THE Oklahoma Early and head coach won over the college football world after their 10-2 regular season and College Football Playoff berth. USA TODAY Sports college football writers included the Earlier in the top 10 of their way too early power rankings for 2026 and they were joined by the On3 staff.
On3 Team Ranks Oklahoma 10th in the country coming out of the transfer portal window and just over eight months away from the start of 2026. It seems many are predicting Oklahoma to make the playoffs in back-to-back seasons.
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Here’s what On3’s JD PicKell had to say about the Sooners.
2025 verified that Brent Venables had the chops as a head coach in the SEC. His defense will be something we can count on to consistently be elite in Norman. The excitement with Oklahoma is on the offensive side of the ball. When quarterback John Mateer was healthy, the offense gave OU a chance to hang with anyone in the country. If the Sooners can run the ball more effectively in 2026, they will be back in the CFP and a contender for the SEC dark horse title. -PickKell, On3
A contender for the SEC dark horse feels about right. Games against Georgia, Texas and Texas A&M loom large. They’ll hit the road to face the three-time defending SEC champion Bulldogs, hope to right the ship against Texas in the Cotton Bowl and host the Aggies for a crucial late-season matchup.
Oklahoma revamped the offense with key additions like E’Marion Harris, Parker Livingstone, Trell Harris, Hayden Hansen and Rocky Beers. But much of OU’s success will depend on the Sooners’ running game. Oklahoma finished 113th in the nation in rushing offense with 118.5 yards per game, and averaged just 3.5 yards per carry. Sure, they played against some of the best defenses in the country in 2025, but it needs to be more effective for Oklahoma to find more offensive success in 2026.
Contact us/Follow us @SoonersWire on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes and opinions. You can also follow John on @john9williams.
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This article was originally published on Sooners Wire: Oklahoma Sooners ranked 10th in On3 top 25 for 2026 season
