The Auburn Tigers are opening SEC play on the road this weekend against the Oklahoma Sooners, and one of the biggest storylines surrounding the game is Auburn quarterback Jackson Arnold's return to his former school.
Arnold had a rocky season with the Sooners last year, starting and finishing the season as QB1 but sitting on the bench for a couple of games in the middle. When Arnold entered the transfer portal after the 2024 season, Head Coach Hugh Freeze and his staff were quick to recruit the QB, and he was quick to decide to commit to the Tigers.
His replacement at Oklahoma is John Mateer, who transferred from Washington State during the offseason. After three games played, Mateer currently leads the SEC in passing and could be a legitimate Heisman contender.
Both Auburn and Oklahoma each have a relatively impressive win (Baylor and Michigan, respectively) and both have gotten off to good starts early in the season. However, for Fox Sports' Joel Klatt, Mateer is the game changer that will lead to Oklahoma's victory over Auburn.
“If you put me in a game in which quarterbacks have to be great, and you got to score on multiple possessions, several possessions, majority of possessions, who do you favor?” Klatt asked, per Saturday Down South. “This is an easy one. Is it Jackson Arnold or Mateer? It’s Mateer. That’s an easy one, so even at the -6.5, I’m going Oklahoma.”
Still, the Sooners are dealing with a couple of offensive line injuries that could benefit the Tigers' defense, and Freeze's team has the opportunity to make a real statement about the future of this season with a win on the program's first trip to Norman.
Kick off between the Tigers and the Sooners is set for 2:30 p.m. on Saturday.