Oklahoma Sooners DISREPECTED In SEC Football Preseason Media Poll

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The SEC media poll came out, and the Oklahoma Sooners were picked to finish 7th in the conference for the 2026 season, with two first-place votes.

On one hand, 7th is the highest the media has projected the Sooners since they joined the SEC. They had Oklahoma at 10th last year and 8th the year before.

So there’s some progress in the respect department. But on the other hand, it still feels like there’s a decent amount of disrespect floating around.

Last year Oklahoma went 6-2 in conference play and finished 6th. They closed the regular season with four straight wins, including huge road victories at Tennessee and Alabama, and made the College Football Playoff.

You’d think that would earn them a little more love in the preseason poll, but here they are again sitting behind teams like Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Alabama and LSU.

It’s not just football either. The softball program, which has been absolutely dominant and won the last two SEC regular season titles, was picked 3rd in 2025 and 2nd this year. Even when the Sooners prove it on the field, the so-called experts still wants to put Oklahoma a notch below the traditional powers of the league.

Brent Venables has already said they’ll use this kind of thing as motivation. He likes having that chip on the shoulder for the players — something extra to prove. That underdog mentality served the team well last November when nobody gave them much of a chance.

The schedule is brutal again this year, so a 7th place finish is definitely in the realm of possibility. But if you look at the talent on this roster, it feels like Oklahoma should be in the conversation higher than that.

John Mateer is back and healthy, the skill positions look strong, the defense should still be nasty, and the offensive line is another year older. On paper, this team has the pieces to compete with just about anybody in the conference.

Nobody is saying Oklahoma is going to run the table, but being projected 7th after the way last season ended feels a little low. If the Sooners play to their potential and stay healthy, they’ve got a real shot to be in the mix for the SEC Championship Game.

The talent is there. Now it’s about going out and proving the doubters wrong again.

2026 SEC Football Preseason Media Poll

1. Georgia

2. Texas

3. Ole Miss

4. Texas A&M

5. LSU

6. Alabama

7. Oklahoma

8. Tennessee

9. Florida

10. Missouri

11. South Carolina

12. Auburn

13. Vanderbilt

14. Kentucky

15. Mississippi State

16. Arkansas

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