We finally have something real to go on.
After a Week 1 full of soft landings across college football, Oklahoma’s 51-0 demolition of UTEP on Friday night gave the Sooners their first chance to show where they fit on a loaded 2026 schedule. Most of the Power Four eased into the season, and the SEC came out spotless at 16-0. Michigan also avoided a loss, which leaves UTEP as the only team on OU’s schedule to take one so far - and that one came at the hands of the Sooners.
That doesn’t mean the opener tells the whole story. But it told us enough to start sorting the schedule.
Georgia still looks like the biggest problem on OU’s slate. The Bulldogs buried Tennessee State 63-3, and Gunner Stockton barely needed more than a quarter to toss three touchdown passes. It was Tennessee State, sure, but Georgia entered the season as the top team on Oklahoma’s schedule and nothing in Week 1 changed that.
Ole Miss also kept its place near the top of the list after surviving the only ranked-vs-ranked game of the weekend. The Rebels beat Louisville 41-38 in a tight one, and while there’s still skepticism about how they’ll hold up without Lane Kiffin, they deserve to be treated as real playoff contenders for now. The bigger answer comes in two weeks, when Ole Miss hosts LSU, Kiffin’s new team.
Oklahoma’s own opener was exactly the kind of result serious contenders are supposed to post. Against UTEP, the Sooners handled business without drama.
There’s no reason to get carried away, but there’s also no reason to shrug it off. If OU follows that with a commanding win over Michigan on Saturday, it will move ahead of Ole Miss.
Texas remains one of the biggest unknowns. The Longhorns get their real test Saturday at home against No.
1 Ohio State in Austin, and that game could reshuffle everything. If Texas pulls the upset in that top-5 showdown, it would have a strong case to sit at the top of this list.
Texas A&M is in the same boat. The Aggies rolled Missouri State 50-0, but that doesn’t reveal much by itself. Their next game, against Arizona State, should say a lot more.
Missouri gave itself some early buzz thanks to Austin Simmons, who looked sharp in his Tigers debut after transferring from Ole Miss. Against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, he went 17-of-19 for 252 yards and four touchdowns. Add in the fact that star running back Ahmad Hardy is expected back eventually, likely before the Tigers hit a real test, and Missouri may have enough firepower to matter.
Michigan’s escape against Western Michigan was ugly, even if it technically wasn’t a loss. The Wolverines needed a miracle and a magical extra second to survive 13-12.
The good news for them is that Kyle Whittingham is now in place, so this should be the worst version of Michigan we see in 2026. Still, Oklahoma probably feels better about that matchup than it did before Saturday.
Mississippi State also turned in a strong opener, blasting UL Monroe 62-13. Kamario Taylor was the standout, throwing for 354 yards and four touchdowns. The SEC will eventually test the Bulldogs, but they shouldn’t be dismissed.
Florida cruised past Florida Atlantic 66-21, though there’s still plenty left to figure out there. This week’s game against Campbell won’t help answer much.
South Carolina opened with a 57-0 shutout of Kent State, but Shane Beamer still doesn’t have anyone fully sold. The Gamecocks could get a much clearer verdict in two weeks against Mississippi State.
Kentucky, meanwhile, was fine in a 45-13 win over Youngstown State, but nothing about that performance stood out. Right now, they look like the weakest SEC opponent ahead for Oklahoma.
And then there’s New Mexico. The Lobos were never a harmless non-conference tune-up, and even with star quarterback Jack Layne out for the season, they handled Central Michigan 38-7. They should keep looking solid against a soft schedule, but they still wouldn’t figure to do much against an SEC team - including OU in Week 3.
In Other News...
Oklahomas Backfield Picture Changed Faster Than Sooners Fans Expected
Oklahomas backfield has already taken on a different shape after the season opener against UTEP, with transfer Lloyd Avant quickly moving into the lead role. The Colorado State import gave the Sooners a steadier presence than many expected heading into the year, while Xavier Robinson and freshman Jonathan Hatton Jr. were used sparingly as the staff sorted through options behind him.
Brent Venables also said Tory Blaylock could be back soon after sitting out Week 1 with a hamstring issue, which adds another layer to a rotation that still looks unsettled. For Oklahoma, the early takeaway is not just who carried the load in the opener, but how quickly that depth chart could keep shifting once the rest of the backs are fully available. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma Gets O-Line Boost But One Worry Looms At Michigan
Oklahoma is trending toward getting some needed help up front just in time for a marquee trip to Michigan, with injured starters Jake Maikkula and Ryan Fodje both taking full reps in practice. For a team still trying to settle in along the offensive line, that kind of reinforcement matters, especially with a nonconference test that will demand cleaner protection and more stability than the Sooners have had at times early.
The one concern hanging over the group is left tackle Michael Fasusi, whose shoulder injury left his status uncertain after he did not practice fully. Oklahoma is even weighing the possibility of holding him out not just for this game, but for the next one as well, a sign the staff is thinking beyond one matchup and toward the conference stretch that follows. [Read more 🡒]
Jim Nagys Latest OU Adds Could Matter More Than Fans Realize
Jim Nagys latest work for Oklahoma has been a little different from the usual transfer-hunt hustle. The Sooners landed four additions in Danny Saili, Braxton Fely, DYoni Hill and Jaydon Southard after each gained eligibility through temporary restraining orders against the NCAA, and the common thread in all four cases is that they were part of legal efforts seeking a fifth year on the field. For Oklahoma, the move was less about chasing headlines than identifying players who could fit what the program needs while adding depth in spots the staff had already kept open.
Nagy said the evaluation went beyond talent, with cultural fit part of the equation and the roster construction done with intent rather than impulse. The bigger question now is how quickly, or even whether, those newcomers will be pushed into action once they settle in with the Sooners. For a team that has been willing to be patient with its approach, the next step is seeing which of these late additions becomes more than just a name on the summer board. [Read more 🡒]