Report: Oklahoma's Mateer pushing to return vs. Texas

Oklahoma may have its starting quarterback available for this week's Red River Showdown.

John Mateer is pushing to return Saturday against Texas after missing one game due to hand surgery, sources told ESPN's Pete Thamel.

Mateer - a Heisman candidate through the season's first month - underwent surgery Sept. 23 with an anticipated return date of Oct. 18. However, the star passer's recovery reportedly seems to be ahead of schedule.

Mateer's potential return would be huge news for a 6th-ranked Oklahoma team ahead of a series of challenging matchups. Following their rivalry bout versus the Longhorns, the Sooners visit South Carolina before ending their regular season against five top-15 teams in Ole Miss, Tennessee, Alabama, Missouri, and LSU.

Michael Hawkins Jr. stepped in for Mateer in a 44-0 win over Kent State on the weekend, accounting for four touchdowns.

Mateer completed 67.4% of his passes for 1,215 yards and six touchdowns against three interceptions before sustaining a hand injury. He also scored five rushing TDs and piled up 190 yards on the ground.