Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer showed the world that he’s a legitimate contender for the Heisman Trophy with 344 yards of offense and three touchdowns in the Sooners’ win over Michigan last weekend.
Mateer also put up Heisman-worthy numbers last season at Washington State. He threw for 3,139 yards and 29 touchdowns and added 826 yards and 15 more scores on the ground. But he jumped into the transfer portal after the season, leaving the Cougars to replace their best weapon on offense.
Washington State didn’t have to look far for his replacement, though. Redshirt sophomore Jaxon Potter has been on the roster for the past two years. He was on the scout team in 2023 and played in two games last season.
Now he’s the quarterback that will lead the Cougars (2-0) into Frisco, Texas, for a game against North Texas on Saturday.
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Potter joined the Cougars as a three-star recruit in 2023 after throwing for 5,509 yards and 55 touchdowns in his final two seasons at Santa Margarita High in California.
The 6-foot-5, 205-pound California native hasn’t wasted any time putting up impressive numbers in his first chance to start in college. He completed 23 of 30 passes for 208 yards and a touchdown in a 13-10 win over Idaho in the season opener. He completed six passes on Washington State’s final drive, which resulted in a game-winning field goal with three seconds left on the clock.
Potter went 28 for 42 for 257 yards and three touchdowns and completed passes to nine different players in a 36-13 win over San Diego State last week. He doesn’t threaten defenses with his legs the way Mateer does, but if he keeps slinging the ball all over the field the way he has, the Cougars will be just fine in the post-Mateer era.
On Saturday, Potter and the Cougars will face a North Texas defense that gave up 30 points and needed overtime to secure a three-point win over Western Michigan last weekend. The Mean Green (2-0) is led by quarterback Drew Mestemaker and wide receivers Wyatt Young and Cameron Dorner.
Washington State At North Texas Betting Line
North Texas is a six-point college football betting odds favorite on BetMGM, and the Over/Under is 56.5 points. The moneyline is at -220 for North Texas and +180 for Washington State.
Washington State At North Texas On TV
The non-conference game between Washington State and North Texas will be televised on ESPNU. It’s the first time the Cougars and Mean Green have met on a football field and the first time Washington State has played a game in Texas since the 2021 Sun Bowl in El Paso.
Kickoff time is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday.
Washington State At North Texas Prediction
I predict Washington State wins 27-21.
The Cougars struggled to run the ball against Idaho, but they ground out a few more yards on the ground against San Diego State. They still need to improve in that area, but they’re facing a North Texas defense that gave up 216 rushing yards against Western Michigan, meaning I think this weekend is a good chance to further improve those numbers.
I think Potter will continue spreading the ball around and Washington State’s defense will find ways to limit Mestemaker’s ability to hurt teams with his legs. In the end, I expect the Cougars pick up a big win heading into next weekend’s Apple Cup showdown against Washington.
