Oklahoma’s first SEC trip is officially locked in, and it comes with a noon-adjacent feel for a big league opener.
The Sooners will head to Georgia on Sept. 26 for a 2:30 p.m. CT kickoff at Sanford Stadium, with the game set to air on ABC or ESPN. The SEC finalized the Week 4 slate Monday, and the network assignment will be announced after Week 3 wraps up.
It’s a notable first for the conference rivals. Oklahoma and Georgia have met only once before, and that came on New Year’s Day in 2018, when the Bulldogs beat the Sooners 54-48 in the College Football Playoff semifinals at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. Georgia then fell to Alabama in the national title game in another overtime battle in Atlanta that season.
This one in Athens will be the first regular-season meeting between the programs, and the first time they line up as SEC opponents. It’s Oklahoma’s conference opener. It’s also Georgia’s first SEC home game, after the Bulldogs begin league play this week on the road at Arkansas.
Before that trip, Oklahoma still has one more tune-up. The Sooners host New Mexico in Week 3 at Owen Field at 6:30 p.m.
CT on ESPN2, looking to respond after taking their first loss of the year. OU dropped a 17-10 decision to Michigan in Ann Arbor in Week 2, falling to 1-1 and sliding to No. 24 in the AP poll after sitting at No. 11 the week before.
Oklahoma opened as a three-touchdown favorite against the Lobos and can move to 2-1 before SEC play begins if it takes care of business at home.
Georgia has taken the opposite path so far, rolling through its first two nonconference games. The Bulldogs opened with a 63-3 win over FCS opponent Tennessee State and followed that with a 70-20 win over Western Kentucky.
The Bulldogs are No. 2 in the AP poll, up from No. 3 in the preseason and unchanged after Week 2. They are expected to be 3-0 when Oklahoma arrives, provided they handle Arkansas in Week 3.
That game in Fayetteville kicks off at 11 a.m. on ABC. The Razorbacks are 1-1 after a 43-10 loss to Utah in Week 2 and are still projected to finish at the bottom of the SEC this season.
In Other News...
Oklahoma Just Lost Its Defensive Safety Net At The Worst Spot
Kip Lewis injury landed at a brutal moment for Oklahoma, because the Sooners were already trying to settle things on the second level of the defense. The senior linebacker and captain suffered a serious right knee injury against Michigan, and Brent Venables said he is expected to miss some time, leaving a noticeable hole in a group that has been central to the defenses communication and stability.
James Nesta stepped in and handled his snaps well, which at least gave Oklahoma something to build on from the game. But Owen Heinecke and Cole Sullivan were also pushed into linebacker duty with mixed results, and the larger issue now is how the Sooners patch together that spot before the next stretch of games begins to test their depth even more. [Read more 🡒]
Lincoln Riley Just Added A Defensive Name Oklahoma Fans Know Too Well
Gary Patterson is back on the sidelines, and Oklahoma fans know the name well enough to understand why it matters. After a three-year break from coaching defense, the newly elected Hall of Fame coach has taken on a defensive coordinator role at USC, a notable return after leaving TCU in 2021 and spending the last stretch as a special assistant at Texas and a consultant at Baylor.
Pattersons move also reunites him with Lincoln Riley, giving USC a veteran defensive voice Riley had tried to add before. Patterson previously turned down a coaching opportunity to preserve his Hall of Fame eligibility, so this latest step adds another layer to a career that had seemed headed in a different direction just a short time ago. [Read more 🡒]
John Mateer Just Fueled An Oklahoma Quarterback Debate
John Mateers first marquee test in an Oklahoma uniform came with plenty of familiar quarterback flash, but also enough rough edges to keep the Sooners conversation going. In a 17-10 loss to Michigan, Mateer finished 17 of 33 for 189 yards with a touchdown and an interception, and the bigger issue was how often the offense stalled around him. Accuracy and timing were inconsistent, and Oklahoma never quite found the rhythm it needed as the game tightened.
The offensive line shuffle didnt help, either, with the rebuilt front affecting both the running game and the overall flow of the offense. Mateers fourth-quarter interception came at a particularly costly moment and only sharpened the debate about what Oklahoma wants at quarterback as the season moves forward. For a team trying to define itself against elite opposition, the opener offered just enough promise to keep hope alive and just enough frustration to keep the questions coming. [Read more 🡒]