NORMAN — College Football Playoff selection committee chair Mack Rhoades said on the post-rankings show teleconference Tuesday night the group has considered OU quarterback John Mateer’s injury in their rankings.
The Sooners were ranked No. 11. If the season ended Tuesday, the Sooners would be the first team out of the field.
“Oklahoma, we’ve got, obviously, great respect for them,” Rhoades said. “Ranked 11th. Really good quality wins against No. 18 Michigan, going to Tennessee, beating Tennessee,.
“We’ve had conversation about quarterback John Mateer. Felt like he was playing at a really high level prior to the hand surgery.”
Mateer has shown signs of looking like his pre-surgery self the past couple of weeks.
After suffering a broken bone in his right (throwing) hand/thumb, which required surgery, Mateer appeared hindered by the injury in the Sooners’ loss to Texas. He used the bye week last week to continue recovering and self-scouting to improve his up-and-down play.
Since Mateer’s return, he’s completed 59.7% of his passes for 734 yards and two touchdowns and four interceptions. He also led OU to a road victory over Tennessee in which he looked like his early-season self.
Mateer and the Sooners have a chance to improve their playoff resume when they travel to face No. 4 Alabama at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
“Obviously, the first game back, big game vs. Texas. We, the committee, probably did not think (Mateer) was at full strength and seems, as the season has moved on, he’s getting closer to that,” Rhoades said. “Certainly have great respect for him as a quarterback and hope he continues to heal.”
Colton Sulley covers the Oklahoma Sooners for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Colton? He can be reached at csulley@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @colton_sulley. Support Colton’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
