Oklahoma Sooners Ranked 9th In Preseason College Football Coaches Poll
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The Preseason Coaches Poll is out, and the Oklahoma Sooners came in at No. 9.
That’s a solid ranking and a bit of a pleasant surprise after being picked seventh in the SEC Preseason Media Poll. It’s a clear sign of respect for what this team showed last year and the talent coming back.
A top-10 ranking in the coaches poll is a good place to start. These are the people who actually coach against the Sooners or watch the film closely, so their ranking carries a little more weight than some of the other preseason lists.
Landing at No. 9 shows that a lot of coaches around the country believe Oklahoma has the pieces to be one of the better teams in the country right out of the gate.
Last season the Sooners went 10-3, made the College Football Playoff, and closed the year with that strong November stretch. Bringing back a healthy John Mateer, a lot of the defense, and adding pieces on offense has people believing this roster is more complete. A No. 9 ranking reflects that. It’s not like they’re being over-hyped as a clear national title favorite, but they’re also not being overlooked.
The Sooners are the forth highest-ranked SEC team. They sit behind No. 3 Georgia, No. 4 Texas, and No. 8 Texas A&M.
Oklahoma is one of nine SEC teams ranked in the top 25. They are ahead of No. 10 Ole Miss, No. 11 Alabama, No. 13 LSU, No. 18 Tennessee, and No. 25 Missouri.
Starting in the top 10 gives the program some early momentum and national attention. It also sets a bar. Rankings don’t win games, but they do create expectations. For a team that still has questions on the offensive line and in the run game, being ranked this high means the coaches see the upside if those areas improve.
It also means every opponent will have Oklahoma circled as a measuring-stick game.The SEC is loaded again this year, so holding a top-10 spot won’t be easy. The early schedule with No. 16 Michigan, No. 3 Georgia, and No. 4 Texas will test this team quickly. But starting at No. 9 is better than starting lower and having to climb.
The Sooners' schedule features six matchups against top 25 opponents. Oklahoma's other ranked games outside of No. 16 Michigan, No. 3 Georgia, and No. 4 Texas include No. 8 Texas A&M, No. 10 Ole Miss, and No. 25 Missouri.
It puts the Sooners in the conversation from day one and gives the fan base something positive to build on as training camp wraps up.
Overall, this feels like a fair and respectful ranking. Oklahoma earned it with last year’s playoff appearance and the returning talent.
2026 Preseason US LBM Coaches Poll Top 25
1. Ohio State (38 first-place votes)
2. Oregon (6 first-place votes)
3. Georgia (7 first-place votes)
4. Texas (2 first-place votes)
5. Notre Dame (5 first-place votes)
6. Indiana (14 first-place votes)
7. Miami
8. Texas A&M
9. Oklahoma
10. Ole Miss
11. Alabama
12. Texas Tech
13. LSU
14. USC
15. BYU
16. Michigan
17. Penn State
18. Tennessee
19. Washington
20. SMU
21. Utah
22. Iowa
23. Clemson
24. Houston
25. Missouri
Others receiving votes: Louisville 153; Florida 147; TCU 63; Illinois 62; South Carolina 50; Arizona 50; Virginia 40; Vanderbilt 37; Auburn 29; Georgia Tech 26; Boise State 24; Oklahoma State 22; UNLV 17; North Carolina State 13; Florida State 13; Virginia Tech 12; Nebraska 12; Memphis 9; Arizona State 8; James Madison 6; Duke 6; Pittsburgh 4; New Mexico 4; Western Michigan 3; Navy 3; San Diego State 2; Kansas State 1; Jacksonville State 1; Hawaii 1; California 1;
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