Mark your calendars for the home-and-home series between two of college football’s most-storied programs after Oklahoma and Michigan agreed to play one another in 2025 and 2026.
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The new college football playoff has already made an impact in the sport with a number of programs scheduling home-and-home’s with high-profile programs with strength of schedule expected to be a significant element in deciding the four teams who will make the playoff.
This will be the first regular season meeting between the Sooners and Wolverines. The only time the two have met was on New Year’s Day in 1976 when Oklahoma defeated Michigan in the Orange Bowl by the score of 14-6.
“We are excited to reach an agreement to play Oklahoma, one of the storied programs in college football history,” said UM athletic director Dave Brandon. “I appreciate [OU athletic direct] Joe [Castiglione] and his team’s effort to make this series a possibility. Oklahoma and Michigan have always been regarded as two of the top programs in college football, and creating this type of matchup is great for fans of both programs and the game of college football.”
Oklahoma now has scheduled games against Tennessee, Ohio State, UCLA, Nebraska and LSU in addition to their future date with Michigan as Bob Stoops and the athletic department in Norman have shown the willingness to find opponents who will boost their chances of making the playoff by playing a challenging schedule.
“We remain committed to playing games that celebrate the history and excitement of college football,” said Castiglione. “We’re grateful for head coach Bob Stoops, who shares that commitment. Oklahoma and Michigan represent two of the most iconic names in American sport, and we look forward to a series that will be marked by mutual respect and admiration. We also know how truly special these opportunities are for student-athletes, as well as our fans and college football fans everywhere. I want to express my appreciation to Michigan athletics director Dave Brandon, who shares our philosophy.”
The game is 11 years off in the distance, but it’s hard to fathom a scenario where Oklahoma and Michigan are not national powers considering their long track record of success.