Oklahoma Sooners QB John Mateer breaks silence on his future after disappointing CFP loss vs. Alabama

The Oklahoma Sooners’ 2025 season ended Friday in the College Football Playoff first round as the eighth-ranked Sooners surrendered a 17-point second-quarter lead and fell 34–24 to the No. 9 Alabama Crimson Tide at Gaylord Family–Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. The loss dropped OU to 0–5 all-time in CFP games and concluded their season with a 10–3 record.

Following the game, starting quarterback John Mateer spoke forthrightly about what lies ahead for him.

“I really haven’t thought about it yet,” the redshirt junior said. “I’m pretty sure I’ll take some time and weigh all the options, and we’ll see.”

Mateer has one year of eligibility remaining, so he could either return to Oklahoma for another season or declare for the 2026 NFL Draft. His decision carries major implications for the Sooners’ offseason. Underclassmen have until Jan. 14 to declare for the 2026 NFL Draft, with the transfer portal opening Jan. 2. Mateer is currently rated as the No. 4 quarterback prospect in the 2026 draft class, behind Oregon Ducks Dante Moore, Indiana Hoosiers Fernando Mendoza, and Alabama’s Ty Simpson, according to ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. Like Mateer, Moore and Simpson both still have remaining eligibility.

Statistically speaking, Mateer had a productive night on the field. He completed 26 of 41 passes for 307 yards and two touchdowns, added a rushing touchdown, and led an offense that outgained the Crimson Tide 362–260 while running 75 plays to Alabama’s 54.

The Sooners held a 17–0 lead midway through the second quarter. However, a series of missteps shifted the momentum against them. Mateer threw a pick-six just before halftime that tied the game, and Oklahoma’s special teams unraveled. Punter Grayson Miller first dropped a snap that led to a blocked punt, and later dribbled another punt that gave the Crimson Tide a short field, resulting in a touchdown that extended their lead to 10 points, while Lou Groza Award winner Tate Sandell missed a 36-yard field goal with 2:53 remaining that could have cut the gap to a single score.

Oklahoma had the yardage advantage, but managed only 1.7 yards per carry, allowing Alabama to put together 27 unanswered points. Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson finished 18-of-29 for 232 yards and two touchdowns, helping Alabama advance to face the No. 1 Indiana Hoosiers in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1.

Mateer’s individual season remains a point of debate. He showed playmaking ability throughout the year and against the Crimson Tide, throwing nine completions of 15 yards or more and accounting for three total touchdowns. At the same time, missed throws, sacks, and turnovers, issues that surfaced throughout the season, again proved costly in a playoff setting.

As the Sooners enter the 2026 offseason, Mateer’s pending decision will surely define the direction of the program. Whether he returns for another year in Ben Arbuckle’s system or tests his NFL value, the Oklahoma quarterback situation will remain the hot-button storyline following another painful CFP exit.

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