The Oklahoma Sooners will face a difficult challenge trying to return to the College Football Playoff in 2026. That road starts on Sept. 4 against the UTEP Miners.

After the season opener, Oklahoma’s schedule quickly becomes one of the most difficult in college football. ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI), which is designed to project a team’s future performance, ranks Oklahoma’s schedule as the second-toughest in the country behind only the Arkansas Razorbacks.

That challenging schedule is one of the reasons some analysts remain skeptical of Oklahoma heading into the 2026 season. The FPI predicts a 7-5 season for the Sooners. However, On3’s J.D. PicKell believes Oklahoma has the talent to overcome its schedule and remain one of the nation’s best teams.

“The schedule is brutal,” PicKell said. “The schedule was brutal last year. You had a quarterback with nine fingers and no run game. Find your way to the College Football Playoff. I’m going down with the ship here. I think Oklahoma is going to be a wagon once again.”

Oklahomans are reacting to a nearly $44 million settlement between the state and six poultry companies, with a Creek County farmer warning of statewide impacts and an environmental group calling the deal a win for the watershed.

Attorney General Gentner Drummond announced the settlement Monday, resolving a lawsuit over poultry litter pollution in the Illinois River Watershed.

Farmer worried about statewide impact

Matt Barton is a fifth-generation farmer in Oilton. He doesn’t live near the Illinois River Watershed, but he’s worried the new settlement could affect farmers across the state.

“It doesn’t have to be the Illinois watershed with the current settlement. It says any at-risk watershed. And anyone can define a watershed as at-risk at any time,” Barton said.

Barton isn’t a poultry farmer, but he uses poultry litter as fertilizer, and says it’s hard to beat.

“It’s much better for the soil, much better for growth. It lasts three years compared to one year with commercial fertilizer,” Barton said.

Rising fertilizer costs add to concerns

Barton says at a time when alternative fertilizer prices are going up, he’s worried the new regulation could have a downstream effect that hurts rural farmers.

Regular fertilizer prices have climbed due to conflicts overseas, making chicken litter even more cost-effective by comparison, Barton says.

“We love the idea of using an all-natural product that’s processed through another animal, to use to feed our animals with growth from the land,” Barton said.

Environmental group sees settlement differently

The group Save the Illinois River sees the settlement differently. In a statement, the group said clean water and agriculture can coexist, and that the settlement will finally allow people to start removing the pollution after nearly two decades of fighting in court.

“Save the Illinois River, Inc. (STIR) is pleased to see that the State of Oklahoma and all of the Defendants have reached a settlement in the long-standing lawsuit involving poultry litter pollution in the Illinois River Watershed. We have continued to believe that a comprehensive settlement would be beneficial to the community at-large, the environment and water quality in the watershed, our local farmers and agricultural growers, and the settling defendants. We have continually stressed that clean water and agriculture interests can co-exist for the benefit of all. We commend the Oklahoma Attorney General’s pursuit of this decades old lawsuit and Judge Gregory Frizzel’s well-reasoned opinion on behalf of Oklahoma’s most prized scenic waters. We also commend the defendants in the lawsuit for recognizing their corporate responsibility in reaching a settlement. Most importantly, as we continue to analyze the terms of the settlement, we hope and trust that this process will lead to the remediation of previous pollution and that the restoration of impaired waters can immediately begin. STIR has advocated for greater protection for the waters in the Illinois River Watershed. The United States District Court’s Judgment offered that protection. We look forward to seeing if the Court will approve the proposed settlement.”

Barton says farmers care about the land just as much.

“No one’s going to take better care of the land than the guy who has to feed his family from that land,” Barton said.

Lawmaker cautiously optimistic

State Rep. David Hardin, a former poultry farmer who represents part of the Illinois River Watershed in the House, said he’s cautiously optimistic about the settlement but says it remains to be seen what impact it will have once implemented.

What’s next

The state still has to formally set aside a previous December judgment and dismiss the lawsuit before the settlement takes effect.

Previous Stories:

Oklahoma reaches $44 million settlement in poultry waste lawsuit
‘Please don’t let our way of life die’: Gov. Stitt hears from poultry producers in Adair County
Stitt to meet with state poultry producers amid waste runoff lawsuit
Federal judge approves poultry lawsuit settlement between Tulsa and 6 poultry producers