Coming off a 23-15 win over Mississippi State (4-3, 2-3 SEC), the Sooners (4-3, 2-2) look to win back-to-back games for the first time this season against South Carolina on Saturday.
Fifth-year quarterback John Mateer had arguably his best performance of the season against the Bulldogs with a season-high 283 passing yards. He and a few other Sooners spoke to the media Monday night.
Here are takeaways:
Mateer lays out Sooners' goals
With plenty of shakeup in the Southeastern Conference standings week by week, the players still believe that they are playing for their season every game.
Mateer reiterated that the team has high aspirations but needs to stay grounded as the back half of the season kicks off.
“The goal is to go one and zero every week, and you can get a little ahead of yourself,” Mateer said. “We gotta win. You just focus on the right now and win the game. ... So we did and it was a close game. Probably didn't have to be but we made it that way. … It felt good to win.”
OU has come off of each of its wins this season with a loss, a pattern the team is trying to snap as it returns home for the first time since its 21-13 loss against No. 9 Kentucky (7-1, 5-1).
Mateer understands the tradition behind winning a home game at Owen Field and wants to right the wrongs of his three-interception outing against the Wildcats.
“Losing here felt terrible, especially in that game and how we lost, ...” Mateer said. “Losing here is never good and we don't want to. … You never want to lose at home once and definitely not twice.”
In Mateer’s tenure at OU, the Sooners are 8-3 at home, including the College Football Playoff loss to Alabama last December.
Mateer has continued to preach a "next play" mentality the entire season; through his struggles and successes, his mindset remains the same. He restated the same sentiment Monday.
“Things are going to happen,” Mateer said. “It's an imperfect game. That's why everybody loves it. That's why it's the greatest game. You can learn so much. But yeah, (I am) just staying in the moment, knowing who I am, trusting in the week of preparation and just playing free. One play could go bad, but the next play matters.”
Michael Fasusi’s return boosts OU
Sophomore offensive lineman Michael Fasusi returned from a five-game absence after exiting the season opener against UTEP with a shoulder injury.
During his absence, the Sooner offense ranked last or near the bottom of every offensive category in the SEC. In his return, the offense posted 467 yards, a season high. The Sooners have now recorded over 400 yards in each of the games Fasusi has played in this season.
Freshman offensive lineman Noah Best described what it meant to have Fasusi back in the lineup.
“He’s great,” Best said. “He energizes us so great, even when he wasn’t playing and was just traveling. He’s always there, hyping us up, being there for us.”
When Fasusi was injured, he still remained involved in and around the team.
“Fasusi did a great job being in the back, being locked in,” Mateer said. “Some guys can be in the back and just kind of take their time, take a vacation."
Mateer acknowledged the impact Fasusi has on the team when he's playing.
“(Fasusi) is obviously a really good player,” Mateer said.
Best spoke confidently about his chemistry with Fasusi.
“I think you can put anyone next to (Fasusi)," Best said, "and it will work."
This story was edited by Joshua McDaniel.
