Can Oklahoma's success on the road last year help in 2026?

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The last time the Oklahoma Sooners were on the road was Nov. 15, 2025. That’s when the Sooners took a trip to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and did what very few have done in the Tide’s stadium: Win. 

The Sooners forced three turnovers, on their way to a 23-21 win over No. 4 Alabama – which snapped the Tide’s 17-game home win streak. The victory was on the tail end of a tough slate of road games that many thought would inevitably force Oklahoma out of the College Football Playoff conversation. Instead, Oklahoma rallied its way to a 10-win season and a playoff berth.

Of those 10 wins, Oklahoma won all four of its true road games against Temple, South Carolina, No. 14 Tennessee and No. 4 Alabama. Along with that, the Sooners held their opponents to a combined 1.7 yards per rush and produced multiple turnovers in each game.

Now, the Sooners are back on the road, and they’re traveling to a place they’ve never been before: The Big House in Ann Arbor, Mich., for a tough nonconference matchup. Michigan Stadium holds 107,601 people, making it the largest in college football. But Venables believes what his group learned last year can be valuable come Saturday as No. 11 Oklahoma takes on Michigan.

“I think there’s a certain level of confidence that comes from having done it and gone through it,” he said of winning on the road. “And so in those moments when adversity happens, which they will, how to handle it. Again, I think that builds you, just having the right type of poise, type of mentality, the right type of leadership, will come from the experience that our guys gained a year ago.”

Every year is a new year with a new group. But positively for the Sooners, this is the most player retention Venables has had since becoming the head coach at Oklahoma. In fact, all 11 of his defensive starters began their careers at OU. Conversely, he’s brought back a veteran quarterback, top wide receiver, running backs and much of the offensive line. 

Venables understands for Oklahoma to be successful this season, they're going to have to be good on the road. Oklahoma's away games this season include Michigan, Georgia, Mississippi State, Florida, Missouri, and the annual neutral-site game against Texas. All of these stadiums bring their own challenges and environments like cowbells, hedges and thousands of passionate fans. It’s why this early test is so pivotal.

The Sooners' head coach knows many players are back, but has this particular group of Sooners learned how to handle adversity? How to communicate in a loud environment, and how to ultimately punch back when the other team makes a big play? What better way to find out than on the road in The Big House? 

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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Can Oklahoma's success on the road last year help in 2026?

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