Bedlam college football rivalry to end when Oklahoma joins SEC: report

Bedlam, one of college football's fiercest and oldest rivalries, will cease to exist when Oklahoma joins the SEC

Another traditional college football rivalry may pass into history once the next phase of realignment takes place in the next few years.

Bedlam, the long-time rivalry between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State will come to an end when the Sooners join the SEC, according to reporting from Action Network.

It remains unclear exactly when Oklahoma will leave the Big 12 for the SEC, especially with College Football Playoff expansion on the horizon, but the expectation is that OU will move conferences by the 2025 football season.

"No interest"

“Oklahoma State has shown no interest to schedule any future games in football, so we’re moving on,” OU athletic director Joe Castiglione said, via the report.

Oklahoma State athletic director Chad Weiberg agreed, saying his school already has its non-conference football obligations set for the future.

“It [playing Oklahoma] presents logistical issues under our current [scheduling] structure,” Weiberg said. 

“We don’t have any openings to play them. We’re full. Unless there are significant undertakings to make the game happen, it can’t happen.”

Both schools said their non-conference schedules are booked for the next 15 or so years.

Bedlam history

It all started back on Nov. 6, 1904, a 75-0 win for the Sooners that included a melee after both teams chased a wind-blown punt into an icy creek, and continued uninterrupted ever since 1910.

Not a traditionally close series on the scoreboard, it never lacked intensity as fans of both schools will tell you.

OU has the huge 90-19-7 advantage in the series, but the Cowboys have taken 3 in the last 11, including last season's 37-33 victory in Stillwater.

But now, we're down to likely only two more Bedlam games before this historic series ends for good.

Another college football tradition bites the dust as schools jostle for position in the growing windfall of TV money.

(Action Network)

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