The SEC will once again be the toughest conference in college softball in 2026, but the SEC has newcomers Oklahoma and Texas to thank for just meaning even more.
The Preseason ESPN / USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 Poll was released on Tuesday, with the Sooners coming in at No. 3 behind Texas and Texas Tech, who were tied for the top spot after meeting in the Women's College World Series Championship Series last season. Just two years ago, before OU and Texas left for the SEC, the Big 12 would have made up the entire top 3, but now the SEC proudly gets to boast two of the three best preseason teams and more.
Sooners in top 3 of Preseason ESPN / USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 Poll
With the recent additions of OU and Texas, 15 SEC members have softball programs, and 12 were represented in the Preseason ESPN / USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 Poll, including No. 1 Texas, No. 3 Oklahoma, No. 4 Tennessee, No. 6 Florida, No. 8 Arkansas, No. 11 Texas A&M, No. 13 LSU, No. 14 South Carolina, No. 15 Georgia, No. 16 Alabama, No. 22 Ole Miss and No. 24 Mississippi State.
Preseason rankings REVEALED ‼️
— NCAA Softball (@NCAASoftball) January 20, 2026
Preseason https://t.co/vtGKw0vlMR / @USASoftball Collegiate Top 25 Poll 🥎#NCAASoftball pic.twitter.com/YPwym06wM4
That loaded conference creates a gauntlet for the Sooners in 2026 with 10 ranked teams featured on their schedule, including six SEC series against preseason top-25 opponents. OU will play No. 1 Texas, No. 8 Arkansas, No. 11 Texas A&M, No. 13 LSU, No. 15 Georgia and No. 22 Ole Miss for three-game series. Although the Sooners will avoid the likes of No. 4 Tennessee and No. 6 Florida in the regular season, they could still need to get past them to once again win the SEC Softball Tournament.
The Sooners' schedule also includes nonconference matchups with No. 18 Arizona, No. 19 Duke, No. 20 Oklahoma State and No. 25 Washington.
That daunting slate and stacked conference didn't wear OU or Texas down last year, though, in their first season in the SEC. If anything, it bolstered the battle-tested Longhorns to win the national championship. The Sooners were also unbothered while winning the regular-season conference title and tying with Texas A&M as champions of the SEC Softball Tournament after a mishandled weather situation to sweep the SEC in Year 1.
The Sooners have been blessed with an SEC schedule, while cursing the rest of the conference.