Mike Gundy Goes Scorched Earth On Oklahoma For Ending Bedlam Rivalry, Goes Off About College Rivalries In General

There are a lot of different storylines to watch over the next two years as Oklahoma and Texas move out of the Big 12 that will have ramifications far beyond 2024. One of the most discussed is the Bedlam rivalry.

Rather, the end of the Bedlam rivalry.

Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, separated by less than 100 miles, first met on the gridiron on November 6, 1904. They have played 117 times since and the Sooners have dominated the Cowboys.

Of the 117 matchups, OU has defeated OSU 91 times with seven ties. The team from Stillwater has only defeated the team from Norman 19 times in the all-time series history.

As lopsided as it looks on paper, five of those 19 wins have been since the turn of the millennium. Their games have been much closer over the last two+ decades than the 75-0 blowout that began it all more than a century ago.

Despite the significant win-loss differential, it is always fun when the two Oklahoma programs get together and knock skulls. Rivalries are awesome, and the Cowboys have no bigger rival.

Unfortunately for them, the Sooners do — the Longhorns — and they’re headed to the SEC as well.

As a result, Oklahoma State is losing its rival to a new conference and Bedlam is no more.

Mike Gundy wants to be clear who is at fault.

Gundy, head coach of the Cowboys since 2005, is sick and tired of people including his program in the conversation surrounding Bedlam’s end. He did not hold back at Big 12 Media Days on Wednesday.

In football, Bedlam is history in my opinion.

When Oklahoma decided to leave the Big 12 they chose to end Bedlam. It’s a one-sided deal. People were trying to decide what happened and what needs to happen to make it go on.

They kept pushing Oklahoma State into it. We didn’t have jack to do with that. They left the conference, Bedlam goes with it

— Mike Gundy

The 55-year-old went one step further in placing blame on Oklahoma and said that Bedlam will never return during his tenure.

The SEC eventually will go to a nine-game schedule, I’m sure Oklahoma has a Power 5 team they’re playing every year. We would have a difficult time matching up with them in non-conference. We’re scheduled out through ’37. We’re not responsible to change what we do because they left the conference. It’s real simple. They chose to get into the SEC. That’s the choice they made.

— Mike Gundy

He also spoke with ESPN about college football rivalries in general. Gundy sees them dissolving and doesn’t like it.

[Oklahoma athletic director Joe] Castiglione is a friend of mine, but when he and their president decided to go to the SEC, they took Bedlam with them. Do I like it? No. I like tradition.

I like Big 12, I liked the old Big Eight. I like rivalries. I like the things in college football that have been around forever, but that’s not going to matter anymore. All those things are history.

— Mike Gundy, via Heather Dinich of ESPN

Well, there you have it. Bedlam is dead. RIP.

Gundy says Oklahoma is at fault.

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