Oklahoma is heading into Saturday’s matchup with No. 25 Florida carrying a fresh offensive shakeup, but the quarterback spot does not appear to be part of it.
After another rough outing in Week 9 against South Carolina, the Sooners moved on from offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle on Monday and turned the playcalling duties over to NFL legend Jason Witten on an interim basis. Even with that change in place, CBS Sports insider Matt Zenitz reported Tuesday that Oklahoma is expected to stay with senior John Mateer as the starter against the Gators.
“The plan seems to be for Oklahoma to stick with John Mateer as its starting quarterback heading into the Sooners’ matchup against Florida on Saturday, sources tell @CBSSports.
Handled his normal amount of reps with the first-team offense during OU’s practice today, per sources. pic.twitter.com/mgS5inaphT
- Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) November 3, 2026”
Mateer is in his second season with the program after transferring from Washington State, and his year has been uneven. Turnovers and accuracy have both been issues at different points, leaving the offense searching for steadier production.
He did deliver one of his better stat lines last week against South Carolina, throwing for 244 yards and two touchdowns without a turnover. Still, the efficiency wasn’t clean, as he completed only 26 of 43 passes.
With Oklahoma now essentially out of the College Football Playoff picture, the bigger question is how long Brent Venables will keep riding with Mateer as the Sooners try to piece together the rest of the season and stay in the hunt for a bowl trip.
In Other News...
Florida Just Backed Up Its No 1 Hype Against Miami
No. 1 Florida opened the season by backing up the preseason buzz with a 77-67 win over No. 14 Miami at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, and it looked every bit like a team built to justify the ranking. The Gators leaned on a steady defensive effort that held Miami to 35% shooting, while Thomas Haugh set the tone on the interior and gave Florida the kind of early production that travels well in big games.
Todd Golden also picked up a milestone victory in the process, reaching 104 wins and moving into a tie for a notable spot in program history. For a team that entered the night with expectations as high as any in the country, the opener offered more than a clean result. It showed Florida can win with defense, composure and enough balance to make its top billing feel real. [Read more 🡒]
Thomas Haugh Just Gave Florida Fans A Reason To Dream
Thomas Haugh gave Florida something to feel good about in its matchup with Miami, turning in a standout performance that fit neatly into what the Gators want to build around this season. In a sport where early November often feels like a long audition, those kinds of outings matter because they hint at how a roster can come together once the games start to count for real.
Florida has been looking for signs that its frontcourt can set the tone, and Haughs night offered one of the clearest ones so far. Malik Reneau had a tough time against that interior group, which only adds to the sense that the Gators may already have a matchup edge worth watching as the schedule gets more demanding. [Read more 🡒]
Florida Faces One Big Question In Must-Have Oklahoma Game
Florida heads into Week 10 with the kind of game that can change the tone of a season, hosting Oklahoma after a loss to Georgia left the Gators at 5-3 overall and 3-3 in SEC play. The Sooners arrive with a similar sense of urgency after falling to South Carolina, and the matchup comes with a little extra edge in the betting market, where Oklahoma is getting the slight nod while Florida is still viewed as a one-touchdown favorite at home.
For Billy Napiers team, the stakes are straightforward even if the path is not. A win would steady the Gators after the Georgia setback and keep them from letting the middle of the SEC race slip away, but Oklahoma brings enough pedigree and enough pressure of its own to make this feel like more than just another conference date. The bigger question now is whether Florida can turn home field into an edge when the margin for error has already started to shrink. [Read more 🡒]