It was reported earlier this month that Oklahoma was working to schedule a future football series against Georgia. While that may or may not still be in the offing, OU has in the meantime secured future matchups with an even higher-profile opponent from the SEC.
Both Oklahoma and Alabama confirmed Tuesday that the two football programs have reached an agreement on a future home-and-home football series. The Crimson Tide will travel to Norman Sept. 11, 2032, while the Sooners will make the trek to Tuscaloosa on Sept. 10 of the following season.
The two schools have met six times previously on the gridiron, with the most recent coming in one of the two College Football Playoff semifinal games following the 2018 season. OU, though, leads the miniseries 3-2-1.
“Alabama and Oklahoma are two of the most tradition-rich programs in college football history, and we are pleased to be able to add a home-and-home series with them to our schedule in 2032 and 2033,” Alabama head coach Nick Saban, who would be one month shy of his 81st birthday when the first game kicks off, said in a statement. “We played an exciting game with OU this past season in the Orange Bowl and matchups like this are so important to college football. It is not only great for the fans, but our team always enjoys challenges like these outside of SEC play.”
This announcement comes two weeks after it was confirmed that Oklahoma would face Clemson in a future home-and-home scheduled for the 2035 and 2036 seasons.
“The dates of these two games are down the road, but working ahead to schedule marquee opponents has become a necessity in today’s college football world,” said OU athletic director Joe Castiglione in his statement. “My thanks to (Alabama athletic director) Greg Byrne in working to renew this home-and-home series between two of the most storied programs in the sport’s history. Our last on-campus series with Alabama in 2002 and 2003 reflected the great mutual respect befitting of two iconic programs and fan bases, and we’re happy that a new generation of supporters will also get to experience the best that college football has to offer in Norman and Tuscaloosa.”