What happened: Offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle said Mateer gives Oklahoma the best chance to win and took responsibility for the play calls behind the turnovers. Mateer finished 24-of-40 for 270 yards with one touchdown in the 21-13 home loss to No. 15 Kentucky, with the finale returned 41 yards with 1:17 remaining.

Why it matters: Oklahoma fell to 3-3 one week after beating No. 1 Texas, stalling momentum in the 2026 race. The Sooners average 21.3 points to rank 113th of 138 teams while the defense allows 18 points per game. Mateer has nine touchdowns against seven interceptions with 79 rushing yards and no rushing scores through six games.

What to watch: Oklahoma travels to Mississippi State on Saturday. The trip is the next measure of whether the turnover fixes take hold.