Oklahoma QB John Mateer Suffers Injury in Throwing Hand

Significant news has rattled the SEC and the Heisman odds, as Sooner Scoop confirmed that Oklahoma starting quarterback John Mateer has suffered an injury to his thumb on his throwing hand and is set to undergo surgery.

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Oklahoma backup quarterback Michael Hawkins, who played in place of Jackson Arnold at points during the 2024 college football season, is slated to step in, with Mateer set to miss "three or more weeks," according to Sooner Scoop's report.

The school announced on Tuesday that Mateer is set to undergo surgery on Wednesday. Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables said in a statement, "After consulting with medical experts, it became clear that surgery is the best option for John and his short- and long-term future," said Venables. "He's extremely disappointed he will miss some game action, but is eager to correct the issue and move forward. As he is with everything, we know he will be aggressive with his rehabilitation and work to return to the field as quickly as possible."

The school says Mateer suffered the injury in the first quarter of Oklahoma's 24-17 victory over the Auburn Tigers last Saturday, playing the entire contest and finishing with 271 passing yards, 29 rushing yards, and two total touchdowns.

On the season, Mateer has passed for 1,215 yards and six touchdowns to three interceptions, but has also accumulated 190 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns.

Oklahoma is currently undefeated with a 4-0 record, including ranked wins over No. 15 Michigan and No. 22 Auburn, both at home. The Sooners are currently ranked No. 7 in the AP Poll.

The timing of Mateer's injury, while not ideal, leaves the door open for him to return for the toughest portion of Oklahoma's schedule. Hawkins will start this weekend's matchup against Kent State before the Sooners have a bye week. After that, we enter the realm of possibility for Mateer to return for the Red River Shootout against Texas on October 11.

If Mateer does have to miss a month, as reported by ESPN's Jake Trotter, Mateer could return for the Sooners' matchup with Ole Miss on October 25.

The news is notable with Oklahoma traveling to Tuscalosoa on November 15 for Alabama's homecoming game. Mateer was the betting favorite to win the Heisman Trophy, with odds as low as +700 on some sportsbooks. However, with his injury, it likely takes Mateer out of the race, even if he only misses one game against Kent State.

Wyatt Fulton is the Tide 100.9 DME and Brand Manager, primarily covering Alabama Crimson Tide football and men's basketball. For more Crimson Tide coverage, follow Wyatt on X (Formerly known as Twitter) at @FultonW_.