The 2026 college football season hasn’t even kicked off yet, but the Sooners Wire staff is already making a bold statement about Oklahoma’s early schedule: they are picking the Sooners to win their first three games unanimously. Coming off a second 10-win season under head coach Brent Venables and a College Football Playoff appearance, the team made significant additions this offseason, clearly retooling with one goal in mind: another trip to the playoff.
All Gas, No Brakes: Week 1 Statement Time
Get ready for an explosive start, because the Sooners are hitting the ground running against the UTEP Miners on September 5 in Norman. Lead writer John Williams, along with contributors Aaron Gelvin and Jaron Spor, are all calling this a decisive Oklahoma victory. And why wouldn’t they? UTEP struggled to a 2-10 record in 2025, giving up an average of 30 points per game. This isn’t just a win, it’s a prime opportunity for the Sooners’ offense to flex some serious muscle and immediately make a statement in Week 1. You know they’re looking to send a message.
Early Season Tests and Unwavering Confidence
The schedule gets tougher fast, but the confidence from the Sooners Wire crew doesn’t waver. On September 12, Oklahoma heads to Ann Arbor to face the Michigan Wolverines, a team they beat 24-13 last year. The Wolverines will be under a new era with Kyle Whittingham at the helm, and their key offensive threat from last year, Justice Haynes, who had a 75-yard touchdown run, is now playing for Georgia Tech. Williams is sticking with Oklahoma, believing they’ll be the more ready team in Week 2, even in a hostile Big House. Then it’s back to Norman on September 19 for New Mexico. While the Lobos went 9-4 last season and return a lot of talent under coach Jason Eck, Williams predicts a second blowout win. He believes Oklahoma’s talent and sheer physicality will simply overwhelm New Mexico, even with their improvements.
With kickoff just six days away, the Sooners are poised to show everyone that their offseason retooling and unanimous staff confidence are for real. This team feels like it has something to prove, and the early season schedule is their chance to make some serious noise on the national stage.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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