Four months before Oklahoma’s 2026-27 men’s basketball season even tips off, Jon Rothstein has already set a low bar for the Sooners.
The CBS Sports college basketball insider released his SEC Preseason Power Rankings on July 1, 2026, and he slotted Oklahoma at No. 13 in the conference, ahead of only Mississippi State, South Carolina and LSU. Florida checked in at No. 1, followed by Texas, Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Alabama, Missouri, Texas A&M, Georgia, Auburn and Ole Miss.
SEC Preseason Power Rankings. pic.twitter.com/z1GHHkQKaN
- Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) July 1, 2026
For a program trying to build something in Year 6 under Porter Moser, that ranking lands like a cold splash of water. If Rothstein’s order holds anywhere close to true, Oklahoma is staring at another season of being on the wrong side of the NCAA Tournament bubble - or worse, sitting it out entirely for the fifth time in six years with Moser running the show.
That’s the pressure point now. Roger Denny, in his first major move as Oklahoma’s athletic director, brought Moser back with a bigger support system and more resources. The idea was simple: give the coach more to work with, from NIL money for players to the addition of a general manager, Lucas McCay, to help identify talent worth investing in.
And to Moser’s credit, this offseason has looked different. The Sooners didn’t get stripped down the way they often have in past years, when star players left through the transfer portal.
Guard Xzayvier Brown, last season’s leading scorer, is back. So are Derrion Reid, Dayton Forsythe and Kai Rogers.
Oklahoma also worked the portal, bringing in Khani Rooths from Louisville, Tyler Hendricks from Utah Valley and Pop Isaacs from Texas A&M. Moser even dipped into the NBA’s G League to land a big man, Akoldah Gak.
By Oklahoma standards, it has been the most encouraging offseason of Moser’s tenure. Keeping pieces in place and plugging holes with actual options gave the Sooners something they haven’t had much of lately: a reason for optimism.
Rothstein clearly isn’t ready to join that party.
And if the prediction turns out to be accurate, the Sooners may look good early again before the grind of SEC play exposes the same old problem. Oklahoma’s non-conference schedule is expected to offer a soft landing, but Moser has never posted a winning conference record, and another rough run through league play would send the Sooners right back to the same place they’ve been too often under him.
For fans who were hoping this offseason meant a real reset, Rothstein’s rankings are a reminder that belief is still hard to come by in Norman. For those already hoping for a coaching change, the math is even simpler: if Oklahoma lands near the bottom of the SEC again, Moser’s seat will only get hotter.
In Other News...
Oklahoma May Be Closing In On Another Big Texas Recruiting Win
Oklahomas recruiting push into Texas has a familiar feel to it, and the Sooners are back in the mix for another priority target from the Lone Star State. The player drawing the latest attention has already picked up multiple Power Four offers, and the appeal is obvious: athleticism, speed and the kind of playmaking ability that can translate quickly once he gets on campus.
Recent forecast chatter has only added to the momentum around Oklahomas pursuit, with more than one analyst pointing the same way. The Sooners are also trying to fend off a mix of regional and national competition, and if they can land him, they see a natural fit at safety with a chance to compete for a role in the secondary. [Read more 🡒]
National Analyst Just Put Danny Okoye In Oklahomas Spotlight
Danny Okoye has spent his first two seasons at Oklahoma in a limited rotational role, flashing just enough to keep his name in the conversation without forcing his way into the spotlight. Through that stretch, the defensive end has produced six tackles, two tackles for loss and two sacks, the kind of modest early rsum that still leaves plenty of room for projection when the traits are obvious and the runway opens up.
Now the Sooners have a little more reason to look his way, with a vacancy in the EDGE rotation and a developmental defender who keeps drawing attention from national analysts for his athletic profile. David Pollack is among those noting Okoyes upside, but the real question for Oklahoma is whether the talent turns into reliable snaps and consistent disruption when the opportunity finally gets bigger. [Read more 🡒]
Sooners Came Uncomfortably Close In Another Major Texas Recruiting Battle
Oklahoma spent the spring trying to make up ground with Brandon Sherrard, and the late effort was real enough to put the Sooners back in the mix for one of the better defensive backs in the 2027 class. The four-star corner from Texas had offers from a long list of major programs, and Oklahomas push included an offer in May and an official visit shortly after, giving the Sooners a legitimate shot in a battle that also drew LSU and others.
Instead, another Texas recruiting fight went the other way, leaving Oklahoma to keep building around other targets in the class. Sherrards profile made him the kind of addition that could have changed the shape of OUs cornerback group, so his decision is another reminder of how thin the margins can be when the Sooners go head-to-head with the Longhorns for elite in-state talent. [Read more 🡒]