Will Oklahoma's Return to Columbia Right the Wrongs of 2011 and 2024 Against Mizzou?

Brent Venables' returns to the site of one of his most disastrous losses during his tenure in the regular season finale.

Oklahoma Sooners quarterback John Mateer throws a pass against the Missouri Tigers | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Sooners On SI broke down Oklahoma's 2026 schedule, opponent by opponent, for a series dubbed "Know Your Foe." Catch up by checking out the preview of the Texas A&M Aggies. The rest of the series will be linked below within the story.

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Late in the fourth quarter of the 2024 matchup with the Missouri Tigers, Oklahoma Sooners safety Billy Bowman picked up a fumble that few others noticed. He ran unabated into the end zone for a touchdown, which seemed like the game-winning score.

Over the next two minutes of game time, Brent Venables was reminded that this was the 2024 Oklahoma Sooners—and therefore doomed to wander the desert of mind-numbing losses.

Now, OU returns to Columbia to face Missouri in what is strangely the first SEC road trip the program will make twice within its first three seasons of entering the conference.

How will the Sooners fare against the Tigers? But first, some history.

Past Battles

Oklahoma Sooners head coach Brent Venables reacts prior to a game against the Missouri Tigers at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Oklahoma fans are quick to remind everyone of the 68-5-5 series lead they have on the Missouri Tigers. It's a new era in the SEC at least due to a 1-1 split, but OU is hoping to get the series back on its overall track quickly.

The Sooners have traveled to Columbia 46 times and won 21 of them. In fact, Missouri has only beaten the Sooners five times since 1970—all in Columbia—whereas OU has won 13 of those contests played at Faurot Field.

But Mizzou fans would clap right back with the past two visits by Oklahoma—a 36-27 win over the No. 1-ranked Sooners in 2010 and 2024's 30-23 collapse by OU.

Maybe OU returning to Columbia so early in their SEC era is a good thing for the program to course correct.

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Returning Starters

Missouri Tigers offensive lineman Cayden Green on the line of scrimmage against the Central Arkansas Bears during the game at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

All 6-5, 325-pounds of Cayden Green will make his return in 2026 to anchor the Tigers' offensive line. Green's experience dating back to his freshman year at Oklahoma has seen him hit highs and lows. He has stabilized into one of the better blockers in the conference as he approaches his final season.

Green is joined by returning interior offensive linemen Dom Giudice and Curtis Peagler—a great thing when you remember last season saw Missouri lead the SEC in rushing offense last season (8th nationally), at 228.3 rush yards per game.

Speaking of that running game, both Ahmad Hardy (1649 yards rushing and 16 touchdowns) and Jamal Roberts (7.3 yards per carry, three touchdowns) are also returning.

Sophomore quarterback Matt Zollers will also return to hold down QB1 in Columbia.

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Know Your Foe

Michigan Wolverines
Georgia Bulldogs
Texas Longhorns
Kentucky Wildcats
Mississippi State Bulldogs
South Carolina Gamecocks

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New Faces

Miami Hurricanes linebacker Malik Bryant runs on the field before the game against the Florida Gators | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Tigers coach Eli Drinkwitz welcomes 28 incoming players from the transfer portal—including a pair of Miami Hurricanes.

Edge/linebacker Malik Bryant comes to Columbia as a redshirt sophomore, missing 2023 and 2025 due to injuries. In 2023, Bryant racked up five tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. His Hurricane partner Bobby Washington Jr. hopes to help replace the loss of Josiah Trotter.

Pass catcher Cayden Lee comes from Ole Miss, where he hauled in 44 catches for 635 yards and three touchdowns, to help balance out the offensive attack.

Former Mississippi State tackle Luke Work hopes to help round out the offensive line along its three returning starters. Work played in 12 games last season, starting one, after starting seven in his true freshman season in 2024.

Missouri Tigers linebacker Josiah Trotter (40) reacts during the first quarter against the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Josiah Trotter, son of former NFL great Jeremiah Trotter, led the Tigers with 84 total tackles this past season and was second in tackles for loss with 13. He now heads to the NFL Draft.

Fellow linebackers Khalil Jacobs and Triston Newson, who combined for 628 snaps, have also played their final games of college football.

Tackle Keagen Toast also heads to the NFL after grading out as the Tigers best offensive lineman per Pro Football Focus in 2025.

Schedule Placement

Oklahoma coach Brent Venables talks with Missouri coach Eliah Drinkwitz before a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners and the Missouri Tigers | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Tigers have enjoyed advantageous scheduling the past three seasons. They took their opportunity and ran with it to the tune of 29 wins to 10 losses.

That isn't the case in 2026. From Oct. 3 to Nov. 14, Mizzou faces Florida, Texas A&M, Ole Miss (away), Arkansas (away), Texas, Georgia (away). That slate rivals Oklahoma's.

They have a soft landing at the end with a home game against Kentucky prior to their matchup with OU. Both teams will have shown just how good (or average) they are by this point.

The Sooners not only end their season with Missouri, but they end their four-game stretch that includes Florida, Ole Miss, A&M—likely to be the path for the Sooners to return to the College Football Playoff, or be denied.