Boomer Sooner! A Fan’s Guide to Oklahoma Sooners Football Game Day

Update (August 14): This article has been updated with the latest Oklahoma Sooners information.

OU’s chant will never die on a Sooners football game day at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma. Earning its nickname as “The Palace On The Prairie,”  Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium holds claim to a long history of gridiron greatness that’s now pushing into new territory after Oklahoma joined the SEC in 2024.

Prepare to mix with the crimson and cream by securing Oklahoma Sooners tickets or Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium tickets and checking out the OU football game day guide below with tailgating tips, traditions and more.

Oklahoma Tailgating Tips

Tailgating for Sooners fans is centered around the school’s campus, specifically the North Oval. Pre-marked 15′ x 15′ spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis at the historic Parrington Oval. Drop-off runs from 5:30 to 7 p.m. the evening before a home game, and tailgates come down 45 minutes after the final whistle of a game. All equipment and trash must be cleared by noon on Sunday.

New for the 2026 season, fans can reserve a turnkey tailgate on Boyd Lawn at the corner of Boyd Street and Asp Avenue, in front of the Jones Family Welcome Center and Carpenter Hall. Packages booked through REVELxp, OU’s exclusive reserved tailgate provider, include a tent, tables, chairs, coolers with ice, a TV with DISH service, and bellhop service, with catering available as an add-on. Boyd Lawn drop-off opens five hours before kickoff and closes three hours prior.

Beyond the Oval, tailgating remains open along North Asp Avenue, Brooks Street, and Lindsey Street. Spaces in those areas can be claimed starting at noon on Friday, though stakes cannot go into the ground until 6 p.m. Lindsey Street is the exception, opening at 7 a.m. on game day. Full rules are outlined in OU’s Tailgating and Major Event Day Policy Guide and on the official tailgate map.

Game day parking runs $30 per vehicle in paid campus lots, first-come, first-served, with cash and cards accepted. Fans can also park free at Lloyd Noble Center and take the game day shuttle for $5 roundtrip. City streets around campus close roughly five and a half hours before kickoff.

Pre-Game Traditions

Before a Sooners football game day, fans should plan to visit the Grand Lobby at the Switzer Center on the south end of Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. The athletics complex, which closes on Fridays before home games, houses a revolving collection of OU athletics memorabilia. Nearby, guests can see more of the football program’s esteemed legacy visualized at the Carl B. Anderson All-American Plaza, which honors every Sooners All-American player.

On the day of a home game, the Walk of Champions marks the first can’t-miss moment of an Oklahoma football pregame. Starting two hours and 15 minutes before kickoff, the Walk of the Champions features the players’ arrival at the corner of Brooks Street and Jenkins Avenue, where they march amongst fans at the Party at the Palace and enter Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium through Gate 6. The event also includes appearances by the Sooner Schooner, the RUF/NEKS and the Pride of Oklahoma marching band.

Inside Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium

Before heading into Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, brush up on the biggest in-game OU football traditions, along with the entry rules and bag policy at the Oklahoma Sooners football stadium.

The Pride of Oklahoma Marching Band

OU’s marching band, known as “The Pride” for short, plays a crucial role in every Sooners game day. From the pregame performance and distinctive drum major “Strut” introduction to iconic fight songs like “Boomer Sooner,” “Oklahoma” and the “OU Chant” alma mater, the Pride of Oklahoma prove they’re worthy of the title every Saturday.

National Anthem Flyover

Fans are treated to one spectacle after another at the Sooners pregame as a military aircraft flyover is conducted at the end of the National Anthem. In response, fans shout “Home of the Sooners” to close the song.

Sooner Schooner 

One of the most unique mascots in college sports, the Sooner Schooners is a crimson-and-cream covered wagon first introduced in 1964. Pulled by two white ponies named Boomer and Sooner and driven by members of the RUF/NEKS spirit team, the Sooner Schooner races across the field during the pregame show and after each OU touchdown.

RUF/NEKS

The RUF/NEKS are OU’s all-male spirit squad responsible for driving the Sooner Schooner, leading the football team onto the field and firing ceremonial shotguns at high points in the game, including touchdowns and the end of every quarter.

Boomer Sooner Chant

With each half of the stadium taking one word and repeating it back-and-forth, “Boomer Sooner” echoes across The Palace On The Prairie to create a unifying cheer.

Boomer and Sooner

Along with the white ponies that pull the Sooner Schooner, OU fans find extra team spirit from the costumed mascot versions of Boomer and Sooner.

Toby Keith Tribute

As a tribute to late country singer Toby Keith, the Sooners played his 2002 single “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue” between the third and fourth quarters. The Oklahoma native and longtime OU fan died in 2024, inspiring the team to honor him at every home game the following season.

Post-Game Activities

After the game, explore more of Norman on Main Street and in the Campus Corner neighborhood by West Boyd Street and Bucahan Avenue. Hang with fellow Sooners fans at popular post-game bars like O’Connell’s Irish Pub & Grille, The Porch, Logie’s on the Corner, The Library Bar and Grill and Sideline Bar & Grill. Elsewhere, snack on top local bites from The Mont, Scratch Kitchen & Cocktails or The Garage Burgers and Beer, then venture further into Norman for a final cheers at The Winston or The Standard beer garden.

Oklahoma Sooners Game Day Schedule

Catch every moment of a Sooners game day by checking out Oklahoma’s regular season football schedule.