Sooners Agree To Two-Game Football Series With Michigan

<span style="font-family:&quot;Arial Narrow&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">BREAKING: Oklahoma and Michigan have agreed to a two-game football series in 2025 and 2026.</span>

Monday, July 14th 2014, 4:43 pm

By: News 9


Oklahoma and the University of Michigan have agreed to a two-game football series in 2025 and 2026. Oklahoma will host the Wolverines in Norman on Sept. 6, 2025, while the Sooners are scheduled to travel to Ann Arbor, Mich., on Sept. 12, 2026.

“We remain committed to playing games that celebrate the history and excitement of college football,” said OU Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics and Director of Athletics Joe Castiglione. “We're grateful for head coach Bob Stoops, who shares that commitment. Oklahoma and Michigan represent two of the most iconic names in American sport and we look forward to a series that will be marked by mutual respect and admiration. We also know how truly special these opportunities are for student-athletes, as well as our fans and college football fans everywhere. I want to express my appreciation to Michigan Athletics Director Dave Brandon, who shares our philosophy.”

“Over a span of many, many years, we have emphasized the importance of a strength-of-schedule strategy. The new College Football Playoff format underscores that philosophy, as well. A well-balanced schedule creates the proper challenges for our program and prepares us in our pursuit of championships.” 

In the lone previous meeting between the institutions, Oklahoma defeated Michigan in the 1976 Orange Bowl by a 14-6 margin to secure a sixth national championship for the Sooners. That OU victory capped a remarkable start to the Barry Switzer era as Oklahoma registered a 32-1-1 record and won two national titles over a three-year span. 

The Sooners arrived in Miami ranked third in the nation with a 10-1 record while Bo Schembechler’s Wolverines were coming off an 8-1-2 regular season to earn a number five ranking in the polls. Oklahoma’s Billy Brooks gave the Sooners an early 7-0 lead off a 39-yard end around in the first quarter. OU put the game away in the fourth courtesy of a Steve Davis nine-yard touchdown run to deliver another national championship to Oklahoma.

“We are excited to reach an agreement to play Oklahoma, one of the storied programs in college football history,” said Dave Brandon, the Donald R. Shepherd Director of Athletics at the University of Michigan. “I appreciate Joe (Castiglione) and his team’s effort to make this series a possibility. Oklahoma and Michigan have always been regarded as two of the top programs in college football, and creating this type of match-up is great for fans of both programs and the game of college football.”

When the Wolverines visit Norman in 2025, it will also be the first time the Sooners have ever hosted a team from the state of Michigan in program history. Conversely, the 2026 trip to the famed “Big House” will mark Oklahoma’s first game played in the state of Michigan in OU’s illustrious football history. The 2025 game will also mark the initial regular season meeting for the Sooners against a Big Ten foe since Oklahoma hosted Northwestern in 1997.

The Sooners and Wolverines own two of the most decorated histories in college football lore. Oklahoma boasts seven national championships, 47 bowl appearances, 44 conference titles, five Heisman Trophy winners and 76 consensus All-Americans. Michigan has been one of the hallmark programs of the Big Ten in the conference’s history. The Wolverines have claimed three AP national championships, 43 bowl appearances, 42 conference titles, three Heisman Trophy winners and 78 consensus All-Americans.

The Wolverines are the latest marquee opponent added to Oklahoma’s non-conference schedule in the upcoming seasons. Michigan joins Tennessee (2014, 2015), Ohio State (2016, 2017), UCLA (2018, 2019), Army (2018, 2020) and Nebraska (2021, 2022) among OU’s future non-conference opponents. During Stoops’ tenure with the Sooners, Oklahoma has faced some of the top programs in college football during the regular season. That list includes Notre Dame (1999, 2012, 2013), Alabama (2002, 2003), Oregon (2004, 2006), UCLA (2005), Washington (2006, 2008), Miami (2007) and Florida State (2010, 2011).

As a reminder to fans, dates for all non-conference games in 2014 and beyond are subject to changed based on television partners’ request or if mutually agreed upon by both teams.

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