All Sooners

Big 12 Media Days: Mike Gundy Laments Bedlam Because 'Oklahoma Chose to Go to the SEC'

Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy took the podium at Big 12 Media Days on Wednesday to discuss the final matchup between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.

Randall Sweet

John E. Hoover / AllSooners
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ARLINGTON, TX — Mike Gundy told reporters on Wednesday that Bedlam is dead because of OU.

"The Bedlam game is over because Oklahoma chose to leave the Big 12. Period," Gundy said when asked about Bedlam. "Do I like that? No. Do I like that conferences have broken up in the past? No, I don't. But I also know that we have to control what we can control, which is conference realignment is there. It's probably still going on. Wherever we all end up and whatever schedule they give us to play, we go play it and do the best we can."

Bedlam has been a staple of Cowboys and Sooners football for over 100 years, and will be missed severely by fans of both schools across the state. Gundy didn't stop there though, continuing to point out that Bedlam is coming to an end due to a choice made by the Sooners.

"Oklahoma State’s not going to change what we do because Oklahoma chose to go to the SEC," Gundy said. "They need to change what they do, because they’re the ones that made their minds up to go to the SEC."

"So with all the talk from the administration and people saying that Oklahoma State needs to do this and that, all Oklahoma had to do was not go to the SEC. So it is what it is. We can cut right to the chase. So for me, I’m gonna listen to the board, I’ll listen to the president, I’ll listen to the AD, and if that’s something they want to do, then I’m good. But I don’t think it’s gonna happen based on the way the schedule is. And everybody needs to realize – it didn’t have to happen if they didn’t change leagues."

Oklahoma State's head coach also talked about how Bedlam is different than it once was, saying social media has created a different environment than fans are accustomed to.

"The Bedlam game has changed," Gundy said. "These players, they all know each other now, like they talk on social media. When I played, I didn't even want to talk to people from OU. We just weren't friends. Now these guys are buddies."

Gundy and company are looking to bounce back this season after a lackluster performance in 2022-23. 

The Cowboys started off hot, going 6-1 in their first seven games of the season before dropping five of their final six contests, including what could be the penultimate Bedlam matchup for the foreseeable future. 

OSU was picked to finish seventh in the conference this season according to the Big 12 Media Preseason Poll. Gundy and company closed last season with a loss to the Wisconsin Badgers in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl.

In 2023-24, Oklahoma State will have plenty of questions to answer after losing a multitude of players including veteran quarterback Spencer Sanders and standout defensive lineman Trace Ford. 

"Nothing surprises me anymore in college football," Gundy said of Ford's transfer. "He was at Oklahoma State and had a good run early in his career. He was hurt the last few years at our place, so we didn't really get to see him play much. Hopefully he's healthy and he can finish his career strong."

The Cowboys do still have a few notable players, with former OK Preps stars Brennan Presley, Collin Oliver and Kendal Daniels all being named to the 2023 Media Preseason All-Big 12 Football Team.

Oliver, Presley, senior defensive back Korie Black and redshirt senior offensive lineman Preston Wilson joined Gundy in Arlington at Big 12 Media Days.

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Randall Sweet
RANDALL SWEET

Randall is a recruiting analyst and staff writer at AllSooners focusing primarily on OU Football and the recruiting trail. Working as a journalist, Randall has covered the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma City Thunder, and high school sports across the state. A 2022 University of Oklahoma graduate, Randall hails from Lubbock, TX. While in college, Sweet wrote for the OU Daily in addition to working with Sooner Sports Pad and OU Nightly. Following his time at OU, Sweet served as the Communications Coordinator at Visit Oklahoma City before leaving to join the team at AllSooners. The West Texas native has bylines in the Norman Transcript and is a Staff Writer for Inside the Thunder. Randall holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Oklahoma in Norman, OK. 

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