Upcoming Oklahoma Sooners football dates
Dates and live ticket listings appear here as soon as they are on sale. The guide below covers what to know before you buy.
Oklahoma football: history and identity
Oklahoma Sooners football is the University of Oklahoma's program, and its home games are played in Norman at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, whose playing surface is Owen Field. The stadium holds 80,126. The Sooners first played in 1895 and joined the Southeastern Conference (SEC) in 2024 after 28 seasons in the Big 12 and, before that, 76 in the Big Eight.
Few programs can match the trophy case. Oklahoma claims seven national championships (1950, 1955, 1956, 1974, 1975, 1985 and 2000) and 50 conference championships, the most of any current Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) member, including 14 in a row from 1946 to 1959. Seven Sooners have won the Heisman Trophy: Billy Vessels (1952), Steve Owens (1969), Billy Sims (1978), Jason White (2003), Sam Bradford (2008), Baker Mayfield (2017) and Kyler Murray (2018).
Three coaching eras define the program. Bud Wilkinson's teams won 47 consecutive games, Barry Switzer went 157–29–4 with three national titles and Bob Stoops went 190–48 with 10 conference titles. This page covers the program, not the current staff or roster; check the official site for those.
Best seats at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
The stadium is a bowl with its long axis running north to south, enclosed at both ends since the south end zone was rebuilt in the 2015–16 offseason. Knowing who sits where makes the map easy to read.
- West side: the Sooners' bench has been on the west sideline since the mid-1990s. The west stands carry the press box and an upper deck added in 1975. For a home fan, the lower west sideline between the 20-yard lines is the best seat in the house.
- East side: the student sections fill the east stands around the Pride of Oklahoma band, which sits in section 29 between the 20- and 35-yard lines. Expect to stand all game. The east upper deck, added in 2003, holds about 2,500 club seats and 27 suites.
- South end and southeast: visitor seating is in the south end zone and the southern sections of the east side. Road fans should buy there; Sooner fans who want a home crowd should avoid it.
- North end zone: a cheaper way in, facing the length of the field, with the north videoboard above.
Most home games kick off in September heat. Because the bowl runs north to south, the late-afternoon sun sets behind the west stands, so east-side seats look into it for a mid-afternoon kickoff. Upper rows that sit under an overhang are the main source of shade. Ask about cover before buying for a day game.
Texas, Bedlam and the biggest dates on the schedule
The Red River Rivalry (not a home game)
The Texas game, first played on October 10, 1900, has been held at the Cotton Bowl in Fair Park, Dallas, since 1932, during the State Fair of Texas. It usually falls on the second Saturday in October and is contracted to stay at Fair Park through 2036. Tickets are split 50–50 between the schools, and the stadium is divided at the 50-yard line, so Oklahoma fans sit on one half of the stadium and Texas fans on the other. The winner takes home the Golden Hat trophy. Because each school controls its half, resale is the main route in for fans without donor priority.
Bedlam
Oklahoma State and Oklahoma first met in 1904. The last Bedlam football game was played on November 4, 2023, before Oklahoma moved to the SEC, and scheduling issues mean the series is not expected to resume before the 2031 season.
SEC home games
The move to the SEC brought new home opponents to Norman, including former Big Eight rival Missouri. In general, ranked SEC opponents, night kickoffs and late-season games with conference standings at stake draw the most demand. Early nonconference games are usually the easiest tickets to find.
Gameday traditions in Norman
- The Sooner Schooner: the program's mascot, a replica covered wagon (a prairie schooner) that runs onto the field.
- "Boomer Sooner": the fight song, heard throughout every home game.
- The Pride of Oklahoma: the 350-member band, seated with the students on the east side.
- The war memorial: the stadium honors university students and personnel who died in World War I, and a memorial listing Sooners killed in military service stands beside the reflecting pool north of the stadium.
As of the 2026 season, OU allows one clear bag up to 12 by 6 by 12 inches (clear backpacks and totes included), a one-gallon clear bag, and a small non-clear bag up to 5.5 by 7.5 inches, such as a fanny pack or crossbody. An empty clear plastic water bottle under 17 ounces and a frameless seat cushion under 16 inches wide are allowed. Coolers, chairs, umbrellas, video cameras and noisemakers are not. Check the OU entry and bag policy before you go.
How Oklahoma football tickets work
Like most SEC programs, Oklahoma sells the bulk of its stadium as season tickets, and the best sideline locations generally go to donors with priority built over years of giving. Students buy through their own allocation in the east stands. Single-game seats from the athletics ticket office are limited for high-demand games, which is why most fans who want to sit between the 20-yard lines for a big SEC game buy on the secondary market from season ticket holders.
Prices on resale move with the opponent, both teams' rankings, the kickoff time and the forecast. For the Texas game in Dallas, demand is split between two fan bases with an equal share of the stadium, so prices tend to track both teams' seasons. Every GoodSeats order is backed by a 100% guarantee. GoodSeats is independent and not affiliated with the University of Oklahoma.
Getting to the stadium
The stadium is on the University of Oklahoma campus at 1185 Asp Avenue in Norman, south of Oklahoma City. Campus parking and traffic plans change by season; the athletics department posts a game-day parking and traffic page before each home game. Arriving early is the safest plan for a sellout: the record crowd here is 88,308, set against TCU on November 11, 2017, and traffic out of Norman after a full house takes time.
Frequently asked questions
Where do the Oklahoma Sooners play home games?
At Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, also called Owen Field, in Norman. Its official capacity has been 80,126 since 2019.
Where is the student section at OU's stadium?
The student sections are in the east stands, surrounding the Pride of Oklahoma band in section 29, between the 20- and 35-yard lines.
Where do visiting fans sit in Norman?
Visitor seating is in the south end zone and the southern sections of the east side. The Sooners' bench is on the west sideline.
Is the Oklahoma vs. Texas game played in Norman?
No. The Red River Rivalry is played at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas during the State Fair of Texas, usually in October, with tickets split 50–50 between the schools.
When did Oklahoma join the SEC?
Oklahoma began SEC play in 2024 after leaving the Big 12, where it had competed since 1996.