SoonersWednesday, November 4
Venables won't say whether Mateer starts when Oklahoma visits Florida on Saturday
The Good Day Norman team
If you're planning Saturday around the Sooners, the quarterback is still a question mark. A day after OU fired offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle, Brent Venables was asked point blank whether John Mateer starts at No. 25 Florida. His answer: “Everything is on the table.” Mateer, junior Whitt Newbauer and freshman Bowe Bentley all got reps in practice this week, Venables said.
- Kickoff: 6:45 p.m. Saturday in Gainesville, on SEC Network
- Oklahoma's record: 4-4 overall, 2-3 in the SEC
- Florida: ranked No. 25, 5-3
Venables said the offense hasn't improved from last year. “We lead the world in the turnover margin. We’re on the wrong side of it,” he said. Oklahoma is 108th in scoring at 22.0 points a game.
Oklahoma's offense is gaining fewer yards and scoring less than last year
| 2025 | Measure | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 354.3 | Yards per game | 336.9 |
| 26.2 | Points per game | 22.0 |
Source: KRMG
Last year's team made the College Football Playoff. In 2024, Washington State ranked sixth nationally in scoring at 36.6 points a game with Arbuckle and Mateer, before the pair came to Norman.
Oklahoma's offense ranks 111th of 138 FBS teams in total yards
Total offense per game among FBS teams this season
111thof 138
Source: KRMG
View as table
| Place | Rank of 138 |
|---|---|
| Oklahoma | 111th |
Sources: KRMG, The Oklahoman, KOCO