Oklahoma is Ohio State's marquee opponent this season. Both schools scheduled the series with the return leg for 2017 to mark the 40-year anniversary of "The Kick" from Uwe von Schamann. That game-winning field goal serves as one of the most iconic moments in Oklahoma's storied history and serves as a sore spot for older Ohio State fans who remember that game well.
Fans with a more historical focus of Ohio State football will also appreciate how conspicuous the 2016-2017 series is from another perspective. It's a rare game against a team from the current Big 12. All things considered, Ohio State had not looked to that conference for its non-conference schedules as often as it has looked further west to the current Pac-12 for big-name opponents.