Lincoln Log: Oklahoma Preparing for Massive Bedlam Tilt on Saturday

NORMAN — Bedlam is here.

The No. 10-ranked Oklahoma Sooners found a way to get back in the win column last week against the Iowa State Cyclones, setting up a massive top 10 battle in Stillwater with everything on the line.

An Oklahoma win over the No. 8 Oklahoma State Cowboys would send the Sooners to Arlington to defend their Big 12 Championship, and potentially keep a path to the College Football Playoff on the table.

A loss would likely see OU’s Big 12 title streak snapped, and send them on to a disappointing bowl trip.

And oh by the way, did anyone mention that this could be the last Bedlam played in Stillwater for the foreseeable future?

It’s shaping up to be a massive week in Oklahoma, and OU head coach Lincoln Riley didn’t shy away from that during his weekly press conference on Tuesday.

Fully Healthy in the Trenches

One question coming out of the victory over Iowa State was the health of starting center Andrew Raym.

The redshirt freshman was hobbled with what appeared to be an injury against the Cyclones, and Robert Congel had to come in to fill the hole at center.

But on Tuesday, Riley said Raym was on track to be the guy at the heart of OU’s offensive line this weekend.

“I would say, he's expected to play,” Riley said about Raym’s availability. “I think we'll have everybody (on the offensive line) available, but I thought a couple of guys who came in — I thought Congel did a really nice job. I thought Erik Swenson came in and did a really nice job like he typically does.

“So that was good to be able to play a few different guys. I think it helped us. Refreshes those guys a little bit, and those guys have been practicing well enough that we've been wanting to play them.”

Raym’s availability is great news for the Sooners, as it’ll be all hands on deck offensively this week to try and move the ball against Oklahoma State’s stout defense.

Belief in Brkic

On Tuesday morning, OU place-kicker Gabe Brkic was named a finalist for the Lou Groza Award.

What seemed like an early-season for Brkic to be a finalist now comes with interesting timing as the star kicker has missed three straight field goals since Oklahoma’s bye week.

Headed into a Bedlam matchup where points will be at a premium, Riley said he still has full confidence in his kicker.

“Gabe will be great,” Riley said. “No other kicker I’d rather go into a game like this with… When you do that for a living, you’re going to miss some every now and then. He’s made his share and he’ll make them Saturday night.”

Regardless of the struggles as of late, Brkic still has knocked through five field goals of 50 yards or more this year, opening up the possibility that the Sooners could put points on the board just about any time they cross the 50-yard line on Saturday.

Riley Unmoved on Bedlam

On Monday, Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy cast doubt on the Bedlam series continuing once the Sooners depart to the SEC.

“I don't think it will,” Gundy said during his weekly press conference. “"I just don't think there's a business side of it.

“… "I don't think it's a realistic thing that's going to happen based on the business side of Power 5 conference football.”

For Riley’s money, he said he’d still welcome the continuation of the rivalry.

“I would say our perspective, my perspective, hasn’t changed on it any,” Riley said. “I mean, there’s a lot of teams that end up at some point in different conferences and still play, still play a rival.

“So, again, we all know lots can change in college football. Nobody can sit up here with a with a crystal ball and know for sure. But I would say from our perspective, nothing's changed.”

Ultimately neither Riley or Gundy get to make that call, as the scheduling constraints of the Big 12 and SEC will throw a wrench into the possibility. But it is very unlikely either team will be dedicating one of their precious few non-conference games to the Bedlam rivalry in the near future. 

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