Will Stein doesn’t need a scouting report to know John Mateer can wreck a game.
Long before Saturday’s matchup in Norman, Stein had already spent time trying to recruit the Oklahoma quarterback, first during his UTSA days. Mateer ended up at Washington State instead, and now the two meet again with Stein in his first season as Kentucky’s head coach and the No. 15 Wildcats sitting at 5-1.
That history gives Stein a pretty clear view of what Kentucky is walking into.
"He's a guy that can beat you through the air, on the ground," Stein said during his weekly press conference. "I know he's had some turnover issues this year, but you can't sleep on this dude. The guy's been a winner his whole life. ...
"I recruited him a little bit when I was at UTSA, and then he went to Washington State. Obviously, he was a Heisman hopeful before the season.
I still think he's got elite and some rare talent in spots. Again, he can beat you through the air, he can throw it deep, and he's got a real threat to run."
Mateer just reminded everybody of that in Oklahoma’s 27-24 upset of No. 1 Texas in the Red River Rivalry.
After Courtland Guillory intercepted Arch Manning with 19 seconds left, the Sooners got the ball at their own 39 and let Mateer steer the finish. He hit Isaiah Sategna for 13 yards on the first snap of the possession, then followed with a near-perfect 20-yard back-shoulder throw to Sategna along the sideline.
That sequence set up Tate Sandell’s 47-yard field goal as time expired.
For a quarterback who has taken plenty of criticism for turnovers, it was the kind of closing stretch that explains why Oklahoma kept the ball in his hands.
Mateer did not turn it over in the win, his first turnover-free game since Week 1 against UTEP. That matters, because Oklahoma is 6-0 when he protects the football.
It also stands out because turnovers have been a real part of his season. He has made 17 starts in two seasons at OU, and ball security has remained a concern.
The numbers tell the same story. Mateer has completed 66.7% of his passes for 1,038 yards with eight touchdowns and four interceptions this season.
He has also rushed for 70 yards, though that total would be higher if not for the 12 sacks he has taken. All told, he averages 221.6 total yards per game.
Even with those issues, Stein isn’t dismissing him. He sees the same talent that made Mateer a three-star recruit out of Little Elm High School in Texas, then later the top quarterback in the transfer portal in 2024 after his time at Washington State. Mateer followed offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle to Oklahoma, and the tools Stein sees now are the same ones he saw years ago.
The challenge for Kentucky is obvious: the worst version of Mateer can hurt Oklahoma, but the best version can beat just about anybody.
In Other News...
Oklahoma May Have Found The O-Line Combo It Needed Most
Oklahomas win over Texas may have given the Sooners a look at something theyve been searching for up front. Freshman Noah Best shifted over to left guard after working on the right side earlier in the season, while Heath Ozaeta slid to right guard despite a minor injury concern, and both drew praise from Brent Venables and Ben Arbuckle for the way they handled the moment.
The alignment seemed to help Oklahoma settle in, especially as the running game improved after halftime. Ozaeta was listed as questionable for the next game against Kentucky, but the expectation is hell try to go if he can, which leaves the Sooners weighing continuity against whatever his body allows as they look to carry that momentum forward. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma May Have Found Exactly What It Needed After Beating Texas
Beating the No. 1 Texas Longhorns did more than brighten Oklahomas record. It gave the Sooners a badly needed jolt of confidence after a stretch defined by shaky offensive line play and too many quarterback mistakes, the kind of issues that can make even a talented roster look stuck. Instead, Oklahoma found enough balance to survive the moment, with John Mateer looking steadier and the running game offering real help behind Lloyd Avant and Jonathan Hatton Jr.
Now the harder part begins. Oklahoma has to show the breakthrough was more than a one-day punch in the rivalry spotlight, starting with Kentucky and a new challenge under head coach Will Stein. For a team that spent weeks searching for an identity, the Texas win at least suggested there might be one there after all, even if the Sooners still have plenty left to prove. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma May Have Sparked A Bigger Arch Manning Debate
Arch Manning entered the 2026 season with as much hype as any player in college football, but his early performance has started to invite a different kind of conversation. Mel Kiper Jr.s updated top 10 for the 2027 NFL Draft only added fuel to it, leaving the Texas quarterback off the list after a rocky start that included a recent loss to Oklahoma, where he threw two interceptions.
The omission matters because it reflects how quickly the temperature has changed around Manning, even before he has had much time to steady things. Kipers list is led by Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, and while one ranking does not define a players future, Oklahomas win may have done more than just hand Texas a loss. It may have nudged a larger debate about Mannings draft standing into the open. [Read more 🡒]