teams willing to do that, playing nonconference. Maybe even go up to 10 conference games, don't know what that all is going to look like.
"I'm glad we're playing them,” he continued. “It does a lot in recruiting. It certainly gets our guys ready from a league standpoint, preparation standpoint."
That’s the tension now. Oklahoma has made a habit of taking on blue-blood opponents outside the SEC, from trips to Ohio State, Notre Dame and Nebraska to this latest meeting with Michigan. Those games test a team early, before conference play starts turning every week into a grind.
But the sport keeps shifting, and the risk is obvious. A loss in a marquee opener can linger. Texas found that out this past year, with its three-loss résumé - including a season-opening loss to Ohio State - likely costing the Longhorns a playoff spot.
Still, Oklahoma hasn’t shied away from the challenge. The Sooners, ranked No. 11, are headed to Ann Arbor to face a Michigan program with the most wins in college football history and 10 national championships, including one three years ago. Even after Michigan dropped out of the Top-25 following a controversial win in Week 1, this remains the kind of game that can tell you a lot about where Oklahoma stands.
The Sooners and Wolverines have been on this path for 12 years since the doubleheader was announced, and now it’s here. For Oklahoma, it’s another shot at one of the sport’s giants. For Venables, it’s also a reminder of what college football could lose if these games become harder to find.
Baker Mayfield’s flag plant at Ohio State is still one of the sport’s most memorable images. Venables would clearly prefer not to see those moments become rarer.
In Other News...
Oklahoma Faces One Big O-Line Concern Going Into Michigan
Oklahomas offensive line came out of the season opener with more questions than answers, and the timing is less than ideal with Michigan next on the schedule. Jake Maikkula and Ryan Fodje were sidelined, and Michael Fasusi exited early with a shoulder injury, leaving the Sooners to piece together protection in a game where the front five was already under the microscope.
Offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle sounded confident the group can adjust, and there is at least some good news on the depth-chart front: Maikkula and Fodje are expected back for Week 2. Fasusi, though, is still the more uncertain case, and his status could shape how much flexibility Oklahoma has when it tries to settle the line before a marquee road test. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Knows Oklahoma Will Expose This Fast If Nothing Changes
Michigan came out of a frustrating stretch last week with players openly calling the performance disappointing and embarrassing, then followed it with a player-led meeting aimed at cleaning up the issues before the next step in the schedule. After the uneasy win over Western Michigan, the message inside the room was simple enough: the level of play has to rise quickly, because a stronger opponent is waiting and there will not be much room for the same mistakes.
Oklahoma has plenty of reason to pay attention to that kind of self-scouting, because a team still sorting through its own standard tends to find out fast whether the corrections are real. The players involved said they know the challenge ahead and understand they need better effort, but the real test is whether that urgency carries onto the field when the matchup finally arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahomas New Portal Defenders Could Spark A Real 2026 Debate
Oklahoma spent part of the offseason reshaping its defense through the transfer portal, and four of the newcomers arriving with eligibility for 2026 are worth keeping on the radar. Defensive tackles Danny Saili and Braxton Fely, linebacker Jaydon Southard and cornerback DYoni Hill all bring different kinds of help to a unit that is already looking ahead to how its roster will be built in the coming seasons.
The interesting part is not just that the Sooners added depth, but where those additions could fit once 2026 gets here. Each player comes with a track record that gives Oklahoma more options across the front seven and in the secondary, and the temporary restraining order tied to their eligibility adds another layer to a roster picture that is still coming into focus. For a program that is always balancing immediate needs with long-term planning, this is the kind of portal haul that can quietly shape a future debate. [Read more 🡒]