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🏈 Good morning to all, however particularly to …

JOHN MATEER AND THE OKLAHOMA SOONERS

After an underwhelming 6-6 SEC debut season, the Oklahoma Sooners wanted assist sooner slightly than later. They obtained it in an enormous approach Wednesday, nabbing top-ranked switch John Mateer from the portal. The previous Washington State quarterback selected the Sooners over Miami.

• Mateer threw for 3,139 yards and 29 touchdowns in his first yr succeeding Cam Ward, and he added 826 yards and a quarterback program-record 15 touchdowns on the bottom. The 44 whole touchdowns had been additionally a program document.
• Washington State posted 36.8 factors per sport, eighth within the nation.
• Oklahoma was available in the market for a quarterback after former five-star recruit Jackson Arnold transferred to Auburn following a troublesome debut season in Norman.
• Mateer’s transfer is sensible after Oklahoma employed former Cougars offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle to the identical place early this month. Talking of former Washington State coaches on the transfer, head coach Jake Dickert obtained employed by Wake Forest.

Mateer is a huge get forward of an enormous yr for Brent Venables, Cameron Salerno writes.

• Salerno: “His familiarity with Arbuckle’s system ought to make him a simple plug-and-play starter as Oklahoma seems to rebuild on offense. The Sooners will want all of the firepower they will get as they navigate one of many nation’s hardest schedules … Oklahoma has Deion Burks returning amid a receiver corps that has in any other case been pillaged. However a more healthy room and some different additions may rapidly change Oklahoma’s 2025 outlook after an atrocious offensive marketing campaign.”

😃 Honorable mentions

😔 Not so honorable mentions

🏈 NFL and CFP QB Energy Rankings

There are many adjustments in each our NFL QB Energy Rankings and our CFP QB Energy Rankings. The NFL aspect options loads of new faces, when you’ll discover a change in title on the faculty aspect. We’re evaluating all 12 CFP starters.

We’ll begin within the professionals, the place new Falcons starter Michael Penix Jr. is certainly one of a number of gamers making their first look in Cody Benjamin’s rankings. Once you attain this level within the season, issues can get ugly on the backside, so let’s concentrate on the highest:

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

I am actually glad to see Love within the high 5. No, the numbers aren’t enormous, however they’re so environment friendly. In a division stuffed with quarterback expertise, Love has “possibly essentially the most gifted arm within the North,” Cody says. I would not disagree.

There’s additionally loads of expertise within the School Soccer Playoff, and Tom Fornelli says the high group has the highest sign caller.

• Fornelli: “1. Dillon Gabriel, Oregon — Gabriel had a slow-ish begin to the season as he obtained to be taught a brand new offense and teammates, however got here on sturdy down the stretch to assist the Geese stay the one undefeated group within the nation and win the Large Ten. He threw for 4 touchdowns in opposition to Penn State within the Large Ten title sport to lock up the No. 1 seed.”

In the meantime, Tennessee‘s Nico Iamaleava is available in eleventh, however he has an interesting story about stopping the NCAA. Will he win its championship subsequent?

💪 Greatest benefit for each first-round CFP group

Matchups, matchups, matchups. Each CFP group does issues effectively. All of them have weaknesses, too. How every program matches up with its opponent and takes benefit of stated weaknesses will probably be the secret(s).

I used to be already so intrigued by each first-round sport, however Ryan McGrady’s listing of one huge benefit for every first-round CFP group is piquing my curiosity much more. For (12) Clemson at (5) Texas, the Longhorns can make the most of …

• McGrady: “Texas: Explosives in chunks — For all of the grief Quinn Ewers will get, Texas does thrive on explosive passing performs, rating third within the FBS with 65 completions of 20+ yards. This might spell bother for Clemson, whose protection has allowed 41 such performs, rating T-92nd nationally. Texas’ skill to rack up chunk performs will probably be an enormous issue — and it will be particularly good for the Longhorns if they might home one or two of these explosives, contemplating the latest purple zone points.”

Here is a have a look at each sport:

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

In fact, climate can intensify or decrease benefits, and the forecast is not trying pleasant in three first-round places.

📺 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