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OU’s Latest Non-Conference Addition Has Fans Joking The Sooners Will Fit Right In With The SEC

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An Oklahoma Sooners helmet at the Senior Bowl.

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The Oklahoma Sooners will play their first season in the SEC in 2024 as they make the move over from the Big XII. The conference matchups for that campaign have already been revealed, but the Sooners have now added an out-of-conference game to the schedule.

Many college football fans believe the Sooners will fit right into the SEC following the announcement as it is often chastised for weak scheduling.

OU knows that it will face Alabama, Auburn, LSU, Missouri, Ole Miss, South Carolina, and Tennessee in its first SEC season, along with the annual matchup against Texas.

That schedule is maybe the most difficult in the conference as the Sooners get a harsh reality check about life in the SEC.

There are also non-conference games against Temple, Houston, and Tulane on the slate. With 11 games locked in, the Sooners needed to add one more opponent to complete the schedule. This week, they did just that.

Oklahoma will play Maine in 2024, paying the Black Bears $635K to visit Norman.

Maine went 2-9 in the 2022 season, finishing the year on a five-game losing streak though four were decided by four points or less. In the Black Bears’ two games against FBS opponents, they were outscored 79-17.

The SEC receives criticism year in and year out for its scheduling of FCS foes, which often get played the week before a rivalry game. In 2023, for example, we’ll see Alabama take on UT-Chattanooga, Texas A&M face Abilene Christian, and Georgia host UT-Martin.

Mercer, Southeastern Louisiana, Furman, Western Carolina, South Dakota State, and Alabama A&M are also on member schedules.

Add Maine to the list.

Fans immediately reacted to the Oklahoma addition, saying the Sooners will fit right in with the SEC.

Interestingly enough, Maine won its last matchup against an SEC team. The Black Bears beat Mississippi State, 9-7, back in 2004.