Lead: On Sept. 6, 2025 in Norman, Okla., transfer quarterback John Mateer accounted for three touchdowns, passing for 270 yards and rushing for 74, as No. 18 Oklahoma defeated No. 15 Michigan 24-13 at Memorial Stadium.
Key Takeaways
- Oklahoma improved to 2-0 with a 24-13 victory over Michigan.
- John Mateer threw for 270 yards, ran for 74 and had three total TDs.
- Deion Burks (7 catches, 101 yards) and Jaren Kanak (5 catches, 69 yards) paced the Sooners receiving corps.
- Michigan rusher Justice Haynes gained 125 yards, including a 75-yard TD run.
- Freshman QB Bryce Underwood completed 9 of 24 passes for 142 yards in a difficult road debut.
- Oklahoma held Michigan to 288 total yards and controlled the clock late.
- Tate Sandell kicked a late field goal after a 16-play, 78-yard drive to extend the lead.
Verified Facts
The game kicked off at 7:30 PM local time on Sept. 6, 2025 at Memorial Stadium in Norman with an announced attendance of 84,107. Oklahoma scored in each quarter and manufactured a 24-13 final score, improving the Sooners record to 2-0 while Michigan fell to 1-1.
Mateer, a transfer from Washington State, finished with 270 passing yards and 74 rushing yards. He scored two rushing touchdowns and threw for another. Deion Burks had seven receptions for 101 yards and Jaren Kanak added five catches for 69 yards, giving Oklahoma a balanced passing attack.
Michigan relied on the ground game, with Justice Haynes totaling 125 rushing yards. Haynes opened the second half with a 75-yard touchdown run that trimmed the margin to 14-7, but the Wolverines were unable to sustain drives thereafter. Freshman Bryce Underwood completed 9 of 24 attempts for 142 yards under sustained pressure in his first hostile road environment.
Late in the fourth quarter Oklahoma executed a 16-play, 78-yard possession that consumed clock time and resulted in a short field goal by Tate Sandell, which put the game out of reach. The Sooners limited Michigan to 288 total yards for the game.
Context & Impact
This was the second meeting between programs with deep winning traditions. The result gives coach Brent Venables a marquee nonconference victory for Oklahoma early in the season and should improve the Sooners position in the next AP Top 25 poll.
For Michigan, the loss raises questions about the offense’s comfort with freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood in hostile environments and about the team ability to convert long plays into consistent scoring drives against a top opponent.
Oklahoma’s blend of a productive transfer quarterback and timely defensive stops highlighted the Sooners ability to control the game’s tempo. The victory sets up a road game at Temple for Oklahoma, while Michigan returns home to face Central Michigan next weekend.
No official quotes were released at the time of publication.
AP
Unconfirmed
- No unconfirmed or substantiated claims were identified at time of publication.
Bottom Line
Oklahoma earned a hard-fought 24-13 win behind a three-touchdown performance from John Mateer and a defense that held Michigan under 300 yards. The result is a timely boost for the Sooners and a setback that will prompt adjustments for the Wolverines as both teams head into their next opponents.