How Oklahoma State Can Still Win Bedlam Football Without a Game

Oklahoma State might not have its biggest rivalry on the schedule anymore, but it can still take shape in other forms.

Last season was the first of this new era with Bedlam off the schedule, and it didn’t necessarily feel strange in the moment. However, the feeling of Bedlam week and the leadup to one of the best weekends in the state was still noticeably absent.

While Bedlam is still finding its way onto the schedules of almost every other sport, football is the odd one out. With no plans for the rivalry to be renewed on the gridiron in the near future, fans are left in the dark on what was once a bright spot of Oklahoma falls.

Despite the fact that Bedlam isn’t going to be decided on the field over the course of four quarters in Stillwater or Norman anytime soon, the Cowboys and Sooners still have fans desperate for bragging rights. While the ultimate bragging rights will continue to reside in Stillwater until the next matchup comes about, there is still another way for one program to win Bedlam each season.

As simple as it sounds, the Bedlam “winner” in this era can simply be the team who has a better season. While the Cowboys and Sooners have been among the top teams in the country at points in recent history, both had lackluster seasons in 2024 and are looking to bounce back in a big way in 2025.

Oklahoma is picked by many to be a SEC dark horse next season, but the Cowboys are still anticipated to be among the bottom or middle of the pack in the Big 12. However, if OSU could have a true surprise season and the Sooners continue to struggle in the SEC, 2025 could be a major turning point in the Bedlam discussion.

Sure, neither side is necessarily happy about the end of the rivalry, but there is no doubt that most of the blame belongs to the Sooners. If the Cowboys can find a way to have more success in the Big 12 than the Sooners do in the SEC, it will maybe feel just as sweet as beating them in a head-to-head matchup.