While Kyler Murray waits to hear where his name will be called in the 2019 NFL Draft, Oklahoma announced Thursday a change to its plans as it looks to open the 2019 season. The Sooners' home game against Houston has been moved from a traditional Saturday kickoff to Sunday, Sept. 1 at 7:30 p.m. ET.
At the moment, it is the only FBS game scheduled for that day and the only football game on the calendar as the NFL concludes its final week of preseason action on Friday, Aug. 30.
According to Oklahoma, a big reason behind the decision to move to the game to Sunday was to guarantee an evening kickoff time. Seven of the last nine years have produced a heat index high of 99 degrees or higher on Aug. 31 in Norman, Oklahoma, and getting the primetime treatment that comes with the Sunday spotlight will allow fans to enjoy much cooler temperatures.
"This is an exciting opportunity for us," Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione said Thursday. "It gives us great visibility at the very outset of the 2019 season. It is equally appealing to me that we get to play the game in the best conditions for student-athletes and fans. By making this move, we ensured that this game would be played in the evening, thus avoiding the heat we've dealt with in each of the last two seasons."
The game itself is among the most intriguing of college football's opening weekend. After serving as coach for back-to-back Heisman Trophy winners that were also transfers, Lincoln Riley has former Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts on the roster for 2019.
Houston brings plenty of intrigue as well, now led by former West Virginia coach and frequent Oklahoma rival Dana Holgorsen. It's an Air Raid-friendly affair that will now get the full attention of the football-watching community on Labor Day weekend.
