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On paper, the Oklahoma Sooners have one of the toughest schedules in college football in 2025. The SEC schedule proved tough in 2024 when OU went just 2-6. That schedule didn’t get any easier, and the Sooners have a huge nonconference game against Michigan in week two.
In an early look at the 2025 football season, ESPN’s panel of college football writers answered several questions from the most impactful transfer to the most exciting early season game. ESPN’s Mark Schlabach picked the week two game between OU and Michigan, a pair of blue-blood programs that have been two of the most successful teams in the history of college football.
Michigan and Oklahoma have combined to win nearly 2,000 games and 17 national championships in their storied histories. It’s amazing that the Wolverines and Sooners have played exactly one time: OU defeated Michigan 14-6 in the 1976 Orange Bowl to capture their fifth national title under coach Barry Switzer. Finally, that will change when Michigan travels to Oklahoma on Sept. 6. The home-and-home series was announced more than a decade ago; the Sooners will travel to the Big House in 2026. Besides the obvious history, it’s going to be a big nonconference game for both programs, especially the Sooners. OU coach Brent Venables is 22-17 in three seasons after a 6-7 finish in 2024, his second losing campaign. Venables is taking over defensive playcalling next season, and he might need to turn things around in the SEC to save his job. It’s going to be the first big test for new Sooners quarterback John Mateer, who had nearly 4,000 yards of offense at Washington State last season. It won’t hurt that Cougars offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle is in Norman with him. – Schlabach, ESPN
Oklahoma’s week two matchup with the Michigan Wolverines is a huge one. Though they aren’t the team that went undefeated and won the national championship in 2023, they’re still a tough, physical football team that’s capable of beating even good teams. We saw what they did to Ohio State at the end of the 2024 season and the Buckeyes went on to win the national title.
Though the Wolverines may not be the toughest team they’ll face in 2025, it’s still a game that will tell us a lot about who the Sooners will be next year. Oklahoma is looking to revitalize their offense and need improved play from their offensive front. If there’s a non-SEC team that can provide the Sooners offensive line with an SEC-like defensive front, it’ll be the Michigan Wolverines.
They’re tough, physical, and will have talented players all over the defense. John Mateer, Ben Arbuckle, and the Sooners offensive line will have to have a good gameplan in week two for the Sooners to pickup a pivotal nonconference win.
And like we saw with the Texas Longhorns last season, beating the Wolverines can be an indicator as to how good your team can be that year, even if it’s not the same team that won the national title. Oklahoma has much to prove next season, and Michigan will be a strong litmus test for what this year’s Sooners will be about in 2025.
This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Oklahoma vs. Michigan among ESPN’s most exciting early-season games