Is there a more one-sided rivalry in college football than the Bedlam series between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State?
Two of the Big 12's more successful teams in recent memory have seen a historic disparity on the field, one that has seen a continuation in the Mike Gundy and Lincoln Riley eras.
MORE: SN's post-spring top 25
The Sooners are coming off their third straight Bedlam win in 2017, including a 1-0 start for Riley in Norman. What can the Cowboys do to make headway in the rivalry?
This week, Sporting News is looking at five rivalries that have taken on a one-sided feel, and whether that will change in 2018. Today, we’ll look at the next chapter in the Oklahoma-Oklahoma State rivalry.
Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State
Current state
Oklahoma has won three straight and leads the series 87-18-7.
It’s been that long?
In 2014, Bob Stoops inexplicably declined a penalty and elected to re-punt to Tyreek Hill. Here’s what happened next on that chilly night in Norman:
MORE: Ranking Big 12 coaches
How we got here
Stoops’ record in Bedlam was pretty good: 14-4. Still, with two losses to Les Miles and two to Mike Gundy, Stoops has more losses to Oklahoma State than any coach in Sooners history (no other coach has more than two). That speaks to the Sooners’ extended dominance, but it also speaks to the Cowboys’ recent rise. No other OSU coach has been to more than three straight bowl games. Gundy has taken his alma mater to 13 in a row. That said, he went 0-6 against Oklahoma till winning his first Bedlam matchup in 2011. He's 2-11 overall as a coach in this series.
This year
Oklahoma State travels to Norman on Nov. 10. The Cowboys and Sooners are ranked Nos. 21 and 5 in Sporting News' post-spring top 25, respectively.
What’s new?
Well, Lincoln Riley gets his second Bedlam game as a head coach this season. He won his debut 62-52 in Stillwater last year, guided the Sooners to a 12-2 finish, another Big 12 title and a College Football Playoff berth as a rookie. Mike Gundy hired Duke defensive coordinator Jim Knowles. After three years of excellence at quarterback, both teams are searching for the next great one: Gone are Baker Mayfield and Mason Rudolph.
MAKING THE CASE: BEST EVER?
Baker Mayfield | Mason Rudolph
What it needs?
This thing would be a lot more interesting if Mike Gundy would let his hair down. Figuratively speaking, of course. The mullet-wearing coach has been tight the last two games against the Sooners, going ultra-conservative with a lead in 2016 and then unveiling some odd calls in crunch time last year in Stillwater. If Gundy coaches better in the two Bedlam games, the Cowboys stand a much better chance to win.
Will it change?
Why would it? Gundy’s all-time record against the Sooners as a player, assistant coach and head coach is 4-17. Meanwhile, Riley has landed top 10 recruiting classes (so far) in each of his first two years on the job. Meanwhile, Gundy's own athletic director has criticized his recruiting skill.
Both men got raises recently (their contracts both average $5 million a year), but OU just became college football’s latest blue blood to open a state-of-the-art player palace. With Oklahoma’s tradition, recruits, head coach and facilities, Bedlam stays one-sided for the foreseeable future.