Where does OU land in College Football News' SEC QB room rankings?

NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...

After two straight years of rebuilds for the Oklahoma Sooners at the quarterback position, there’s a lot more stability for that position group heading into 2026. There’s only one exit from the room, as Michael Hawkins Jr. entered the transfer portal and signed with West Virginia. There’s also only one addition to the room, as Bowe Bentley arrives as a true freshman from the 2026 recruiting class.

That means the OU quarterback room currently consists of returning starter John Mateer, backups Whitt Newbauer and Jett Niu, and the heir apparent in Bentley. Coaching also remains the same, as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Ben Arbuckle returns for a second year, as does senior offensive analyst John Kuceyeski. The Sooners also return two other offensive analysts who work with QBs in Blaise Bentsen and Colt Garrett.

All told, that stability should lead to more success next year, with all eyes on Mateer in 2026. He’ll be the first Oklahoma starting QB since Jalen Hurts in 2019 to finish his career with the Sooners. Additionally, OU’s best offense of the Brent Venables era came with a returning QB and play-caller. That came in 2023 with Dillon Gabriel and Jeff Lebby in their second year together in Norman. The 2026 season will be only the second such instance under Venables.

Returning starter, returning depth players, returning play-caller, returning assistants, and the same offensive system is a formula that Sooner Nation hopes works wonders for the quarterback position and the OU offense as a whole in 2026. However, against the always-difficult Southeastern Conference, it’ll be important that Mateer, Arbuckle, and the rest continue to develop together.

College Football News’ Pete Fiutak ranked all 16 quarterback rooms in the SEC heading into spring football in 2026, giving preference to teams with established, veteran starters. Fiutak ranked the Sooners as the No. 6 quarterback room in the SEC on his list.

“This is a whole lot of love being given to John Mateer. He really is good enough to be the signature star of the 2026 college football season – as long as he stays healthy – but developing the depth is everything this spring,” Fiutak said.

Oklahoma was ranked below LSU, Texas, Georgia, South Carolina, and Mississippi State in Fiutak’s rankings. The Sooners clearly believe in Mateer as their guy, and he believes in them. Venables and Arbuckle both told the media multiple times that there was no one they’d rather have as their QB than Mateer. With the Sooners not rebuilding the quarterback room this offseason, things are set up nicely for Mateer and Arbuckle to take another step forward in 2026.

Additionally, ESPN took the challenge of trying to predict each starting quarterback in the Power Four (SEC, Big Ten, ACC, Big 12, and Notre Dame) for the 2026 season. With so much time left before kickoff, there’s plenty that is likely to change, but here’s what they think about each SEC squad’s QB outlook:

Alabama

  • Starter: Keelon Russell
  • Competition: Austin Mack
  • Others: Jett Thomalla and Tayden-Evan Kaawa

Arkansas

  • Starter: KJ Jackson
  • Competition: AJ Hill
  • Others: Braeden Fuller and Hank Hendrix

Auburn

  • Starter: Byrum Brown
  • Others: Locklan Hewlett, Tristan Ti’a, and Rhys Brush

Florida

  • Starter: Aaron Philo
  • Others: Tramell Jones Jr. and Will Griffin

Georgia

  • Starter: Gunner Stockton
  • Others: Ryan Puglisi, Ryan Montgomery, Hezekiah Millender, and Bryson Beaver

Kentucky

  • Starter: Kenny Minchey
  • Others: Matt Ponatoski, JacQai Long, and Brennen Ward

LSU

  • Starter: Sam Leavitt
  • Others: Landen Clark, Husan Longstreet

Mississippi State

  • Starter: Kamario Taylor
  • Others: AJ Swann, Brodie McWhorter, and Jaden Rashada

Missouri

  • Starter: Austin Simmons
  • Competition: Matt Zollers
  • Others: Nick Evers and Gavin Sidwar

Oklahoma

  • Starter: John Mateer
  • Others: Whitt Newbauer, Jett Niu, and Bowe Bentley

Ole Miss

  • Starter: Trinidad Chambliss (if he is given extra eligibility)
  • Others: Deuce Knight, Walker Howard, and AJ Maddox

South Carolina

  • Starter: LaNorris Sellers
  • Others: Lucian Anderson III, Cutter Woods, and Landon Duckworth

Tennessee

  • Starter: George MacIntyre (if Joey Aguilar is denied extra eligibility)
  • Others: Faizon Brandon and Ryan Staub

Texas

  • Starter: Arch Manning
  • Others: K.J. Lacey, Dia Bell, and MJ Morris

Texas A&M

  • Starter: Marcel Reed
  • Others: Brady Hart and Helaman Casuga

Vanderbilt

  • Starter: Jared Curtis
  • Competition: Blaze Berlowitz
  • Others: Jack Elliott

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Aaron on X@Aaron_Gelvin.

This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Where is Oklahoma in ranking of every SEC QB room by CFN?

More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos