Revived Rivalry with Missouri One of Many New Challenges for Oklahoma

Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables spoke about the challenges of entering the SEC Tuesday during the conference's media days.

Joseph Van Zummeren | Jul 17, 2024

Oct 23, 2010; Columbia, MO, USA; Missouri Tigers quarterback Blaine Gabbert (11) avoids Oklahoma Sooners cornerback Emmanuel Jones (25) during the second half at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Photo by Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports / Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports

Brady Cook was 10 years old the last time the Missouri Tigers faced off against the Oklahoma Sooners. The young Cook watched Blaine Gabbert and the Tigers upset the No. 1 ranked Sooners and he still remembers the pageantry and passion of the rivalry.

"When I think of Oklahoma, I think about the College GameDay game at Mizzou when fans rushed the field," Cook said Tuesday at the 2024 SEC Media Days. "We beat the No. 1 overall team. That's what I go back to in my mind because obviously that was a big memory for me as a fan."

That rivalry has been dormant for 13 years, ever since Missouri made the move from the Big 12 to the SEC. Now, Oklahoma is following in Missouri's footsteps, joining the SEC along with Texas. Conference realignment like this has brought plenty of chaos to college football. Now, it will also bring chaos to Columbia and Norman, Oklahoma, for years to come. When the two teams meet in November, it will be the 97 matchup for the two.

For Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables, entering what he repeatedly called the most talented conference in the nation is an exciting challenge that he doesn't plan to shy away from.

"It goes without saying that the SEC is a deep, incredibly competitive league," Veneables said Tuesday at 2024 SEC Media Days, "unlike any other in college football and everything about this league is about parity, its about competetive depth and its one-possesion league."

Oklahoma is familaar with playing in tough enviroments. Playing in Columbia in a late-season match with a ear-pounding crowd will be nothing new for the Sooners. Its the norm in the SEC. But the talent is a bit more deep in the SEC. There's few, if any, easy outs in a season.

"You got incredibly challenging venues," Venables said, "every member of this conference, top to bottom, is comitted to the excellence that this conference represents. As a football program, being here in our first year, we're really looking forward to the challenge."

There will be important factors on the line when the rivalry is renewed. Not only for the practical stakes with both teams expected to be in the running for the 12-team College Football Playoff but also for emotional stakes for fans.

The flames of the rivalry have been stoked over the past few years, mainly due to the transfer portal. Missouri has added a player from Oklahoma through the portal in each of the first two years. First with wide receiver Theo Wease in 2023 and then with offensive tackle Cayden Green in 2024. You don't have to spend much time on the internet to sense the aminosity between the two fanbases.

"I'm looking forward to this year's game," Cook said. "It's going to be fun."

That passion will come to life on Saturday, November 9, when the Sooners travel to face Missouri for the first time since 2010, when the Tigers secured a 36-27 victory over No. 1 ranked Oklahoma. Expect another meaningful matchup in week 11 of the season. According to Venables, the Sooners will be prepared for the test.

"Oklahoma isn't intimidated as a program," Venables said. "We're running towards the SEC."

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