An Oklahoma softball schedule should never be missing Texas, but here we are.
OU released its full 2027 schedule on Thursday, and although it was anticipated after the SEC released conference matchups in September, the recent announcement confirmed that the Red River Rivalry will not happen on a softball diamond this upcoming season, unless the two programs have a surprise for later or meet in the postseason.
This season will not only be missing a tradition for both sides of the Red River, but all of college softball will be missing out on a clash between the two biggest giants in the sport right now.
OU's 2027 softball schedule
Feb. 11 – at San Diego
Feb. 12 – vs. Utah (Fullerton, CA)
Feb. 12 – at Cal State Fullerton
Feb. 14 – at Long Beach State
Feb. 19-21 – Tournament in Lafayette, LA
-Louisiana
-Western Kentucky
-Southeastern Louisiana
Feb. 25-28 – Okana Invitational (Norman, OK)
-Houston
-Tulsa
-Pittsburgh
-Colorado State
March 4-6 – Tournament at Texas A&M (College Station, TX)
-Indiana
-Louisiana-Monroe
-Incarnate Word
-Texas A&M
March 12-14 – at Georgia
March 17 – vs. Arizona State
March 19-21 – vs. Missouri
March 23 – at Wichita State
March 25 – vs. Cal Poly
March 26 – vs. Cal Poly (Oklahoma City, OK)
March 27 – vs. Oklahoma State (Oklahoma City, OK)
April 2-4 – at Tennessee
April 9-11 – vs. Florida
April 13 – at Tulsa
April 16-18 – at Mississippi State
April 23-25 – vs. LSU
April 28 – vs. North Texas
April 30-May 2 – at South Carolina
May 6-8 – vs. Alabama
May 11-15 – SEC Tournament (Madison, AL)
Loaded SEC slate still can't make up for Texas missing from Oklahoma's schedule
The Sooners still have a stacked SEC slate, even if it doesn't feature two-time defending champion Texas, but OU head coach Patty Gasso went light again with the non-conference portion.
Yes, the schedule includes 13 teams that made the NCAA Tournament last year, but only five of those are non-conference opponents (Cal State Fullerton, Southeastern Louisiana, Indiana, Arizona State, and Oklahoma State). Of those five, only Oklahoma State and Arizona State made it out of regionals.
Gasso also approached last season like this since the Sooners' SEC schedule is so loaded, but then it seemed like her team wasn't prepared for conference play and tougher competition when it mattered, before ultimately falling short of the Women's College World Series for the first time in nine years.
The Sooners will once again begin their season on the West Coast to play San Diego, Utah, Cal State Fullerton, and Long Beach State in California. As easy as that opening weekend seems, Long Beach State beat the Sooners 6-4 last year in maybe the biggest upset in college softball history. OU also needed extra innings to fend off Cal State Fullerton two days before in the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic.
The Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic isn't on the calendar again in 2027, but the Sooners will take a trip to College Station, Texas, to play Indiana, Louisiana-Monroe, Incarnate Word, and Texas A&M right before SEC play starts.
The Sooners will also host Tulsa, Houston, Pittsburgh, and Colorado State for the annual Okana Invitational on Feb. 25-28 at Love's Field. Gasso will face off against her son, DJ Gasso, who just became Tulsa's head coach over the offseason after previously being Arkansas' hitting coach. OU will also travel to Tulsa on April 13 for a midweek meeting.
Other midweek matchups for the Sooners include Arizona State, Wichita State, and North Texas.
Bedlam against Oklahoma State will be at Devon Park again on Saturday, March 27. That's at least one rivalry still on the schedule for the Sooners, and that one is even harder to maintain now as a non-conference matchup. You can take away Bedlam or OU-Nebraska, but never the Red River Rivalry, or at least we thought.
As lackluster as the early part of the Sooners' schedule is, they don't get to breathe at all once SEC play begins, with three-game series against Georgia, Missouri, Tennessee, Florida, Mississippi State, LSU, South Carolina, and Alabama. Three of those teams -- Mississippi State, Tennessee, and Alabama -- made it to the Women's College World Series.
The SEC Tournament will be in Madison, Ala., on May 11-15. That will be the first time we could see the Red River Rivalry renewed. If not, then hopefully OU and Texas meet during the WCWS. And if they don't play at all, it would be the only second time ever. The only other time was 2020, when all sports during that time were canceled.
Can you imagine a football season without a clash at the Cotton Bowl on the second Saturday of October? That will always be the marquee matchup, but the Red River Rivalry is actually strongest in softball right now.
With Texas winning back-to-back titles, the Sooners and Longhorns account for the last six national titles. That's two dynasties on opposite sides of a historical rivalry. When they meet, it's a series worthy of national TV on ESPN and ABC that fans watch. There are likely viewers tuning into college softball for the first time all season because of the matchup.
There's (hopefully) no global pandemic in 2027, just poor scheduling and the SEC completely botching not only a tradition, but taking a spotlight off college softball.
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