Oklahoma's 2024 season opener against Temple will be played at 6 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 30, in Norman, OU announced Tuesday. The game was originally set for Saturday, Aug. 31.
Friday Night Lights 💡OU's season opener vs. Temple moved up one day to 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗔𝘂𝗴. 𝟯𝟬 – the first Friday night home game in stadium history. 📅 https://t.co/8ljYbaYyXG | #OUDNA pic.twitter.com/ydczEfMshm
— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) April 9, 2024
The game will be televised on ESPN and mark the first ever Friday night game the Sooners have played at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Athletic director Joe Castiglione said in a statement OU was asked to move the game to Friday so ESPN could televise its first game as an SEC member in a primetime slot.
“It’s a unique and exciting opportunity for us, as it will be our first Friday night game in the history of Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium and will give our team tremendous visibility nationally," Castiglione said in a statement Tuesday. "Another major plus is, given the kick time, our players and fans should benefit from a cooler temperature. It's reasonable to expect that playing in the evening will significantly mitigate some of the heat issues we typically deal with during early season day games.
"Our first-ever ‘Friday Night Lights’ will undoubtedly be one for the books, and we’re excited to open the season and our first year in the SEC in such a spectacular fashion."
Castiglione addressed the fans who will be affected by the change, particularly those traveling to the game from far away.
"We recognize this schedule change will impact travel plans for some fans," Castiglione said. "We ask hotels in our area to work closely with those individuals to accommodate the move from a Saturday game to a Friday night contest."
