John Mateer, Oklahoma’s new quarterback, has been carving out his reputation with a blend of promise and volatility. In his debut against Illinois State, he went 30-for-37 passing for 392 yards, with three touchdowns and one interception. He followed that up in Week 2 against Michigan with one touchdown and one interception, adding 19 carries for 74 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. These back-to-back performances underscore his playmaking ceiling and his risk profile, making him an electrifying yet unpredictable presence on the field and this talent has paved a path for John Mateer to start being compared to an NFL Star.

Well, that star is the reigning NFL MVP and longtime Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen. Drafted seventh overall in 2018, Allen entered Buffalo with a rocket arm and elite athleticism but also glaring issues with accuracy and turnovers. Early in his career, he could frustrate fans with a reckless fumble before stunning them with a deep-ball strike. Fast forward to 2024 and Allen threw for 3,731 yards with 28 touchdown passes and only six interceptions, while adding 531 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns, earning him MVP honors. Locked in now for the long haul, he’s secured a record-setting six-year, $330 million contract with $250 million guaranteed, keeping him in Buffalo through 2030. That balance showed how Allen has refined his game, a path John Mateer seems to just be stepping onto. So what is now fueling the comparison between the two?

On a recent Todd McShay YouTube podcast, Jason Calichman spelled out the parallel in detail. He said Mateer reminded him of “young Josh Allen,” describing how Allen once made “crazy plays, bizarre fumbles, awful decisions,” before hitting a throw that “just blows your mind.” In his eyes, Mateer embodies that same wild energy, the kind of quarterback who can change a game in one moment while risking it all the next.

“And I just think young Josh Allen, he’s going to make plays, he’s going to take it away. If you could rein it in a little bit, I mean, he’s unbelievable, especially compared to watching Michigan. To have the excitement of Mateer, it makes the game worth watching” Calichman stressed that if Mateer can learn to rein in the chaos, his ceiling could be extraordinary.

Calichman went further by contrasting Mateer’s style with Michigan’s conservative, grind-it-out offense. He labeled the Wolverines “so god awful boring” compared to Mateer’s brand of football, pointing out that unpredictability is what keeps fans engaged. To him, Mateer’s volatility isn’t a flaw to be dismissed, it’s a sign of untapped potential. Just as Allen eventually refined his game into dominance, Mateer could transform that same chaos into a defining weapon.

Mateer magic lifts Sooners over Michigan

What a night it was in Norman! John Mateer, Oklahoma’s new quarterback from Washington State, lit up the field in a 24-13 takedown of Michigan. The Sooners’ offense, which sputtered last season, found its pulse with Mateer’s 270 passing yards and two touchdowns. His grit shone through, shrugging off hits and dodging sacks like a seasoned pro. As tight end Jaren Kanak put it, he’s a “tough-a– dude.” Can a transfer QB really transform a team this fast?

Then there was that clutch 16-play, 78-yard drive that ate 8 minutes and sealed the game with a field goal. “That drive, altogether, was awesome,” Mateer said, and you could feel the stadium buzzing. Coach Brent Venables, hoisted by his players post-game, saw his revamped offense guided by new coordinator Ben Arbuckle finally click. But what about that defense?

Oklahoma’s defense, with Venables calling plays, smothered Michigan’s freshman QB Bryce Underwood, limiting him to 9 completions for 142 yards. The Sooners’ 21 transfers, including stars like Deion Burks and Isaiah Sategna III, won out against a tough Michigan squad. With a brutal SEC schedule ahead, can Mateer keep this fire burning?