Where does SI rank John Mateer among Power Four starting quarterbacks?

The Oklahoma Sooners return their starting quarterback for just the second time under head coach Brent Venables. The other instance came in 2023, when OU fielded its best offense of the Venables era. Oklahoma will also have a starting QB finish his career as a Sooner for the first time since 2019.

This all became the case when redshirt-senior starting quarterback John Mateer chose to come back to OU this winter, instead of entering the NFL Draft or the transfer portal. In turn, OU chose to run it back with Mateer, instead of pushing him out to pursue another QB and give him the keys, be it via the portal or some other avenue. Mateer will complete his last year of eligibility in 2026, giving the Sooners a passer with lots of college football experience.

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What’s more is that the Sooners will also return their offensive play-caller for the first time since 2023, and Oklahoma hopes that similar scoring numbers follow in 2026. Offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle hand-picked Mateer to be his first starting quarterback in Norman, and they’ll once again be the brain trust of the OU offense after coming over together from Washington State.

All of that stability, and the fact that it hasn’t been present in recent years at OU, is something that the Sooners hope can translate to a more potent offense this fall. However, not everyone is as sold on Mateer as the folks who make the decisions inside the Switzer Center are.

Sports Illustrated ranked each of the projected starting quarterbacks in the Power Four conferences ahead of the 2026 season. Their power rankings include the 68 teams in the SEC, the Big Ten, the ACC, the Big 12, and Notre Dame. Writer Zach Koons ranked Mateer 21st on the list.

“The jump to the SEC was something of a wake-up call for the ex-Washington State quarterback, especially after he injured his throwing hand against Auburn in late September. Mateer noticeably played worse down following the injury, but he did manage to beat Tennessee, Alabama and Missouri in three straight games to kick off November. The blueprint for that was relying more heavily on Mateer’s running (14.67 carries to 27.3 passes per game during that stretch as opposed 11.67 carries to 35 passes per game in his other nine starts). That sort of game script favors leaning on the Sooners’ stout defense.” – Zach Koons, Sports Illustrated.

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At the end of the day, Oklahoma believes in Mateer, and Mateer believes in Oklahoma. Multiple times throughout the offseason, both Venables and general manager Jim Nagy have said Mateer is their guy, and that they believe they can win a championship with him. During his stint as a Sooner, Mateer has repeatedly said that the opportunity to be the starting quarterback at OU was the prevailing reason why he ended up in Norman.

Whether or not the decisions made by both parties result in championship football remain to be seen, but make no mistake about it. John Mateer has the backing of the program. Whether the Sooners are right or wrong will be disclosed to all of us this fall.

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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Where does SI rank John Mateer among Power Four starting quarterbacks?