NORMAN — ESPN's David Hale ranked Oklahoma's quarterback situation in Tier 3 among all FBS programs ahead of the 2026 college football season. The Sooners were grouped in that tier with Georgia, Indiana, Penn State, Texas A&M, and Utah.

Oklahoma enters the 2026 season with redshirt-senior John Mateer as its starting quarterback. Mateer is using his final year of eligibility after deciding to return to the program following the 2025 season. He originally transferred to Oklahoma from Washington State after the 2024 season.

In the 2025 season, Mateer started eight games against defenses ranked inside the top 25 in the SP+ metric. His season included a loss to Texas and a defeat in the College Football Playoff.

Ahead of the 2026 season, Mateer focused on improving his footwork, throwing mechanics, and decision-making during the offseason. The Sooners have placed the offense in Mateer's hands again for 2026 while also surrounding him with more playmakers and emphasizing the run game to reduce pressure on him.

Oklahoma has four quarterbacks on its roster for the 2026 season: Mateer, redshirt-sophomore Whitt Newbauer, redshirt-freshman Jett Niu, and freshman Bowe Bentley. Bentley is considered the heir-apparent to Mateer at the position.

The quarterback room will operate under the guidance of offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Ben Arbuckle, who is returning for his second season. Quarterbacks coach John Kuceyeski is also back for a second year, along with offensive analyst Blaise Bentsen, who works with the quarterbacks and is entering his second season with the program.