CFB Power Rankings Through 2026: Where’s Oklahoma Sooners Rank?

College football is heading in a unique direction. While strong recruiting still gives programs a clear future outlook, roster turnover and parity is the name of the game, anymore. Thanks to Name, Image and Likeness, combined with the transfer portal, programs can turn things around or fall apart in one portal window.

Most programs that can recruit on the high school trail well seem to find success in the transfer portal — with the exception of Clemson, which chooses not to right now. Either way, college athletics are changing and prominent programs are having to adapt to remain consistent.

With this, ESPN released future power rankings, running through 2026. In the rankings, the Oklahoma Sooners were ranked No. 16, which is quite shocking.

Oklahoma Sooners rank No. 16 in long-term power rankings

The future power rankings consider just about everything one can know about a program — the current standings, recruiting commitments and trends within the program.

“Lincoln Riley’s jarring exit from Norman took place 933 days ago, but Oklahoma still seems to be finding its way forward,” ESPN wrote. “The transition phase could last a bit, as OU enters the SEC with a new starting quarterback (Jackson Arnold), new primary coordinators on both sides of the ball (Seth Littrell on offense, Zac Alley on defense) and a notable group of transfers, which includes wide receiver Deion Burks(Purdue), edge rusher Caiden Woullard (Miami of Ohio), defensive lineman Damonic Williams (TCU), tight end Jake Roberts (Baylor) and offensive linemen Branson Hickman(SMU), Geirean Hatchett (Washington), Michael Tarquin (USC) and Febechi Nwaiwu(North Texas).”

Oklahoma’s Deion Burks runs past Jaydan Hardy during a University of Oklahoma (OU) Sooners spring football game at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, April 20, 2024.

Not only have the Sooners continually had strong recruiting classes with Brent Venables as the program’s head coach, but they have reloaded in the transfer portal as well. The additions via the portal will make Arnold’s transition to the SEC much easier as a first-year starter.

Of course, though, moving to the SEC has to be accounted for in their long-term ranking. They won’t be a perennial top-ten team in the elite conference, but they’ll consistently be ranked — the range of where they’re ranked could be a swing of a couple of games, too.

Oklahoma will take no step back as a program heading into the SEC, and the blue blood will consistently have an elite crop of talent rolling through Norman.

READ MORE: Sooners Open as Underdogs in Bulk of SEC Schedule

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Follow Kade Kimble on Twitter.