Which SEC tier does Athlon Sports think Oklahoma falls into for 2026?

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The Oklahoma Sooners went 6-7 in 2022, the first year of the Brent Venables era. Then, OU went 10-3 in 2023. However, a regression in 2024 led to another 6-7 mark on the head coach's record. Then, the Sooners bounced back with another 10-3 season in 2025, making it to the College Football Playoff for the first time under Venables' watch.

As Oklahoma enters its third season in the SEC and its fifth season with Venables at the helm, the focus isn't just on avoiding regression again and breaking the pattern. The focus inside the Switzer Center is all about going from good to great in 2026.

To exceed what the program accomplished last season, OU will first need to navigate a very difficult SEC schedule to put themselves back in the CFP. The Sooners have learned the hard way that this league is much better and deeper than the Big 12.

Athlon Sports' Steve Lassan placed each of the 16 teams in the SEC into tiers ahead of this season. Out of his five total tiers, Lassan placed the Sooners in Tier 2, a grouping labeled "Playoff Contenders".

This tier showcases the depth of the SEC. Six teams outside of Georgia and Texas should be playoff contenders, including four — Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Ole Miss and Alabama — that earned a spot in the 12-team field last season … Will Oklahoma’s offense take a big step forward with a healthy John Mateer returning at quarterback?" – Steve Lassan, Athlon Sports.

Lassan has the Sooners ranked eighth overall in the country to open the season, good for third-best in the SEC behind Georgia and Texas. He placed OU atop his second tier, ahead of Texas A&M, LSU, Ole Miss, Alabama, and Tennessee.

Any combination of those eight teams could (and probably should) be in the playoff mix come November and December, but not all will earn a spot on the bracket. This speaks to the depth and power of the league as a whole.

For Oklahoma, it will likely come down to offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle, starting quarterback John Mateer, and the rest of the offense. With Venables' defense looking ready to hunt again and all of the special teams production returning, much of what the Sooners will or won't be this year will come down to the offense. It'll likely be the difference between OU being back in the playoff, with a chance to improve on last year's first-round exit, or Oklahoma falling out of CFP contention and taking a step back in Year 5 under Venables.

Athlon Sports SEC preseason rankings

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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Which SEC tier does Athlon Sports think Oklahoma falls into for 2026?

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