The 2026 college softball season is now underway, with some teams having begun their seasons yesterday and many more doing so today. There is a broad consensus that three teams -- last year's WCWS champion Texas, WCWS runner-up Texas Tech, and four-peat champions Oklahoma (2021-2024)  -- are head and shoulders above the rest this year. The Longhorns are ranked No. 1 in most preseason polls ( here and here ), with the Red Raiders atop the Softball America poll . UT and Tech are tied for No. 1 in the ESPN/USA Softball poll. Oklahoma is a consistent No. 3 in the polls behind UT and Tech. High-profile transfers continue to be one of the biggest stories in the sport, with the Red Raiders bringing in four of the top-rated ones (click here for full transfer list) Tonight, in what I would consider the most exciting matchup of the opening weekend, Texas faces No. 9 Nebraska, who features star pitcher Jordy (Bahl) Frahm. As part of two Oklahoma championship teams (2022 and 2023), the th...