Oklahoma men’s basketball fans received their first full picture of the 2025–26 Southeastern Conference layout on Wednesday, June 18, when the SEC officially released each team’s conference opponents. For the Sooners, joining year two of their SEC journey under head coach Porter Moser, the news brings both continuity and fresh challenges. Oklahoma will face a compelling blend of elite programs and traditional rivals, with nine of these battles set for home in Norman and nine on the road, including three key doubleheader matchups. This schedule announcement not only maps out one of the most critical SEC seasons yet for OU basketball but also highlights the depth, intensity, and national relevance of the league as the conference continues to assert itself as a national powerhouse.
The Sooners will host a formidable slate of SEC opponents at the Lloyd Noble Center, welcoming nine of the league’s top programs—all of which qualified for the 2025 NCAA Tournament. Home crowds will see Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Ole Miss, Missouri, Texas, and Texas A&M take the court in Norman. On the road, Oklahoma will visit Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi State, Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, and Vanderbilt. Of the 18 matchups, three pairs—Texas, Texas A&M, and Missouri—will be played as home-and-away series, going beyond single encounters and significantly shaping OU’s path through conference play .
In making these designations, the SEC maintained its structural format: each team plays at least 15 conference games, facing every other team once, supplemented by two rotating doubleheader opponents and one fixed pair of rivals. For Oklahoma, the rotating home-and-away opponents this season are Texas and Texas A&M—continuing from their inaugural SEC campaign—as well as Missouri, fulfilling the league’s balance of competition and rivalry across future seasons .
Playing Texas and Texas A&M twice reflects the high-profile rivalries that transfer from the Big 12, now shaping up as marquee games in seasons ahead. Missouri’s inclusion as a third rotating opponent adds geographic and competitive variety. Combined with home-and-home matchups, these doubleheaders will be key to how the Sooners navigate their strength of schedule—and will be important for postseason considerations in NCAA and NIT seeding.
The remaining nine opponents will each be contested once, distributed between home (nine) and away (nine) games. The SEC confirmed that conference play will begin on Jan. 3 and conclude March 7, with the league tournament set for March 11–15 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville .
Fans will be particularly excited to see Florida, the reigning NCAA champion, in Norman. One of the most high-profile home matchups of the season, Florida’s visit comes after the Gators captured the national title, adding yet another compelling storyline to OU’s SEC campaign . Likewise, Auburn and Alabama—both NCAA Tournament entrants last year, with Auburn making the Final Four—also headline the home slate. Hosting three recent tournament standout programs makes the Noble Center a campus powerhouse venue once again.
Arkansas, Georgia, Ole Miss, and Missouri round out the rest of the home games. Each visiting squad brings its own ambition and SEC pedigree, rounding out a home campaign filled with high stakes, high drama, and high attendance games .
On the road, the Sooners will travel to face perennial SEC powerhouse Kentucky, tournament-caliber LSU, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt—alongside Texas and Texas A&M. Most of these schools packaged into OU’s away schedule also made postseason appearances in 2025, contributing to a road slate that will test both depth and resilience .
Kentucky, in particular, offers a familiar and historic SEC challenge. LSU, a conference mainstay with strong recent pedigrees, provides another significant test. Meanwhile, trips to Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, South Carolina, and Tennessee ensure OU touches all quadrants of the SEC map, reinforcing its league-wide presence.
Facing the same three teams—Texas, Texas A&M, and Missouri—on the road bolsters the balance and continuity of OU’s conference schedule, while tallies against other teams maintain encouragements.
This release signals more than just matchups; it offers insight into where the conference ranks in American college basketball’s hierarchy. The SEC led all conferences in non-conference strength of record last year (an 185–23 record) and achieved its highest KenPom efficiency rating to date. With 14 league teams earning NCAA Tournament bids—including the Sooners—7 ventures into the Sweet Sixteen, and 4 into the Elite Eight, it is clear that the SEC plays at a national elite level .
For Oklahoma, this is year two in a league that is not only geographically and competitively distinct from its Big 12 past but which also includes powerhouse programs on a relentless upward path. The 2025–26 season will determine whether Oklahoma can begin to stake its claim among that rising elite.
Examining strength of schedule, let’s break down how the matchups align:
Home schedule depth:
Alabama & Auburn—both featured major NCAA Tournament runs in 2025.
Florida—the reigning national champion.
Arkansas, Georgia, Ole Miss, Missouri—each of varying but respectable SEC reputations.
Texas & Texas A&M—former Big 12 and current SEC rivals, loaded with talent and feeling the transition.
Away schedule intensity:
Kentucky & LSU—always challenging environments with high expectations.
In-state SEC opponents Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Mississippi State, South Carolina.
Texas & Texas A&M—must-win and “revenge” game dynamics.
Overall, Oklahoma’s SEC schedule will be a central test of talent, coaching, depth, and consistency. Simply making the NCAA Tournament again may require 10–12+ conference wins, a goal navigating over a dozen quality opponents.
For head coach Porter Moser and his staff, this is a critical opportunity. His second year in the league involves transitions and buy-in—no longer as newcomers, but as contenders. The staff must prepare for matchups with top-tier programs packed into Norman—where wins could cement legitimacy—and grueling road trips that test stamina and poise.
Moser’s track record and growing SEC familiarity should bolster the team’s readiness. After posting a 20–14 overall record and making the NCAA Tournament in their inaugural SEC season, the pressure is on to prove this was no fluke. The 2025–26 schedule places legitimacy squarely within reach… or puts it into question.
Beyond wins and losses, the schedule reinforces valuable lessons for the program. With 18 conference games mostly against tournament-level teams, the Sooners will stay in postseason rhythm throughout winter. Development continues beyond these regular season games toward the SEC Tournament in Nashville, where one more win can elevate NCAA seeding and status.
The league’s structure—with all 18 games, multiple doubleheader opponents, and postseason placement—also gives OU scheduling leverage and recruiting appeal. Prospects now see annual marquee matchups in Norman—Florida, Auburn, Alabama—as well as challenging neutral atmosphere road games—Kentucky, LSU. That portfolio improves perception and can lift the program’s presence in recruiting and national media narratives.
While many calendar dates, times, TV partners, and ticket details are still pending, the basic structure is in place: SEC play runs Jan. 3–March 7, with chart-topping teams in the spotlight. The SEC Tournament, stacked as always, will be held March 11–15 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville .Ultimately, Oklahoma’s SEC opponents announcement for 2025–26 draws a map with clarity, purpose, and challenge. It highlights what lies ahead: a rugged home court offering filled with prominent opponents; a demanding road tour through historic SEC stadiums; and high-stakes matchups inside and outside the conference, pressing for national attention. For Porter Moser’s Sooners, the season ahead is framed—not just with games—but a trajectory toward being a perennial SEC presence.
Now the season begins, the Sooners know exactly who’s coming to Norman and where they will travel across Southeastern region. From January tips to March’s championship chase, Oklahoma’s second SEC season is poised to define the program’s future standing. With a blend of rivalry, power, and national relevance built into every matchup, few schedules in college basketball hold more narrative weight than this one.
