Could Oklahoma be a contender in the SEC this year?

Yahoo Sports2h ago19 min readOriginal source →

TL;DR

Oklahoma Sooners finished Year 2 in the SEC with a 10-3 record and a College Football Playoff appearance. They are currently ranked No. 6 in the SEC power rankings for 2026.

Key points

Oklahoma Sooners have played two seasons in the SEC
Year 1 record: 2-6 in conference, 6-7 overall
Year 2 record: 6-2 in conference, 10-3 overall
Oklahoma ranked No. 6 in SEC power rankings for 2026
Top teams ahead of Oklahoma include Georgia and Texas

Oklahoma SoonersSECGeorgiaTexas

Could Oklahoma be a contender in the SEC this year?

The Oklahoma Sooners have played two seasons as members of the Southeastern Conference. In Year 1, OU looked to be way behind the eight-ball, posting a 2-6 league record and going 6-7 overall. However, Year 2 saw Oklahoma make the College Football Playoff and go 10-3 overall, improving to a 6-2 conference record.

Heading into 2026, the SEC still looks extremely strong, with many of the usual suspects in play to have excellent seasons. "Crain & Cone", a college sports show with On3 Sports, unveiled their post-spring SEC power rankings this week, and the Sooners came in at No. 6 on the list.

Oklahoma slotted in behind top-ranked Georgia, Texas, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, and LSU, who made up the top five. Both Alabama and Missouri joined the Sooners in the top half of the conference, while South Carolina and Florida rounded out the top 10. Auburn, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, Kentucky, and Arkansas were the bottom six teams in the power rankings.

For the 2026 season, OU will play the first, second, third, fourth, eighth, ninth, tenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth-ranked teams on the list, in addition to a big non-conference battle with Michigan. With the SEC moving to nine-game conference schedules going forward, the toughest conference in the country just got even tougher.

As Oklahoma looks for its first-ever trip to the SEC Championship Game in 2026, the Sooners will have quite the gauntlet ahead of them to get there. However, if OU can navigate the season in a similar way to how they were able to last year, a trip to the playoff could be in the cards for a second-straight season.

Q&A

What was Oklahoma's record in their first two seasons in the SEC?

Oklahoma posted a 2-6 league record and a 6-7 overall record in their first season, followed by a 6-2 conference record and a 10-3 overall record in their second season.

Who are the top teams ranked above Oklahoma in the SEC for 2026?

The top teams ranked above Oklahoma are Georgia, Texas, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, and LSU.

What factors contribute to Oklahoma's potential as a contender in the SEC?

Oklahoma's improvement in their second season, including a College Football Playoff appearance, suggests they could be a strong contender moving forward.

How did Oklahoma perform in the SEC power rankings this year?

Oklahoma is ranked No. 6 in the SEC power rankings for 2026, indicating a strong position among conference teams.