The Oklahoma Sooners are set to kick off their inaugural season in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) in 2024, alongside the Texas Longhorns. It is a move that has sparked great excitement among college football fans across the country. As if that wasn’t enough, the USC Trojans and UCLA Bruins will also be making their way to the Big Ten that same year.
The anticipation for the 2024 season is at an all-time high with the expansion of the College Football Playoff to 12 teams. This means teams that were once eliminated from contention in November will have renewed hope for a chance at the national championship title.
As we countdown to the much-anticipated season, let’s take a look at Oklahoma’s head-to-head record against the eight opponents they’ll face in the SEC in 2024. Interestingly, the Sooners have only met two of their opponents outside of bowl season, winning both home-and-home matchups against Arkansas in 2002 and 2003.
Against LSU, the Sooners have a less impressive record, losing three out of four meetings. Their only win against the Tigers came back in 1950, with a 35-0 victory in New Orleans. However, their last loss to LSU in the 2019 Peach Bowl was the turning point of the Sooners’ College Football Playoff (CFP) run, which they hope to improve upon in the new conference.
Oklahoma has a far better record against Missouri, winning 51 out of the last 60 games. Jim Tatum got the ball rolling, and Bud Wilkinson continued the winning streak, securing 14 wins in a row for the Sooners, which remains the longest winning streak in the series.
The Rebels of Ole Miss hold the distinction of being the only SEC team to remain undefeated against the Sooners; however, the Sooners hope to change that in 2024. Meanwhile, the matchup between Oklahoma and South Carolina will be a historic first, as the two sides have never taken the field together before.
The Sooners last lost to Tennessee in the 1939 Orange Bowl, and since then, they have been unbeaten against the Volunteers. This year, the Sooners vs. Volunteers match-up is among the top matches that fans are excited to see in the new-look SEC.
Finally, the much-anticipated Red River Showdown with cross-state rivals, the Texas Longhorns, is still alive and well. Although the Longhorns had the last laugh in the last meeting, the Sooners lead the series overall. Since the end of World War II, Oklahoma has won 39 out of 79 games, with 16 wins coming since Coach Bob Stoops took over in 1999.
As we await the 2024 season with bated breath, Sooners fans are undoubtedly excited to see their team compete in the SEC alongside some of the best football programs in the nation. It is sure to be a season to remember, even in the storied history of college football.
