Oklahoma’s win in Starkville gave the Sooners a little something extra in the latest US LBM Coaches Poll.
After beating Mississippi State 23-15 on Saturday, Oklahoma climbed into the “others receiving votes” group, picking up one vote in the new rankings released 10/25/2026. The result moved the Sooners to 4-3 overall and 2-2 in SEC play.
It’s been a see-saw year for Oklahoma. The Sooners have traded wins and losses all season, dropped games they could have taken against Michigan and Kentucky, and also landed a marquee upset over Texas in the Red River Showdown. Saturday’s victory offered a needed step forward as they try to build momentum through the second half.
The path ahead still includes plenty of chances to move up. Oklahoma has games remaining against ranked opponents Florida, Ole Miss and Missouri. South Carolina, which the Sooners face in Week 9, is also drawing votes after its win over Tennessee.
At the top of the poll, Miami sits first with 67 of a possible 74 first-place votes. Ohio State, Georgia, Indiana and Utah round out the top five.
The rest of the top 10 includes a mix of familiar powers and a few teams pushing their way into the conversation, with Utah, UCLA, Kentucky and BYU all making their case in 2026.
Elsewhere in the poll, Oregon dropped out of the No. 25 spot. Among the teams still in the “others receiving votes” category, Oklahoma State led the way with 120 votes, followed by Wisconsin with 114. Cincinnati, New Mexico, Minnesota, UTSA, Nebraska, Virginia Tech, Oregon State, South Carolina, Duke, Oregon, Auburn, North Texas, Michigan, UCF, Oklahoma and James Madison also received votes.
In Other News...
Ben Arbuckle May Have Found What Oklahoma's Offense Needed
For one Saturday, Oklahoma looked a lot more like the balanced offense Ben Arbuckle has been trying to build. In the Sooners 23-15 win over Mississippi State, the attack leaned into the run, churned out a season-high 467 total yards and gave John Mateer a cleaner night behind center, with efficient quarterback play and no turnovers to slow things down. Running backs helped carry the load, and the whole operation felt steadier from start to finish as Oklahoma moved to 4-3.
The encouraging part for the Sooners is that it was not just about one big play or one hot stretch. The offense protected the ball, avoided sacks and stayed patient enough to let the ground game set the tone, which is the kind of formula that can travel. Whether this becomes the identity Arbuckle wants going forward is still the bigger question, but for at least one game, the pieces fit together better than they had in weeks. [Read more 🡒]
Sooners Finally Got The Formula Right But One Problem Wont Go Away
Oklahoma finally found a winning blend in Starkville. Behind John Mateers efficient day throwing for 283 yards and two touchdowns without a turnover, the Sooners beat Mississippi State 23-15 at Davis Wade Stadium to get back to 4-3 overall and even at 2-2 in SEC play. The offense moved with more purpose, and the defense did its part by keeping Mississippi State under control for most of the afternoon.
Even so, there was still a familiar hitch in the operation. Sandells missed field goals left points on the field and kept the game tighter than it needed to be, a reminder that Oklahomas margin for error is still thin even when the rest of the formula starts to click. The Sooners got the result they needed, but cleaning up the kicking game remains the obvious next step if they want to turn a solid win into something more sustainable. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma Suddenly Has A Kicker Debate Fans Cant Ignore
Brent Venables did not sound interested in making a change after Oklahomas tight game against Mississippi State, even after Tate Sandell missed three of his six field goal attempts. The Sooners came away with a result that kept the focus on the margin for error, and special teams instantly became one of the most talked-about parts of the afternoon.
Venables public backing of Sandell matters because kicking questions tend to linger when games are decided in close finishes, and Oklahoma has no interest in letting one rough outing spiral into a bigger issue. For now, the coach is signaling trust, but the discussion around the position is only going to get louder until Sandell steadies things. [Read more 🡒]