6 most important games for OU, OSU, and Tulsa during the 2025 season

The college football season officially kicks off on Saturday, August 23, with a few games taking place, including a pair in the Big 12. With that said, it seems timely to break down the six biggest and most important games for Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and Tulsa ahead of their season openers next week.

Oklahoma Sooners Tough 2025 schedule

With the Sooners playing one of the toughest schedules in all of college football once again, it was hard to pick only six "important" games for OU. A good chunk of national analysts believe nine wins would get the Sooners into the College Football Playoff, but the question is, can they get there?

Let's get to the six most important games for OU, with the numbers in order of where they come in the schedule.

1- vs. Michigan, September 6. If you go by the preseason AP Poll, this will be a Top 18 showdown in Norman in Week 2. If the Sooners can take care of business at home and win their SEC opener against Auburn, they will most likely be 5-0 heading into the Red River Rivalry.

2- vs. Texas, October 11. John Mateer vs. Arch Manning, get the popcorn ready. There could be a shootout in Dallas!

3- @ South Carolina, October 18. OU heads to Columbia on October 18 for its first true road SEC game of the 2025 campaign. Win or lose against the Longhorns, the Sooners have to move on quickly.

4- @ Tennessee, October 25. After South Carolina, the Sooners host Ole Miss, but then it is back on the road to face the Volunteers. OU's defense played well enough last year to win the game, but turnovers were costly.

5- @ Alabama, November 15. Good news, OU has a bye after the Tennessee game, but then it's back on the road to face the Crimson Tide. The Sooners will wrap up a stretch of three road games in four games. Can OU escape with a 2-2 record by taking down Ole Miss at home on October 25?

6- vs. LSU, November 29. Let's say, for argument's sake, OU starts the year 5-0, and loses to Texas, and then, as mentioned, goes 2 and 2 during their stretch of facing South Carolina, Ole Miss, Tennessee, and Alabama. A win over Missouri at home before LSU sets up a massive game in Norman to wrap up the regular season. In this scenario, a win over the Tigers gets the Sooners to nine wins, which again might be enough to make the College Football Playoff.

Can the OSU Cowboys win their Big 12 Opener and start league play with Momentum?

1- @ Oregon, September 6. Like the Sooners, the Cowboys have a massive non-conference game in Week 2 when they travel to Eugene to take on the Ducks, who enter the year as a top-10 team. We will learn a lot about OSU in this one.

2- vs. Baylor, September 27. After losing all nine Big 12 games a year ago, OSU has a chance to open league play with a win at home over the Bears. Baylor ended the regular season in 2024 with six straight wins, so this will be another "test" for Mike Gundy and company.

3- @ Texas Tech, October 25. According to the Big 12 betting odds of which team is most likely to win the Big 12, Texas Tech trails only Kansas State in that department. After Baylor, the Cowboys have winnable games against Arizona, Houston, and Cincinnati, with the last two in Stillwater.

4- @ Kansas, November 1. It is back-to-back road games for OSU, with the Pokes playing at Tech and then traveling to Kansas. Win or lose at the Red Raiders, this is an important game for the Cowboys, as a victory here could very well get them to six wins (UT Martin, Tulsa, Arizona, Houston, Cincinnati) could be victories before.

5- vs. Iowa State, November 29. Iowa State played for a Big 12 title last year and has the returning talent to do so again. If the Cowboys are much improved, this could be a big-time game to wrap up the regular season in Stillwater. Worst case, OSU tries to play spoiler against what could be a Big 12-contending Cyclone squad.

Will the Tulsa Golden Hurricane make a bowl game?

1- vs. Abilene Christian, August 30. The Tre Lamb era gets underway next Saturday when Tulsa hosts Abilene Christian to open the 2025 season. The Golden Hurricane were dead last a year ago against the pass, and we'll find out real quick if Lamb and company brought in the right guys to fix that issue. The Wildcats were 7th in the FCS last year with over 300 passing yards per game.

2- vs. Navy, September 13. The Golden Hurricane opens American Conference play at home against Navy in Week 3. It will be a night game at Chapman Stadium. Can Tulsa stun the second-best-favored team to win the conference?

3- @ Oklahoma State, September 19. It's a short week after playing Navy, with Tulsa making the trip to Stillwater on Friday the 19, to face the Cowboys. The Golden Hurricane played the Cowboys tough in 2021, but were blown out last year, 45-10.

4- vs. Tulane, September 27. The tough stretch for Tulsa continues with the American favorites coming to town on the 27th. Good news, it's another home game for the Golden Hurricane.

5- @ Memphis, October 4. The Tigers are the fourth betting favorite to win the conference in 2025. It feels like in order to make a bowl game and get to 6-6, Tulsa needs to steal one against Navy, Tulane, Memphis, and Army. Could they get it down at Memphis?

6- @ Army, November 22. Let's say Tulsa can take care of ECU, Temple, and Florida Atlanta regardless of the outcome against Memphis; the Golden Hurricane will take a three-game American winning streak into Army. Could an upset on the road get the Golden Hurricane to six wins and bowl eligibility?