The Oklahoma Sooners’ offensive problems hit a new low Saturday afternoon against No. 2 Georgia, and quarterback John Mateer became the center of the reaction.
Oklahoma went into halftime trailing 28-0 at Sanford Stadium after producing only 140 total yards and one rushing yard. Mateer had already put the ball in danger repeatedly, but one play near the Georgia goal line turned an ugly first half into something much worse.
With Oklahoma threatening to finally score, Mateer lost the football and Georgia returned it 85 yards for a touchdown.
John Mateer Gets Torched After Brutal Georgia Turnover
Oklahoma had third-and-goal from the Georgia 2-yard line midway through the second quarter when Mateer rolled left looking to throw. Instead of finding the end zone, he lost control of the ball while retreating under pressure.
Georgia linebacker Chris Cole recovered it and went 85 yards the other direction for a touchdown, pushing the Bulldogs’ lead to 21-0.
The play immediately brought a wave of reaction.
On3’s Brett McMurphy wrote: “Oklahoma QB John Mateer is a machine … a turnover machine. Dawgs now 28-0 in 2nd”
The Athletic’s Chris Vannini was just as direct.
“John Mateer with his third turnover and third fumble of the first half. It’s bad.”
It’s bad.
Sooners Illustrated’s Josh Callaway went even further as Oklahoma’s offense continued to unravel.
“John Mateer has reached depths of football hell that are rarely reached. A change has to be heavily considered soon”
A change has to be heavily considered soon
Finally, CBS Sports’ Brad Crawford placed where the Sooners’ quarterback ranks in the SEC.
“John Mateer is the SEC’s worst starting QB.”
Early in the third quarter, Mateer was 15-of-20 passing for 139 yards with no touchdowns and an interception. Oklahoma had three turnovers overall, including two lost fumbles, and was averaging fewer than four yards per play.
Mateer’s disastrous sequence was especially damaging because Oklahoma’s defense had given the offense opportunities to stay within reach. Instead, Georgia turned the Sooners’ mistakes into points and went to halftime with its biggest lead of the afternoon.
Oklahoma Offense Was Already Struggling Before Georgia
Saturday’s collapse didn’t come out of nowhere.
Mateer entered the game completing 62.7% of his passes for 652 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions through Oklahoma’s first three games. He had also rushed for 69 yards.
Those numbers looked respectable in isolation, but the Sooners’ overall offensive production had been trending in the wrong direction since a 51-0 season-opening win over UTEP.
Oklahoma scored only 10 points in a 17-10 loss at Michigan, then needed its defense to survive a 14-6 win over New Mexico. The Sooners entered Georgia averaging 329.7 total yards per game and only 110.3 rushing yards while averaging 3.3 yards per carry.
Against New Mexico, Mateer threw for 238 yards and two touchdowns but also tossed two interceptions, while Oklahoma finished with only 61 rushing yards and 299 total yards.
That meant the Sooners had scored only 24 points in the previous two games combined before getting shut out through the first half Saturday.
Georgia made the problems look even worse.
Oklahoma’s first-half offense managed 140 yards on 33 plays, with virtually nothing on the ground. The Sooners had possessions reach Georgia territory, but turnovers prevented them from taking advantage.
Mateer returned this season expected to give Oklahoma more stability at quarterback. Four games into 2026, the questions around him and offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle are only getting louder.
Callaway’s suggestion that Oklahoma at least consider a quarterback change sounded extreme before Saturday.
After a first half that included a goal-line fumble returned 85 yards for a touchdown, it suddenly didn’t sound nearly as wild.
Oklahoma’s John Mateer Roasted as ‘Turnover Machine’ in Georgia Disaster