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Kirk Herbstreit Names College Football Team Still in the Hunt After Losing Key Player

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jaron Spor | Last updated Oct 1, 2025 9:46 AM ET

The 2025 college football season is in Week 6, with several teams already demonstrating improvement since last year.

The No. 5 Oklahoma Sooners are one of those teams. Last season, the Sooners finished with a 6-7 record, marking the second losing season in three years for head coach Brent Venables. As a result, Venables faced intense pressure to succeed this year, as failure could lead to his dismissal.

The season began on a strong note, as Oklahoma boasts a 4-0 record and has secured two wins against ranked opponents. The Sooners are ranked No. 5, tying their highest ranking under Venables. A major factor contributing to this success is quarterback John Mateer.

However, Mateer sustained a broken bone in his throwing hand during the game against the Auburn Tigers. The injury and subsequent surgery will keep him on the sideline for at least the upcoming game against the Kent State Golden Flashes. On the "Nonstop" podcast, ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit discussed how he would rank the Sooners in the absence of Mateer.

"Probably the six, seven range," Herbstreit said. "They've got to show what they can do, but I don't want to penalize them. Let's watch them play a game without him, and then we can evaluate."

Mateer has played a crucial role in revitalizing one of the worst offenses in college football from the previous season. In 2024, the Sooners ranked 113th in total offense, 119th in passing offense, 76th in rushing offense and 97th in scoring offense.

Oklahoma's decision to fire offensive coordinator Seth Littrell during the season prompted the Sooners to hire Ben Arbuckle, who was previously the offensive coordinator for the Washington State Cougars. Following this move, Mateer, Arbuckle's quarterback at Washington State, decided to enter the transfer portal to join his play-caller in Norman.

The Sooners are ranked 49th in total offense, 17th in passing offense, 104th in rushing offense and tied for 59th in scoring offense. Mateer has passed for 1,215 yards, with six touchdowns and three interceptions, completing 67.4% of his throws. In addition, he has rushed for 190 yards and scored five touchdowns on the ground.

For Oklahoma, Mateer’s injury comes at the worst possible time. The Sooners have climbed back into the national spotlight after years of inconsistency, but keeping momentum will now depend on whether Arbuckle’s offense can function without its centerpiece.

Herbstreit isn’t ready to count Oklahoma out, and Venables’ team still controls its destiny in the College Football Playoff race. If the Sooners can survive this stretch without Mateer, they may prove they belong among the nation’s elite.

The Sooners host Kent State at 4 p.m. ET Saturday on SEC Network.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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