The Oklahoma Sooners are entering their third season in the Southeastern Conference, and the question on everyone's mind is: can they truly contend for a title in 2026?

After a rocky debut in Year 1—where Oklahoma stumbled to a 2-6 conference record and a 6-7 overall mark—the Sooners roared back in Year 2. They not only made the College Football Playoff but also finished 10-3 overall, posting a solid 6-2 record in SEC play. That turnaround has fans and analysts alike buzzing about what's next.

The SEC remains college football's deepest and most competitive conference heading into 2026. The latest post-spring power rankings from On3 Sports' "Crain & Cone" have the Sooners slotted at No. 6, which is a promising sign for a program still finding its footing in its new home.

Leading the pack are the usual heavyweights: Georgia holds the top spot, followed by Texas, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, and LSU. Oklahoma sits just behind them, with Alabama and Missouri also in the top half of the conference. South Carolina and Florida round out the top 10, while Auburn, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, Kentucky, and Arkansas bring up the rear.

The road ahead for the Sooners is nothing short of daunting. Oklahoma will face the first, second, third, fourth, eighth, ninth, tenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth-ranked teams on that list during the regular season. And as if that weren't enough, they also have a marquee non-conference showdown with Michigan on the schedule. With the SEC now playing a nine-game conference slate, the toughest league in the country just got even tougher.

For Oklahoma to make its first-ever appearance in the SEC Championship Game, the Sooners will need to navigate one of the most challenging schedules in program history. But if last season's playoff run is any indication, this team has the grit and talent to rise to the occasion. A second straight trip to the College Football Playoff is very much within reach—if they can survive the gauntlet that lies ahead.