Schedule Review: A Look at Oklahoma’s Opponents After Week 3

Temple 

Temple is still looking for its first win of 2024 three weeks into the season. Most recently, the Owls got the closest they’ve gotten so far in a 28-20 loss to Coastal Carolina in Temple’s home opener on Saturday. Temple was unable to overcome a 14-0 deficit to start the game. 

After losing to Oklahoma in Week 1, Temple then lost to Navy 38-11. Next, the Owls stay home to play Utah State in search of their first win. 

Houston

Like Temple, Houston is still trying to tally its first victory of the young season. However, the Cougars ended up being handed a pretty daunting start. Even before a trip to the SEC-bound Sooners, Houston lost to UNLV 27-7 in Week 1. Fast forward, and UNLV is now 3-0 after just beating Kansas on Friday night. Saturday night was the Cougars worst loss so far – a 33-7 embarrassment to Rice at home. Houston will now start Big 12 play at Cincinnati at 11 a.m. Saturday. 

Tulane 

We all know what happened to Tulane on Saturday in Norman. If not, read more of Sooners on SI. 

The Green Wave went to Norman 1-2 after nearly upsetting a top-20 Kansas State team the week before at home. Tulane led 20-10 at halftime before dropping the game 34-27. The Green Wave beat Southeast Louisiana 52-0 Week 1. 

Things likely get easier for Tulane here on out with conference play starting. The Green Wave gets Louisiana first in AAC action.   

Tennessee

Tennessee comes to Norman next. And the Volunteers are rolling under former OU quarterback Josh Heupel. 

The No. 7 Volunteers have outscored opponents 191-13 so far. That includes a 51-10 beat down of then-No. 24 NC State Week 2. Most recently, they thumped Kent State 71-0 on Saturday night. 

How impressive Tennessee has been, plus the storylines of Heupel’s return and OU’s inaugural SEC game, has garnered enough national attention to attract ESPN College GaneDay to Norman on Saturday morning. The game will then be under the lights at Memorial Stadium at 6:30 p.m. 

Auburn

The sky was falling for a week at Auburn, and a victory over a winless New Mexico team on Saturday might not have really fixed anything. 

The Tigers handled New Mexico 45-19, but the week before that they lost to California 21-14 at home. Week 1 was another beatdown but against Alabama A&M. 

The loss to Cal led Auburn to go with freshman Hank Brown at quarterback on Saturday. He was 17-of-25 for 235 yards and four TDs compared to no interceptions in his first start. So when OU goes to Auburn in a few weeks, it looks like for the first time in his career, Jackson Arnold will be the most experienced QB on the field. 

But before hosting the Sooners, the Tigers welcome Arkansas on Saturday. 

Texas

The Longhorns might be the only SEC team hotter than Tennessee right now. A battle between the UTs for an SEC title and the sole possessor of the acronym would be fun. 

Texas handled Colorado State 52-0 Week 1 before going into the Big House and embarrassing then-No. 10 Michigan 31-12. This week, UTSA was the victim, 56-7. Do the math, and the Longhorns have outscored their opponents 139-19 through three weeks. 

Unlike OU, though, Texas still won’t start its SEC journey this week. The Longhorns will host Louisiana Monroe at 7 p.m. Saturday before getting Mississippi State the next week. 

South Carolina

South Carolina was oh-so-close to upending No. 16 LSU on Saturday but instead dropped to 2-1. 

After starting the season against Old Dominion, the Gamecocks have already played two SEC games, handling Kentucky 31-6 before losing to LSU 36-33 on Saturday while hosting GameDay. 

The Gamecocks go back to nonconference play next, though, hosting Akron at 6:30 p.m. Saturday. 

Ole Miss

OK, so Ole Miss might be just as hot as Tennessee and Texas but hasn’t had as tough of a test yet. 

The Rebels outscored their three nonconference opponents 168-9. Their biggest challenge, though, was Wake Forest, which Ole Miss beat 40-6 on Saturday. The other two were Furman and Middle Tennessee State. And that soft schedule only continues for the Rebels with Georgia Southern upcoming. 

Maine

Speaking of easy matchups. 

Maine beat Colgate 17-14 Week 1 before dropping its next two games to Montana State and Monmouth. OU is the only FBS opponent on Maine’s schedule. But the Sooners will definitely need this break in the midst of an SEC gauntlet. 

Missouri

And back to your regularly scheduled programming. 

Missouri is another undefeated top-10 team from the SEC ahead of OU. Mizzou most recently slipped past No. 24 Boston College 27-21 on Saturday in Columbia. That was the first time this season the Tigers gave up a point after shutting out Murray State and Buffalo. 

Next, Missouri hosts Vanderbilt. 

Alabama

Alabama looked vulnerable after Week 2, but then thumped an undefeated Wisconsin team 42-10 on Saturday. Before that, the Crimson Tide struggled early in a 42-16 win over South Florida. 

The Crimson Tide now get a week off before the granddaddy of SEC matchups – Georgia at Alabama at 6:30 p.m. Saturday. 

LSU

LSU has bounced back with two straight wins after losing its season opener to USC, 27-20. The Tigers came back from a 17-0 hole, though, to get by South Carolina 36-33 on Saturday. 

The Tigers will go back to nonconference play next and play UCLA, which is, uhh, in L.A., like USC.