OU football\u2019s season opener is being moved to Friday, Sept. 4, at 7 p.m. CT. <\/p>\n
The Sooners were originally scheduled to play on Saturday, Sept. 5, but opted to move the game to Friday night. If OU had kept the game on Saturday, it likely would have been given an early kickoff. The school preferred to give the fans a night game, which is why it ultimately moved it to Friday. It also gives the team an extra day of preparation for Michigan in Week 2. <\/p>\n
\u201cFriday night games are rare for us, especially at home,\u201d Venables said in a statement,<\/a> \u201cso 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.\u201d<\/p>\n This isn\u2019t the first time OU has moved its season opener to a day other than Saturday. In 2019, the Sooners played Houston on Sunday of Week 1. In 2024, they played Temple on Friday night. Each of these games was moved to avoid early kickoffs. <\/p>\n \u201cMoving our home opener against UTEP to Friday night presents a unique opportunity to showcase Oklahoma Football,\u201d OU athletics director Roger Denny said in a statement.<\/a> \u201cThe 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\u2019re excited to welcome Sooner Nation back to Owen Field for a rare Friday night game under the lights.\u201d<\/p>\n