Paul Finebaum Predicts Key Games for Oklahoma's SEC Debut

Oklahoma has now left the Big 12 in the dust and is set to make its conference debut in the SEC in 2024.

The Sooners now have an eight-team SEC schedule that will most likely consist of five preseason top-25 teams. They'll host Tennessee, South Carolina, and Alabama at home. Then they'll go on the road to face conference foes Auburn, Ole Miss, Missouri, and LSU. They'll play Texas at the historic Cotton Bowl for the annual Red River Showdown.

While on McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning , college football analyst Paul Finebaum stated that two of those games for the Sooners will potentially determine their success in their first year in the SEC.

“Oklahoma has two games at home that I think are critical," Finebaum said. "It’s the Tennessee game early, and you all know what’s gonna happen when Josh Heupel shows back up here. He was the hero of the last national championship. Then, Alabama at the end.”

The Vols enter the 2024 season looking to bounce back after finishing 8-4 last year. They'll hope to do so behind highly-touted quarterback Nico Iamaleava.

Heupel was a former Heisman Trophy runner-up in 2000 who played quarterback for the Sooners. The now Tennessee head coach would later coach for his alma mater as an assistant. However, his contract was not renewed after the Sooners finished the 2014 season 8-5.

As for the Crimson Tide, well, until proven otherwise, they're still part of the elite in all of college football, even with Nick Saban retired and former Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer taking his place.

Oklahoma will open up SEC play with Tennessee on Sept. 21 at home.