The thing about college football is it loves recycling legends. You ball out just a little too much moxie, and boom—someone’s from national media or CBS already comparing you to a ghost from Saturdays past. That’s exactly what happened to John Mateer. The Little Elm native literally diced up No. 22 ranked Auburn in his SEC debut, and the Johnny Manziel whispers came flying like it was good old 2012 all over again. But instead of riding that wave, Mateer hit everyone with a curveball: faith. Yes, he did shut down the “Money Mateer” nickname with a cool cat energy and savage stray.
Oklahoma, a team everyone buried before Week 1, is now 4-0 after back-to-back ranked wins over Michigan and Auburn. Against Auburn, Mateer went straight Johnny Football on the field—24-of-36 passing for 271 yards, a touchdown through the air, plus a rushing TD that sealed the game. And let’s not forget his heater in crunch time: 16 of his last 17 passes completed, including an 11-throw streak that broke Auburn’s back. Sounds Manziel-ish, right? You bet your life’s saving on that.
So the reporters did their job, tossed out the Johnny-football comp. Mateer grinned but stood his ground. “I’m a little different than Johnny Football,” he said, brushing it off like a vet. That’s when On3 Sports’ Eddie Radosevich pressed and doubled downed on why. Without missing a beat, Mateer clapped back with, “I’m going to church in the morning.” Such an unnecessary stray by Brent Venables’ lifesaver. John Mateer’s literally throwing the bombs on and off the field.
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The irony? On-field, they’re exact clones. Manziel thrived off chaos—rolling out, launching prayers, juking linebackers into therapy sessions. Mateer’s tape from Saturday checks every box. But off-field? Manziel was “Money” in the clubs, not in the pews. If NIL had existed back in 2012, Johnny Football would have been the highest-paid athlete in college football. Period.
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Mateer is more of a ‘church comes first on Sundays’ kind of football player. It’s almost poetic—Mateer plays like Johnny, prays like Tim Tebow. Speaking of Tebow, even Tim Tebow open-heartedly compared Jonny Football with John Mateer last week. Some are even comparing him to great Baker Mayfield. And that’s the edge Oklahoma fans are buying stock in.
The scary part for the SEC? Heisman buzz is already cooking. DraftKings has Mateer sitting at +700, probably best odds in the nation. The former Wazzu QB has thrown for over 1,000 yards, 6 TDs, and added 5 rushing scores through just 4 games. Don’t let that number fool you—if you watched Mateer ball, you’d know he’s the legit Heisman front-runner. And with Brent Venables’ defense looking like it belongs in an old-school horror film (10 sacks on Auburn, school record), Oklahoma isn’t just 4-0. They’re legit hunting. And Mateer? He’s leading the charge, even if he won’t wear the “Johnny Football” crown.
John Mateer’s and Oklahoma’s controversial tuddy
Must admit, this game had way too many icks and contro. Before we crown this whole night as divine intervention, let’s talk about the most talked-about play—the “hide-and-seek tuddy.” So early in the game, Mateer threw a 24-yard touchdown to WR Isaiah Sategna. The play looked pretty clean on replay… until you zoom in and realize that Sategna had strolled toward the sideline like he was subbing out. Auburn’s defense bit, left him wide open, and Mateer lobbed the easiest six points he’ll ever throw. Hugh Freeze? Losing his darn mind on the sideline.
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ESPN’s Molly McGrath got the official word: because Sategna never actually left the field, no flag. No unsportsmanlike, no 15 yards, nothing. There’s always a but—According to the rulebook, NCAA literally says no “hideout tactics” tied to substitution can be used. Was this that? Depends who you ask. OU’s own radio crew, featuring Bob Stoops and Teddy Lehman, admitted the Sooners had practiced it in the week leading up. So yeah, this wasn’t backyard freelancing. This was premeditated mischief.
Auburn tied the game at 10 later with Cam Coleman’s touchdown, but by then, the controversy had already gone viral. Sooners fans loved it—“chess, not checkers.” Auburn fans? Screaming robbery. And honestly, both sides got a point. This is the SEC now, and Oklahoma didn’t just join quietly—they showed up with tricks in the playbook. By the end, none of that mattered. Oklahoma’s defense terrorized Jackson Arnold with 10 sacks, closing the show with a safety that put the final nail in Auburn’s coffin.