It took a couple of possessions for the new-look Oklahoma offense to get untracked, but once it did, Sooner fans got a good look at what all the offseason optimism was all about.
Quarterback John Mateer set a new Sooner record in commandeering a 35-3 Oklahoma season-opening victory over Illinois State on Saturday night before a 160th consecutive sellout crowd at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.
Oklahoma rolled up 495 yards of total offense, more than all but one game just a year ago and averaged 7.3 yards per play. The Sooners produced 292 yards of that offensive total in the first half while opening up a 21-0 halftime lead. The first two OU possessions of the game, however, gained just 30 net yards on six plays.
The standout players in the game offensively for the Sooners were all newcomers to the roster this season. Mateer accounted for four of the five Oklahoma scores, two of which came on touchdown throws to Southern Illinois transfer Keontez Lewis, who hauled in nine passes for 119 yards.
True freshman Tory Blaylock led the Sooners with 44 rushing yards on eight carries, including a five-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. He also caught two passes for 18 yards before leaving the game in the third quarter with what appeared to be a shoulder injury.
The Sooner defense also had an outstanding game, limiting Illinois State to just 151 total yards and just 34 through the air. That's the fewest in Brent Venables' three seasons as the Sooners head coach. Were it not for the one costly mistake by Mateer in the game, an interception thrown deep in OU territory early in the third quarter that ultimately led to a 33-yard Illinois State field goal, this would have been a shutout. The Redbirds were forced to punt on nine of 11 possessions.
It was not a perfect performance by any means, especially against an opponent from the Football Championship Subdivision, but it was a solid opening win nonetheless. The Sooners are going to have to step up their game in several areas, though, with 14th-ranked Michigan coming to town next weekend.
Three prime takeaways that tell a lot of the story of OU's 2025 season-opening win:
Quarterback John Mateer is everything as advertised
Mateer, a transfer from Washington State and one of the top quarterbacks in the Transfer Portal this past offseason, was everything as advertised in his debut in a Sooner uniform. The redshirt junior threw for a career-high and OU debut record 392 yards, including three touchdown passes and also ran for a score. Mateer completed 30 of 37 passes, an 81% completion rate.
Only two other quarterbacks in Oklahoma history have completed at least 30 passes in their first OU game (Baker Mayfield and Josh Heupel), and Mateer's completion percentage was the best of the three. Mateer was without several of his key offensive weapons, but still managed to deliver a dominant performance.
OU's offensive line play was solid, but injuries still a potential problem
Although the Oklahoma offensive line, which was a major problem a year ago, was without several players due to injury, allowed just one quarterback sack against Illinois State, the run blocking did not grade well. The Sooners were missing a trio of offensive linemen (Derek Simmons, Michael Fasusi and Heath Ozaeta) and lost left tackle Jacob Sexton with an injury early in the first half.
"It (was) pretty good," Venables described the O-line's performance in his postgame press conference. "We didn't have everybody available to us, so I thought overall, top to bottom, it was solid. And a lot to build from it."
That's putting it mildly. The offensive line is going to have to be much better next week against a very good Michigan defensive front.
Sooner run game not that impressive
The player Oklahoma is counting on to be the prime running back this season, California transfer Jaydn Ott, curiously played just one snap against Illinois State and was stuffed at the line of scrimmage. The Sooners definitely will need him against Michigan and the brutal SEC schedule. Senior Jovantae Barnes and Blaylock were the featured backs against the Redbirds, with the freshman Blaylock being the most impressive.
Blaylock's 44 yards led the Sooners' rushing attack. Mateer had 24 yards on the ground, Xavier Robinson entered the game in the second half, but had just 17 yards on eight carries, and Barnes finished the game with just nine yards on 10 attempts. Overall, Oklahoma totaled just 103 rushing yards, which is not going to cut it against the good teams on the Sooners' 2025 schedule.
Also, the uncertainty of Blaylock's injury is of some concern going forward.
Here come the Wolverines
Now the Sooners must put this game behind them and put their full attention and energy toward the next game on the schedule, a primetime affair under the lights at the Palace on the Prairie against Michigan. This is a pivotal game on the Oklahoma 2025 schedule, the outcome of which will have an impact on the rest of the season.
Read more about OU football