Is The Texas Longhorns Red River Rivalry Nightmare Coming True?

Both Texas and Oklahoma might have their starting quarterbacks for their 121st meeting at the Cotton Bowl.

Oct 4, 2025; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback John Mateer (10) laughs before the game against the Kent State Golden Flashes at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

As the Texas Longhorns gear up to redeem their loss to the Florida Gators and take on the No. 6 Oklahoma Sooners, some recent eye-opening news may make Saturday as a little more challenging for the Burnt Orange in their quest for a national championship.

After suffering an injury to his throwing hand in the Sooners' win over the Auburn Tigers, quarterback John Mateer was thought to be out for approximately a month, which would've caused him to miss the Red River Rivalry game against the Longhorns.

It seems that rehab is going quicker than anticipated, though, and it could spell trouble for Steve Sarkisian's team.

Mateer Is Expecting to Play Saturday Against Texas

According to Jason Suchomel of OrangeBloods, a source with the Sooners disclosed that the Washington State transfer is expecting to be under center in Dallas on Saturday, hoping to give the Sooners their first win over the Longhorns as members of the SEC.

Oklahoma Sooners quarterback John Mateer (10) throws a pass during a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Auburn Tigers at Gaylord Family Ð Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday,Sept. 20, 2025. Oklahoma won 24-17. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"We had sourcing reach out to us on Monday night, indicating the same thing (Mateer playing), per someone close to Mateer," Suchomel wrote on X. "Oklahoma will issue a formal injury report on Wednesday night and we likely won’t hear final word on this until Friday night or maybe even just before kickoff, but OB sources – combined with national reports – have us expecting Mateer to be in action on Saturday afternoon. An Oklahoma source we connected with this week also said Mateer is expecting to play."

Mateer's presence on the field would gradually swing the pendulum in favor of the Sooners, having topped many analysts' Heisman Trophy rankings through his first four games in Norman, those games resulting in 1,215 passing yards with six touchdowns and three interceptions, as well as 43 carries for 190 yards and five touchdowns on the ground.

This season hasn't been a shock to any Washington State fans who laid eyes on the dual-threat signal caller during the 2024 season, which saw him complete 224 of 347 passes for 3,139 yards and 29 touchdowns with only seven interceptions, and also adding 826 yards and 15 scores on the ground leading the team to an 8-5 record, which unfortunately ended with a loss in the Holiday Bowl to the Syracuse Orange, a string of four consecutive losses ending the team's season.

Whether it's Mateer or Michael Hawkins Jr. again under center for Brent Venables' team, leaving Dallas with a win over their rivals will not be an easy feat for the struggling Texas team.