Oklahoma
Why Oklahoma HC Brent Venables Said John Mateer Was ‘Really Good’ vs. Missouri
NORMAN — There were plenty of lowlights from John Mateer’s outing against Missouri on Saturday.
Of the 30 passes the Oklahoma quarterback threw, 16 of them went incomplete. He also nearly threw an interception early in the second half, when the Sooners led by just one score.
His final passing line — 14-of-30 for 173 yards and two touchdowns — wasn’t flashy. But it was good enough for No. 8 OU to beat the No. 22 Tigers 17-6.
“(He was) really good,” OU coach Brent Venables said. “Had to earn everything he was given. Made some really good plays. Every single one of his yards were earned, hard-earned yards.”
While Mateer was inconsistent, he made key plays when the Sooners needed them most.
Oklahoma punted on its first three drives and had minus-7 total yards of offense after the first quarter.
The Sooners were in danger of going three-and-out again on their fourth drive. But on third-and-7 from OU’s 13-yard line, Mateer hit wide receiver Isaiah Sategna in stride on a slant route, and Sategna took it 87 yards to the end zone for a touchdown.
“Really good job by John standing in there delivering the throw, and then Isaiah just turned on the burners going up the sideline,” OU offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle said. “Really good execution on that play.”
Mateer said, “Really good design that Arbuckle came up with and we got man (coverage) like we wanted. And I knew there was a ‘backer underneath I had to navigate, and I did. Luckily, put it on his nose and he was able to run.”
Just a few minutes later, Mateer took advantage of favorable field position.
After a short Mizzou punt, the Sooners started their drive at the Tigers’ 35-yard line. Mateer led a seven-play scoring drive that ended with a touchdown pass to Javonnie Gibson.
Mateer’s two touchdown passes were enough on a day where the Sooners’ defense allowed Missouri to score just twice on two field goals.
“I’m incredibly proud of him,” Arbuckle said. “I’m proud of the way he leads, I’m proud of the way that he plays. Are there always things we can be better at? Absolutely. But John Mateer, he’s a great ball player.”
Neither offense played pretty football in the second half.
Oklahoma compiled only 138 total yards, and Missouri had even fewer at 122. Mateer completed only six of his 13 pass attempts, throwing for just 49 yards in the final 30 minutes.
Still, Mateer was crucial in helping OU salt away its win.
The Sooners scored just three second-half points, but they were able to register nine first downs, thanks largely to short passes and runs for decent gains. Mateer ended the game as OU’s leading rusher, finishing with 60 yards on 18 carries, and the quarterback’s legs allowed the clock to keep moving in the low-scoring contest.
“You just gotta put your head down and take a hit, you know?” Mateer said. “So I did it, and it was fun.”
Mateer still hasn’t been at his best since returning from injury against Texas on Oct. 11. The quarterback hasn’t thrown for more than 250 yards in a game since the Sooners’ win over Auburn on Sept. 20. He has thrown four touchdowns and four interceptions in the six games since the surgery on his right hand.
Still, there has been progress lately.
Mateer threw multiple touchdown passes on Saturday for the first time since OU’s season opener against Illinois State. He has also gone two games without turning the ball over. And, most importantly, Mateer has led the Sooners to three wins in a row, keeping them in the picture for the College Football Playoff.
Mateer has slowly but steadily improved in the back half of the season, and that gives Arbuckle confidence as OU prepares for LSU, its final opponent of the regular season.
“I mean, playing insanely tough, not turning the ball over, doing the little things that it takes to win and being a great teammate and a great leader,” Arbuckle said. “That’s how I’ve seen him progress and I expect nothing different from him as soon as we go back to work tomorrow. And I’m excited to watch him attack it.”
OKLAHOMA CITY (KSWO) — Oklahoma lawmakers have voted to honor country music artist and Oklahoma native Toby Keith.
House Concurrent Resolution 1019 recognizes Keith’s lasting impact on music and proposes renaming a planned turnpike in his memory.
The concurrent resolution was authored by Rep. Jason Blair, R-Morgan, and Sen. Lisa Standridge, R-Norman.
The planned route will extend from Interstate 44 east to Interstate 35, then continue east and north to I-40 at the Kickapoo Turnpike.
Copyright 2026 KSWO. All rights reserved.
Governor Kevin Stitt has said he wants the State Superintendent of Education to be a governor-elected position instead of an elected one. Political analyst Scott Mitchell examines what this would mean for the state.
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt is urging lawmakers to send a state question to voters that would make the state superintendent an appointed position, as he named Lindel Fields of Tulsa to the role and announced a turnaround team to help implement his education agenda.
Is the State Superintendent an elected role?
Yes, the State Superintendent of Education is still an elected role. Elections are scheduled for Nov. 3, 2026.
Cons of making the superintendent an appointed position
Mitchell said making this position appointed could cause distrust among some Oklahomans
“Over the years, we’ve seen that capture of regulatory sort of is easy to do when you have term limits, then lobbies become more powerful, and they have all the history. It’s very complicated.
He also said if the position were to be elected, they would likely have the same agenda as the governor.
“Yes, and I think the governor would be absolutely saying, ‘Yes, they’re going to do what I want them to do.’”
Changing how the superintendent is chosen changes what the founding fathers set.
“Voters are going to have to say yay or nay if it gets to them, is whether or not we want to change the way that the founding fathers set up the way that we make sure that power is not concentrated in Oklahoma,” he said.
Is Ryan Walters’ term the reason Stitt wants to make this position appointed?
Mitchell said he believes the former State Superintendent played a role in the government wanting to appoint this position.
During his time as superintendent, Walters was known to have multiple controversies. He resigned in 2025, allowing Stitt to appoint Lindel Fields.
“His impact on this, even though he’s gone, is certainly evident,” said Mitchell. “Walters left midstream, right? And so the governor had a chance to appoint someone. Well, it wasn’t just an appointment; it was chaos before and relative calm and competency after. And that has given the governor an opening for people to see with their own eyes. Yeah, you can put somebody in, we’re talking about Lindel Fields, that appears to get up every day, not trying to find some, get a click on social media, but rather to do his job. And across the board, for the most part, this guy’s getting thumbs up.
Stitt said electing Fields has already given him some leverage since he has been well perceived so far.
“That allows a governor to say, Look, I’ve got some standing, some leverage to go to the voters and say, let’s put expertise as the main reason that a person’s there, not because they were able to win an election because they had some sort of populist or dramatic ideas.”
Who is running for Oklahoma State Superintendent?
Republican Ballot
- Sen. Adam Pugh
- John Cox
- Rep. Toni Hasenbeck
- Ana Landsaw
Democrat Ballot
- Craig Mcvay
- Jennettie Marshall
Independent
To learn more about each candidate, click here.
A full breakdown of candidates in the 2026 Oklahoma State Superintendent race, including party affiliation, background and key education priorities.
An Oklahoma highway could soon be named after the late country superstar, Toby Keith, pending new legislation.
House Concurrent Resolution 1019 would rename a proposed turnpike project the “Toby Keith Expressway.” This roadway is set to be built from Interstate 44 East to Interstate-35, continuing East and North to Interstate 40. This road is a part of the ACCESS Oklahoma Long-Range Plan, which is meant to update and expand the state’s turnpike system.
This resolution was adopted by the House on Wednesday.
“Toby Keith was more than a country music star. He was a proud Oklahoman who never forgot where he came from,” said Rep. Jason Blair, R-Moore. “Naming this turnpike in his honor is a fitting way to recognize a man who represented our state with ultimate patriotism and generosity.”
Keith was born in Clinton, Oklahoma, raised in Moore and resided in Norman. He died on February 5, 2024, in a battle with cancer.
“Over the course of his legendary career, Toby Keith never forgot where he came from or what he stood for,” said Sen. Lisa Standridge, R-Norman. “His Oklahoma roots shaped him, and his love of America defined him. He was a country music superstar and a true patriot. I can think of no better way to honor his memory than by naming this future stretch of Norman turnpike in his honor, creating a lasting tribute to the legacy he leaves behind.”
During his career, Keith sold over 40 million records and more than 20 number-one singles
Legislation authors believe this would commemorate the life and legacy of Toby Keith.
The bill will now head to the Senate.
To read the full House Resolution, click here.
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