Bedlam Series

The Bedlam Series is the name given to the Oklahoma–Oklahoma State rivalry.^[1][2] It refers to the athletics rivalry between Oklahoma State University Cowboys and Cowgirls and the University of Oklahoma Sooners of the Big 12 Conference. Both schools were also members of the Big Eight Conference before the formation of the Big 12 Conference in 1996, and both were divisional rivals in the Big 12 South Division prior to 2011. The rivalry will conclude as an annual conference matchup in 2023, after which Oklahoma will officially join the Southeastern Conference. 40 years of the rivalry's games were played without the teams playing in the same conference, and it is possible that the series may continue beyond that date.^[3]

Bedlam Series

Oklahoma Sooners Oklahoma State Cowboys
First meeting	1900 (track and field) 1904 (football)

[fullscreen map]

Locations of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State

The Bedlam Series is, like most other intrastate rivalries, a rivalry that goes beyond one or two sports. Both schools also have rivalries with other schools, though most of those rivalries are limited to one or two sports at the most.

While the football and basketball games stand today as the marquee events in the Bedlam Series, the term "Bedlam" actually began with the rivalry between the schools' prestigious wrestling programs,^[4] more particularly the raucous crowds that attended the matches held at Oklahoma State's Gallagher-Iba Arena.^[5]

Football

Football series

Oklahoma Sooners   Oklahoma State Cowboys
First meeting	November 6, 1904 Oklahoma 75, Oklahoma A&M 0
Latest meeting	November 4, 2023 Oklahoma State 27, Oklahoma 24
Next meeting	TBD
Trophy	Bedlam Bell
Statistics
Meetings total	118
All-time series	Oklahoma leads, 91–20–7^[6]
Largest victory	Oklahoma, 75–0 (1904)
Longest win streak	Oklahoma, 19 (1946–1964)
Current win streak	Oklahoma State, 1 (2023–present)

The first Bedlam football game was held at Island Park, 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 are contested in Stillwater, Oklahoma, on the campus of OSU, and games in even-numbered years in Norman, Oklahoma at OU.

In 2007, author Steve Budin, whose father was a New York bookie, publicized a claim that the 1954 Bedlam Game was fixed by mobsters in his book Bets, Drugs, and Rock & Roll (ISBN 1-60239-099-1).^[8] Allegedly, the mobsters threatened and paid off a cook to slip laxatives into a soup consumed by many OU Sooner starting players, causing them to fall violently ill in the days leading up to the game. OU was victorious in the end, but the 14–0 win did not cover the 20-point spread in OU's favor. However, many people involved in the 1954 contest do not recall any incident like the one purported by Budin to have occurred.^[9] Nor do any pregame and postgame newspaper articles mention any such condition. One possible reason for the Sooners' lackluster performance, according to one coach, was that the players were "beat up" from the previous game against Nebraska.^[10]

Game results

Oklahoma victories

Oklahoma State victories

Tie games

No. Date Location Winner Score 1 November 5, 1904 Guthrie Oklahoma 75–0 2 October 12, 1906 Stillwater Oklahoma 23–0 3 November 9, 1907 Norman Oklahoma 67–0 4 October 3, 1908 Stillwater Oklahoma 18–0 5 October 21, 1910 Norman Oklahoma 12–0 6 October 20, 1911 Stillwater Oklahoma 22–0 7 November 16, 1912 Norman Oklahoma 16–0 8 November 21, 1913 Stillwater Oklahoma 7–0 9 November 6, 1914 Norman Oklahoma 28–6 10 November 25, 1915 Oklahoma City Oklahoma 26–7 11 November 30, 1916 Oklahoma City Oklahoma 41–7 12 November 29, 1917 Oklahoma City Oklahoma A&M 9–0 13 November 28, 1918 Oklahoma City Oklahoma 27–0 14 November 27, 1919 Oklahoma City Oklahoma 33–6 15 November 13, 1920 Stillwater Oklahoma 36–0 16 October 15, 1921 Norman Oklahoma 6–0 17 November 25, 1922 Stillwater Tie 3–3 18 October 27, 1923 Norman Oklahoma 12–0 19 November 1, 1924 Stillwater Oklahoma A&M 6–0 20 November 26, 1925 Norman Oklahoma 35–0 21 November 25, 1926 Stillwater Tie 14–14 22 November 19, 1927 Norman Oklahoma A&M 13–7 23 November 24, 1928 Stillwater Oklahoma 46–0 24 November 23, 1929 Norman Tie 7–7 25 November 22, 1930 Stillwater Oklahoma A&M 7–0 26 November 26, 1931 Norman Tie 0–0 27 October 29, 1932 Stillwater Oklahoma A&M 7–0 28 November 23, 1933 Norman Oklahoma A&M 13–0 29 November 22, 1934 Stillwater Tie 0–0 30 November 28, 1935 Norman Oklahoma 25–0 31 November 26, 1936 Stillwater Oklahoma 35–13 32 November 25, 1937 Norman Oklahoma 16–0 33 November 24, 1938 Stillwater #6 Oklahoma 19–0 34 October 28, 1939 Norman #6 Oklahoma 41–0 35 October 5, 1940 Norman Oklahoma 29–27 36 September 27, 1941 Norman Oklahoma 19–0 37 September 26, 1942 Stillwater Tie 0–0 38 October 2, 1943 Oklahoma City Oklahoma 22–13 39 November 25, 1944 Oklahoma City Oklahoma A&M 28–6 40 November 24, 1945 Norman #6 Oklahoma A&M 47–0 41 November 30, 1946 Stillwater #17 Oklahoma 73–12 42 November 29, 1947 Norman #20 Oklahoma 21–13 43 November 27, 1948 Stillwater #6 Oklahoma 19–15 44 November 26, 1949 Norman #3 Oklahoma 41–0 45 December 2, 1950 Stillwater #1 Oklahoma 41–14 46 December 1, 1951 Norman #10 Oklahoma 41–6 47 November 29, 1952 Stillwater #4 Oklahoma 54–7 48 November 28, 1953 Norman #4 Oklahoma 42–7 49 November 27, 1954 Stillwater #3 Oklahoma 14–0 50 November 26, 1955 Norman #1 Oklahoma 53–0 51 December 1, 1956 Stillwater #1 Oklahoma 53–0 52 November 30, 1957 Norman #5 Oklahoma 53–6 53 November 29, 1958 Stillwater #3 Oklahoma 7–0 54 November 28, 1959 Norman #17 Oklahoma 17–7 55 November 26, 1960 Stillwater Oklahoma 17–6 56 December 2, 1961 Norman Oklahoma 21–13 57 December 1, 1962 Stillwater #8 Oklahoma 37–6 58 November 30, 1963 Norman #10 Oklahoma 34–10 59 November 28, 1964 Stillwater Oklahoma 21–16 60 December 4, 1965 Norman Oklahoma State 17–16 No. Date Location Winner Score 61 December 3, 1966 Stillwater Oklahoma State 15–14 62 December 2, 1967 Norman #3 Oklahoma 38–14 63 November 30, 1968 Stillwater #11 Oklahoma 41–7 64 November 29, 1969 Stillwater Oklahoma 28–27 65 November 28, 1970 Norman Oklahoma 66–6 66 December 4, 1971 Stillwater #3 Oklahoma 58–14 67 December 2, 1972 Norman #3 Oklahoma 38–15 68 December 1, 1973 Stillwater #2 Oklahoma 45–18 69 November 30, 1974 Norman #1 Oklahoma 44–13 70 November 1, 1975 Stillwater #2 Oklahoma 27–7 71 October 23, 1976 Norman Oklahoma State 31–24 72 November 5, 1977 Stillwater #3 Oklahoma 61–28 73 November 18, 1978 Norman #4 Oklahoma 62–7 74 November 3, 1979 Stillwater #7 Oklahoma 38–7 75 November 29, 1980 Norman #6 Oklahoma 63–14 76 November 28, 1981 Stillwater Oklahoma 27–3 77 October 23, 1982 Norman #20 Oklahoma 27–9 78 October 15, 1983 Stillwater #15 Oklahoma 21–20 79 November 24, 1984 Norman #2 Oklahoma 24–14 80 November 30, 1985 Stillwater #3 Oklahoma 13–0 81 October 18, 1986 Norman #5 Oklahoma 19–0 82 November 7, 1987 Norman #1 Oklahoma 29–10 83 November 5, 1988 Stillwater #8 Oklahoma 31–28 84 October 7, 1989 Norman #16 Oklahoma 37–15 85 October 6, 1990 Stillwater #7 Oklahoma 31–17 86 November 16, 1991 Norman #18 Oklahoma 21–6 87 November 14, 1992 Stillwater Tie 15–15 88 November 13, 1993 Norman #17 Oklahoma 31–0 89 November 13, 1994 Stillwater Oklahoma 33–14 90 November 11, 1995 Norman Oklahoma State 12–0 91 November 8, 1996 Stillwater Oklahoma 27–17 92 November 8, 1997 Norman #25 Oklahoma State 30–7 93 October 24, 1998 Stillwater Oklahoma State 41–26 94 November 27, 1999 Norman Oklahoma 44–7 95 November 25, 2000 Stillwater #1 Oklahoma 12–7 96 November 24, 2001 Norman Oklahoma State 16–13 97 November 30, 2002 Stillwater Oklahoma State 38–28 98 November 1, 2003 Norman #1 Oklahoma 52–9 99 October 30, 2004 Stillwater #2 Oklahoma 38–35 100 November 26, 2005 Norman Oklahoma 42–14 101 November 25, 2006 Stillwater #13 Oklahoma 27–21 102 November 24, 2007 Norman #10 Oklahoma 49–17 103 November 29, 2008 Stillwater #3 Oklahoma 61–41 104 November 28, 2009 Norman Oklahoma 27–0 105 November 27, 2010 Stillwater #14 Oklahoma 47–41 106 December 3, 2011 Stillwater #3 Oklahoma State 44–10 107 November 24, 2012 Norman #13 Oklahoma 51–48 ^OT 108 December 7, 2013 Stillwater #17 Oklahoma 33–24 109 December 6, 2014 Norman Oklahoma State 38–35 ^OT 110 November 28, 2015 Stillwater #3 Oklahoma 58–23 111 December 3, 2016 Norman #5 Oklahoma 38–20 112 November 4, 2017 Stillwater #5 Oklahoma 62–52 113 November 10, 2018 Norman #6 Oklahoma 48–47 114 November 30, 2019 Stillwater #7 Oklahoma 34–16 115 November 21, 2020 Norman #18 Oklahoma 41–13 116 November 27, 2021 Stillwater #7 Oklahoma State 37–33 117 November 19, 2022 Norman Oklahoma 28–13 118 November 4, 2023 Stillwater #22 Oklahoma State 27–24 Series: Oklahoma leads 91–20–7^[6]

Men's basketball

Since 1916, Oklahoma has led the all-time series record in men's basketball with a record of 134–106. The Sooners have won 19 of the last 36 meetings. However, the Cowboys have gone 11–5 against the Sooners since the end of Travis Ford's tenure as head coach. The Sooners swept the Cowboys in 2018–2019, giving Oklahoma its seventh Bedlam sweep since 2006, including the 2013–2014, 2014–2015 and 2015–2016 regular season Bedlam series. Oklahoma State has swept three times in that span, during the 2016–2017, 2020–2021 and 2022–2023 regular seasons. The two teams have met seven times in the Big 12 tournament, where the Cowboys have gone 6–1 against the Sooners.^[11]

Wrestling

Oklahoma State holds a lopsided advantage in the schools' wrestling rivalry, the original "Bedlam Series."^[4][5] Wrestling Bedlam began in 1920. Football Bedlam began in 1904. The Cowboys wrestling program currently holds a 150–27–10 record against the Sooners, which is all the more remarkable considering that both schools have long been national powers in wrestling. Oklahoma has won seven team national championships in its history, while Oklahoma State's wrestling program has a record thirty-four team national titles.^[12] Oklahoma State has earned 143 individual NCAA titles and 485 All-American honors compared to Oklahoma's 67 individual championships and 277 All-Americans.

Non-varsity

Ice Hockey

The Bedlam Series took to the ice rink for the first time in 2022. The Oklahoma State ice hockey club had gone defunct in recent years, but was revived thanks to a grassroots effort from students. The inaugural game between the two ACHA clubs was played on November 4, 2022 at the Arctic Edge Arena in Edmond, Oklahoma, resulting in a 6–3 victory for the Sooners. The Cowboys won the following night 5–4 in OT at the BOK Center. The games were broadcast live on Black Dog Hockey, an independent streaming service that partners with many ACHA clubs. The series is tied 1–1.

See also

• List of NCAA college football rivalry games
• List of most-played college football series in NCAA Division I

References

1. World, Tulsa. "The Bedlam Series". Tulsa World. Retrieved October 13, 2018.
2. "Nobody really knows why OU-OSU is called 'Bedlam'". November 3, 2017. Retrieved October 13, 2018.
3. Shelton, Hunter (September 20, 2022). "Report: Bedlam Series to End Upon Oklahoma Joining SEC". Sports Illustrated Kentucky Wildcats News, Analysis and More. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
4. "Postscript: The Historic Field House" (PDF). Sooner Magazine. Summer 2011. p. 32.
5. . Archived from the original on November 11, 2011. Retrieved November 14, 2011.
6. "Winsipedia - Oklahoma Sooners vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys football series history". Winsipedia.
7. Long, Charles F. (September 1965). "With Optimism For the Morrow: A History of The University of Oklahoma". Sooner Magazine.
8. Budin, Steve; Schaller, Bob (2007). Bets, Drugs, and Rock & Roll: The Rise and Fall of the World's First Offshore Sports Gambling Empire. Skyhorse Publishing. ISBN 978-1-60239-099-7.
9. "Book claims '54 Bedlam Game was fixed by mob". ESPN. September 30, 2007. from the original on October 18, 2007. Retrieved October 2, 2007.
10. Meece, Volney (November 28, 1954). "Both Dressing Rooms Quiet After Sooners Edge Aggies". The Daily Oklahoman. p. D7.
11. "Okstate - Oklahoma Sooners vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys basketball series history". Okstate.
12. "History – Past Champions". NCAA. from the original on November 17, 2006. Retrieved December 11, 2006.

External links

• Voices of Oklahoma interview with Bob Barry Sr. First person interview conducted on March 31, 2011, with Bob Barry Sr. Original audio and transcript archived with Voices of Oklahoma oral history project.