Which of Oklahoma’s 2026 Opponents Improved via the Transfer Portal?

The 2026 season will look different for Oklahoma and the SEC’s other 15 members.

For the first time, the league will play a nine-game conference schedule.

OU will battle Texas A&M, Georgia, Mississippi State, Kentucky and Florida for the first time as SEC opponents and will face Ole Miss, Texas, Missouri and South Carolina for the third year in a row.

In the non-conference portion of their schedule, the Sooners will host UTEP and New Mexico before taking on Michigan in Ann Arbor.

Here is how each of those 12 teams have changed so far in the offseason:

UTEP

The Miners went 2-10 in 2025. Their only two wins came against UT Martin, an FCS school and a Sam Houston team that also logged a 2-10 record.

It’s hard to get much worse than that.

UTEP, though, lost almost every one of its offensive contributors from the 2025 team to the portal, including quarterbacks Malachi Nelson and Skyler Locklear, running back Ashten Emory and wide receivers Kenny Odom and Wondame Davis Jr.

The Miners did add a handful of skill-position players who are largely unproven at the FBS level like former Incarnate Word quarterback EJ Colson and Northern Colorado receiver Carver Cheeks.

UTEP should easily be OU's weakest opponent in 2026. Even if some of these unproven transfers are impactful, the Miners haven’t done enough in the portal to be competitive with an SEC squad on the road.

Verdict: Worse than 2025

New Mexico

In the first year under Jason Eck, New Mexico was a quality Group of Five squad.

The Lobos went 9-4 and fell just short of a berth in the Mountain West title game. They fell to Minnesota in overtime in the Rate Bowl. For reference, the Lobos most recent bowl appearance before that was 2016.

UNM will return quarterback Jack Layne in 2026 after he completed 65.1 percent of his passes for 2,486 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2025. The Lobos also added former Arizona State, Texas and UNLV wideout Troy Omeire to their roster, as well as ex-USC tight end Joey Olsen.

Eck, who led Idaho to a 26-13 record over three seasons before taking the New Mexico job, has shown that he can quickly turn a program around.

That doesn’t mean that the Lobos will give the Sooners a scare on Sept. 12. But UNM should, once again, be a competent squad in 2026.

Verdict: Better than 2025

Michigan

The Michigan squad that OU faces in Ann Arbor will be far different than the one that came to Norman in 2026.

The Wolverines fired coach Sherrone Moore after the regular season due to “credible evidence” that he engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member. Moore was arrested later on the date of his firing for home invasion, stalking in a domestic relationship and breaking and entering.

Michigan turned to longtime Utah coach Kyle Whittingham to fill Moore’s old role. In 22 seasons in Salt Lake City, Whittingham led the Utes to a 177-88 record and took them to three major bowl games.

Whittingham brought five players from Utah’s 2025 squad with him to Ann Arbor, including tight end JJ Buchanan and cornerback Smith Snowden, both of whom are graded 4-star transfers by 247Sports.

The Wolverines will return quarterback Bryce Underwood, who started the entire 2025 season after enrolling as the nation’s No. 1 recruit. They did, however, lose star running back Justice Haynes, who transferred to Georgia Tech.

Verdict: Comparable to 2025

Georgia

The Bulldogs didn’t do a ton in the portal — because, frankly, they didn’t have to.

Georgia won the SEC title and reached the College Football Playoff Quarterfinals after finishing the regular season 11-1. UGA will bring back quarterback Gunner Stockton and leading rushers Nate Frazier and Chauncey Bowens.

The biggest void that Georgia will have to fill is at receiver, as star wideout Zachariah Branch declared for the NFL Draft after the 2025 season. UGA’s biggest portal addition comes in the form of wide receiver Isiah Canion, who caught 33 passes for 480 yards and four touchdowns last year.

Kirby Smart’s teams will never be an easy out. The Bulldogs certainly will be a formidable foe for the Sooners when the teams square off in Athens on Sept. 26.

But the Bulldogs haven’t done much to get significantly better or worse heading into 2026.

Verdict: Comparable to 2025

Texas

Oklahoma Sooners, Isaiah Sategna — Oklahoma wide receiver Isaiah Sategna runs after making a catch against Texas. | Carson Field, Sooners On SI

The Longhorns have won three of the last four meetings in the Red River Rivalry, and they will come into 2026 as one of the nation’s top-ranked teams.

Does that sound familiar?

Joking aside, Texas put together the No. 3 transfer portal class, per 247Sports. The Longhorns added former Auburn wide receiver Cam Coleman, the grand prize of the portal, and also signed running backs Hollywood Smothers and Raleek Brown.

Quarterback Arch Manning played his best football late in the season and now has an even better arsenal around him.

There are fewer unknowns in Austin heading into 2026, and that makes Texas scary.

Verdict: Better than 2025

Kentucky

Two former OU players — wide receiver Nic Anderson and running back Jovantae Barnes — signed with Kentucky earlier this month.

And those are just two of the notable moves that the Wildcats made in the portal.

Kentucky earned commitments from five players graded as 4-star transfers, per 247Sports. The recruiting outlet ranks the Wildcats’ portal class as No. 9 nationally.

Mississippi State

The time is ticking for former Oklahoma offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby, who will enter his third season as the Bulldogs’ head coach.

Mississippi State is 7-18 under Lebby, though the Bulldogs did jump from 2-10 to 5-8 from Year 1 to Year 2.

Ex-Oklahoma wide receiver Brenen Thompson was MSU’s splash pickup last year, and he thrived in Starkville and was among the nation’s leaders in receiving. Thompson is now out of eligibility, leaving the Bulldogs with a big hole as far as playmakers go.

The Bulldogs signed former Mizzou wideout Marquis Johnson from the portal in addition to the three ex-Sooners — wide receiver Zion Ragins, offensive lineman Isaiah Autry-Dent and defensive back Kendel Dolby — who signed with MSU.

Mississippi State is seemingly caught in the SEC’s purgatory, and it’s hard to see the Bulldogs escaping any time soon.

Verdict: Worse than 2025

South Carolina

It’s do-or-die time for Shane Beamer after the Gamecocks went 4-8 in 2025.

South Carolina entered the season widely viewed as a CFP contender but failed to even reach a bowl game. Offensive inconsistency plagued the Gamecocks, who moved on from offensive coordinator Mike Shula midway through the season.

The Gamecocks will return quarterback LaNorris Sellers, who — at his best — is one of college football’s most dynamic players. Sellers struggled in 2025, and many of his issues can be traced back to poor offensive line play.

South Carolina signed eight transfer offensive linemen, including offensive tackle Jacarrius Peak, who was the No. 42 overall player in the portal, according to 247Sports.

It would be hard for SC’s 2026 season to go as poorly as 2025 did. And it appears that the Gamecocks have addressed their most glaring issue by adding big men to protect Sellers.

Verdict: Better than 2025

Florida

Florida, which went 4-8 in 2025, will be another new-look squad.

After the Gators fired Billy Napier mid-season, they turned to former Tulane coach Jon Sumrall, who led the Green Wave to the CFP in 2025.

While Florida lost quarterback DJ Lagway and tight end Hayden Hansen to the portal, the Gators will have star running back Jadan Baugh and wideout Vernell Brown III back in 2026.

The Gators’ biggest portal splash came in the form of wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr., who logged 534 yards and three touchdowns for Auburn in 2025. They also signed former Georgia Tech backup quarterback Aaron Philo.

Ultimately, Sumrall feels like a safe hire that will ultimately produce for Florida. But it could take time in Year 1.

Verdict: Comparable to 2025

Ole Miss

Even with Lane Kiffin jumping ship and going to LSU, Ole Miss made it to the CFP Semifinals after its 11-1 regular season.

While Kiffin and the Tigers poached several key players from the Rebels’ 2025 squad, Ole Miss did some hunting of its own. The Rebels have the No. 2 transfer portal class, per 247Sports, and have landed key pieces like quarterback Deuce Knight, offensive lineman Carius Curne and wide receiver Darrell Gill Jr.

Despite Knight’s signing, quarterback is still the biggest question mark for Ole Miss. Trinidad Chambliss is still in the appeals process of obtaining another year of eligibility. In his lone season at Ole Miss, Chambliss threw for 3,937 yards, 22 touchdowns and only three interceptions.

Chambliss’ return would be massive for the Rebels. But even so, it’s hard to imagine that Ole Miss would be equally strong in 2026 after losing its coach and several key pieces, namely Princewill Umanmielen, Devin Harper and TJ Dottery.

Verdict: Worse than 2025

Texas A&M

Year 2 under Mike Elko went well for the Aggies.

Texas A&M reached the CFP for the first time after going 11-1 in the regular season. The Aggles lost in the first round of the playoff to eventual national runner-up Miami.

The Aggies will return quarterback Marcel Reed and wideout Mario Craver next year, though star receiver KC Concepcion and edge rusher Cashius Howell are both out of eligibility.

A&M has the No. 11 portal class in 247Sports’ rankings, as the Aggies signed former Alabama wideout Isaiah Horton and former Tennessee cornerback Rickey Gibson III.

The Aggies don’t appear to be going anywhere, but they also didn’t do anything to immediately make themselves a top-five team.

Verdict: Comparable to 2025

Missouri

The Tigers seemed like they were a consistent offense away from being a contender in 2025.

Missouri had one of college football’s best defenses, but inconsistent quarterback play limited its ceiling.

The Tigers are hoping to change that with quarterback Austin Simmons and wideout Cayden Lee, both of whom committed to Mizzou from Ole Miss. Mizzou will also retain running back Ahmad Hardy, who rushed for 1,649 yards and 16 touchdowns during his first season in Columbia in 2025.

Missouri, though, will have to deal with life without its star edge rushers, Zion Young and Damon Wilson II. Young is out of eligibility, while Wilson entered the portal and signed with Miami.

It’s likely that Mizzou’s offense will be slightly better while its defense is significantly worse in 2026.

Verdict: Worse than 2025

UTEP

New Mexico

Michigan

Georgia

Texas

Kentucky

Read More Oklahoma Sooners

Mississippi State

South Carolina

Florida

Ole Miss

Texas A&M

Missouri