Auburn QB returns to play against his former team in a battle of SEC foes
Auburn starting QB Jackson Arnold makes his return to Norman as the Tigers are set to face off against No. 11 Oklahoma.
The former Sooner has tallied 501 passing yards through three games with Auburn, completing 69.6% of his throws for four touchdowns and zero interceptions. He’s also added 192 rushing yards and four more scores on the ground.
During his freshman season at Oklahoma in 2023, Arnold appeared in seven games, completing 63.8% of his passes for 563 yards, four touchdowns, and three interceptions. He also rushed for 116 yards and one touchdown while serving as the backup to current Cleveland Browns rookie Dillon Gabriel. In his sophomore campaign, Arnold took over the starting role and threw for 1,421 yards, completing 62.6% of his attempts with 12 touchdowns and three interceptions. He added 444 rushing yards and three more touchdowns on the ground.
Arnold then entered his name in the transfer portal on December 4th, moving on from the Sooners, where he found his new home in Auburn for his junior season. In response, Brent Venables and Oklahoma dug into the portal themselves and snagged former Washington State QB John Mateer, who committed to the Sooners on December 18th.
Mateer was rated as one of the top players in the portal after his standout season with the Cougars, making this quarterback matchup one of the most intriguing thus far this season.
The last time these two quarterbacks faced off was back in high school on October 28, 2021. Jackson Arnold led Denton Guyer High School, while John Mateer suited up for Little Elm High School. Both delivered strong performances: Mateer completed 21 of 35 passes for 231 yards and a touchdown, added 85 rushing yards and two more scores, but also threw two interceptions. Arnold countered with 135 passing yards on 11-of-20 attempts and a touchdown, plus 87 rushing yards and another score—ultimately guiding Denton Guyer to a 45–21 victory.
Now, they will face off again as No. 22 Auburn and No. 11 Oklahoma are set to square off on Saturday at 2:30 pm (CT) on ABC.