Norman, OK – Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables anticipates the return of two offensive linemen for SaturdayS highly anticipated matchup against No. 14 Michigan at 6:30 p.m. CT, providing a potential boost to a unit that struggled in the season opener against Illinois State.
The Sooners’ offensive line faced challenges in the 392-yard passing performance led by quarterback John Mateer, but managed only 103 rushing yards at a 3.2 yards-per-carry clip. The expected return of these linemen is critical as Oklahoma, ranked No. 18, prepares to face a Michigan team coming off a 34-17 victory over New Mexico and led by freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood, the No. 1 recruit in the 2025 class. This game marks only the second-ever meeting between the two football powerhouses, wiht Oklahoma winning the first contest 14-6 in the 1975-76 Orange Bowl.
Oklahoma currently ranks No. 6 all-time in college football wins with 950, trailing Michigan’s 1,012, and is looking to improve its running game against a Wolverines defense that allowed just 17 points to New Mexico. michigan, the 2023 national champion under former coach Jim Harbaugh, is now led by Sherrone Moore, a former Oklahoma offensive lineman who played for Bob Stoops from 2006-07 and won two Big 12 championships.
The Sooners will return to Ann Arbor next season, visiting The Big House – the largest stadium in the U.S. with a capacity of 107,601 – on September 12, 2026.
