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Why the Sooners don’t need starting QB John Mateer to beat this Texas team

The fear throughout Sooner Nation has been that quarterback John Mateer won't be healthy quick enough to play Texas in the Red River Rivalry, but like Danny Stutsman proclaimed in 2023, the Oklahoma Sooners only fear God.

Mateer injured his throwing hand against Auburn on Sept. 20 and had surgery before missing the No. 6 Sooners' dominant 44-0 win against Kent State on Saturday. If Mateer has to miss another game, sophomore Michael Hawkins Jr. will start for the second time in the Red River Rivalry when OU and Texas play at 2:30 p.m. CT Saturday in Dallas.