Brent Venables reacts to John Mateer’s struggles at Michigan
By Adam Spencer
Published:
The Oklahoma Sooners became the first SEC team to lose during the 2026 season on Saturday afternoon at Michigan, falling 17-10 in Ann Arbor.
Michigan appeared to be on the ropes after needing an extra second to beat Western Michigan in Week 1, but John Mateer and the Sooners’ offense couldn’t find a rhythm all day.
Mateer completed only 17 of his 33 pass attempts for 189 yards, a touchdown and an interception. The interception proved to be a costly one with the game tied midway through the fourth quarter:
Mateer also ran for 45 yards, but averaged only 3.5 yards per carry. Michigan QB Bryce Underwood was worse as a passer, but ran for 87 yards and a touchdown.
After the game, coach Brent Venables assessed his QB’s struggles (via Yahoo):
“A little uneven,” Venables said. “Some missed throws… We have to do a cleaner job on protection… He did a good job of managing the game.
“He’s been criticized all offseason. This is no different… He will have resolve. We all will.”
Oklahoma’s hopes of returning to the College Football Playoff certainly took a hit with this loss, but hope still remains. The Sooners return home to face New Mexico in Week 3 before a massive road trip to Georgia in Week 4.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
