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The Oklahoma Sooners are flying under the radar after making the College Football Playoff last season. The Sooners aren't being talked about a lot as a legit contender this season.
Oklahoma has the 13th-best odds to win the national championship and has an over/under win total of just 7.5. That feels low for a team coming off a playoff appearance and returning a top-tier core of contributors, ranking tied for No. 12 in returning production, meaning they bring back a significant portion of last season's playoff rotation.
Despite the roster continuity, the schedule is likely what is suppressing expectations. Oklahoma again has one of the toughest schedules in the country. While the whole season has its challenges, it's the beginning part that has On3's Kaiden Smith concerned.
"Do we both love Oklahoma, what they are bringing back, and everything they are bringing to the table this year, absolutely," Smith said on the 'Hard Count.' "What I don't love is them playing Michigan, Georgia and Texas within their first five games of the season."
It will be key for Oklahoma to manage that three-game slate. The Sooners likely need to come out of that 2-1 to be in a great spot moving forward. Going 1-2 makes the rest of the season have little margin for error. If Oklahoma goes 0-3, the playoff hopes are likely over.
But anything less will leave them with little margin for error in a loaded SEC schedule, meaning their postseason fate could already be largely determined by mid-October.
Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X (formerly known as Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on X @jaronspor.
This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: College football analyst names biggest worry about Oklahoma in 2026
Continue reading...
Oklahoma has the 13th-best odds to win the national championship and has an over/under win total of just 7.5. That feels low for a team coming off a playoff appearance and returning a top-tier core of contributors, ranking tied for No. 12 in returning production, meaning they bring back a significant portion of last season's playoff rotation.
Despite the roster continuity, the schedule is likely what is suppressing expectations. Oklahoma again has one of the toughest schedules in the country. While the whole season has its challenges, it's the beginning part that has On3's Kaiden Smith concerned.
"Do we both love Oklahoma, what they are bringing back, and everything they are bringing to the table this year, absolutely," Smith said on the 'Hard Count.' "What I don't love is them playing Michigan, Georgia and Texas within their first five games of the season."
It will be key for Oklahoma to manage that three-game slate. The Sooners likely need to come out of that 2-1 to be in a great spot moving forward. Going 1-2 makes the rest of the season have little margin for error. If Oklahoma goes 0-3, the playoff hopes are likely over.
But anything less will leave them with little margin for error in a loaded SEC schedule, meaning their postseason fate could already be largely determined by mid-October.
Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X (formerly known as Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on X @jaronspor.
This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: College football analyst names biggest worry about Oklahoma in 2026
Continue reading...
