The Oklahoma State Cowboys dominated the Oklahoma Sooners early to hang on to win the final game in a historical rivalry 27-24 Saturday in Stillwater in Boone Pickens Stadium. The Sooners once again had a chance to drive for a win late, but Dillon Gabriel’s pass to Drake Stoops was short and behind the receiver and short of the first-down marker on fourth-down with 1:01 remaining to seal the win for the Cowboys (7-2, 5-1 Big 12).
Cowboy running back Ollie Gordon was the difference in the game as he finished with 137-rushing yards and two touchdowns and quarterback Alan Bowman threw for 334 yards. In a game that has seen eight Heisman Trophy winners and names like Adrian Peterson, Barry Sanders, Billy Sims, J.C. Watts, the Selmons, Thurman Thomas, Hart Lee Dykes, Baker Mayfield and countless others, it is officially over. OU ended the rivalry when it decided to go to the SEC while the Cowboys will stay in the Big 12. Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy earned his 100th conference victory with the win Saturday joining only Bob Stoops of OU and Bill Snyder of Kansas State. It’s the 33rd Bedlam game that Mike Gundy has been part of either coach or player.
The official all-time series is led by Oklahoma 91-20-7.
The first Bedlam football game was held at Island Park in 1904, now known as Mineral Wells Park, in Guthrie, Oklahoma. It was a cold and extremely windy day, with temperatures well below the freezing mark. At one point during the game when the Oklahoma A&M Aggies were punting, the wind carried the ball backwards behind the kicker. If the Oklahoma A&M squad recovered the ball it would be a touchback, but if the University of Oklahoma squad recovered it, it would be a touchdown. The ball rolled down a hill into the half-frozen creek. Since a touchdown was at stake, members of both teams dove into the icy waters to recover the ball. A member of the OU team came out with the ball and downed it for a touchdown. OU won the game, 75–0.[7] The rivalry has now been played without interruption since 1910, and alternates between the two respective campuses. Since 2011, games in odd-numbered years have been contested in Stillwater, Oklahoma, on the campus of OSU, and games in even-numbered years in Norman, Oklahoma at OU. The history alone is that of wonderful tales and stories with cheers and tears and now it’s gone. The only chance of these two teams playing each other again is in a Bowl game. Oklahoma left the Big 12 for money and an opportunity to compete in what many think is the best football conference in football. The Big 12 pays out $44 million to each school while the SEC pays out $49.9 million. Was money what brought an end to Bedlam? Who knows? But what is lost is the history, bragging rights each year and the pride of fans that grew up attending and watching his rivalry.
1-2-3 break.
Rodney Haltom
Sports Editor
918-689-2191
ijsports@bigbasinllc.com
