Oklahoma's schedule could make or break 2024 season

The Oklahoma Sooners head into the 2024 season with a ton of talent, but questions remain. We’re still more than six weeks away from seeing what the offensive line looks like and it won’t be until this team faces Tennessee in their SEC opener that we get a glimpse of what this team is capable of in 2024.

The data supports a strong season for the Oklahoma Sooners. OU is No. 8 in the ESPN Football Power Index and No. 15 in SP+ ratings. But where they land at the end of the season will be determined in large part to how they manage the schedule.

Not every SEC team plays elite teams week in and week out, no matter what SEC fans want to tell you, but after a light nonconference slate, Oklahoma damn near does exactly that. Of its eight SEC opponents, six are projected 16th or better in SP+, and the worst of the bunch is No. 43 South Carolina. SP+ projects the Sooners as one of the 15 best teams in America … and gives them only a 7% chance of going 10-2 or better. The average top-five team could expect a win percentage of only .796 (about 9.5 wins) against this slate. Rough stuff. – Bill Connelly, ESPN

The schedule is tough. But few people expected the Sooners to get an “easy” slate in the SEC. And that’s kind of the point of the move. To have more marquee matchups throughout the season.

With contests against Texas, Alabama, Ole Miss, LSU,

, and Missouri, the Sooners face six of the best teams in the nation. Throw in a road trip to Auburn and the challenge is significant.

Still, if Oklahoma can go 5-2 or maybe even 4-3 against those seven teams, they’ll be in a strong position to make the playoff. Though three losses could put the Sooners outside the playoff, there’s a chance that due to their strength of schedule, Oklahoma could find their way into the 12-team field, even if they have three losses. Simply due to the strength of the teams the Sooners will face. If one college football analyst is to be believed, as many as five SEC teams could make the College Football Playoff in 2024.

The Sooners are a talented team, which is why they rank No. 15 in the nation in ESPN’s SP+. Their experienced defensive unit, especially the back seven, could be one of the best in the nation.

The Sooners may not be the favorite in every game in 2024, a unique position to be in after running the Big 12 for 25 years. However, they have a roster that’s going to be capable of competing with every team on their schedule. And while many SEC fans don’t want to acknowledge it, Oklahoma’s ceiling in 2024 includes a trip to the SEC championship game.

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