Oklahoma and its star quarterback, John Mateer , had all the momentum in the world through four games. Few teams boasted as strong of a resume as the Sooners with their wins over Michigan and Auburn , and Mateer was terrific in those victories as the SEC leader in completions and passing yardage. But then struck a surprise injury.

Mateer is on the shelf indefinitely with a hand issue . Not only is his looming absence a blow to the Sooners in their pursuit of an SEC title, but it also shakes up the Heisman Trophy race in a significant way. Mateer had the second-best odds, per FanDuel , to win the award before the announcement of his throwing-hand injury.

The quarterback Mateer trailed in the Heisman race just got a surprise boost. Indiana 's Fernando Mendoza was a steep rise

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