Which of Oklahoma’s 2026 Games Have Most ‘Trap’ Potential

The Sooners will play several top-tier teams in 2026, but some of their under-the-radar opponents could set up for "trap games."

South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers scrambles against Oklahoma. | Carson Field / Sooners On SI

It’s no secret that Oklahoma will play one of college football’s toughest schedules in 2026.

The Sooners will battle Georgia, Texas and Michigan in their first five games. They will get a somewhat of a reprieve — if you want to call it that — in the middle of the season before taking on two squads that made the College Football Playoff last year, Ole Miss and Texas A&M, in two of their last three games.

Those five aforementioned opponents are expected to be top-tier squads in 2026, meaning that OU’s games against them could go either way.

But those won’t be the Sooners’ only difficult contests. There are plenty of “trap games” on OU’s schedule that have the potential to derail its season.

Here is a ranking of how difficult each of those other seven opponents will be in 2026:

7. UTEP

UTEP quarterback Skyler Locklear (9) looks for an open receiver during the Delaware vs. UTEP Conference USA football season finale at Delaware Stadium in Newark on Nov. 29, 2025. Delaware won 61-31. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Let’s be real — the Sooners aren’t going to lose their season opener against UTEP.

Not to pick on the Miners, but they are one of college football’s worst programs, year in and year out. UTEP has appeared in only one bowl game since 2015, and the Miners haven’t won a bowl game since the 1967 Sun Bowl.

Last year, the Miners went 2-10 and won only one game in Conference USA play. The 2026 season will be Scotty Walden’s third as UTEP’s head coach, and he is just 5-19 in his tenure.

UTEP retooled both sides of the ball during the offseason. But even on Oklahoma’s worst day, the Sooners will still win by double digits.

6. New Mexico

Dec 26, 2025; Phoenix, AZ, USA; New Mexico Lobos quarterback Jack Layne (2) against the Minnesota Golden Gophers during the Rate Bowl at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

New Mexico, on the other hand, is a respectable mid-major squad.

The Lobos went 9-4 in coach Jason Eck’s first season last year and lost in overtime to Minnesota in the Rate Bowl. The Mountain West’s media expects them to be similarly strong in 2026, as they checked in at No. 2 in the conference’s preseason poll.

Still, there is a large talent gap between the Lobos and the Sooners.

Is it possible that UNM can make things interesting if OU’s offense looks like it did late last year? Sure.

But the Sooners will have already played against one good team (Michigan) and one bad team (UTEP) by the time they face New Mexico. They should have enough of an identity to comfortably defeat the Lobos at home in Week 3.

5. Kentucky

Kentucky head football coach Will Stein speaks during a news conference before the start of fall camp in Lexington, Ky., on Aug. 3, 2026. Stein discussed the Wildcats' offseason preparation and the start of preseason practice. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Kentucky landed one of the nation’s premier offensive minds when it hired former Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein to be its next head coach.

Stein coached NFL quarterbacks Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel when they played at Oregon, and he helped lead the Ducks to the CFP in each of the previous two seasons.

The 36-year-old coach, however, took over one of the least-proven rosters in the SEC. Eight of the 11 projected starters on Kentucky’s offensive depth chart are transfers, including quarterback Kenny Minchey.

Down the line, Stein may prove to be a home-run hire. But it’s hard to see the Wildcats being very competitive in 2026.

OU’s matchup against Kentucky on Oct. 17 sets up to be arguably its easiest conference game of 2026.

4. Mississippi State

Jul 23, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs head coach Jeff Lebby speaks to the press during SEC Football Kickoff Media Day at the Tampa Marriott. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Mississippi State still wasn’t great in Jeff Lebby’s second year as head coach. But the Bulldogs improved dramatically from their 2-10 campaign in 2024.

The Bulldogs went 5-7 in the regular season but were one of the few teams with that record to earn a spot in a bowl game. Kamario Taylor established himself as a promising option at quarterback late in the season, and he’ll be MSU’s starter in 2026.

The national consensus is that Mississippi State will, once again, be mediocre in the fall, as the SEC preseason poll had the Bulldogs at No. 15.

But Starkville isn’t exactly an easy place to play. The home-field atmosphere at Davis Wade Stadium is a hostile one seasoned with cowbells.

Side note — there will be several OU connections in this game. Of course, Lebby formerly served on OU’s staff as the offensive coordinator, but three players from the Sooners’ 2025 squad — wide receiver Zion Ragins, defensive back Kendel Dolby and offensive lineman Isaiah Dent — transferred to Mississippi State during the offseason.

3. South Carolina

South Carolina wide receiver Nyck Harbor watches as a kickoff goes through the end zone against Oklahoma. | Carson Field / Sooners On SI

South Carolina was one of college football’s most disappointing squads a year ago.

The Gamecocks followed up their impressive 2024 campaign with a 4-8 season that warmed coach Shane Beamer’s seat up by about 50 degrees. South Carolina held its own against a couple of quality teams, like Texas A&M and Alabama, but let both of those contests slip away in the final minutes.

The biggest offensive need for the Gamecocks was the offensive line, and they addressed it, adding six transfer linemen to the roster. With plenty of time in the pocket, LaNorris Sellers is one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in college football.

South Carolina seems primed for a major step forward in 2026 — and Beamer’s job depends on it.

Last year, the Sooners handled the Gamecocks 26-7 in Columbia. If OU had to battle them on the road again, this game might take the No. 2 spot on the “trap game” list.

2. Florida

Jul 22, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; Florida Gators head coach Jon Sumrall speaks to the press during SEC Football Kickoff Media Day at the Tampa Marriott. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Like Kentucky, Florida has a new head coach (Jon Sumrall) and a mostly revamped roster.

The Gators hired Sumrall to be their coach after he led Tulane to the CFP in 2025. Florida fired former coach Billy Napier with only a few games left in the season.

There are plenty of question marks surrounding the Gators, and most of them center around former Georgia Tech backup quarterback Aaron Philo, who transferred to Gainesville in January. Elsewhere, the Gators picked up proven talent from the portal, including wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr., who was a standout in an otherwise dismal Auburn offense last year.

It’s hard to predict whether Florida will underachieve or overachieve. But on paper, the Gators look to be a much stronger squad than they were last year.

Even if they don’t reach their potential, OU’s game at The Swamp won’t be easy. Ben Hill Griffith Stadium is one of the most raucous atmospheres in the nation — and Texas learned that the hard way last year. 

1. Missouri

Mizzou running back Ahmad Hardy takes a handoff against Oklahoma. | Carson Field / Sooners On SI

If Missouri sees good quarterback play in 2026, it may be a dark-horse SEC contender.

The Tigers went 8-5 last year after starting the year 5-0. All five of their losses came against ranked opponents, and offensive inconsistency plagued them late in the year.

Star running back Ahmad Hardy was arguably the SEC’s best running back last year, as he finished the season with 1,649 yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground. Hardy, though, suffered a gunshot wound in May, leaving his status for the early portion of the year in jeopardy.

At quarterback, Mizzou replaced Beau Pribula with former Ole Miss backup Austin Simmons. Simmons started the first two games of the Rebels’ 2025 season before Trinidad Chambliss replaced him and emerged as a star. Simmons still appeared in several of Ole Miss’ games later in the season, but his performance was inconsistent — he completed only 60 percent of his passes for 744 yards, four touchdowns and five interceptions on the year.

Elsewhere, the Tigers’ offensive and defensive lines are loaded with talent, and Mizzou also signed former Ole Miss wideout Cayden Lee as part of its portal class.

OU’s game against Mizzou on Nov. 28 will be both teams’ final regular season game. That game could be a win-and-in situation for the Sooners, and the Tigers would love nothing more than to play spoilers as OU looks to make it back to the CFP.

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