Sept. 20, 2001

NORMAN, Okla. - A new series featuring traditional college football power Alabama and an intriguing match-up with South Florida represent just two of several interesting storylines on the 2002 Oklahoma football schedule announced today.

The meeting with the Crimson Tide, which takes place Sept. 7 in Norman, opens a two-game series. The Sooners return the game in 2003.

"This series with Alabama is one of those matchups that is not only exciting for our program and fans, but is truly great for college football," said OU Athletics Director Joe Castiglione.

The South Florida contest, set for Sept. 28 in Norman, links OU with one of its former greats, Lee Roy Selmon, now the athletics director at USF. The game also brings together a pair of head coaches who once served together at Kansas State.

Oklahoma's Bob Stoops and South Florida's Jim Leavitt served as co-defensive coordinators at Kansas State from 1991-95.

"The addition of the University of South Florida was the final piece in completing our 2002 schedule with 12 regular season games," said Castiglione. "First, it allows us to have six home games. Secondly, we get the special privilege of welcoming back one of our all-time greatest college and pro football players in Lee Roy Selmon.

"Now an accomplished administrator, Lee Roy brings that same passion and extraordinary class to another aspect of intercollegiate athletics. It will be a real treat to have him return home in the fall if only for a day."

South Florida played its first football game in 1997. The school competed on the I-AA level from 1997-99, then earned provisional I-A status for the 2000 season before moving to I-A in 2001. USF is a member of Conference USA, but will not join that league as a football-playing member until 2003. In the meantime, the school will hold independent status.

Oklahoma opens the 2002 season at Tulsa, Aug. 31. That game precedes a three-game homestand featuring Alabama, Texas-El Paso (Sept. 14) and South Florida.

The Sooners begin Big 12 Conference play Oct. 5 at Missouri before the Oct. 12 clash with Texas. OU then hosts back-to-back league games against Iowa State (Oct. 19) and Colorado (Nov. 2) before playing two straight on the road, at Texas A&M (Nov.9) and at Baylor (Nov. 16).

The home portion of the schedule concludes Nov. 23 against Texas Tech before the finale at Oklahoma State on Nov. 30.

The 2002 schedule features a rotation in the Big 12 slate. Nebraska, Kansas State and Kansas rotate off the OU schedule for two seasons and are replaced by Missouri, Iowa State and Colorado.

2002 Oklahoma Football Schedule

Aug. 31      at Tulsa

Sept. 7	     ALABAMA

Sept. 14     TEXAS EL-PASO

Sept. 21     open

Sept. 28     SOUTH FLORIDA

Oct. 5	     at Missouri*

Oct. 12	     Texas* (at Dallas)

Oct. 19	     IOWA STATE*

Oct. 26	     open

Nov. 2	     COLORADO*

Nov. 9	     at Texas A&M*

Nov. 16	     at Baylor*

Nov. 23	     TEXAS TECH*

Nov. 30	     at Oklahoma State*



*Big 12 Conference game

All times TBA

Oklahoma Football

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