OU Football Season Opener: Friday Night Lights at Owen Field

The OU football team, led by Coach Brent Venables, will kick off the 2026 season with an earlier start than planned. The season opener against UTEP has been rescheduled to 7 p.m. on Friday, September 4th at Owen Field. Fans can catch the game on SEC Network+.

This change marks only the second time in the regular season that the Sooners will play a Friday night home game. The last time was a resounding 51-3 victory over Temple two years ago. The team will look to start the season strong in this rare Friday night matchup.

The Sooners' decision to move the game to Friday offers fans a unique opportunity to kick off the weekend with some exciting football action. Be sure to tune in to SEC Network+ on September 4th to watch the team in action.