Oklahoma brings in top-ranked transfer QB; biggest advantage for every team in CFP first-round games

John Mateer is heading to Norman

By Zachary Pereles

Dec 19, 2024 at 8:51 am ET • 5 min read

usatsi

This is an article version of the CBS Sports HQ AM Newsletter, the ultimate guide to every day in sports. You can sign up to get it in your inbox every weekday morning here.

🏈 Good morning to all, but especially to ...

JOHN MATEER AND THE OKLAHOMA SOONERS

After an underwhelming 6-6 SEC debut season, the Oklahoma Sooners needed help sooner rather than later. They got it in a big way Wednesday, nabbing top-ranked transfer John Mateer from the portal. The former Washington State quarterback chose the Sooners over Miami.

Mateer threw for 3,139 yards and 29 touchdowns in his first year succeeding Cam Ward, and he added 826 yards and a quarterback program-record 15 touchdowns on the ground. The 44 total touchdowns were also a program record.
Washington State posted 36.8 points per game, eighth in the nation.
Oklahoma was in the market for a quarterback after former five-star recruit Jackson Arnold transferred to Auburn following a tough debut season in Norman.
Mateer's move makes sense after Oklahoma hired former Cougars offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle to the same position early this month. Speaking of former Washington State coaches on the move, head coach Jake Dickert got hired by Wake Forest.

Mateer is a massive get ahead of a massive year for Brent Venables, Cameron Salerno writes.

Salerno: "His familiarity with Arbuckle's system should make him an easy plug-and-play starter as Oklahoma looks to rebuild on offense. The Sooners will need all the firepower they can get as they navigate one of the nation's toughest schedules ... Oklahoma has Deion Burks returning amid a receiver corps that has otherwise been pillaged. But a healthier room and a few other additions could quickly change Oklahoma's 2025 outlook after an atrocious offensive campaign."

😃 Honorable mentions

It doesn't sound like LeBron James and Anthony Davis are going anywhere. Is that the right choice?
Patrick Mahomes was a full participant for the second straight practice.
The Yankees have rebounded nicely after missing out on Juan Soto.
The Giants will start Drew Lock against the Falcons.
Dennis Schroder's son had a hilarious response when he heard his dad was heading to the Warriors.
Could Kirk Cousins follow in Russell Wilson's footsteps? We have potential landing spots.
The Commanders opened Jonathan Allen's practice window.
I loved Brandon Marcello's story on how on-campus College Football Playoff games came to be.
Johni Broome won't need shoulder surgery.
Colorado landed Liberty transfer quarterback Kaidon Salter.
Diego Pavia will get another year of eligibility.
Jasmyn Wimbish has updated NBA Rookie of the Year Rankings.
Could moving out of Las Vegas be the boost the NBA Cup needs?
Can the holdover outfielders make the Baseball Hall of Fame?
The White Sox stadium has a new name.

😔 Not so honorable mentions

Brian Callahan went on an epic rant defending his team's toughness.
The Hornets apologized after gifting and then taking away a PS5 from a fan during a halftime skit.
Kawhi Leonard won't return before Christmas.
Green Bay coach Doug Gottlieb called D-II opponent Michigan Tech "Nobody U." Then Michigan Tech won.
Trinity Rodman said Dennis Rodman is "not a dad."

🏈 NFL and CFP QB Power Rankings

There are plenty of changes in both our NFL QB Power Rankings and our CFP QB Power Rankings. The NFL side features plenty of new faces, while you'll notice a change in title on the college side. We're evaluating all 12 CFP starters.

We'll start in the pros, where new Falcons starter Michael Penix Jr. is one of several players making their first appearance in Cody Benjamin's rankings. When you reach this point in the season, things can get ugly at the bottom, so let's focus on the top:

Josh Allen (previous: 1)
Lamar Jackson (3)
Joe Burrow (2)
Jared Goff (4)
Jordan Love (6)

I'm really glad to see Love in the top five. No, the numbers aren't huge, but they're so efficient. In a division full of quarterback talent, Love has "maybe the most gifted arm in the North," Cody says. I wouldn't disagree.

There's also plenty of talent in the College Football Playoff, and Tom Fornelli says the top team has the top signal caller.

Fornelli: "1. Dillon Gabriel, Oregon -- Gabriel had a slow-ish start to the season as he got to learn a new offense and teammates, but came on strong down the stretch to help the Ducks remain the only undefeated team in the country and win the Big Ten. He threw for four touchdowns against Penn State in the Big Ten title game to lock up the No. 1 seed."

Meanwhile, Tennessee's Nico Iamaleava comes in 11th, but he has a fascinating story about stopping the NCAA. Will he win its championship next?

💪 Biggest advantage for every first-round CFP team

Matchups, matchups, matchups. Every CFP team does things well. All of them have weaknesses, too. How each program matches up with its opponent and takes advantage of said weaknesses will be the name of the game(s).

I was already so intrigued by every first-round game, but Ryan McGrady's list of one big advantage for each first-round CFP team is piquing my interest even more. For (12) Clemson at (5) Texas, the Longhorns can take advantage of ...

McGrady: "Texas: Explosives in chunks -- For all the grief Quinn Ewers gets, Texas does thrive on explosive passing plays, ranking third in the FBS with 65 completions of 20+ yards. This could spell trouble for Clemson, whose defense has allowed 41 such plays, ranking T-92nd nationally. Texas' ability to rack up chunk plays will be a big factor -- and it would be especially nice for the Longhorns if they could house one or two of those explosives, considering the recent red zone issues."

Here's a look at every game:

(12) Clemson at (5) Texas | (11) SMU at (6) Penn State | (10) Indiana at (7) Notre Dame | | (9) Tennessee at (8) Ohio State

Of course, weather can accentuate or minimize advantages, and the forecast isn't looking friendly in three first-round locations.

📺 What we're watching Thursday

🏀 Thunder at Magic, 7 p.m. on TNT
🏈 New Orleans Bowl: Georgia Southern vs. Sam Houston, 7 p.m. on ESPN2
🏈 Broncos at Chargers, 8:15 p.m. on Prime Video
🏀 Knicks at Timberwolves, 9:30 p.m. on TNT