Oklahoma-OK State Bedlam rivalry to end when Sooners join SEC

The Bedlam rivalry is set to end once the Sooners leave the Big 12. Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Conference realignment to ruin Bedlam rivalry between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State

By Andrew Kulha | Last updated 9/20/22

Conference realignment is exciting for college football in many ways. Who would have ever thought that a program like USC could become part of the Big Ten? Or how about Texas and Oklahoma joining the SEC as soon as 2025? Those are two of the biggest programs in the nation, and they're joining the best college football conference in the nation. It doesn't get much bigger than that.

So yes, there are some really good things about realignment and the expansion of conferences like the Big Ten and SEC as they seek "super-conference" status, but it's not all roses.

Schools changing conferences are bound to create some new rivalries, but they'll also lose out on some of the more exciting matchups in college football history.

That won't always be the case, of course, but we already know of at least one rivalry that's about to get the axe. According to college football insider Brett McMurphy, the Bedlam series between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State will be no more when the Sooners end up joining the SEC.

Bedlam Series b/w Oklahoma & Oklahoma State is done when OU joins SEC, both ADs told @ActionNetworkHQ. Bedlam Series is latest iconic rivalry destroyed by conference realignmenthttps://t.co/8okSJVAicK
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) September 20, 2022

“It (playing Oklahoma) presents logistical issues under our current (scheduling) structure,” Oklahoma State AD Chad Weiberg told McMurphy. “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.”

Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione also commented on the rivalry ending, saying, "Oklahoma State has shown no interest to schedule any future games in football, so we’re moving on (with filling OU’s future nonconference openings).”

It's worth noting that the two schools could technically schedule each other in the nonconference portion of the schedule, but it sounds like there's some expected bitterness between the soon-to-be former rivals.

Bedlam has been going on since 1904, with Oklahoma and Oklahoma State having met 116 times, including annually for the past 112 years.

What a shame.

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