NORMAN — As the clock struck midnight Monday morning, OU officially became a member of the Southeastern Conference.

Hundreds of fans who participated in the 5K glow run across campus crossed the finish line on the 50-yard line inside Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium and watched as fireworks shot from the scoreboard. The Sooners sold new SEC merch and the line to buy the apparel wrapped around the field.

SEC logos were painted on Owen Field and one was displayed on the press box.

OU will host activities throughout the day Monday including the Paul Finebaum Show, pep rallies and live music.

More: Is OU football prepared for SEC? Sooners may be better than people think

Did Lincoln Riley run away from SEC challenge? Joe Castiglione makes apparent dig at former OU football coach

Lincoln Riley left OU for USC after the 2021 football season, just months after the Sooners' eventual move to the SEC was announced.

That led to plenty of debate whether Riley was exiting before having to join the toughest conference in the country.

Speaking on the "SEC Now" program Monday night, OU athletic director Joe Castiglione appeared to give credence to that line of thinking.

“I will tell you, without reservation, every coach that we talked to was excited," Castiglione said. "And you know what, the ones that weren’t aren’t here anymore. This is Oklahoma. Either get with it or get on with it.”

—Jeff Patterson, Sports editor

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Ed Harris narrates SEC hype video for OU

Four-time Oscar nominee and former OU student Ed Harris, 73, narrated a must-see hype video released Monday to celebrate the Sooners' move to the SEC.

—Jeff Patterson, Sports editor

More: SEC commissioner Greg Sankey, OU's Joe Castiglione say SEC move longtime coming

SEC Network's Dari Nowkhah says OU fits SEC 'perfectly'

The question, “Is Oklahoma ready for the SEC,” has lingered since the change in conference was announced.

However, on the day the move was finalized, SEC Network lead anchor Dari Nowkhah and college football analyst Dusty Dvoracek did not hesitate in their response.

“I think SEC fans are excited to get Oklahoma, but I wonder if they know exactly what they’re getting,” Dvoracek said. “I don’t know if they fully understand or appreciate the tradition of this place.”

As fans question how, not only the team will fit, but also how they will look, act and appear to other fan bases, Nowkhah knows they are much closer than they realize.

“I think they fit perfectly,” said Nowkhah, a Tulsa native and OU alum. “We know how much Sooner sports means to Sooner fans. Losses hurt, wins mean something…And these fan bases are all the same.”

—Gracie Rawlings, Staff writer

OU baseball coach Skip Johnson: SEC is 'like a football atmosphere in a baseball environment'

OU baseball coach Skip Johnson understands the challenge of SEC baseball.

It helps in recruiting. It helps prepare teams for the postseason.

“It’s like a football atmosphere in a baseball environment,” Johnson said on SEC Network’s “Paul Finebaum Show” on Monday.

Johnson, who recently agreed to a contract extension after discussions with Texas A&M, also said he’s “here to stay” with the Sooners.

OU finished last season 40-21 overall, falling in an NCAA Tournament regional in Norman. The Sooners won the Big 12 regular season championship.

This after making the championship series in the 2022 College World Series.

Now, the Sooners head to the SEC, a power conference in the sport.

“The SEC brand’s really powerful, there’s no doubt about that,” Johnson said.

—Jacob Unruh, Deputy sports editor

OU softball coach Patty Gasso: 'Going into the SEC is a different animal'

Speaking on the SEC Network's "Paul Finebaum Show" Monday afternoon, OU softball coach Patty Gasso sounded like someone looking forward to the challenge of a new league.

"The SEC in softball is the No. 1 conference in the country," Gasso said.

All 13 SEC schools — Vanderbilt does not participate in softball — made the NCAA Tournament in 2024.

Three of the four schools in the 2024 Women's College World Series semifinals (OU, Texas and Florida) will be in the SEC next season.

OU swept Texas in the WCWS finals to capture a fourth consecutive NCAA title.

"I didn't get many welcoming messages this morning," Gasso joked. "I got zero."

—Jeff Patterson, Sports editor

10:30 a.m.: Sooners take over Times Square

OU's entrance in to the SEC has hit New York City.

The Sooners' logo was featured with the SEC logo Monday morning in videoboards around Times Square. Check out the images below.

-Jacob Unruh, Deputy sports editor

More: Mussatto: OU officially joins SEC. Time to adapt to new world.

9 a.m.: Sooners 'SEC ready' at Toby Keith's bar in OKC

It has been nearly three years since OU’s move to the SEC was announced.

Monday, the Sooners’ move was made official, with one of the first pieces of a day-long celebration taking place at Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar and Grill in Oklahoma City.

“In some ways this moment got here in a heartbeat, in other ways it seems like it’s taken forever to get here,” OU broadcaster Chris Plank said in kicking off the event. “But in all the ways, we’re SEC ready, baby.”

A packed house at the restaurant greeted guests that included OU President Joseph Harroz, athletic director Joe Castiglione, softball coach Patty Gasso, men’s basketball coach Porter Moser and more.

Gasso said she looked at her phone Monday morning, wondering if any of her SEC brethren would welcome her to the league.

There was no such welcome for the program that has won four consecutive national titles.

“All my friends are right here, I’m good,” Gasso said.

But the excitement level is high, with Gasso calling the SEC the best softball league in America.

For softball in particular, the location of Monday’s event was a full-circle moment.

One of the last accomplishments for the Sooners in the Big 12 — winning the Women’s College World Series — was celebrated at Toby Keith’s.

“Let’s hear it for Big T, Toby Keith,” Harroz said. “There was no Sooner fan like him.”

OU men’s golf coach Ryan Hybl played at Georgia and said the Sooners were prepared for the move across the board.

“We’re ready for it. We’ve been ready for it, Hybl said.

—Ryan Aber, Staff writer

More: OU in SEC: 16 things for Oklahoma Sooners fans to look forward to in new conference

8:29 a.m.: Sooners fans flock to Mother Road Market in Tulsa for SEC celebration

TULSA — A few hundred Sooner fans formed a line outside of Mother Road Market, a Tulsa food hall, just before 8 a.m. Monday.

The occasion? To have a breakfast celebrating OU’s official entrance into the SEC.

Legendary coach Barry Switzer is the headline guest. Switzer will be joined by Dari Nowkhah, an SEC Network anchor who’s a Tulsa native and former Sooner.

A similar breakfast event is being held at Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill in downtown Oklahoma City.

—Joe Mussatto, columnist

More: How do Oklahoma, Texas stack up across the board with other SEC programs?

OU-SEC celebration schedule for July 1

• "Wake Up in the SEC" in OKC and Tulsa: OU will hold celebratory events in the state's two biggest cities from 8-9:30 a.m. The Oklahoma City event will take play at Toby Keith's I Love This Bar and Grill in Bricktown (310 Johnny Bench Dr.) and feature Harroz, athletic director Joe Castiglione and other OU guests, including head coaches. The Tulsa event will be at Mother Road Market (1124 S. Lewis Ave.) and include OU alum Dari Nowkhah of the SEC Network, OU Vice President Susan Bynum, Barry Switzer, the Sooner Schooner and other guests. The Pride of Oklahoma band and OU Spirit will be at both locations.

• Sooner Schooner Roadshow concludes: The "Sooner Schooner Roadshow," a trip taking the Sooner Schooner, its ponies and members of OU's RUF/NEKS and RUF/NEK Lil' Sis to the cities of the SEC, concludes with stops in Tulsa and Oklahoma City before making a final stop that evening at Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.

• Pep rallies in Norman: From about 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Pride of Oklahoma and OU Spirit will lead pep rallies at seven different Norman business districts.

• Summer equipment sale: The sale of equipment, shoes, apparel and other items will take place from 2-7 p.m. at the Mosier Indoor Track Facility. Merchandise includes football helmets, jersets, cleats, Jordan Brand and Nike apparel and shoes, cold-weather gear, baseball equipment (including bats), working shirts from most sports, plus televisions up to 55 inches.

• SEC Network programming: The SEC Network will broadcast from the stadium from 2-8 p.m., including "The Paul Finebaum Show" from 2-6 p.m. The first 300 fans at the opening of the show will receive a free OU x SEC t-shirt. "SEC Now: Live from Oklahoma" will air from 6-8 p.m. in the north end zone inside the stadium with Nowkhah and Alyssa Lang hosting. Other SEC Network representatives include former OU defensive lineman Dusty Dvoracek. The SEC Network open house will include live games, studio programming, original content and more.

• Party in the Palace: The event will conclude with the "Party in the Palace" on the field beginning at 5 p.m. Fans will have the opportunity to enter Owen Field via the Sooners' team tunnel and the event will feature live music, a basketball court, bounce house, obstacle course, face painting, balloon artist, gaming trailer, mechanical bull, a photo booth and more. Live music will be featured inside the stadium from 7-9:30 p.m., followed by a pep rally. The event will close witha drone show at 9:50 p.m. above the south end zone.

See full schedule from OU at soonersports.com.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU to SEC celebration recap from move to Southeastern Conference