WHAT IS UP SOONER NATION… Casey Mallon here, and you are now officially in a Sooner State of Mind!

This week was supposed to be all about how the Sooners wrecked Jackson Arnold’s homecoming—9 sacks, 14 TFLs, holding Auburn to just 67 yards on the ground, and Jayden Jackson earning Outland Trophy National Player of the Week honors. Oh, and let’s not forget John Mateer’s perfect clutch passing and go-ahead TD run on the game-winning drive!

But instead… heartbreak hit Norman. Brent Venables confirmed that Mateer will undergo hand surgery after finishing the Auburn game 11-for-11 with a broken throwing hand. Now it’s up to Michael Hawkins Jr. to step into the spotlight as OU’s QB1 when the Sooners (4-0, 1-0 SEC) get back after the bye.

We break it all down:

• 🏈 Mateer’s injury & 4-week timeline — can OU survive this gauntlet without him?

• 🔥 The rise of David Stone, R Mason Thomas, and the war daddies on defense.

• 💥 OU’s rushing woes — will Tory Blaylock, Barnes, or Ott step up?

• 🎤 Fan reactions: from F-U-Arnold chants to Auburn crying over “deception.”

• 🐂 Looking ahead to Texass (yes, with two S’s), South Carolina, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Bama, Mizzou, and LSU.

• 📢 Plus: Mike Gundy is OUT at Oklahoma State — what’s next for the Pokes?

• ⚡ SEC just dropped its new 9-game conference format and permanent rivalries — OU locked in with Texas, Ole Miss, and Mizzou.

And as always… we finish with a look at the biggest games in college football Week 5: USC vs Illinois, Oregon vs Penn State, Alabama vs Georgia, and more.

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Because no matter what—through Mateer’s injury, Hawkins’ rise, and the SEC grind—we’re all living in a Sooner State of Mind.

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