Sooners on SI Podcast: Will Oklahoma, John Mateer be Able to Rebound in Knoxville?

John Hoover, Ryan Chapman, Carson Field and Ryan Aber previewed No. 18 OU's trip to take on No. 14 Tennessee on the latest Sooners on SI Podcast.

Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer carries the ball against Ole Miss. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

John Mateer and Oklahoma are preparing to head to Knoxville to fight for their College Football Playoff lives.

The Sooners on SI podcast crew — John Hoover, Ryan Chapman, Carson Field and Ryan Aber — convened to breakdown the upcoming SEC matchup from every angle.

Will Mateer be able to get back on track?

The crew discussed everything the OU quarterback had to say on Monday night as well as how offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle and head coach Brent Venables are helping Mateer battle through adversity this week.

Then they dove into Arbuckle's usage of sophomore running back Xavier Robinson and projected how much success the OU ground attack can have against Tennessee versus how much the Sooners should try to attack through the air.

The group also recalled the atmosphere at Neyland Stadium and how OU's offense, specifically a young offensive line, will handle the environment.

Then, everyone took a look at the other side of the ball as Venables prepares to square off against former Oklahoma quarterback Josh Heupel.

They discussed what went well and what needs to improve from the outing against Ole Miss, and assessed how much help the Sooner defense needs for OU to emerge with another iconic win in Knoxville.

---

Read More No. 18 Oklahoma Sooners vs. No. 14 Tennessee Volunteers

• How Oklahoma is Helping QB John Mateer Get Back to Playing His Best Football
• After Puzzling Start to Season, Oklahoma's Ben Arbuckle Promises More Xavier Robinson
• What Oklahoma HC Brent Venables had to say Ahead of Sooners' Matchup With Tennessee

---

Oklahoma's penalties on special teams were also discussed. The Sooners must play a clean game both returning and covering off kicks after the special teams units have totaled seven penalties over the last three weeks.

The guys also took a quick look at Oklahoma's recent win on the recruiting trail as Jim Nagy's front office and the OU coaches pulled a recruit away from a marquee program.

Porter Moser and the Oklahoma men's basketball team are making their final preparations before the 2025-26 season tips off.

Chapman and Field recapped all the major talking points from local media day where Moser and select players spoke to local media members for the first time since participating in SEC Basketball Media Days in Birmingham, AL.

You can listen to the Sooners on SI Podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and you can also watch the show on YouTube.