Bedlam Football: A Look at Mike Gundy's Woes Against the Sooners
Oklahoma State’s rivalry with Oklahoma comes to a halt after Saturday, giving Mike Gundy a final chance to get a Bedlam win.
While OSU has been one of the most successful programs in Gundy’s tenure, that success has not translated to his matchups against OU. Since Gundy became head coach of OSU in 2005, he has beaten OU just three times.
Although the Cowboys lost their most recent Bedlam game but won in Stillwater in 2021. That game broke a six-game losing streak against the Sooners and propelled the Cowboys to 11-1 as they headed into the Big 12 Championship.
That night, OSU capitalized on its opportunity to move closer to a conference championship and national recognition. With that win, OSU did something that has eluded Gundy’s teams in Bedlam many times.
Beginning in 2009, the Cowboys' shutout loss to the Sooners likely prevented them from making a BCS bowl. In 2010, the Sooners’ 76-yard touchdown in the final minutes secured a Bedlam win in Stillwater.
That loss not only prevented OSU from making a BCS bowl, but a win would have sent OSU to the Big 12 Championship at 11-1 to face Nebraska, the only other team it lost to that season. The 2011 win looked like a significant step in the right direction, but it took OSU another decade before winning a high-stakes game against OU.
In 2013 and 2015, the Cowboys hosted Bedlam with a Big 12 Championship on the line. The Sooners won both games and even advanced to the College Football Playoff in 2015.
OSU realized the same fate in Norman in 2016. An 18-point Bedlam loss prevented OSU from winning the conference and going to a New Year's Six bowl.
Although it was not the final regular season game, OSU’s 2017 loss effectively ended its Big 12 title chances. It is not just the high stakes games where Gundy struggles as he is 3-15 as head coach against OU.
Considering his time as an assistant coach and player at OSU, Gundy has been a part of 32 Bedlam games. Including four losses as the starting quarterback in the 1980s, Gundy has a record of 6-25-1.
Saturday offers Gundy a chance to win what may be his final Bedlam game. With the Cowboys suddenly in the middle of the Big 12 Championship race, it also gives him a chance to swing his luck in high-stakes matchups and send the Sooners to the SEC with a feeling they have not often had.
Want to join the discussion? Like AllPokes on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Cowboys news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.
Ivan is a sports media student at Oklahoma State University. He has covered OSU athletics since 2022 and also covers the OKC Thunder for Inside The Thunder and Thunderous Intentions.