Oklahoma strikes first against Alabama on John Mateer TD run
By David Wasson
Published:
The No. 9 seed Oklahoma Sooners struck first Friday night in their College Football Playoff first-round matchup against No. 8 seed Alabama, as quarterback John Mateer used his legs to notch an 8-yard touchdown run with 5:29 remaining in the first quarter.
Mateer capped the Sooners’ 8-play, 59-yard drive with a read option that was initially supposed to bounce outside before Mateer cut back up the middle and eluded a Crimson Tide tackler to hit the end zone. The drive took 3:54 off the clock and made it 7-0 when Tate Sandell knocked in the PAT.
The rush also kept Mateer atop Oklahoma’s rushing chart early against the Crimson Tide, giving him 5 carries for 26 yards. At that juncture, Mateer accounted for 78 yards to Alabama’s 5.
Mateer entered Friday’s game with 130 carries for 416 yards and 7 touchdowns. Mateer also passed for 2,578 yards and 12 touchdowns with 10 interceptions in 11 games. He missed 1 game after breaking a bone in his right throwing hand in a 24-17 victory over Auburn on Sept. 20 – an injury that required surgery.
Mateer practiced without the need of a wrap on that surgically repaired hand throughout the week leading up to Friday’s game.
An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. He also hosts Gulfshore Sports with David Wasson, weekdays from 3-5 pm across Southwest Florida and on FoxSportsFM.com. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.
