This has to be one of the strangest days in Oklahoma in quite some time. Not only was the former iconic Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy dismissed, but Oklahoma lost its knight in shimmering armor at quarterback. Sooner Scoop reported on Tuesday afternoon that Heisman Trophy hopeful John Mateer will now be sidelined for at least the next three weeks due to an injury.
Mateer sustained an injury to the thumb on his throwing hand. Apparently, he suffered it in the first quarter of the Sooners' incredible home victory over the Auburn Tigers last Saturday. Oklahoma's medical staff is desperately trying to figure out the best plan of action for its star quarterback. They are hoping to avoid Mateer having surgery unless he absolutely as to. He might miss Red River now.
Through the first four weeks of the season, Mateer was seen as one of the trophy's top candidates.
NEW: Oklahoma QB John Mateer has suffered a thumb injury on his throwing hand and could miss three or more weeks, per @SoonerScoop.https://t.co/9waz92M17X pic.twitter.com/pzzlQwXjDs
— On3 (@On3sports) September 23, 2025
Here are the latest Heisman Trophy odds from FanDuel Sportsbook. Where is Gunner Stockton at?
- Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza: +650
- Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore: +1000
- Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith: +1000
- Miami Hurricanes quarterback Carson Beck: +1200
- Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Gunner Stockton: +1200
- Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed: +1400
- USC Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava: +1400
- TCU Horned Frogs quarterback Josh Hoover: +1400
- Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Joey Aguilar: +1400
- Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin: +1600
- LSU Tigers quarterback Garrett Nussmeier: +2000
- Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson: +2000
As you can see, Mateer is now completely off the board as a result of his multi-week thumb injury...
How John Mateer's thumb injury impacts Gunner Stockton's chances
With Mateer off the board and effectively out of it, Stockton is now tied for the fourth-best odds with former Georgia Bulldogs teammate and Miami Hurricanes starter Carson Beck at +1200. Only Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza, Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore and Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith have better Heisman Trophy odds than Stockton does now.
While having an early-season bye contributed to guys like Moore staying ahead of him and Mendoza leap-frogging him, being able to stay healthy is doing a huge part in keeping Stockton very much in this race. He has other things working for him, such as playing for a great team, putting up high-quality stats, and already having some Heisman moments in his first signature victory at Georgia.
Overall, you just absolutely hate it for Mateer. He has helped bring Oklahoma back to national relevance with two huge wins over Michigan and Auburn. The Sooners play one of the toughest schedules in the country. Although Mateer's backup in Michael Hawkins Jr. offers a ton of promise, he is no Moneyline Mateer. Stockton is very much in this race, but could fall out with a bad Week 5 game.
The Heisman Trophy is undeniably a quarterback-driven award, but at least Georgia has a good one.