Designating windows for all games after Week 3 prior to the start of the season is a fan benefit of the conference rights agreement between the SEC and ESPN that began in 2024. This year marks the third that all SEC league games will air exclusively on ABC and ESPN platforms. This will also be the first season in which SEC teams will play nine conference games.
All SEC-controlled games starting with Week 4 (Sept. 26) will have set television windows, with select contests tagged as ‘Flex’ games kicking off in either the ‘Afternoon’ or ‘Night’ windows.
Television start time windows for Weeks 4-13 are defined as follows:
• Early: 11 a.m. to noon CT start
• Afternoon: 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. CT start
• Night: 5 to 7 p.m. CT start
• Flex: Games flexed between the Afternoon (2:30-3:30 p.m.) and Night (5-7 p.m.) windows
It was announced that the annual Allstate Red River Rivalry between Oklahoma and Texas in Dallas will begin at 2:30 p.m. and be televised by ABC or ESPN.
OU’s Sept. 26 SEC opener at Georgia is designated as a ‘Flex’ game that will start between 2:30-3:30 CT or 5-7 CT. Four of Oklahoma’s contests following the OU-Texas game also received a ‘Flex’ designation: Oct. 17 against Kentucky, Oct. 24 at Mississippi State, Oct. 31 against South Carolina and Nov. 7 at Florida.
The Sooners’ Nov. 14 home game against Ole Miss and Nov. 28 regular season finale at Missouri are designated for ‘Afternoon’ starts. OU’s Nov. 21 home finale against Texas A&M was selected for an ‘Early’ start.
Exact start times with the assigned windows (Early, Afternoon, Night, Flex) and network designations will be determined during the season.
Game times and TV networks for OU’s Sept. 12 non-conference road contest at Michigan (11 a.m. CT on FOX) and Sept. 19 home non-conference game against New Mexico (6:30 p.m. CT on ESPN2) were announced in May. Oklahoma’s season opener on Sept. 5 against UTEP will be televised on SEC Network+ with a start time to be announced.
Eight of Oklahoma’s nine SEC contests have been designated for ‘Flex’ or ‘Afternoon’ starts. Of the 11 game start times or windows announced to this point, only two will begin between 11 a.m. and noon CT.
| 2026 OU FOOTBALL SCHEDULE (ALL TIMES CENTRAL) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sept. 5 | UTEP | SECN+ | TBA |
| Sept. 12 | at Michigan | FOX | 11 a.m. |
| Sept. 19 | New Mexico | ESPN2 | 6:30 p.m. |
| Sept. 26 | at Georgia | TBA | 2:30-3:30 or 5-7 p.m. |
| Oct. 10 | vs. Texas (Dallas) | ABC or ESPN | 2:30 p.m. |
| Oct. 17 | Kentucky | TBA | 2:30-3:30 or 5-7 p.m. |
| Oct. 24 | at Mississippi State | TBA | 2:30-3:30 or 5-7 p.m. |
| Oct. 31 | South Carolina | TBA | 2:30-3:30 or 5-7 p.m. |
| Nov. 7 | at Florida | TBA | 2:30-3:30 or 5-7 p.m. |
| No. 14 | Ole Miss | TBA | 2:30-3:30 p.m. |
| Nov. 21 | Texas A&M | TBA | 11-Noon |
| Nov. 28 | at Missouri | TBA | 2:30-3:30 p.m. |
