We can finally judge college football teams off more than just preseason expectations.
A long Week 1 of the college football season finally concluded Monday night after the Oklahoma Sooners helped kicked things off Friday night with a 51-0 thumping of UTEP at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Like the Sooners, nearly every Power Four team started 2026 with an easy matchup to get going, which helped the SEC be the only conference to go a perfect 16-0. Also thanks to Michigan's non-loss, the only team on OU's schedule to suffer a loss so far is UTEP, which was obviously dealt by the Sooners.
It was barely even a preview, but it was still revealing enough to know better than ever where the Sooners stack up among teams on their loaded schedule.
Where the Sooners stand among the teams on their 2026 schedule
Georgia beat the breaks off Tennessee State so bad in a 63-3 win that quarterback Gunner Stockton barely even played more than a quarter, and still had three TD passes. Yes, it was Tennessee State, but the Bulldogs were already believed to be the best team on OU’s schedule, and nothing Saturday said otherwise.
The Rebels actually took on a challenge with the only ranked-vs-ranked matchup of Week 1, as they outlasted Louisville 41-38 in a thriller. I still believe we’ll eventually see Ole Miss dip without Lane Kiffin, but until something actually changes, the Rebels should be respected as serious playoff contenders. We’ll know for sure in two weeks, when Ole Miss hosts Kiffin’s new team, LSU.
It was just UTEP, but the Sooners took care of business like serious title contenders should. There’s no need to overreact either way from the 51-0 blowout, but it did confirm OU at least belongs among the contenders from what we saw. A commanding win over Michigan on Saturday, and the Sooners will jump Ole Miss.
Now that Week 1 is over, we can finally learn if Texas was worth all the offseason hype when it hosts No. 1 Ohio State on Saturday in Austin. As painful as it’d be, the Longhorns would deserve to top this list if they really do upset the Buckeyes in a top-5 battle.
Like most in these rankings, we didn’t learn much about Texas A&M in its 50-0 thumping of Missouri State. We’ll know a lot more after this week, though, because the Aggies host Arizona State.
Quarterback Austin Simmons had a turnover problem at Ole Miss, but in his Missouri debut, albeit against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, he completed 17-of-19 passes for 252 yards and four TDs. The Tigers will also eventually return star running back Ahmad Hardy, likely before facing a real test. Mizzou might actually have enough weapons to be dangerous.
Michigan didn’t lose, which is about the best thing you can say about the Wolverines after needing a miracle and magical extra second to survive Western Michigan 13-12. Without overreacting, Michigan does have a legit coach now in Kyle Whittingham, so that should be the worst version of the Wolverines we see in 2026. Still yet, the Sooners shouldn’t be as worried as they were before that Week 1 showing.
Although it was against UL Monroe, Mississippi State looked impressive in a 62-13 shellacking, especially quarterback Kamario Taylor, who threw for 354 yards and four TDs. The SEC will eventually wear down the Bulldogs, but don’t count them out.
A lot is still TBD for the Gators, even after chomping Florida Atlantic 66-21. And we won’t learn anymore about Florida this week when it hosts Campbell.
The Gamecocks shut out Kent State 57-0, but still don’t buy any Shane Beamer stock yet. South Carolina could get a reality check in two weeks against Mississippi State.
It’s hard to judge the SEC when most of the teams played cupcakes, but Kentucky still didn’t wow in a 45-13 win over Youngstown State and appear to be the weakest conference foe ahead for the Sooners.
New Mexico was never a non-conference cupcake, and even with star quarterback Jack Layne injured for the season, the Lobos still handled Central Michigan 38-7 Week 1. The Lobos will continue to look good throughout a weak schedule, but they wouldn’t be able to do much against any SEC team, including OU Week 3.
UTEP is by far the worst team on the Sooners’ schedule. We’ve all known that since before the season even started, then it was confirmed Friday night, when OU’s defense struggled and still shut out the Miners 51-0.
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