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Sooners' non-conference game times say a lot about the national perception of the football program going into 2025

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Justin Churchill | Last updated May 31, 2025 2:05 AM ET

In 2025, the Oklahoma Sooners have maybe the hardest schedule they have ever had. But, they certainly were hit with the hardest schedule in the country, as the SEC has not been too kind to the Sooners when it comes to football, so far, that is.

But this is what they asked for. They knew what they were signing up for -- the best conference in just about every single sport, but specifically in football. The Sooners fit the mold of what an SEC team should be, and they somewhat showed that last year, despite having the worst offense in the conference.

2024 was just the second losing season the Sooners have had since the 1990s, with the other season also coming under head coach Brent Venables in 2022. So, it's fair to say that, despite being in a much bigger and better conference that should help the university benefit, the program as a whole is just down. They are down on the field when you watch them play, they are down in recruiting, and they are down when it comes to the national perception of them.

Well, at least that's how it felt. Fans and local media know the moves this team has made between last season and this season. They know the additions they made to their roster and their coaching staff, so they know that this team could really shock some people. But, it has felt like they are the only ones who know -- it feels like no one nationally knows that this team could be very good.

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Then again, you look at the kickoff times for the Sooners' first four non-conference games, and then it starts to feel like maybe the national perception of this team is what it is locally -- a magical comeback story waiting to happen.

The Sooners are going to be playing two non-11 AM games in their non-conference schedule, with the one game that is at noon being against Temple on ESPN2.

They will play Michigan at night on primetime TV, and Texas on primetime TV, with their first game of the year against Illinois State being a 5 PM kickoff. So, what does this say about the Sooners? Do they get these times simply because they are the Sooners, a team with a lot of history and a huge fan base?

Or, do they get these times because the national perception is that this will be a good football team in 2025?

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

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