• Bedlam football celebrates 100 years
By John Shinn
Transcript Sports Writer
Saturday’s game will be the 100th in football’s Bedlam Series. Oklahoma owns a 76-16-7 lead over Oklahoma State through the years. The Sooners are 36-8-2 in Norman, 36-6-5 in Stillwater, 5-2 in Oklahoma City and 1-0 in Guthrie.
However, the series has been much closer in recent years. Neither team has won more than two straight over the last 13 meetings. OU won back-to-back in 1993-94, 1999-2000 and is currently riding a two-game winning streak.
The Cowboys claimed consecutive wins in 1997-1998 and 2001-2002.
Big runners
Of the 36 200-yard rushing performances in OU’s history, eight have come against Oklahoma State.
Jim Grisham claimed the first 200-yard rushing day at the Cowboys’ expense when he piled up 218 in the 1963 contest.
Adrian Peterson had the most recent last year, when he ran for 249 yards as true freshman in OU’s 38-35 victory.
However, one OU player made a habit of having career days against OSU. Mike Gaddis topped the 200-yard barrier three times in the Bedlam game. In 1988 he rushed for 213 yards. He added 274 in 1989 and finished with 203 yards in 1991.
What’s Bedlam?
The Oklahoma-Oklahoma State rivalry has been dubbed the Bedlam rivalry for many years, but Stoops isn’t interested in where the moniker came from.
“I don’t get into all of the terms,” he said. “The bottom line is we’re playing Oklahoma State, an in-state rival, and we need to win it. All that other stuff, you guys have at it. It doesn’t much matter to me.”
Friendly rivalry
Saturday will be Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy’s first against Oklahoma as a head coach. But that doesn’t mean he’s unfamiliar with the rivalry.
He was a four-year starter at Oklahoma State at quarterback from 1986-1989 and had two stints as offensive coordinator before replacing Les Miles prior to this season.
Stoops said he’s known Gundy since he was defensive coordinator at Kansas State over a decade ago and has a good relationship with him. Plus, he’s gotten to know him a little better since Cale Gundy, Mike’s younger brother, has been on the Sooner staff since 1999.
“Whether we’re at a convention or somewhere, we’d see Mike at different places and talk,” Stoops said. “We’ve always had a fine relationship. Are we calling each other every day? No.”
National significance
Of the 99 previous Bedlam games, eight have included two ranked teams. The first such meeting occurred in 1972 with OU No. 2 and OSU No. 20. It also happened in 1975, ’84, ’85, ’87, ’88, ’03 and ’04.
OU is 8-0 in those games.
Neither team is currently ranked, marking the 17th time that has happened since 1944. OU is 9-6-1 in those games.
John Shinn366-3536jshinn@normantranscript.com
OU Sports
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