The No. 11 Oklahoma Sooners walked into Ann Arbor on Saturday afternoon and didn’t leave with the result they hoped against Michigan.
Michigan won 17-10, and although it was a non-conference game, it took a major hit to Oklahoma’s playoff chances.
During the Oregon vs. Oklahoma State game on ESPN, the network showed highlights of Oklahoma’s loss to Michigan and flashed that the Sooners now have only a 13% chance to make the playoffs.
Oklahoma Has a Tough SEC Schedule
The Sooners still have to travel to play Georgia, compete in a neutral-site game against Texas, and host both Ole Miss and Texas A&M. These matchups could result in two losses, which may hurt their chances of making the 12-team College Football playoffs for the second straight season.
It was notable that Oklahoma lost to Michigan, especially after the Wolverines nearly lost to Western Michigan in Week 1. Michigan beat Western Michigan only because officials put one second back on the game clock, allowing Bryce Underwood to throw a Hail Mary to win 13-12.
Oklahoma showed up at the “Big House” and should’ve controlled Michigan, but now this loss could hurt the Sooners for the rest of the season.
The Sooners need to find a way to lose only one SEC game, but the odds are against them. Oklahoma still has one of the best defenses in the country, but its offense will face challenges this season.
Quarterback John Mateer had a tough afternoon, finishing 17-for-33 for 189 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. He also rushed 13 times for 45 yards.
Mateer Missed a Lot of Throws
Mateer’s performance was something he would not want to repeat, as he seemed like he couldn’t get going all day. Michigan played great defense and was able to play man-to-man most of the afternoon. But Mateer didn’t think his eyes were great for most of the game.
“I think my eyes weren’t great,” Mateer told a group of reporters after the game, via On3’s Thomas Goldkamp. “We’ll go back and watch it. But I missed a lot of throws that I normally don’t miss. Figure out the reason.”
Oklahoma’s offense never got going, and the Sooners reached the end zone only when Michigan had a coverage break, leaving a few wide receivers wide open.
The Sooners and Mateer need to figure out their offense quickly because in two weeks, they will go on the road to play No. 2 Georgia, which has only allowed 23 points in its first two games of the season against Tennessee State and Western Kentucky.
Oklahoma Gets Bad News After 17-10 Loss to Michigan