It was nearly a decade ago when the Oklahoma Sooners traveled to the Horseshoe and won a tough game against Ohio State before their quarterback planted the Oklahoma flag in the middle of the field. It’s likely a fond moment for many Sooner fans, as it once again showed Oklahoma taking on and beating the best.
Oklahoma is no stranger to scheduling tough blue-blood nonconference opponents. Along with a trip to Ohio State, the Sooners have traveled to Notre Dame, Nebraska, and now Michigan in recent years. It allows them to be truly challenged early in the season, ahead of the conference slate.
But with the doubleheader with the Wolverines wrapping up Saturday – A pair of games that were announced 12 years ago – who knows if it’s in the best interest
of Oklahoma to continue to schedule these elite types of contests. The SEC is tough enough on its own, in terms of building a solid resume for the College Football Playoff Committee.
And as the landscape of college football keeps changing, it's no secret that scheduling tough nonconference games may not be worth the squeeze, especially if you lose and go into conference play already holding a loss. A prime example is Texas just this past year. The Longhorns were likely left out of the playoff because of their three losses – one of which was to Ohio State in the season-opener.
Even so, Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables doesn’t want to do away with scheduling and playing elite non-conference games. During his weekly Tuesday morning press conference, he was asked whether it would become increasingly difficult for fans to see these elite matchups.
"As long as the playoffs stay the way they are right now, probably that would be the case, I would guess," Venables said. "Less and less teams willing to do that, playing nonconference. Maybe even go up to 10 conference games, don't know what that all is going to look like.
"I'm glad we're playing them,” he continued. “It does a lot in recruiting. It certainly gets our guys ready from a league standpoint, preparation standpoint."
Venables says he likes to play tough non-conference games like going against Michigan. Says it helps prepare his team for a tough conference schedule.
— George Stoia III (@GeorgeStoia) September 8, 2026
For elite programs like Oklahoma, the first couple of weeks are typically reserved for smaller programs that are looking to fund their athletic programs and give their players exposure on a big stage.
So, it's notable that the No. 11 Sooners head to Ann Arbor, Mich., to battle it out with another blue-blood program. Michigan has the most wins in college football history and has won 10 national championships, including one just three years ago. It's a program that routinely fields top talent that goes on to play in the NFL.
Even with the Wolverines falling out of the Top-25after a controversial win in Week 1, the win would still mean a lot for the Sooners, who already have one of the toughest schedules in the country.
Baker Mayfield planting the flag at Ohio State surely served as an iconic moment. But there’s a chance that those moments will be seen less often. One thing is clear, however: the Sooners head ball coach is hoping that isn’t the case for Oklahoma.
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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Brent Venables hopes elite nonconference games won’t go away
