Oklahoma Football Is Back on the Radar in a Big Way for 2026
What a difference a year makes. This time last January, Oklahoma was still licking its wounds from a 6-7 finish in 2024, and the Sooners were a long shot in most early top-25 projections for the following season. Fast forward to today, and the narrative around Brent Venables’ program has taken a sharp turn - and for all the right reasons.
With the 2025 college football season now officially wrapped - capped by Indiana’s improbable national title run - attention has shifted to what lies ahead in 2026. And if the early rankings are any indication, Oklahoma is once again being viewed as a serious contender.
From Forgotten to Front-Runners
A year ago, Oklahoma was largely absent from the way-too-early rankings. The Sooners were coming off a disappointing campaign, and expectations were understandably muted. But as the offseason unfolded, and Venables and his staff worked to reshape the roster and culture, the outlook began to shift.
By the time post-spring updates rolled around, Oklahoma had crept back into the conversation. On3 was one of the few outlets that showed early belief, slotting the Sooners at No. 18 in its preseason projections for 2025.
That belief has only grown stronger. In its just-released way-too-early top 25 for 2026, On3 bumped Oklahoma all the way up to No.
And they’re not alone.
Climbing the Early Rankings
The floodgates have opened on early 2026 rankings, and Oklahoma is firmly in the mix - not just as a top-25 team, but as a potential top-10 squad. Across the board, media outlets are showing renewed confidence in what Venables is building in Norman:
- USA Today has the Sooners at No. 6 - the highest of any outlet so far.
- FanSided is close behind, placing Oklahoma at No.
- Sporting News has them at No.
- CBS Sports and Athlon Sports both agree with On3’s No. 10 ranking.
- ESPN’s Mark Schlabach has OU at No. 12.
- Yahoo Sports puts them at No. 13.
- FOX Sports comes in with the lowest ranking at No. 14, though they still note that Oklahoma is “poised to contend for the SEC title.”
That last point is worth noting. Even at No.
14, FOX sees the Sooners as a legitimate threat in the SEC - no small feat considering they have seven other SEC teams ranked ahead of OU. That’s a testament to the depth of the conference, but also to the respect Oklahoma is starting to regain.
A Sign of Progress - and Belief
The biggest takeaway? Every major outlet that’s released a way-too-early top 25 for 2026 has Oklahoma in it.
That wasn’t the case a year ago. And more importantly, most have the Sooners inside the top 10.
That’s not just a nod to potential - it’s a recognition of real progress.
Brent Venables and his staff have clearly changed the conversation around Oklahoma football. After a rocky 2024, the Sooners are no longer a question mark. They’re a team to watch - and maybe, just maybe, a team ready to make some serious noise in the SEC.