Oklahoma will be without its Heisman favorite at quarterback — at least for a while.
John Mateer is set to undergo surgery on his right hand Wednesday and is expected to miss time, the school announced Tuesday. While Oklahoma did not specify how long Mateer will be sidelined, head coach Brent Venables said the quarterback is expected to return at some point during the 2025 season.
“After consulting with medical experts, it became clear that surgery is the best option for John and his short- and long-term future,” Venables said in a statement. “He’s extremely disappointed he will miss some game action but is eager to correct the issue and move forward. As he is with everything, we know he will be aggressive with his rehabilitation and work to return to the field as quickly as possible.”
Mateer suffered the injury in the first quarter of Oklahoma’s Week 4 win over Auburn, the team confirmed. Despite the injury, he threw for 271 yards and rushed for 29 more, including a crucial 9-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter that helped secure the Sooners’ 24-17 victory.
The Week 4 performance strengthened Mateer’s odds to win the Heisman. Following his performance, DraftKings Sportsbook listed Mateer, a Washington State transfer, at +750 odds to win the award. His strong play has Oklahoma eyeing a return to the College Football Playoff for the first time since 2019.
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Now, the 4-0 Sooners might have to navigate the toughest part of their schedule without Mateer. Seventh-ranked Oklahoma is off this weekend and plays Kent State after the bye on Oct. 4. After that, Oklahoma plays Texas, South Carolina and Ole Miss before the end of October. If Mateer’s absence extends into November, he could miss matchups against Tennessee, Alabama, Missouri and LSU.
Mateer has thrown for 1,215 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions this season, adding 190 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns.
Michael Hawkins will start in Mateer’s place against Kent State, the team announced. Last season, Hawkins started four games for Oklahoma, going 1-3 while briefly stepping in after Jackson Arnold was benched.
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