A year ago, Oklahoma built one of its defining traits on the road. The Sooners went 4-0 in true away games, winning at Tennessee, Alabama, South Carolina and Temple, and that travel-tested edge helped carry them into the College Football Playoff for the first time since 2019.
Now comes the next test. Oklahoma leaves Norman for the first time in 2026 on Saturday, when it heads to Ann Arbor to face Michigan.
“There’s a certain level of confidence that comes from having done it and gone through it,” OU coach Brent Venables said.
The most meaningful lessons from last season came late, when the Sooners handled pressure in back-to-back ranked road wins. Quarterback John Mateer didn’t need huge passing numbers to get it done against Tennessee and Alabama. He kept the offense steady, avoided the back-breaking mistake and let Oklahoma win two games that mattered.
Mateer said he expects the trip to Michigan to feel fresh even with that experience behind him.
“I don’t think it’ll be a shock for me and the guys that did it last year, but it’s still brand new, new excitement, new week, new opportunity,” Mateer said. “I’ll only get to play there once in my whole life, so I’m going to take it in.”
The defense did plenty of heavy lifting in those late-season wins as well. Oklahoma forced three takeaways in a 33-27 victory over Tennessee, then came out of Tuscaloosa with a 23-21 win after forcing three turnovers and holding Alabama to seven second-half points.
Senior safety Peyton Bowen has seen enough road environments to appreciate the quieter side of them.
“For (the defense), I like away games because it's quiet,” Bowen said. “We can communicate a little bit better especially with everything we've got going on.”
Michigan will provide plenty of noise anyway. Michigan Stadium, known as “The Big House,” seats 107,601, making it the largest venue in college football.
Oklahoma has already dealt with massive crowds on the road, including trips to Alabama’s Bryant-Denny Stadium and Tennessee’s Neyland Stadium last season, both of which hold more than 100,000. The year before, the Sooners played at LSU’s 102,321-seat Tiger Stadium.
The Wolverines didn’t exactly leave a clean first impression in their opener, edging Western Michigan 13-12, but Venables still sees enough talent on both sides of the ball to make this a serious early challenge. He also sees value in the setting itself.
“I think as a competitor, as a coach here, you enjoy going on the road and having an opportunity to help control the environment going into these hostile places,” Venables said. “The day gets loud, they’re going to make their plays.
So how do you gain the momentum? How do you not flinch?
How do you punch back?
“I think that builds you from just having the right type of poise, the right type of mentality, the right type of leadership that will, you know, come from the experience that our guys gained a year ago.”
In Other News...
Baker Mayfield Just Reached A New Level In Tampa Bay
Baker Mayfield arrived at Tampa Bay already carrying plenty of expectations, and the Buccaneers moved to make the relationship a long-term one just before their season opener. NFL insider Adam Schefter reported that Mayfield agreed to a three-year, $165 million contract extension, a deal that puts him among the highest-paid quarterbacks in the league and underscores how far his career has come since leaving Oklahoma.
For a player whose path has been defined by resets and second chances, the timing matters as much as the money. Tampa Bay clearly believes Mayfield gives them stability at the most important position, but the extension also raises the bar for what comes next, with the pressure now shifting from proving he belongs to showing he can keep the Bucs on that level. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma Adds Late Veteran Help Before A Massive Early Test
Oklahoma has quietly strengthened its roster late in the buildup to a major early-season test, with general manager Jim Nagy confirming four additions for the current season. Danny Saili and Braxton Fely are already in place, while DYoni Hill and Jaydon Southard are expected to join soon, giving the Sooners some extra veteran depth at a time when every practice rep matters.
The moves came after eligibility extensions opened the door for a few more experienced bodies, and Oklahoma made sure everything was handled within the rules before proceeding. Now the focus shifts to getting the newcomers acclimated and physically ready, a process the staff is working through as the Sooners prepare for a demanding early stretch that will put the roster under an immediate spotlight. [Read more 🡒]
Hayden Hansen Just Gave Oklahoma A Needed Answer Before Michigan
Hayden Hansen gave Oklahoma a useful glimpse of what the passing game can look like when the Sooners need somebody dependable in a tough spot. During the win over UTEP, the tight end turned a third-down throw into a 15-yard gain, moved the chains and reinforced why he can matter as a steady outlet when the offense needs a safe answer.
John Mateer spread the ball around to multiple receivers, and that balance was part of the encouraging takeaway for Oklahoma. But Hansens catch may have been just as important in the bigger picture, because it showed the Sooners have another option they can trust when Michigan starts squeezing the field and every possession gets more valuable. [Read more 🡒]