A lot has been revealed after Week 4 of the college football season, and not just about the disappointing Oklahoma Sooners, but also about the teams they still have to deal with while already struggling at 2-2.
The Sooners are on their bye week while staring down a spook trail ahead with eight SEC matchups and six being against teams currently ranked in the AP Top 25 Poll. None of them will be easy, especially with how offensively challenged the Sooners are right now, but some games are still a lot more manageable than others. The Sooners will also have to win every game they have a chance in and pull off some upsets to avoid a third losing record in five seasons under Brent Venables.
From the least terrifying to the most, here's a ranking of the rest of the Sooners' 2026 slate.
Ironically, the least terrifying game left on OU's schedule will be on Halloween in Norman.
Arkansas is probably the only team in the SEC worse than South Carolina this season. By the time the Gamecocks get to Norman, former OU offensive assistant Shane Beamer might not even still be the head coach, or this could also be the nail in his coffin. But, hey, the Sooners could need an OC themselves by then, so maybe Beamer should just stay off the plane back.
Texas A&M's season is going a lot like the Sooners'. They both came in with experienced rosters that made the College Football Playoff last year and were expected to return, but things are not going according to plan with disappointing veteran quarterbacks.
Even with the Aggies' struggles, this still won't be an easy matchup, and it would be higher up on the list if not for being at home.
Kentucky on the rise under new coach Will Stein and is just inside the top 25. The Wildcats gave Alabama fits for a half, then blew out Texas A&M. The Sooners at least get the Wildcats at home, so if they are still ranked, this could be OU's best chance at an upset. Imagine hearing three weeks ago that the Sooners beating Kentucky would be an upset.
If this game were in Norman, it would be down there at No. 7. The Tigers might be overrated at No. 25 and likely not ranked at all by the final week of the regular season, but they're still dangerous, especially at home.
Even though they just got hammered by Florida, the Rebels are still legit CFP contenders and will stay that way. OU hasn't beaten Ole Miss in SEC play yet in two tries, and even with Lane Kiffin gone, the Rebels might still have Venables' number.
Mississippi State is actually good? Yes. Really. Former OU OC Jeff Lebby has the Bulldogs' stock soaring with a Heisman Trophy contender at quarterback in Kamario Taylor. Lebby's offense is potent enough to score on Venables' defense, plus the Bulldogs will have the power of cowbells behind them in Starkville.
Depending on how things go in the next two games and what decisions are made, this could also be a first SEC road start for either Whitt Newbauer or Bowe Bentley as OU's quarterback.
The Texas Longhorns are up next after the bye week and currently reign as the No. 1 team in the nation. Texas is 4-0 with the most impressive resume in college football, but could have just as easily been 2-2 like the Sooners at this point.
Not having the No. 1 team top this list seems absurd, but it's still the Red River Rivalry, where anything can happen in front of a perfectly split crowd.
Even when we thought Florida wasn't going to be very good, we still thought going to The Swamp would be a spooky trip. Well, the Gators are clearly really good under Jon Sumrall after just thumping Ole Miss in Gainesville and moving inside the top 10.
The Sooners have never visited The Swamp before, so Florida fans will give them a loud welcome while cheering on a team fighting for a spot in the CFP for the first time.
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