Playing at home is an advantage for any team, and there are few home-field advantages better than Oklahoma’s.
As OU coach Brent Venables enters his third season with the Sooners, he has seen his fair share of ups and downs. However, success at home has been one of the team’s most consistent areas, from Bob Stoops to Lincoln Riley to Venables.
On Tuesday, EA released its toughest places to play for College Football 25, which will be released next month. OU and Gaylord Memorial Stadium earned the No. 8 spot on the list.
OU Joins a Long List of Tough SEC Environments
As the Sooners make their move to the SEC next season, they will be in for some of the most intimidating environments in college football. EA’s list featured Texas A&M, Alabama and LSU in the top three. The SEC narrowly missed out on sweeping the top five, with Georgia coming in fifth. Including the Sooners, the SEC has 12 teams in EA’s top 25 toughest places to play.
Next season, OU will play in a few of those tough environments with matchups at Auburn, Ole Miss and LSU to kick off its SEC tenure. Just as the Sooners will need to adjust to the tough environments in the SEC, the conference will also have to deal with games in Norman.
Recent Dominance in Norman
Last season, OU went undefeated in six home games in its final year in the Big 12. With their undefeated record in Norman, the Sooners outscored opponents by 185 points, including four games in which they scored at least 50 points.
Although opponents will change next season, the Sooners’ home dominance could easily continue. After losing three home games in the 2014 season, OU has lost only five in the nine seasons since. Including only three home losses in the past six seasons, Norman has been one of the most intimidating environments for opposing teams.
Next season, the Sooners will host seven home games, including their first four. They will begin the 2024 season against Temple, Houston, Tulane and Tennessee. OU will also host South Carolina and Maine throughout the season before its home finale against Alabama in late November.
READ MORE: Oklahoma, Brent Venables Agree to Long-Term Contract Extension
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