Well, John Mateer had big things to prove. He was supposed to be Brent Venables’ pen to write a blockbuster story, erasing the 6-7 overall record from last year. And instead of boasting a proud ‘I knew, I can do it’ smile, Venables’ quarterback is left with a sigh. The heavy breathing comes from their playoff hopes getting dim with 2 SEC losses. Talking about the path that is left for Mateer and Co. to cover? 4 ranked opponents are waiting, making it a road full of thorns. Now, you know where that sigh comes from during Mateer’s postgame presser.

“Just not finishing on top. I mean, we had it. Like we had the opportunity to do it. And I didn’t get it done,” said the heartbroken quarterback. And not just Mateer. The missed opportunities in the loss to Lane Kiffin’s squad are going to haunt Venables’ squad in their sleep now. Mateer finished the Ole Miss game 17-of-31 passing for 223 yards and a touchdown — without an interception. But looks like he has already planted the seed of his eventual downfall early during the contest.

Mateer lost his charm after halftime. When it came to Venables’ quarterback’s running scene? He was limited. Just 17 yards on 13 carries? No, not expected from a quarterback who is running the Heisman race. While Mateer takes the blame on himself for not being able to show up the way his team and fans expected, Sports columnist guru Skip Bayless held Venables accountable for the big stumble.

“Once again, Brent Venables did not have his team ready to play for a big home game,” said Bayless. He claimed, “I just don’t see much fire, intensity, fight.” Well, that’s not totally true. Mateer got off to a fast start. He completed 10 of his first 11 passes. Things took a left turn in the second half with Venables’ quarterback only completing 6-of-18 second-half passes, and he missed key throws.

Mateer’s touch deserted him when it mattered most, overthrowing Jaren Kanak and Javonnie Gibson on consecutive plays, gifting the Rebels the ball with a 34-26 edge. A last gasp with sixty ticks left brought no redemption; the misses kept coming. Talking about giving things up? No way. Venables’ squad is not tapping into that mindset. 

As Mateer said, “I mean, Kip (Lewis) said it at the end of our team talk. He said, ‘We got a lot of fighters in here, and nobody’s going to just lay down and give up. Nobody’s going to give up. That’s not who we are on this team, and that’s not the coach we have…so just take a moment to reset, reflect. And we got to do better, and it starts with me.’” But looking at their road to the playoffs, only having confidence won’t let them survive the rest of the path. 

The road gets tougher for Brent Venables with John Mateer standing on loose ground

The loss left Oklahoma’s playoff dream wobbling on its last legs, as Venables’ bunch slid to 6-2 overall and 2-2 in SEC play. For Oklahoma to survive the heat, Mateer must snap out of his slump, and the Sooners will probably have to run the table against one of the toughest closing stretches in the country. Who is waiting to hand them a lesson in the upcoming weeks? Tennessee Volunteers on November 1, Alabama on November 15, Missouri on November 22, and LSU on November 29. 

They’ve already toppled Michigan and Auburn. Pull off three more in the homestretch, and Oklahoma might just barge back into the committee’s December conversation. Now, is it possible for Venables’ and Co.? If the Sooners want in, the math for the slate is simple but brutal: go 4-0 and coast to the bracket, or go 3-1 and pull off a feat Mateer and his boys haven’t managed since 2015, toppling three ranked teams in a row.

Well, had Venables been more careful about polishing the sharp edges of his quarterback, things would have been easier. During their last face-off against the Texas Longhorns, Mateer added three interceptions to his name. After the mishap, Venables held himself accountable for neglecting his quarterback’s struggles. “At the end of the day, we need to tackle better on defense. We need to get off the field on defense on third down and take the pressure off the offense, and be able to complement one another,” said the head coach.

Meanwhile, Urban Meyer could already foresee the impending doom that Venables’ squad was going to face. On the October 22 episode of The Triple Option show, he had picked his favorite. “Whoever has the ball last is going to win that game, but I take Ole Miss,” said the legend. Now, John Mateer knows the mission. With his past and the noise behind him, he has to pull off the impossible, turning the tide in Oklahoma’s favor down the stretch. No shortcuts. No compromise.