John Mateer didn’t sugarcoat what it was like to play through the broken bone in his right thumb against Auburn.
The Oklahoma quarterback opened up about the injury that came in the first quarter of the Sooners’ 24-17 win in Norman last September, and he made it clear the whole thing was a miserable experience - even if he’s not dwelling on it now.
"I have no regrets in the challenge I put myself through. Obviously, it didn’t work out.
Like, it sucked. We all watched it.
I’m not saying that. But it’s just the result.
I learned a lot, and you learn that you can adapt, and then in the offseason, go back," Mateer said.
The numbers tell the story of two different versions of Mateer before and after the injury. Before it happened, he completed 67.4% of his passes, threw 11 total touchdowns and had three interceptions.
Afterward, he finished at 59.4% completions with eight touchdowns and eight interceptions. The schedule helped pad some of those early numbers, but the drop-off was still obvious once the thumb injury hit.
Still, the tone from Mateer is about moving forward, not looking back. After what he showed at the Manning Passing Academy, it’s fair to wonder if he’s fully past it and ready to be a problem for defenses this fall.
Elsewhere in the SEC conversation, FOX Sports analyst Joel Klatt made a familiar prediction: Georgia and Alabama could be right back in the thick of the conference race when the season reaches championship time.
Klatt pointed to the recent history between the two powers while making his case for their Week 6 meeting being one of the biggest games on the slate.
“You got to think about the last 12 SEC championship games. Either Georgia or Alabama have been in every single one of them, and either Georgia or Alabama has won 11 of the last 12. The only SEC team to win an SEC title not named Georgia or Alabama is LSU with Joe Burrow," Klatt said.
The two programs have split the recent spotlight in different ways. Alabama has taken the last two regular-season matchups, but Georgia handled the Tide 28-7 in the SEC title game in December. Both teams then fell in the second round of the CFP, a finish that left plenty of questions hanging over each side.
Georgia enters 2026 carrying a chip after losing to Ole Miss in the postseason, while Alabama is walking into the year with real pressure attached to it. The Week 6 showdown figures to shape plenty of the biggest storylines in the conference before the dust settles.
In Other News...
Kirby Smart May Be Closing In On Two Crucial Georgia Flips
Kirby Smart brought in two more defensive back targets for official visits as Georgia keeps working to replenish its secondary recruiting board. The Bulldogs hosted a pair of commits from other programs and, with room to keep pressing at the position, the visit weekend gave Georgia another chance to sell its depth chart, development track record and long-term fit to players it believes can help.
The interest is especially notable because Georgia has had to reset its approach after losing out on previous defensive back commitments, leaving the class without anyone locked in at the position. Neither visit has turned into a flip yet, but Georgia is still in the mix with two prospects it views as realistic contributors, and the next step will be watching whether the momentum from Athens carries beyond the trip itself. [Read more 🡒]
Matthew Stafford Just Sent A Clear Message About His Future
Matthew Stafford is still approaching his future the same way he has approached so much of his career: one season at a time. The former Georgia star talked through his mindset heading into the next NFL campaign, stressing that he is focused on the present while also making it clear he expects to be ready for the 2026 season.
The Rams are also being careful with how much contact Stafford takes on this summer, which is part of the plan as he works through a demanding offseason. Beyond his own status, Stafford has also taken on a mentors role with a pair of younger quarterbacks on the roster, including Ty Simpson and Stetson Bennett, giving the veteran another way to shape the room even as his own timeline remains something to watch. [Read more 🡒]
Sanford Stadiums Second Year Beer Boom Got Bigger Than Anyone Expected
Sanford Stadiums second year of alcohol sales turned into a much bigger business than the first. Georgias per-game alcohol revenue jumped 32.1% in the 2025 season compared with 2024, a notable increase for a home schedule that included seven games and produced more than $4.3 million in gross revenue. It was another sign that the concession side of game day has quickly become part of the financial picture around Bulldogs football.
Georgias numbers also placed it near the top of the conference conversation, finishing second in the SEC in alcohol sales revenue behind Texas A&M. For a program that continues to draw massive crowds and premium matchups in Athens, the market clearly has room to grow, even if the biggest individual spikes can still come from the most anticipated home dates. [Read more 🡒]