The crimson and cream made themselves at home on the East Coast Saturday, and the scoreboard at Lincoln Financial Field reflected it. With quarterback John Mateer delivering a balanced offensive performance and freshman running back Tory Blaylock supplying a pair of scoring bursts, No. 13 Oklahoma throttled Temple 42–3 in front of an announced crowd of 24,927 that looked even smaller than the number suggested.
The Sooners (3–0) didn’t just win; they dominated from the opening possession. Jovantae Barnes capped a crisp first drive with a three-yard touchdown run, and Oklahoma immediately went for two. Tight end Jaren Kanak’s conversion pass to holder Jacob Ulrich made it 8–0, and from there the rout was on.
By the end of the first half, OU had scored on each of its first four possessions and built a 25–0 cushion. A 52-yard field goal by kicker Tate Sandell and two second-quarter touchdowns from Blaylock—runs of six and 18 yards—blew the game open. It was the same script as a year ago, when the Sooners beat Temple 51–3 in Norman.
Head coach Brent Venables said the result was a byproduct of the team’s culture. “This is a very hungry, driven, humble, tough, high-standard group of young men that like to be pushed, liked to be challenged, they like to practice,” Venables said. “When they play together, it does, it kind of resembles recess. I say that respectfully. They have fun.”
John Mateer Leading the Way
Mateer, a transfer from Washington State, continues to look like one of the best portal additions in the country. He completed 20 of 34 passes for 282 yards and a six-yard touchdown strike to Xavier Robinson in the third quarter. Then, on the very next series, he flashed his running ability with a 51-yard touchdown sprint—the Sooners’ longest rush of the season—to make it 42–3.
He now leads the nation with at least one passing and one rushing touchdown in nine straight games. Through three weeks at Oklahoma he has thrown for 944 yards and five touchdowns while rushing for four more scores, completing 68 percent of his passes. Only Josh Heupel (1999) and Baker Mayfield (2015) have thrown for more yards in their first three OU games.
Blaylock Breaks Out
While Mateer’s dual-threat numbers will grab headlines, Blaylock’s emergence might be just as important for Oklahoma’s long-term trajectory. The freshman back carried 14 times for a career-high 100 yards and his first multi-touchdown game.
“Just a tough guy. Not 100 percent healthy and he loves to compete,” Venables said of Blaylock. “We’ve been bragging on him since way back in the spring. He led in the spring with the most explosive plays. He runs through trash. He’s got great speed. He’s got on the edge. You saw that, his burst. He’s got really good patience and pace to him, too, as a running back. Runs well behind his pads and runs through a lot of arm tackles.”
Offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle echoed that sentiment. “He’s not a true freshman,” Arbuckle said. “His mindset, the way he shows up every day in the building and at practice and how he understands everything the offense asks. He’s not a true freshman. He’s a stud. He prepares like a stud.”
Blaylock and Mateer’s bursts in the fourth quarter—first a career-long 25-yard dash by Blaylock followed immediately by Mateer’s 51-yard scoring run—showed just how explosive OU’s offense can be when the quarterback and running back feed off one another.
Defensive Statement
As much as the offense rolled, the defense might have been even more impressive. The Sooners limited Temple to just 104 total yards, the fewest they’ve allowed since holding Kansas to 103 in 2014. That included only 26 rushing yards and 78 through the air.
They forced 12 punts—the most in a game since 2015 and the most in a road game since the 2000 season—and held the Owls to 3-for-16 on third down. The defense has now allowed only one touchdown through three games and no passing touchdowns, while giving up just 254 combined passing yards all season (an average of 84.7 yards per game, the lowest through three games since 1998).
“I really liked all three levels,” Venables said. “I think we really have, we have good depth at all three levels. Not amazing depth. But we have good depth. What that looks like is right now we have a rotation. It may not be a solid two-deep at each position, but maybe it’s a 1 1/2. Or maybe it’s not a three-deep, but it’s a solid two.”
The depth showed up on the stat sheet: defensive backs Michael Boganowski and Reggie Powers III each notched their first career sacks; linebacker Taylor Heim recorded his first career tackle and sack; and young defenders like Wyatt Gilmore, James Nesta, and Damonique Williams all registered career-best plays.
Kanak’s New Role
Kanak, a converted linebacker now playing tight end, continues to be one of Mateer’s favorite targets. He caught four passes for 86 yards, all for first downs, with three coming on third down. Through three games he has 14 receptions for a team-high 245 yards. His versatility showed again on the game’s opening series, when he threw a successful two-point conversion pass to Ulrich.
A Rare East Coast Trip
This was only the seventh time Oklahoma has played in Pennsylvania, and the first since 2003. OU is now 4-2-1 all-time in the state and 3-1 against Temple. Despite the distance, crimson and cream filled the seats at Lincoln Financial Field—even without the Pride of Oklahoma marching band making the trip.
Since 2000, the Sooners have been one of the best true road teams in the country, going 61-17 (.782) against unranked opponents and winning 35 of their last 47 such games overall. Saturday’s effort fit the pattern: OU outgained Temple 515–104, posted 29 first downs to Temple’s seven, and averaged 6.5 yards per play to the Owls’ 1.9.
Next Up: Auburn
The Sooners now pivot from a breather to a marquee showdown. After knocking off then-No. 15 Michigan a week ago and dispatching Temple, OU returns to Norman to host Auburn next Saturday at 2:30 p.m. on ABC. It will be the second Top-25 opponent in three weeks for Venables’ team.
With Mateer playing like a seasoned veteran, Blaylock running with power and patience, and a defense that looks more suffocating by the week, Oklahoma leaves Philadelphia not just unbeaten but looking every bit like a playoff contender.
Matt Hofeld is a college football analyst and contributor covering the SEC. Follow him for more Oklahoma and conference-wide analysis throughout the 2025 season.
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