John Mateer and the Sooners are hearing the noise once again after their loss to Kentucky on Saturday night.
A week after Mateer led the Oklahoma Sooners to their best win of the season by knocking off then-top-ranked Texas Longhorns in the Red River Rivalry, Mateer and the Sooners are back to facing the same questions they were the week prior.
Will they ever have a healthy offensive line? Will they be able to establish the run game? And will Mateer be able to play turnover-free football? In the second half, against Texas, it looked like Oklahoma had solved every one of those problems. But the second half, against Kentucky, proved that assumption to be wrong.
As a result, Oklahoma fell to No. 17 Kentucky 21-13 at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial
Stadium on Saturday night. Injuries and turnovers turned the game on its head for Oklahoma, which had led for most of the game. After starting left tackle Ryan Fodje got hurt late in the third quarter, the offensive line took a dramatic step back in its ability to keep Mateer upright. The Sooners quarterback was sacked five times, and he began turning the ball over late in the ball game when OU needed him most.
Mateer finished the game completing 24 of 40 passes for 240 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. Ultimately, his late interceptions were the nail in the coffin to Oklahoma’s chances of winning. The most crucial came in the final minute when Mateer threw an interception to Kentucky defensive back Jordan Castell, who returned it 41 yards for a touchdown. He then threw a final interception to Ty Bryant, which ended the game. Mateer explained his three interceptions after the game.
“First one got tipped,” Mateer said. “Surprised it flew that far. The second one, you know, forced it. He was pretty low, jumped the route. And then the third one was tough, you know playing three deep coverage, trying to throw it to Rocky (Beers) over the guys head. And it’s just a poor decision.”
Oklahoma lost the turnover battle, and once again it decided the ball game. The Sooners threw four interceptions, including a fake field-goal attempt in which holder Jacob Ulrich attempted a jump pass to tight end Rocky Beers in the first half. Kentucky (6-1, 4-1 SEC) on the other side didn’t have any. Oklahoma outgained Kentucky 346 to 230 and won the time-of-possession battle.
The loss all but spoils Oklahoma’s chance at making the College Football Playoffs this season. Now, at (3-3, 1-2 SEC), the focus likely will be on making a bowl game. The Sooners are back in action on Saturday when they travel to Starkville, Miss., to take on Mississippi State at 2:30 p.m.
Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X (formerly known as Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow James D. Jackson on X @JamesDJackson15
This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: OU QB John Mateer explains his three interceptions against Kentucky
