Tulsa’s 2023 schedule has a little sizzle
The revamped American Athletic Conference released its 2023 football schedule Tuesday, and the University of Tulsa will begin adjusting to a new series of opponents.
Six newcomers join the AAC this summer — Alabama-Birmingham, Texas-San Antonio, Florida Atlantic, Rice, North Texas and Charlotte.
The Golden Hurricane plays three of those newcomers — TU hosts Rice on October 19 and hosts Charlotte on November 4, plus Tulsa plays at Florida Atlantic on November 7.
Rice and Charlotte don't exactly make the Tulsa home schedule sizzle, though a September 16 home game against OU does.
Here is TU's schedule:
h Sept. 2: Arkansas-Pine Bluff
• Sept. 9: at Washington
• Sept. 16: OU
• Sept. 23: at Northern Illinois
• Sept. 28: Temple
• Oct. 7: at Florida Atlantic
• Oct. 19: Rice
• Oct. 28: at Southern Methodist
• Nov. 4: Charlotte
• Nov. 11: at Tulane
• Nov. 18: North Texas
• Nov. 25: at East Carolina
In truth, that's a daunting road schedule: Washington, Northern Illinois, Florida Atlantic, SMU, Tulane and East Carolina.
You'd think a mid-major league that lost Cincinnati, Central Florida and Houston (all to the Big 12) would mean an easier schedule for the remaining members. And maybe it does.
But a non-conference duo of OU and Washington makes Tulsa's schedule quite formidable.
TU this season will not play American legacy members Memphis, Navy and South Florida.
The American previously announced that it will not use divisions. The top two teams via the standings in the 14-member league will play for the conference title.
Tulsa in 2024 begins an eight-game, home-and-home series with OSU. So Tulsa has some interesting non-conference home games on the docket. 2023: OU
2024: OSU
2026: OSU, Army
2027: Arkansas
2028: OSU, Army
2030: OSU
So nothing fantastic in 2025 or 2029, but Tulsa otherwise has some marketable non-conference games, which should make up for the loss of the cream of the American Conference.