America meets John Mateer, Sooners Beat Wolverines 24-13

#18 Oklahoma Quarterback John Mateer rushed for over 70 Yards and two touchdowns against #15 Michigan

The biggest game on the week two slate of the college football season took place in Norman, Oklahoma, as the #18-ranked Sooners took on the #15-ranked Michigan Wolverines, a clash of blue-bloods in the college football world that shockingly had only met once before, back in the 1976 Orange Bowl where Oklahoma was victorious over Michigan in a low scoring 14-6 win. Now, in the second meeting, the storyline coming into the game was which quarterback would steal the show: Michigan’s #1 freshman recruit, Bryce Underwood, or the Sooner’s #1 transfer portal quarterback, John Mateer.

Freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood was the number one storyline entering this week two matchup, with lots of the media calling him “generational’ and potentially the best freshman quarterback we’ve ever seen, but Sooners head coach Brent Venables had all the answers for him. Underwood was met with pressure and was able to be confused by the coverage all game, and while the Michigan coaching staff may not have tried to unleash him as much as fans may have wanted, he still had opportunities and couldn’t make the offense go, and simply looked like an 18-year-old true freshman.

Oklahoma started with the ball in the first half, and it didn’t take long for Mateer to make his mark on the game and do it with style. He showcased his quick release of the ball and the elusiveness he can display when using his legs. He threw two drive-changing passes to start, one to linebacker turned tight end Jaren Kanak down the middle of the field, and another down the right side of the field for the Sooners’ top receiver Deion Burks.

Burks would cap off the opening drive with a nine-yard touchdown to start what would be an exceptional seven-reception, 101-yard game. The Sooners would score again in the second quarter as John Mateer navigated through traffic to find the endzone with his legs, creating a 14-0 halftime lead at Gaylord Memorial Stadium, which was absolutely rocking at that point.

Michigan found just about as little success as they could in the first half; the OU defensive line was giving the Wolverines' front line all they could handle, and it showed as Michigan was scoreless in the first half, and RB Justice Haynes was held to less than 40 yards rushing.

That would change quickly for Haynes as he made his mark on the first play of the second half, finding a hole on the left side and running for a 75-yard touchdown. This was the only time in the game where Michigan had any hope of winning. Afterwards, it was more of the same from the first half, Oklahoma stopping the run and limiting Bryce Underwood from creating any plays.

Oklahoma was able to put the game away in the third quarter. Matter ran in for his second rushing touchdown of the evening, and before it, made one of the best plays of the year as he evaded a sack and then threw the ball on the run to receiver Isaiah Sategna to get the Sooners into scoring position.

The headline from this game is that, through two weeks of college football, we have a Heisman favorite, and his name is John Mateer. He showed every facet of his game against Michigan, from deep ball passes, a designed quarterback run attack where he makes defenders miss tackles left and right, and his ability to scramble and gain yards that seem like they’re not there to be had.

He’s the type of quarterback that embodies College Football, drawing comparisons to predecessors like Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray. Now not only do Sooner fans know it, but the whole country does, watch out.