Oklahoma opened the preseason with a ranking that fits the buzz around Norman, even if it still stands out a little on the page.
The Sooners landed at No. 9 in the US LBM Coaches Poll released Tuesday, giving OU one of the stronger spots in the country after a 10-2 season that ended with a loss to Alabama in the College Football Playoff. The ranking also puts Oklahoma right in the middle of a crowded SEC picture, where nine teams showed up in the poll.
OU checked in behind No. 3 Georgia, No.
4 Texas and No. 8 Texas A&M, while sitting ahead of No.
10 Mississippi, No. 11 Alabama, No.
13 LSU, No. 18 Tennessee and No.
25 Missouri. That makes the Sooners the fourth-highest SEC team in the coaches’ poll, even though the league’s media poll had them projected to finish seventh in the conference.
There’s a little history baked into the placement, too. Oklahoma was not ranked in last season’s preseason coaches poll, which marked the program’s first absence there since 1999.
At the top of the coaches’ rankings, Ohio State opened No. 1, followed by Oregon, Georgia, Texas and Notre Dame. Indiana came in at No.
6, Miami at No. 7 and Texas A&M at No. 8 before Oklahoma at No. 9.
The rest of the top 25 featured Mississippi, Alabama, Texas Tech, LSU, USC, BYU, Michigan, Penn State, Tennessee, Washington, SMU, Utah, Iowa, Clemson, Houston and Missouri.
Several teams dropped out of the poll entirely, including No. 15 Vanderbilt, No.
16 Virginia, No. 18 Tulane, No.
20 James Madison, No. 23 Navy, No.
24 Georgia Tech and No. 25 Illinois.
Among teams receiving votes, Louisville led the group with 153, followed by Florida with 147. TCU, Illinois, Arizona, South Carolina, Virginia, Vanderbilt, Auburn, Georgia Tech, Boise State, Oklahoma State, UNLV, Florida State, North Carolina State, Nebraska, Virginia Tech, Memphis, Arizona State, Duke, James Madison, New Mexico, Pittsburgh, Navy, Western Michigan, San Diego State, California, Hawaii, Jacksonville State and Kansas State also appeared in the vote count.
The 2026 US LBM Board of Coaches includes representatives from across the sport, with names such as Ryan Day, Kalen DeBoer, Kirby Smart, Mike Elko, Rhett Lashlee, Matt Rhule, Barry Odom and several others serving on the panel.
In Other News...
Oklahomas Run Game Suddenly Looks Nothing Like Last Season
Oklahomas rushing attack was one of the clearest blemishes on last seasons offense, and it is shaping up as a major point of emphasis heading into 2026. The Sooners are banking on a mix of continuity and competition to change that, with junior Xavier Robinson, sophomore Tory Blaylock and redshirt senior quarterback John Mateer forming the core of a backfield that has to look much more productive than it did a year ago.
Mateer led the team in rushing attempts and touchdowns last season, which says plenty about how often Oklahoma had to lean on its quarterback to get things moving on the ground. Now the room includes freshmen Jonathan Hatton Jr. and DeZephen Walker along with junior transfer Lloyd Avant, giving the staff more options and more ways to sort out roles. Coaches sound encouraged by the depth and potential, but the real question is whether that optimism translates into a ground game that can lift the Sooners out of the SEC cellar. [Read more 🡒]
Trell Harris Could Change Oklahomas Receiver Ceiling Once Hes Fully Back
Oklahomas Media Day offered the first real checkpoint on Trell Harris as the Sooners began setting the table for fall camp in 2026, and wide receivers coach Emmett Jones sounded calm about where the receiver is in his rehab. Harris has dealt with a minor offseason setback, but the staff still views him as on track, with the kind of pure route-running skill set that can fit neatly alongside Isaiah Sategna and give the room a different look when he is fully back.
For now, the focus is simply on getting Harris back into football movements and building him up without rushing the process. Jones indicated he should be running routes soon, though his availability right as camp opens remains less clear, and Oklahoma will be watching closely because the ceiling of the passing game could rise once Harris is healthy enough to stack reps and become a reliable complement to Sategna. [Read more 🡒]
Michael Fasusi Is Giving Oklahoma Fans Real Reason To Believe Up Front
Michael Fasusi already gave Oklahoma something it badly wanted up front last fall, stepping into the starting left tackle job as a freshman and holding it for eight games. The early returns were strong enough to earn him Freshman All-American recognition from On3, and the buzz around him only grew as coaches and players at Oklahomas media day talked about his approach and the kind of player he can become.
For a Sooners offense that has spent plenty of time looking for stability on the line, Fasusi looks like more than a promising piece. He enters 2026 expected to be one of the key players on the front, and the reason fans have started to believe is not just the rsum he has already built, but the way people around the program are speaking about what is still coming next. [Read more 🡒]