Sooners the best in Oklahoma according to CBS Sports

With years of Bedlam dominance, CBS Sports dubbed the Sooners the best in Oklahoma.

The Oklahoma Sooners have been a force in college football for as the game’s been around. In the state of Oklahoma, the Sooners have been the preeminent program.

Against their in-state foes Oklahoma State and Tulsa, the Sooners are a combined 111-26-7 all-time. They’re 91-19-7 against the Cowboys and 20-7 against Tulsa.

And not that it’s surprising, but picking the best team in each state, CBS Sports’ Barrett Sallee selected the Oklahoma Sooners as the best team in Oklahoma.

This one is a debate between Oklahoma and rival Oklahoma State. Neither team had stellar seasons in 2022, but Oklahoma enjoyed a ton of success prior to the departure of Lincoln Riley. The jury is still out on the ceiling of the program under coach Brent Venables, but last season’s 28-13 win over the Cowboys is enough to push the Sooners over the top. – Sallee, CBS Sports

Oklahoma State earned a win over the Sooners in 2021, but Brent Venables and his crew were able to get a win over their Bedlam rivals in 2022. With as rough a season as it was for the Sooners last year, OU picked up a 15-point win with a strong defensive effort.

There’s no telling what the future of Bedlam looks like beyond 2023, but this year’s version in Stillwater will provide a raucous environment to close this chapter of the in-state rivalry.

The Sooners will also make the jaunt up I-44 to face Tulsa giving Oklahoma an opportunity to reassert their dominance in the state before heading off to the SEC. The Golden Hurricane will have a familiar face leading the way with former offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson taking the head coaching job this offseason. He’ll try to establish a high-scoring offense in the 918.

As good as Oklahoma State has been in recent years, and even with the Sooners down year last year, it’s still clear who the top program in the state is heading into 2023.

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