Oklahoma’s season opener against UTEP arrives Friday night at 7 p.m. at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, and the Sooners walk into it with a few intriguing possibilities hanging over the first snap of 2026.
The biggest one might be up front. When Oklahoma released its depth chart Monday, freshman interior offensive lineman Noah Best showed up as a co-starter at right guard with veteran Heath Ozaeta.
That arrangement may not last forever, but with Jake Maikkula and Ryan Fodje out, one of them is set to slide into the starting five at guard while Western Kentucky transfer Caleb Nitta takes over at center. Ozaeta has earned praise for how much he has improved, but Best has been one of the loudest camp stories because of his fearlessness and consistency.
If Best gets the nod, it would give him a chance to settle in before the schedule tightens up. Michigan, New Mexico, Georgia and Texas are all ahead, and the Sooners’ new five-for-five rules also make it more realistic to get young players on the field sooner.
Ozaeta may have the safer floor this season, but Best brings the higher ceiling - not just for this year, but for the next few as well. If he starts, he would become the first true freshman to open the season on the offensive line for Oklahoma since Dru Samia in 2015.
The run game is another place where the opener could tilt in a big way. Oklahoma averaged only 118.5 rushing yards per game last season, and just one outing cleared 200 yards on the ground - a 228-yard effort against Temple in the third game of the year. UTEP, meanwhile, gave up 169.5 rushing yards per game in 2024, and Jacksonville State piled up 275 on the Miners.
With Lloyd Avant, Xavier Robinson and Jonathan Hatton Jr. sharing carries - and Tory Blaylock possibly getting involved too - the Sooners should have enough options to keep the pressure on. If the game gets out of hand early, there should be plenty of chances for those backs to keep piling up yards.
The prediction here is that Oklahoma pops a couple of long runs and, more importantly, stays more consistently productive than it did in any game last season. That would give the Sooners their best rushing performance since Maine in 2024 and their best against an FBS opponent since the 269-yard game against Kansas in 2023.
There’s also room for a defensive splash right away. Oklahoma’s depth chart includes several freshmen who are expected to make their debuts Friday, including cheetah LeBron Bauer and safeties Markel Ford and Niko Jandreau. One of those newcomers could break through with an interception, which would get the Sooners on the turnover board much earlier than they did a year ago.
That matters because UTEP quarterback EJ Colson Jr. was intercepted only four times last season at Incarnate Word, though he never faced a Power Four defense, let alone one with the kind of bite Oklahoma brings. The Sooners have made it clear they want to force turnovers more consistently after not getting one until the fifth game last season. If that plan takes hold immediately, Oklahoma’s defense should make a strong early statement.
In Other News...
Oklahoma Fans Need To See OUs Friday Game Day Traffic Plan
With the Sooners set to open the season on a Friday, the University of Oklahoma and Norman Public Schools have already taken the unusual step of closing in-person classes that day because of the traffic load expected around campus and the stadium. It is the kind of early warning that tells fans this is not just another home game arrival, but a full game-day exercise with the city, the university and local police all trying to keep traffic moving.
OU has also rolled out a new driving map and traffic protocols for the opener, giving fans a fresh look at how to get in and out around the stadium. Along with ticket prices for Oklahomas game against UTEP and the full 2026 football schedule, the message is clear: anyone heading to Norman that day will want to plan ahead and study the route before setting out. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma May Have Finally Found A Way To Unleash CJ Nickson
Oklahomas updated 2026 roster offered one of the more interesting personnel notes heading into the season opener: CJ Nickson is now listed at tight end. The move was first reported by SoonerScoop and then confirmed when the Sooners released their latest roster, giving the staff a new look at a player who arrived as a versatile four-star recruit out of Weatherford High School and spent his time in Norman as a defensive end.
Nickson has long been the kind of athlete who could fit in several places, with a prep rsum built on playing both sides of the ball. Now Oklahoma is giving him a clearer offensive home, and the switch at tight end suggests the program sees a path to using his size and skill set in a different way. The real question is how quickly that transition can turn into a meaningful role once the games start. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma May Need Omarion Robinson Sooner Than Fans Expected
The Sooners open their 2026 college football season against UTEP, and one of the quieter names to watch is second-year safety Omarion Robinson. After working mostly on special teams a year ago, Robinson is slated for a bigger backup role this fall, giving Oklahoma another option in a defensive backfield that will need dependable depth from the start.
Brent Venables has pointed to Robinsons growth this offseason, especially the confidence and consistency that have made him more noticeable in camp. For Oklahoma, that matters because the safety rotation can change quickly once the season starts, and Robinson may be asked to do more than fans expected before the schedule even settles in. [Read more 🡒]