It's been a full week of trying to figure out what is wrong with John Mateer and Oklahoma's offense. We started out with Saturday frustrations and worked our way through players and coaches to try and find answers as to what is really happening with Mateer and the OU passing game.  With a road battle with Tennessee looming, the Sooners have to get better. And the mistakes have to disappear quickly if this team is going to do anything in these next two road trips. Josh is here to talk about the recent commitment of Jahsiear Rogers, the former Penn State commitment, and some other nuggets out on the recruiting trail. Eddie gets a little basketball talk in and we talk a little about the madness all over the world of college football with mass firings happening all over. Could Venables be joining that list if things go a certain way down the stretch?  It's this week's edition of the Unofficial 40! 

​THE FULL RUNDOWN FOLLOWS BELOW: ​​

0:00 - Welcome back to the Unofficial 40! The gang preps for a trip to Knoxville 

11:40 - Sooners get a commit from 2026 WR Jahsiear Rogers 

16:00 - OU far from done in 2026? 

39:00 - OU-Tennessee talk 

47:00 - What’s wrong with John Mateer? 

1:12:00 - CFB Roundtable 

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We're back to big games in Norman as the Sooners have rebounded from their loss to Texas and seem to have found a running game. A big part of this being a big game is also a healthier hand from John Mateer even though we still don't think he's all the way back yet. We also talk about the weirdness surrounding Kendel Dolby and Jovantae Barnes as both have been absent from the lineups recently. And we know lots of rumors are flying about Dolby. It's also going to be an important recruiting weekend in Norman. And with coaches being fired left and right, could the Sooners find some room for some key 2026 prospects as most of the recruiting efforts have turned to 2027? Is it uncool to take your dogs to Lowe's? It's a big week. Let's go!

THE FULL RUNDOWN FOLLOWS BELOW:

0:00 - Welcome back to the Unofficial 40! The University of Oklahoma plays in a massive college football game this weekend against Ole Miss 

10:00 - Did Oklahoma find something offensively? Can they build off it? 

18:30 - John Mateer’s hand is healing. The world is healing. 

24:00 - Tory Blaylock, Xavier Robinson is a nice 1-2 punch in the backfield. We’re on board

30:00 - Weird sidebar: Eddie & George haven’t been blown away by SEC stadiums (so far!, will change with trips to Knoxville/Tuscaloosa)

36:00 - Brent Venables loves the OU ‘cheetah’ position/What’s up with Kendel Dolby? 

51:00 - Recruiting segment; Big recruiting weekend ahead? 

55:00 - Full court press on 2027 Broken Arrow safety offer Semaj Stanford

1:05:00 - George story time

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Brent Venables is no stranger to these matchups. Win, and the monkey is off your back. For now. Lose, and the seat immediately warms up. The Sooners are favored, but they're on the road. They have the defense, but they lack the run game. How much healthier will John Mateer be this week? And who do the Sooners lean on at the running back position? And where are we with the amount of blame that should be placed on the offensive line? And the Sooners have offered a Penn State commit that could help bolster the receiving corps. It's a key week and a key edition of the Unofficial 40.

THE FULL RUNDOWN FOLLOWS BELOW

0:00 - Welcome back to the Unofficial 40! The University of Oklahoma community is under attack. 

11:15 - WR Jayden Gibson is no longer with the program 

16:00 - Picking life back up after the Texas game

30:00 - Monster weekend at South Carolina

51:00 - Run game. WTF

1:01:00 - Offensive line talk 

1:11:00 - Recruiting: Sooners offered Penn State WR decommit Jahsiear Rogers 

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We're halfway through the week and the John Mateer news continues to confuse. Indoor practices, interesting press conference answers, good-on-good, hiding in bushes, it's part OU-TX part media frenzy this week in Norman. The guys all get together to try and make sense out of the nonsense while also trying to figure out whether OU can win this game. Expect the unexpected, but we're trying to predict off the expected. Which never seems to work out in this game. Who are some players we could see stepping up that aren't really expected? What about the Venables/Sarkisian matchup? Is Texas doomed because of its offensive line? Or is Arch Manning ready to have his breakout moment in Dallas? Some recruiting talk as Milan Paris decommits from Iowa State. Does OU want to play in the money sandbox with Miami and Oregon to secure his services?

THE FULL RUNDOWN FOLLOWS BELOW:

0:00 - Welcome back to the Unofficial 40! It’s OU-Texas week. The best week. 

25:00 - Regardless of QB, is there concern with OU offensively? 

37:00 - Can OU dominate the game defensively?

58:00 - Recruiting; Texas is the home team and responsible for invite(s)

1:04:00 - 2026 WR Milan Parris recommits from Iowa State on heels of Norman visit

1:18:00 - CFB Roundtable

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Oklahoma football comes off their bye week without their starting quarterback as John Mateer had surgery last week. But that doesn't mean we're not excited to see what Michael Hawkins Jr., can do in his absence. Let's face it, Kent State is not the story this week. It's Texas. At least for the fans. We're also looking forward to Javonnie Gibson's first game as a Sooner after working to make it all the way back from a broken leg suffered last spring. Can OU run the ball against what will probably be their worst opponent of the season? And Josh is here to talk some recruiting as the Sooners appear to be on the verge of getting another commitment soon. And the gang goes around college football where we see how everyone views Oklahoma nationally right now and what teams might deserve a little skepticism. Could OU have some skeptics in the studio? Find out more on this week's edition of the Unofficial 40.

THE FULL RUNDOWN FOLLOWS BELOW:

17:00 - Is Oklahoma really the 5th best team in the country? 

24:07 - Michael Hawkins takes over at QB1 

43:00 - Recruiting. 2027 recruiting is off to a great start in 2027

1:02:00 - CFB Roundtable

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John Mateer is out for at least the next few weeks and the guys are here to tell you how it all went down in the offices yesterday as we worked to track down the news and to share the context of what we have heard and what happens moving forward. It's the bye week. How will the Sooners use it to get better with Hawkins at QB? And the running game still needs a lot of work. Is Kent State the beginning or the end of Jaydn Ott as a productive member of the running back room? The SEC also released future schedules yesterday and no one saw Ole Miss landing as a permanent rival for the Sooners. We break down our thoughts on the schedule. We talk about some of the recruiting storylines coming off another good weekend of visitors and how much of a candidate is Ben Arbuckle going to be for head coaching jobs next season? All that and more on this week's episode of the Unofficial 40.

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0:00 - Welcome back to the Unofficial 40! John Mateer had surgery today. 

10:00 - What’s a realistic timetable for Mateer’s return? Could he really be back by Texas? 

18:00 - Regardless of QB, OU has to makes some strides in the run game: RB + OL combined need to play better

29:00 - CB Eli Bowen, WR Javonnie Gibson expected to return 

39:00 - Is Ben Arbuckle a serious head coach candidate when the carousel begins? 

49:00 - SEC Future Schedules

1:03:00 - Recruiting following Auburn weekend

1:30:00 - CFB Roundtable 

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It's another huge game week in Norman as No. 24 Auburn visits Norman along with former OU QB Jackson Arnold. We talk all things Arnold to Mateer. We're finding out a lot by the minute on the health of the offensive line. What options do the Sooners have if some of their starters aren't able to play? It's also the first week we'll have availability reports with OU's first SEC matchup. How bad is it going to look? Of course Josh is here to give us the latest on recruiting. He might even see a commitment to the Sooners happening soon. Josh also got out to see Bowe Bentley last weekend. How did he look? We're excited for another week of college football and big games. We're excited to see what happens to Oklahoma State, Texas and many others. Just talkin' ball for another week here at The Unofficial 40.

THE FULL RUNDOWN FOLLOWS BELOW

0:00 - Welcome back to the Unofficial 40! Jackson Arnold set to make his return to Norman on Saturday 

21:00 - What’s up with the health of OU’s offensive line 

26:00 - In light of the Troy Everett news, emergency back-up options at center?

39:00 - Don’t be spooked by the first availability report on Wednesday 

50:00 - What’s more likely: OU forcing a Jackson Arnold turnover or Jackson Arnold not turning the ball over? 

57:00 - Recruiting 

1:06:00 - Josh stopped down with 2026 QB commit Bowe Bentley 

1:15:00 - CFB Roundtable

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The gang is back together after the biggest Oklahoma football win in a very long time. Eddie and George are getting ready to take off to Philadelphia to cover the Sooners taking on Temple. How does this team respond after they have become national college football darlings? Will there be any let up? And Josh weighs in on OU's newest commitment along with the news that is still trickling out from last weekend's massive recruiting visits. Also, what does Josh see happening with the upcoming commitment of 2027 QB Peyton Houston? We're also wondering if the Sooners are careful with banged up players this week against Temple. Could a Michael Fasusi or Tory Blaylock sit this one out to be healthier against Auburn?

0:00 - Welcome back to the Unofficial 40! Eddie & George headed to the city of Brotherly Love 

18:00 - Storylines going into Philly 

24:40 - Javonnie Gibson getting close to return, per Brent Venables on 

30:00 - Deion Burks looks different; this is good news

40:00 - Sooners big recruiting weekend wrap-up; 2027 WR Demare Dezeurn

43:00 - 2027 QB Peyton Houston announcement coming Sept. 15

47:00 - Did OU make up ground on anybody this weekend? Big impressions? 

1:00:00 - CFB Round Table

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This is the one we've all been waiting for. Michigan is headed to town and Brent Venables gets another chance to put Oklahoma back on the national map. We're breaking it all down. Who is starting on the offensive line. What are we hearing on Jaydn Ott's health and "headspace". Why didn't Elijah Thomas play? Is it even that big of a deal that he didn't right now? Josh gives the latest on the recruiting trail after OU lands their first 2026 in-state commitment last evening. And we preview the big recruits coming in for the Michigan game this weekend. It's go time for Michigan. It's football time in Oklahoma!

THE FULL RUNDOWN FOLLOWS BELOW:

0:00 - Welcome back to the Unofficial 40! Michigan Week. Big week. Massive week. Gargantuan week. Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and Holly Rowe headed to Normandy 

14:00 - Massive recruiting weekend ahead; kicked off by commitment of 2026 WR Xavier Okufulueze 

22:30 - Door back open for 2026 OT Daniel McMorris 

24:00 - Names to know this weekend on Michigan Visitor List 

38:00 - OU-Michigan Talk 

50:40 - Who starts on the offensive line this weekend? 

1:02:00 - WR rotations; Weird Elijah Thomas didn’t play? 

1:14:00 - Special teams could play a factor

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It was a big day at the University of Oklahoma as the university unveiled their new tailgating initiative at the North Oval. SoonerScoop was invited to see it for ourselves and to record a podcast for the fans in attendance. OU President Joe Harroz dropped by and discussed the new tailgating area and we got to chat about the search for a new athletic director, Brent Venables giving up $1 million for revenue sharing/NIL, the west side stadium expansion and what is the deal with this Randall Stephenson guy? We also made Gabe Ikard sit down and talk about his impressions of the new tailgating area and we talked a little bit of football as well. The Oklahoma Breakdown co-host also talked with Carey about maybe doing a crossover episode in the North Oval for the Michigan game. Anyone interested? George and Carey are back together! We edited this down and left out a lot of the Illinois State commentary but you will get our thoughts on Jackson Arnold's first game at Auburn last night.

THE FULL RUNDOWN FOLLOWS BELOW:

0:00 - Welcome to the brand new North Oval tailgating scene. Our thoughts.

11:33 - Talking Jackson Arnold's debut with Auburn

21:32 - OU President Joe Harroz joins us on the Unofficial 40

40:11 - The Oklahoma Breakdown's Gabe Ikard

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