Tim Tebow Names College Football Player He's Most Excited to Watch

John Mateer Looks to Turn Around Oklahoma's Offense

Mateer had an outstanding season as the starting quarterback for Washington State in 2024. He threw for 3,139 yards and 29 touchdowns with only seven interceptions. Additionally, he rushed for 826 yards and 15 touchdowns. As a result of his impressive performance, he was ranked the third-best player in the transfer portal.

Mateer and Arbuckle face a significant challenge ahead. They have been tasked with revitalizing one of the worst offenses in college football from last season. The Sooners ranked No. 113 in total offense, No. 119 in passing offense, No. 76 in rushing offense and No. 97 in scoring offense. This poor performance contributed to Oklahoma's 6-7 record, marking the second losing season in head coach Brent Venables' three years at the helm.

Oklahoma Hopes to End College Football Playoff Drought

With the addition of Mateer, the Sooners are aiming to end their College Football Playoff drought. Oklahoma last made the playoff in 2019. According to ESPN's Football Power Index, Oklahoma is ranked as the No. 21 team in the country. The FPI gives the Sooners a 13.3% chance of making the playoff.

One significant factor contributing to this is Oklahoma's challenging schedule. According to USA Today, Oklahoma has the second-toughest schedule in the nation. This season, the Sooners will compete against seven teams that are ranked in the preseason, which is tied for themost in college football. The ranked teams they will face are:

• No. 14 Michigan Wolverines on Sept. 6
• No. 1 Texas Longhorns on Oct. 11 (neutral site)
• At No. 13 South Carolina Gamecocks on Oct. 18
• No. 21 Ole Miss Rebels on Oct. 25
• At No. 24 Tennessee Volunteers on Nov. 1
• At No. 8 Alabama Crimson Tide on Nov. 15
• No. 9 LSU Tigers on Nov. 29

The Sooners and Mateer start the season against the Illinois State Redbirds, who are ranked No. 6 in the FCS rankings, on Saturday at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN+/SEC Network.