However, the schedule’s brutality (seven top-25 teams) and road games at Auburn, South Carolina, Tennessee, Missouri, and Alabama pose challenges. Historical precedent shows Group of 5-to-SEC quarterback transitions (e.g., Diego Pavia) maintain efficiency, suggesting Mateer can handle the leap. If he sustains top-three SEC performance and low turnovers, a 12-0 season is feasible, positioning Oklahoma for a College Football Playoff berth and a potential SEC title run, as analysts like Andy Staples and Ari Wasserman suggest.
Final Record Prediction: 12-0, with Mateer’s elite play (4,500+ total yards, 48 total TDs, <10 turnovers) and OU’s defensive prowess overcoming the tough schedule, making them a playoff contender.
Final Record Prediction: 12-0, with Mateer’s elite play (4,500+ total yards, 48 total TDs, <10 turnovers) and OU’s defensive prowess overcoming the tough schedule, making them a playoff contender.