Mateer Sets Record in 35-3 Season-Opening Win

Saturday, August 30

Norman

5 p.m.

University of Oklahoma

1-0 , 0-0

Illinois State

0-1 , 0-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Illinois St.

Oklahoma

Mateer Sets Record in 35-3 Season-Opening Win

August 30, 2025 | Football

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By: OU Athletics Communications

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — John Mateer passed for 392 yards and three touchdowns in a record-setting first game at Oklahoma, and the 18th-ranked Sooners beat Illinois State 35-3 on Saturday night.

Mateer, a transfer from Washington State, set the school record for most yards passing in an Oklahoma debut, surpassing Baker Mayfield's 388 yards against Akron in 2015.

"Oh, it's awesome," Mateer said. "It's a blessing. You go in the record books in Game 1 — it's a super good feeling."

Mateer also surpassed his Washington State career high of 390 yards passing. He completed 30 of 37 passes and ran for a score.

Keontez Lewis, a transfer from Southern Illinois, had nine catches for 119 yards and two touchdowns for Oklahoma. Jaren Kanak, a converted linebacker, had five catches for 90 yards in his first game at tight end.

Deion Burks added seven catches for 88 yards and a score for Oklahoma, which gained 495 yards in Ben Arbuckle's first game as offensive coordinator.

The Sooners allowed just 151 total yards, including 34 yards passing, with head coach Brent Venables as the defensive play-caller. He took over after his previous play-caller, Zac Alley, left to become defensive coordinator at West Virginia.

Wright Wenkers had 50 yards on seven carries for Illinois State. The FCS Redbirds' only points came on a field goal in the third quarter after Mateer threw an interception deep in his team's territory.

"I wasn't too enthralled with how we played the pass defensively and how we threw the ball offensively," Illinois State coach Brock Spack said. "We lost that game in the passing game on both sides of the ball."

The Sooners welcome No. 14 Michigan, who defeated New Mexico 34-17 in week one at home, next Saturday in Norman for a 6:30 p.m. CT kick on ABC. ESPN's College Gameday announced that it would be in Norman for the contest.