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The Oklahoma Sooners are moving their home opener to Friday, Sept. 4, per a release from the University of Oklahoma athletic department, Roger Denny, and Brent Venables. The Sooners will face the UTEP Miners to open the season in 2026.
The game will be streamed on SEC Network+ with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m.
"Moving our home opener against UTEP to Friday night presents a unique opportunity to showcase Oklahoma Football," said Denny in the statement. "The game will be streamed digitally, which allows us to be more intentional about selecting a date and kickoff time. Historically, early-season games in Oklahoma can present significant heat challenges, and a Friday night kickoff provides a more comfortable environment for our student-athletes, fans and game-day staff. It also allows our fans to enjoy an electric atmosphere in Norman while making the most of the remainder of Labor Day weekend. We're excited to welcome Sooner Nation back to Owen Field for a rare Friday night game under the lights."
The Sooners are 5-0 all-time against the Miners, dating back to the inaugural matchup in 2000. Oklahoma opened its national championship-winning season with a 55-14 win. Oklahoma also earned the first win of the Venables era with a 45-13 win.
"Friday night games are rare for us, especially at home," said Venables, "so the opportunity to open our season under the lights on a Friday evening on Owen Field is exciting for our team. I expect the environment to be absolutely incredible, and I know our players will feed off that electricity."
The Sooners are averaging 49.6 points per game against the Miners all-time. It will be the debut for a number of players on the offensive side of the ball as well as assistant coaches Jason Witten and Deland McCullough.
The last time the Sooners played on Friday night was back in 2024 when OU beat Temple 51-3. Per the university, Oklahoma is 61-21-2 in Friday games, including a 2-6 record in bowl and College Football Playoff games.
Oklahoma's hoping this will kick-start another championship season in Norman.
Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X (formerly known as Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions.You can also follow John on X @john9williams.
This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Oklahoma Sooners announce schedule change to season opener vs. UTEP
Continue reading...
The game will be streamed on SEC Network+ with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m.
"Moving our home opener against UTEP to Friday night presents a unique opportunity to showcase Oklahoma Football," said Denny in the statement. "The game will be streamed digitally, which allows us to be more intentional about selecting a date and kickoff time. Historically, early-season games in Oklahoma can present significant heat challenges, and a Friday night kickoff provides a more comfortable environment for our student-athletes, fans and game-day staff. It also allows our fans to enjoy an electric atmosphere in Norman while making the most of the remainder of Labor Day weekend. We're excited to welcome Sooner Nation back to Owen Field for a rare Friday night game under the lights."
The Sooners are 5-0 all-time against the Miners, dating back to the inaugural matchup in 2000. Oklahoma opened its national championship-winning season with a 55-14 win. Oklahoma also earned the first win of the Venables era with a 45-13 win.
"Friday night games are rare for us, especially at home," said Venables, "so the opportunity to open our season under the lights on a Friday evening on Owen Field is exciting for our team. I expect the environment to be absolutely incredible, and I know our players will feed off that electricity."
The Sooners are averaging 49.6 points per game against the Miners all-time. It will be the debut for a number of players on the offensive side of the ball as well as assistant coaches Jason Witten and Deland McCullough.
The last time the Sooners played on Friday night was back in 2024 when OU beat Temple 51-3. Per the university, Oklahoma is 61-21-2 in Friday games, including a 2-6 record in bowl and College Football Playoff games.
Oklahoma's hoping this will kick-start another championship season in Norman.
Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X (formerly known as Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions.You can also follow John on X @john9williams.
This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Oklahoma Sooners announce schedule change to season opener vs. UTEP
Continue reading...
