John Mateer’s first stumble of the season has turned Saturday’s game against New Mexico into a lot more than a routine checkpoint for Oklahoma.
The Sooners were supposed to use 2026 to prove that Mateer’s uneven finish last year was tied to his injured thumb. Instead, two games in, the quarterback is still searching for the kind of consistency Oklahoma expected from him.
He has completed 56% of his passes for 414 yards, four touchdowns and one interception. The opener went smoothly enough - 64.7% completions, 225 yards and three touchdowns - but the follow-up against Michigan told a different story.
Against the Wolverines, Mateer finished at 51.5% with 189 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
That’s the part that has On3 analyst J.D. PicKell uneasy, even though he entered the season believing in Mateer.
"John Mateer having a bad day at the office; in terms of being accurate, you could chalk it up to, 'Well, it's just one game.'" PicKell said on 'The Hard Count.'"
You'd be right. It was just one game.
People have bad four-quarter showings all of the time; it happens. But the thing with it was, as Joel Klatt talked about on the broadcast, he's talking about John Mateer's mechanics and delivery... if we're talking about delivery and mechanics for a quarterback, you don't fix that during October and November and the course of the season.
That's stuff you do in the offseason."
That leaves this weekend with the Lobos carrying real weight. New Mexico is not just a warm-up before Oklahoma heads to Georgia. The Lobos are 2-0, they’ve rolled to two dominant wins, and Brent Venables has made it clear they are arriving in Norman with confidence and a belief that they can win.
Mateer doesn’t have to erase every concern in one night. What Oklahoma needs is evidence that the Michigan issues can be cleaned up - better timing, sharper routine throws, fewer mechanical lapses that turn ordinary plays into messes. The Sooners’ offensive problems have not been all on the quarterback, but he is still the one who has to make the whole thing move when the chances are there.
So Saturday becomes the first real test of whether Ann Arbor was a one-off or a warning sign. With Georgia looming after New Mexico, Oklahoma needs to see Mateer start trending the right way now.
In Other News...
Oklahoma Faces A Big Depth Test Against New Mexico
Oklahoma heads into its matchup with New Mexico having to lean on its depth in more than one spot, and the first test is up front. Starting left tackle Michael Fasusi and wide receiver Trell Harris are both out, which pushes Ryan Fodje and freshman Noah Best into bigger roles on the offensive line and gives Elijah Thomas a chance to absorb more work at receiver.
The absences do not stop there, either, with linebacker Kip Lewis also unavailable and James Nesta slated to start in his place. There is at least some stability in the backfield, where Jonathan Hatton Jr. and Tory Blaylock are both healthy and available, but this game will still tell the Sooners plenty about how ready the next layer of the roster is if the injuries keep piling up. [Read more 🡒]
Sooners Need These Unproven Names To Ease Growing Early Concerns
Through two games, Rocky Beers has been Oklahomas most productive receiver, and that says plenty about how much the Sooners are still sorting out their supporting cast. With Trell Harris out indefinitely after a significant injury, the passing game has leaned on Beers for steady production, while Elijah Thomas has flashed the kind of potential that suggests more could be coming if the offense can get him involved more consistently. Lloyd Avant has also given the Sooners a stable option in the backfield, even if his role has not quite matched his reliability.
The pressure is just as real on the other side of the ball, where Heinecke and Cole Sullivan have had to absorb more responsibility after injuries thinned the linebacker group. Oklahoma does not need its unproven names to become stars overnight, but it does need them to settle the early unease and show the staff that the depth chart can hold up. How quickly those players answer will go a long way toward shaping whether the Sooners can turn these first concerns into something more manageable. [Read more 🡒]
Carl Albert Kept Its Historic Run Alive When It Nearly Slipped Away
Midwest City Carl Albert had to work a lot harder than the streak suggested, but the Titans found a way to keep their historic run alive with a 31-28 win over Del City. The victory pushed the programs winning streak to 57 games, leaving it one win shy of tying the Oklahoma state record for consecutive 11-man football wins set by Bixby.
Carl Albert trailed at halftime and still had to survive a tense finish before a last-second field goal, set up after a penalty against Del City, finally put the game away. The Titans now move into the next stretch of their schedule with a chance to tie the mark and then break it, a spot they have earned by making every one of these close calls count. [Read more 🡒]