BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK
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NIL and conference realignment have altered a college football landscape that currently looks very different from how it did at the start of the decade. That second issue brought the storied rivalry between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State to an end for the foreseeable future, but Mike Gundy has proposed a potential solution that could (sort of) bring it back sooner than expected.
In 1904, Oklahoma faced off against the school that is now known as Oklahoma State on the gridiron for the first time to usher in a rivalry that saw the two teams face off an annual basis for 113 years in a row when that streak began all the way back in 1910.
What was eventually dubbed the “Bedlam Series” is the second-most lopsided rivalry in college football history when you consider Oklahoma has posted a 91-20-7 record in the 118 contests between the two schools (Alabama’s track record against Mississippi State occupies the top spot on that list).
However, it was still a highly anticipated matchup for both teams (as well as their fans), but the good times came to an end when the aforementioned streak was snapped after Oklahoma headed to the SEC in 2024; scheduling restrictions prevent another matchup until at least 2031.
The Cowboys were able to end things on a high note by getting a relatively rare win over the Sooners in 2023, and while Oklahoma will theoretically need to wait close to a decade to get revenge, Mike Gundy has implied we might not have to wait that long to see them face off again.
On Tuesday, Gundy said there’s been internal discussions about the possibility of Oklahoma State and Oklahoma resurrecting Bedlam with the help of the spring games that usually feature players on the same team while making it clear he’s very open to the idea of a home-and-home both schools could use to raise NIL money via ticket sales.
Hold up, Gundy cooked here 🔥🔥
Credit @pistolsguys for the video. You should subscribe bro puts out amazing content pic.twitter.com/nKkwctB46Y
— OKStateTexan (@pokesNtexans) March 25, 2025
A number of programs have opted to forgo spring games this year due to concerns players who have a standout performance might be lured to other programs who attempt to poach them by way of the transfer portal, but it doesn’t seem like Gundy is particularly concerned about that possibility.
As Gundy mentions in the video, Deion Sanders is currently pushing for a spring game between Colorado and Syracuse that hinges on approval from the NCAA, so it’ll be interesting to see if this marks the start of a new movement.