Oklahoma QB John Mateer back as starter vs. Texas only 3 weeks after hand injury

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DALLAS (AP) — Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer started for the sixth-ranked Sooners in their Red River rivalry game against Texas on Saturday, returning to the lineup 17 days after surgery on his throwing hand.

Mateer injured his right hand in Oklahoma's home win over Auburn on Sept. 20. He had surgery four days after that during a bye week, then didn't play in the home win over Kent State last Saturday.

Keontez Lewis also was back for the Sooners, just a week after a scary incident when the receiver's momentum sent him headfirst into a brick wall behind the end zone in Norman. He was briefly motionless and attended to for about 10 minutes before being carted off the field. He got hurt when going after an overthrown pass by backup quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr.

Washington State transfer Mateer played three quarters against Auburn with his hand injury, and he scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 9-yard run in the fourth quarter while hurt. In his first four games with the Sooners, Mateer completed 95 of 141 passes (67.4%) for 1,215 yards and six touchdowns, and rushed for 190 yards and five more scores.

Hawkins threw three touchdown passes and ran for a score over three quarters in Oklahoma's 44-0 win over Kent State. Hawkins last year became the first true freshman Oklahoma quarterback to start against Texas, in a 34-3 loss for the Sooners.

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