OU football's season opener changing from Saturday to Friday specially benefitted one group of fans: local students.Norman Public Schools announced classes will be cancelled on Friday, Sept. 4, due to expected disruptions affecting bus routes, staff travel, and the ability of families to access schools and district offices safely. Norman is expected to see significant traffic congestion and potential road closures on game day.Because of the schedule change, the last day of school for NPS students will now be Friday, May 21.In-person classes at the University of Oklahoma have also been cancelled in preparation for the game and to accommodate traffic, parking, and safety measures that accompany game day. Classes in other campuses or online will continue as scheduled.Only essential workers should report to the Norman campus and follow their game day schedules. The remaining employees should not have remote work and eligible employees will receive administrative leave, the university said on an email sent to students, faculty and staff.With the off-day on Friday, both NPS and OU students will have a four-day weekend, as Labor Day will be celebrated on the following Monday.OU also cancelled classes in 2024, when the Sooners' opener was also played on a Friday.The Sooners, led by quarterback John Mateer, will open the 2026 season against UT-El Paso at 7 p.m. on Sept. 4. OU will then head to Ann Arbor to face 2023 national champions Michigan before heading back home for a final non-conference game against New Mexico.The OU Norman campus and Norman Public Schools will resume normal operations on Tuesday, Sept. 8, following the holiday.Isa Almeida is a trending reporter for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Isa? She can be reached at ialmeida@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at@ialmeidasports. Support Isa's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing adigital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Norman, OU cancel classes on day of Sooners' football opener