The Oklahoma Sooners heading to the SEC in 2024 is going to be the start of what brings plenty of memorable moments to college football. Sadly, it also marks the end of some historical battles, such as Bedlam against Oklahoma State. Maybe one day the two programs will come together to spark the rivalry as non-conference opponents. The sport of college football is better with Bedlam in it.
Still, the grass is certainly greener in the SEC, and the Sooners will have plenty of historical battles to come in the new conference. They’re joining the league with Texas, a team they have a deeply-rooted rivalry against. They’ll also have to face programs like Alabama, LSU, Georgia, Texas A&M and more. The SEC is a gauntlet, and the Sooners will soon find that out.
With conference realignment running rampant, and the Power Four being impacted by it, ESPN’s Bill Connelly ranked 50 matchups from now-conference rivals.
Oklahoma vs. Georgia in 2018 Cotton Bowl ranks No. 1
Of all the games between conference realignment and the power conferences involved, Oklahoma vs. Georgia in the 2018 Cotton Bowl ranks No. 1.
“Even in the College Football Playoff era, the Rose Bowl has been able to create magic. And even with last-second title winners in 2017 and 2018, this semifinal game might still be the best thing the CFP has produced,” Connelly wrote.
The matchup between the two teams was electric. The talent. The lead the Sooners built in the first half. Georgia’s second-half comeback. All of it embodies what college football is, and it also had weight around the game. The winner got a berth to the National Championship.
“OU threatened to run away with the game in the first half, with two Rodney Anderson touchdowns and a trick play touchdown pass to quarterback Baker Mayfield built a 31-14 lead. But long touchdown runs by Nick Chubb and Sony Michel brought Georgia back, and the Dawgs took their first lead early in the fourth quarter,” Connelly continued.
Despite the early big lead, Georgia stormed back. Even with the Georgia comeback, the game still came down to the final possession as the Sooners lost the game 54-48.
“OU rebounded, scoring on a Mayfield touchdown pass to Dimitri Flowers and a 46-yard fumble return by Steven Parker, but another Chubb score sent the game to overtime,” Connelly wrote.
Overtime. In the College Football Playoffs. There might not be a more entertaining scenario, especially in a back-and-forth affair. The game was set up to be a classic, but it was to be determined whether Oklahoma would be on the winning side of history or not.
“After the teams traded field goals in the first OT possession, Oklahoma’s Austin Seibert had a 27-yard field goal block. Just one play later, Sony Michel raced down the left sideline and sent Georgia to the national title game,” Connelly wrote.
Other classic OU games against now-SEC rivals
While Oklahoma vs. Georgia was the top-ranking game of all the conference realignment teams, it wasn’t the Sooners’ only mention.
The first mention of Oklahoma came at the No. 33-ranked contest, where the Sooners took a 27-25 loss to Ole Miss in the Independence Bowl. Oklahoma came back from down 21-3 to take a 25-24 lead. They lost to a game-winning field goal by the Rebels.
Next, the Sooners’ contest against Kentucky in 1951 was ranked No. 26 among all the games. The Sooners lost a 13-7 contest in the Sugar Bowl, ending a 31-game win streak.
The No. 23-ranked game was another Oklahoma loss, coming in a 30-26 defeat to Texas A&M in 2002. Unbeaten and ranked No. 1, just two years after the Sooners’ most recent national title, the Aggies edged out Oklahoma in a close game.
Finally, a Sooners win! Oklahoma vs. Tennessee, a 1968 Orange Bowl battle, was ranked No. 21. The Sooners won the game 26-24. Now, Oklahoma had a 19-0 halftime lead. The Volunteers won the second half 24-7, barely falling short of a comeback victory.
At No. 19 — Oklahoma’s final mention before the No. 1-ranked contest — the Sooners’ 1975 battle against Missouri earned the ranking. Oklahoma had a 20-7 lead in the final frame, but Missouri went on a 20-point run. Leading 27-20, Missouri then allowed Oklahoma’s Joe Washington to rush for a 71-yard touchdown on fourth-and-1. He also punched a two-point conversion for a victory.
It’s safe to say there’s quite a bit of history behind Oklahoma’s move to the SEC. There will be elite moments in Norman and on the road for the Sooners. They’ll also get a stab at SEC titles and the College Football Playoffs. There’s plenty of history to be written for the program in the new conference.
READ MORE: Sooners Atop SEC Team Recruiting Rankings For 2025 Class
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