John Mateer, quarterback for the Oklahoma Sooners, is showing signs of doing something that no one ever imagined would ever happen
With the most recent John Mateer report, the Oklahoma Sooners may have just received the most significant news of the season.
November 7, 2025, 11:17 a.m. EDT
This week, the Oklahoma Sooners could have received the best news of their already successful 2025 campaign. The Sooners' starting quarterback John Mateer's health has been a major concern leading up to their fierce rivalry game against the Texas Longhorns. Mateer underwent surgery on his throwing hand shortly after Oklahoma's victory over the Auburn Tigers due to a fracture that has put him in a brace.
Fans have been extremely concerned about the Sooners' ability to hold up against the Longhorns in their Red River Showdown game since backup quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. underperformed against Kent State. After all, despite their 3-2 record, the Longhorns still have one of the best defenses in college football.
But according to the most recent information released by a college football source, such concerns may not be justified. Pete Thamel of ESPN speculates that Mateer may make a comeback in time for the Sooners' rivalry game. Oklahoma's chances of winning that game increase dramatically if he does.
Mateer is the key to Oklahoma’s offensive success. Even if he has been far from perfect to start the season, he is a top-flight playmaker and creates moments on his own, something the Sooners haven’t had at quarterback since Caleb Williams.
When his injury was initially diagnosed, the timelines surrounding his return immediately sparked a lot of controversy and confusion. Some reports stated a couple of weeks, others stated a month. However, after speaking to sources in the program, Mateer has been telling everyone in private that he was going to play against Texas “no matter what”. That tracks with his personality. Quite frankly, there was never a doubt in my mind that Mateer would do everything in his power to get ready to play this week.
He is the ultimate difference-maker in this matchup, and it showed in the initial betting markets. Texas opened up as a -3.5 point favorite, even after their disastrous game against the Florida Gators. As I am writing this, that total has already begun dipping after Thamel’s report, and I think it will flip to Oklahoma being favored as the week goes on. That’s how much Mateer means to this Oklahoma team, and everyone knows it.
For now, the Sooners will likely try and invoke some gamesmanship with it and try and push back on any buzz about his return. Already, head coach Brent Venables has said he “didn’t know” when Mateer would be able to return to the lineup. It might be too late to put this genie back in the bottle, however, given the immediate eruption of discussion and hype Thamel’s announcement generated.
Stay tuned for updates on the most important news of Oklahoma’s season throughout the week.
