Oklahoma enters the 2026 season ranked No. 10 in the Associated Press preseason poll, released Aug. 17, setting up what Sports Illustrated called the most daunting schedule in program history for Brent Venables' fifth-year squad.
The Sooners earned 1,047 points in the poll, slotting them as the fifth-highest SEC program behind No. 3 Georgia, No. 5 Texas, No. 8 Texas A&M and No. 9 Ole Miss. Ohio State claimed the top spot with 40 first-place votes, according to NCAA.com, followed by Oregon and Georgia. The SEC leads all conferences with nine ranked teams.
OU's ranking represents a climb from where the program ended 2025. The Sooners finished last season at No. 13 after a first-round College Football Playoff loss to Alabama, dropping five spots from their No. 8 postseason entry after a 10-3 campaign.
Six ranked opponents, four in the top 10
The schedule ahead is unprecedented. Oklahoma will face four preseason top-10 teams in a single season for the first time since the AP began compiling preseason rankings in 1950, according to Sports Illustrated.
The Sooners travel to No. 16 Michigan, No. 3 Georgia and No. 5 Texas within the first six weeks, all away from Norman. They host No. 8 Texas A&M and No. 9 Ole Miss at Memorial Stadium before closing the regular season on the road at No. 25 Missouri.
In its third year as an SEC member, Oklahoma will have its third consecutive season with at least three preseason AP top-10 opponents on the schedule. That streak is also a program first.
Fall camp intensity
Quarterback John Mateer, speaking on the "See Ball Get Ball with David Pollack" podcast during fall camp, described Venables' approach heading into the season.
"He's intense. All of the time. He embraces it," Mateer said. "It keeps all of us on 10 all of the time. We can't get away with anything."
Venables said his wide receivers are "more precise, more explosive" this fall.
What's next
Oklahoma opens the season Sept. 4 against UTEP at Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. CDT on SEC Network+. The Sooners were also ranked No. 9 in the preseason coaches' poll, released Aug. 4, and SEC media picked them to finish seventh in the conference.
