Much has been written this offseason about what a difficult hand Oklahoma had been dealt by the 2024 SEC schedule makers.
The Sooners knew that the competition in the SEC would be stronger than what they have faced in the Big 12. The OU schedule for the coming season demonstrates that in spades.
Oklahoma's eight conference games in its inaugural SEC season include matchups with six teams (Tennessee, Texas, Alabama, Ole Miss, Missouri and LSU) ranked in the nation's top 25 to begin the season. All six teams are ranked ahead of the Sooners in the initial Coaches Poll Top 25 for the 2024 season.
According to ESPN's College Football Power Index, Oklahoma has the seventh hardest schedule entering the new season. To further illustrate how tough life is in the SEC, out of the 10 teams the FPI lists as having the most difficult schedules in the coming season are from the SEC. Only Georgia Tech, out of the ACC, ranked with the ninth hardest schedule, is not from the SEC.
Florida, Mississippi State, Georgia, Kentucky and Auburn, in that order, are the teams with the five hardest 2024 schedules, according to the FPI. They are followed by Alabama, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Georgia Tech and Texas.
The Sooners begin the long and difficult road ahead of them in 2024 with four consecutive home games to start the season. OU opens the season on Friday, Aug. 30 against Temple, followed on successive Saturdays by Houston, Tulane and the SEC conference opener against Tennessee, coached by former Sooner quarterback and offensive coordinator Josh Heupel.