John Mateer Learns Humbling Lesson From Brent Venables’ Past to Prove Nick Saban Wrong

Oklahoma QB John Mateer wasted no time making his presence felt. After setting a Sooners record for passing yards in his debut just a week ago, the Washington State transfer followed it up by shining under the national spotlight against a #15 ranked Michigan squad. He went 21-of-34 for 270 yards and a TD through the air, while flashing his dual-threat ability with 74 rushing yards and two more scores. But his lone blemish came early: a misfired ball over TE Will Huggins that turned into an interception. But from that moment on, Mateer was in complete command. By the final whistle, he had silenced any doubt, powering Oklahoma to a 24-13 statement win at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mateer admitted he’s learning how to handle success from Brent Venables while proving even the GOAT coach wrong in his prediction.

In the postgame press conference, the QB revealed that coach Venables reminded the team about Oklahoma’s big Texas win two years ago, and how the Sooners didn’t handle it the right way. “It’s on to the next. We have a veteran team, we learn from experiences,” said Mateer. “Coach talked about that big win from two years ago that we took too long to get over.” In short, Mateer isn’t letting the moment get too big. Instead, he’s taking Venables’ message to heart. A humbling lesson in staying locked in, no matter how sweet the victory. But what exactly went down two years ago?

Back in 2023, Oklahoma pulled off a shocker, toppling Texas in the Red River Rivalry: a rare bright spot in Brent Venables’ otherwise turbulent run. That win shined amid heavy losses: 49–0 in 2022 and 34–3 in 2024, both leaving OU humbled on the national stage. And speaking at SEC Media Days 2025, Venables reflected on that victory, calling it a glimpse of how the rivalry “should be and will be moving forward.” But he admitted the team didn’t handle it well, letting the moment linger instead of building momentum down the season. So, the lesson? Celebrate the win, then move on before it costs you the next one.

Oklahoma shook things up on the O-line against Michigan, starting 4 new faces. True freshmen Heath Ozaeta and Michael Fasusi, Western Carolina transfer Derek Simmons, and Stanford transfer Jake Maikkula all took the field. Meanwhile Febechi Nwaiwu remained the lone holdover from last week. Interestingly, for Maikkula, Fasusi, and Simmons, it was their first career start at OU. While Fasusi had missed Week 1 after suffering heat exhaustion in training camp, Simmons was sidelined with an injury. But despite the debut jitters, Fasusi held his own against Michigan’s DE Derrick Moore. And the young line proved they can rise to the occasion under the bright lights.

John Mateer outshined Nick Saban’s expectations

Michigan’s offense looked limited on Saturday night, and without Justice Haynes’ breakout run, they might have barely topped 200 total yards. But don’t be fooled, this isn’t the Wolverines’ 2024 unit. Even as Bryce Underwood faces growing pains, the offense is sharper, faster, and more dangerous than a year ago. It’s a group that will only get stronger as the season progresses. Still, the buzz around the game was undeniable. Nick Saban had Michigan pegged as the winner going in, adding even more weight to the challenge.

Saban didn’t hold back on ESPN’s College GameDay, and he pointed to a fresh spark on offense with freshman QB Bryce Underwood. He raved about a defense that crushed New Mexico, holding them to just 50 rushing yards. Add a tough, nasty offensive line and coaches like Sherrone Moore, Michigan checks all the boxes. “They had no offense last year and still won eight games. Now they’ve got a quarterback, a good defense. I’m taking Michigan,” said Saban.

But after their loss to Oklahoma, Michigan’s stumble has put the spotlight on Oklahoma’s QB1, forcing him to step up and react. Here, John Mateer couldn’t hide it. He flashed a huge grin when he heard Nick Saban was backing Michigan tonight. Then came the chuckle: a playful “haha” that said it all. A bit of excitement, some feelings of surprise, and maybe a little disbelief. John Mateer is out to prove to all his doubters that the Sooners should not be underestimated.