OU redshirt junior quarterback John Mateer realizes the weight on the Sooners’ shoulders.
No. 11 OU (7-2, 3-2 SEC) is fighting for a spot in the College Football Playoffs as the second team out in the current standings. It is listed at No. 12 in the CFP rankings, but would not be in if its status remains due to the five highest conference champions earning automatic bids.
“We all know we have a chance to determine our destiny and keep it right in front of us, so that's our goal,” Mateer said.
Mateer and the Sooners carry a 33-27 win over No. 21 Tennessee (6-3, 3-3) with them into the final stretch, starting with No. 4 Alabama (8-1, 6-0), the No. 12 defense in the nation. OU put up its highest-scoring game in a Power Four game this season against the Volunteers, guided by Mateer’s season-high 80 rushing yards and sophomore running back Xavier Robinson’s career-high 115 yards on the ground.
“We don't have to do anything we haven't done — play our football,” Mateer said. “It's a good team; there'll be some resistance. … We got to go in and start (well) from play one, but we're feeling good.”
OU is set to face the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, and Mateer said that the team walks into the away environment with joy and determination.
“It's everything we've all dreamed of, … and you got to own what you have to do each play,” Mateer said.
As the Sooners prepare for Tuscaloosa, Mateer has been a strong voice in the locker room to help his teammates be confident, as he builds up his own abilities too.
Redshirt junior tight end Kaden Helms has played sparingly in 2025, with only three games and 13 receiving yards on the season. However, Mateer’s leadership has still resonated with Helms.
“He's definitely a vocal leader, and he leads by example,” Helms said. “He just wants to see his guys be the best players that they can be, and I think that's something that's a trait that all good leaders have.”
Led by Mateer, the Sooners are embracing each opportunity ahead of them.
“We have a belief in the vision of what we want to do,” Mateer said. “We're not just coming out here, wasting any days and just going through the motions. We know what we're going up against, and it's fun. It's SEC football, … so we enjoy it. And we embrace it.”
