Mateer had surgery on the throwing hand during Oklahoma’s off week, then sat out the win over Kent State. He returned for the showdown against Texas on Oct. 11, but he had the worst game of his career and threw three interceptions in a loss. He limited mistakes in a win against South Carolina last week as the running game carried the load.

John Mateer says his throwing is the same since returning from thumb surgery, but the results say something's off with the Sooners' quarterback

John Mateer and the No. 13 Oklahoma Sooners are 6-1 through seven games this season. Their only loss came to the Texas Longhorns in Week 7. They will now face the No. 8 Ole Miss Rebels in Week 9.

The Sooners and Rebels are getting set for action in a pivotal Week 9 matchup. It's arguably the best game of the week, pitting the No. 11 Oklahoma Sooners against the No. 8 Ole Miss Rebels in a contest that will have College Football Playoff implications.

The Sooners invested heavily in Mateer over the offseason when he transferred from Washington State, making him one of the most highly-paid players in the country, according to 247Sports. Early on, the Little Elm, Texas, native has lived up to the hype. Heading into Week 7, Mateer ranked No. 2 nationally in total offense per game.

For the second time since John Mateer returned from thumb surgery, Oklahoma suffered a loss. He had an up-and-down day on Saturday in the Sooners’ home loss to Ole Miss, and head coach Brent Venables admitted he’s not sure how the injury is impacting his quarterback’s performance.