Another weekend of college football brings us what might be one of the most anticipated matchups of the season. John Mateer’s Oklahoma Sooners will go head-to-head with Arch Manning’s Texas Longhorns in a showdown that could set the tone for both programs moving forward.
There was plenty of speculation surrounding the availability of the Sooners’ quarterback due to his injury, especially after he was listed as “questionable” on the initial SEC availability report released Wednesday, October 8.
However, according to the latest reports, Mateer will start in this crucial matchup for Oklahoma.
“Sooners QB John Mateer is suiting up for the Red River Rivalry just 19 days after hand surgery,” it was reported via @YahooSports.
What happened to Mateer?
John Mateer, the early Heisman favorite, sustained a broken bone in his throwing hand during the win against Auburn. After undergoing surgery, the quarterback is surprisingly set to return to the field alongside his teammates this afternoon at the Cotton Bowl.
Beating the eternal rival
A triumph over Steve Sarkisian’s Texas Longhorns in the Red River Rivalry is far more than just a win for Brent Venables and the No. 6 Oklahoma Sooners—it’s a statement of national relevance and a monumental validation of his program’s trajectory.
Securing a victory, particularly with quarterback uncertainty, would firmly solidify the Sooners as bona fide College Football Playoff and SEC title contenders. For Venables, whose tenure has been scrutinized by the demanding OU fanbase, it is a crucial signature win that proves his defensive resurgence is real and establishes supremacy over their fiercest rival in the new conference landscape.