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NORMAN, Okla. — Every week after John Mateer threw for probably the most yards in an Oklahoma quarterback debut towards Illinois State, the switch passer’s instinctive playmaking highlighted an imperfect efficiency that helped propel the No. 18 Sooners to a 24-13 win over No. 15 Michigan on Saturday night time.
Whereas Oklahoma smothered Wolverines freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood, Mateer accomplished 21 of his 34 passes for 270 yards with a passing landing and an interception. He additionally completed with a team-high 19 carries for 74 yards, including a pair of speeding scores on both aspect of halftime in his second profession begin for the Sooners.
“You noticed what he can do,” Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables mentioned of Mateer. “He falls ahead so much. He is obtained nice energy and nice expertise. Robust man. He is fearless. He assaults the whole lot with out concern.”
Enjoying behind 4 new offensive line starters, together with freshman left deal with Michael Fasusi, Mateer remained poised towards the Michigan cross rush early, connecting on completions of 34, 31 and 21 yards throughout the Sooners’ preliminary pair of offensive drives. In response to ESPN Analysis, Mateer completed 8-of-13 with 156 passing yards and a landing in blitzing conditions Saturday.
Oklahoma opened the scoring on its opening possession through a pop cross from Mateer to vast receiver Deion Burks, who logged a team-high seven receptions for 101 yards. Mateer’s 2-yard speeding rating with 22 seconds remaining within the second quarter handed Oklahoma a 14-0 halftime lead, and he used his legs once more for a 10-yard landing run early within the third quarter.
Mateer’s 19 carries marked the fourth-highest single-game tally of his profession and included three runs of at the least 10 yards. Along with his pair of speeding scores, Mateer joined Lamar Jackson and D’Eriq King as the one FBS gamers to document at the least one passing and speeding rating in eight consecutive video games since 2015, in line with ESPN Analysis, courting to his breakout marketing campaign at Washington State final fall.
“John’s a prepared runner,” Sooners offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle mentioned. “He understands what it takes to win. They’re undoubtedly designed QB runs within the recreation. On the finish of the day, you are simply making an attempt to win a soccer recreation, and John Mateer is prepared [to run]. He most likely took an enormous hit or two tonight. However hopefully all for the great of the staff.”
Mateer’s night time was not with out errors. He was intercepted by Michigan defensive again TJ Metcalf within the first quarter after overthrowing tight finish Will Huggins. Mateer was almost intercepted once more after halftime, and his third-quarter overthrow ultimately zone past the fingers of tight finish Jaren Kanak value the Sooners seven factors because the Wolverines mounted a second-half comeback.
However Mateer’s risk-taking and aptitude for the extraordinary have been additionally the drivers for Oklahoma in solely the Sooners’ third win over a top-15 opponent underneath Venables. The Sooners led 14-7 early within the third quarter when Mateer shed a deal with within the backfield, rolled to his proper and fired a 36-yard strike to vast receiver Isaiah Sategna. Mateer ran in his second landing of the night time and lifted the Sooners to a 21-7 benefit simply two performs later.
“The factor with John, I belief that child to love no finish,” Arbuckle mentioned. “He understands moments and conditions. He is aware of when to take an opportunity, when to not take an opportunity. So each time he lets one rip and places the ball in what somebody could say is a dangerous state of affairs, each time he does that I’ve the utmost confidence that he is making the precise choice.”
One other one among Mateer’s dangers paid off early within the fourth quarter, finally launching an 8:27 drive that allowed Oklahoma to empty the remaining minutes and any lingering hope of a Michigan comeback.
Dealing with second-and-10 from the Sooners’ 38-yard line, Mateer once more rolled out and — with Wolverines linebacker Jaishawn Barham bearing down on him — made a daring throw off his again foot into heavy site visitors to search out Kanak for a 9-yard connection.
“[Kanak] sort of went to the open area and I threw it a bit of harmful,” Mateer mentioned. “However he made it occur.”
A well timed little bit of innovation, Mateer’s throw marked the beginning of a 16-play, 78-yard scoring drive that successfully iced Oklahoma’s Week 2 victory and confirmed off the perfect of Mateer and what his game-changing playmaking capability can provide the Sooners.
Oklahoma visits Temple in Week 3 earlier than embarking on a gauntlet of an SEC schedule at residence towards Auburn on Sept. 20.
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