Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

Recent news means Tennessee's game against Oklahoma in 2024 will be even more emotional for Josh Heupel

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Zach Ragan | Last updated Nov 29, 2023 10:08 AM ET

One of the biggest games of the 2024 college football season will be the matchup between the Tennessee Vols and the Oklahoma Sooners in Norman.

The game, which will be played on September 21 according to ESPN's Chris Low, will be the first time that Vols head coach Josh Heupel has returned to Norman since getting fired by Bob Stoops after the 2014 season.

Heupel, who won a championship as a player at Oklahoma in 2000, was an assistant under Stoops from 2006 to 2014.

That's obviously going to be an emotional day for Heupel.

And some college football news from this week will likely add to the emotion for Heupel.

Earlier this week, Mississippi State hired Oklahoma offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby to replace Zach Arnett as their head coach. Lebby's move to Mississippi State created an opening at offensive coordinator on Oklahoma's coaching staff.

On Tuesday, the Sooners reportedly filled Lebby's vacant role by promoting two names that are very familiar to Heupel.

Oklahoma promoted offensive analyst Seth Littrell and tight ends coach Joe Jon Finley. The two assistants will serve as co-offensive coordinators.

The #Sooners are in the process of finalizing a deal to make Seth Littrell and Joe Jon Finley co-offensive coordinators after Jeff Lebby leaves for MSU. Details on potential staff moves, and reaction from source close to Jackson Arnold on the hires. https://t.co/SIhSamWWg5
— SoonerScoop.com (@SoonerScoop) November 28, 2023

Littrell was teammates with Heupel on Oklahoma's 2000 championship team (Heupel and Littrell were two of six co-captains on that team).

Finley, meanwhile, played under Heupel at Oklahoma in the mid 2000s. He was also later on staff with Heupel at Oklahoma and at Missouri.

Seeing two familiar faces in a role that Heupel occupied until Stoops fired him could certainly prove to be emotional for Tennessee's head coach -- on top of all the other emotions that will undoubtedly be present when the Vols visit Norman next fall.

Tennessee is hoping to compete for a spot in the expanded College Football Playoff in 2024. If they're going to earn a spot in the top 12, they'll need to leave Norman with a win.

The Vols haven't been great on the road under Heupel. The game against Oklahoma will give Heupel a shot at some revenge (even though Stoops is no longer the head coach at Oklahoma, he's still very, very close to the program) while potentially putting an end to the narrative that Tennessee can't win big games on the road under Heupel.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: