DALLAS — John Mateer could not save Brent Venables as the river turned orange. 

The redshirt junior quarterback recorded his lowest passing yards of the season in a 23-6 loss, and OU (5-1, 1-1 SEC) failed to score a touchdown against Texas (4-2, 1-1) for the third time in the head coach’s four years with the Sooners. 

“We didn't have the edge and the fire to me that (we) needed,” Venables said.

Mateer came into the game cold after missing the Sooners’ 44-0 win against Kent State due to a right-hand injury he suffered against Auburn. He underwent surgery on Sept. 24 and was “pushing the limits” to return for the Red River Rivalry 17 days later. His status for the game was questionable early in the week before doctors cleared him on Thursday. 

“Everything was leading up to my preparation for this game and getting back. … I was dedicated to it and disciplined to it,” Mateer said.

The coaching staff was confident in his recovery as well.

“John was true to his process, true to his film watching,” offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle said. “The practices that he did get to go do this week, he was really, really intentional with (them).”

However, Mateer made many lapses in judgment en route to doubling his season turnovers with three interceptions and finishing with his worst pass completion rate of the season (52.6%). He attributes shortcomings to mental mistakes rather than his physical shape despite having come off an injury.

“Pain level is nothing,” Mateer said. “There's no excuse. I was ready to go physically, but mentally, I just didn't perform. … I just didn't play good enough.”

Specifically, Mateer inaccurately zipped a pass to redshirt junior wide receiver Isaiah Sategna on third-and-12 with 13:43 left in the fourth quarter. He delivered the ball into Texas freshman cornerback Graceson Littleton’s arms for his third interception of the game.

“My eyes weren't as good as they needed to be, and when the quarterback doesn't play good football, it's hard to win in this league,” Mateer said.

While Mateer struggled in the air, the Sooners’ run game offered little help with 48 rushing yards — a stark contrast to the Longhorns’ 136. OU’s weak run game has been a theme of 2025, with it ranking No. 72 in the nation and succumbing to the Longhorn defense.

“We (played) a really stout defense, front seven, (with) Texas,” Venables said. “We got to be better.”

Regardless, the quarterback is the forefront of the offense, and Mateer feels the weight on his shoulders. 

Mateer was considered the No. 1 Heisman Trophy candidate before his injury and has drawn Baker Mayfield comparisons. However, OU’s Mateer-led offense fell to the same fate as Venables’ 6-7 Sooner teams in 2022 and 2024.

Nonetheless, Arbuckle, who joined from Washington State with Mateer, trusts his quarterback to bounce back. 

“John’s a competitor; John’s a tough kid,” Arbuckle said. “John’s a very self-aware kid, and I know he’ll respond the right way.”

After the loss, Mateer and the Sooners are focusing on not letting the setback translate into a trend for the rest of the year. 

“We can't flinch, and we don't have time to sit around and mope,” Mateer said. “I think it's important to show the response in my work.”

This story was edited by Laurie Jones.

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