These Matchups Will Decide Oklahoma vs. Michigan

Last season's 24-13 victory over Michigan set the tone for the season for Oklahoma. It signified that improvements had been made from an awful 6-7 2024, while announcing that OU was ready to make a leap back into the discussion for the College Football Playoff.

2026 matchup is primed to do much of the same for the victor.

The question remains — how can Oklahoma expect to go to the Big House and come out a winner?

Sooners On SI will examine key matchups for the Michigan game and each of OU's conference games within the SEC. Each article will provide a minor and major matchup that Oklahoma must win in order to achieve victory.

Kip Lewis, Oklahoma Sooner — Oklahoma's Kip Lewis (10) celebrates a play in the second half of the college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooner and the University of Michigan Wolverines at the Gaylord Family Ð Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025. | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Minor Matchup: OU Linebackers vs. Michigan Run Game

There's no doubt what the Wolverines will want to do against the visiting Sooners: run the football and control the clock.

Even with a new head coach in Kyle Wittingham, this is still Michigan. That's why Oklahoma's linebackers will have to be gap-sound and not allow UM to use their speed and aggression against them.

OU will have Kip Lewis, Owen Heinecke and former Wolverine linebacker Cole Sullivan to chase their talented back, Jordan Marshall, who rushed for 932 yards last year. However, the key may not be solely for OU linebackers to stop

Bryce Underwood will be in his second year as Michigan's starting quarterback. Last year, Oklahoma caught Underwood in his second game in college and rightfully dominated him. Underwood has the athleticism to make any disciplined group of linebackers pay.

Major Matchup: OU Offensive Line vs. Michigan Defensive Line

2025 was a breakout year for the Sooner offensive line. With three freshmen, OU was able to maintain itself offensivley and not suffer typical symptoms of relying on young players up front too much.

This matchup not only holds major signifance in this game, it could be a spring board for the rest of Oklahoma's rather difficult schedule.

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John Henry Daley, the Utah transfer who earned All-America honors in 2025, is coming off a torn achilles at the end of 2025. Despite the injury, Daley is expected to be a full-go once the season starts.

Trey Pierce and Enow Etta returned to Ann Arbor to provide the interior of UM's defensive line with valuable experience.

No matter the player, Michael Fasusi, Eddy Pierre-Louis and Ryan Fodje must show that they're ready to build from their first years. Winning their battles against Michigan would not only lead to a victory on the road, but set up the offensive line with the confidence necessary to be a strength of the offense.

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