Where does Oklahoma land in CBS' bowl projections heading into Week 3?
The expectation for the Oklahoma Sooners in 2026 is not only to make it back to the College Football Playoff, but to go farther there than they did last year. That would mean winning the program's first playoff game.
However, after last week's 17-10 loss to the Michigan Wolverines, OU's chances of returning to the CFP took a big hit. In their latest bowl projections, CBS Sports has the Sooners missing the playoff.
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In the SEC, the teams that qualify for the CFP are off the board for the remaining bowl selections. The Citrus Bowl gets to pick the top team in the SEC that does not qualify for the playoff.
After that, there's a pool of six bowls, with no pecking order, that will consult with the SEC and school personnel to determine where teams are scheduled. They'll try to create the best possible matchups. For 2026, those bowls (in no particular order) are the Gator Bowl, the Las Vegas Bowl, the Liberty Bowl, the Music City Bowl, the ReliaQuest Bowl, and the Texas Bowl.
After that, two more bowls, the Birmingham Bowl and the Gasparilla Bowl, will get to pick from any bowl-eligible SEC teams that do not yet have a landing spot.
CBS Sports has the Sooners playing in Nashville, Tennessee, in the Music City Bowl heading into Week 3 of the season. Oklahoma's projected opponent is the Iowa Hawkeyes out of the Big Ten. Last year, Illinois beat Tennessee in the Music City Bowl.
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Oklahoma and Iowa have met twice. Oklahoma beat Iowa 21-6 in Norman in 1979. The other meeting came in the 2011 Insight Bowl, where the Sooners defeated the Hawkeyes 31-14 in Tempe, Arizona.
Obviously, a trip to the Music City Bowl is not what OU has in mind for this season. With the difficulty of their schedule in the SEC this year, the Sooners will have plenty more opportunities to prove to the committee that they belong in the playoff bracket, despite losing to Michigan.
However, Oklahoma has to improve in a big way from the performance they put up in Ann Arbor. That begins on Saturday night in Norman against the New Mexico Lobos. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m.
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Photos from Oklahoma Sooners loss to Michigan Wolverines
Sep 12, 2026; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines quarterback Bryce Underwood (19) passes the ball against the Oklahoma Sooners during the first quarter at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images
(Lon Horwedel, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
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Photos from Oklahoma Sooners loss to Michigan Wolverines
Sep 12, 2026; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Oklahoma Sooners defensive line Taylor Wein (44) reacts after a play against the Michigan Wolverines during the fourth quarter at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
(Rick Osentoski, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
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Photos from Oklahoma Sooners loss to Michigan Wolverines
Sep 12, 2026; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Oklahoma Sooners defensive back Michael Boganowski (25) forces Michigan Wolverines wide receiver JJ Buchanan (6) out of bounds during the first quarter at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images
(Lon Horwedel, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Where does Oklahoma land in CBS' bowl projections heading into Week 3?
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