Oklahoma and Texas made waves this summer by accepting invitations to join the Southeastern Conference.
After the 14 SEC presidents and chancellors unanimously voted to extend conference membership invitations to Oklahoma and Texas, it took just a day for the two universities to accept.
Both the Oklahoma and Texas board of regents unanimously voted to formally accept invitations to join the SEC on a Friday at the end of the month of July.
Oklahoma and Texas’ leadership have both stated publicly that the universities intend to remain in the Big 12 Conference through June 30, 2025, when the current Big 12 media rights deal expires. Still, many feel the exit for both will come long before that.
One of the repercussions for Oklahoma is what will happen with its annual Bedlam rivalry game against Oklahoma State. In the Oklahoma board of regents meeting where the Sooners formally accepted their invitation to join the SEC, OU president Joe Harroz addressed his and the university’s hope that Bedlam would continue.
“I also want to say this and I’ve communicated this to Oklahoma State and that is we want the Bedlam rivalry to continue well past the expiration of this media rights agreement. Make no mistake. We want the Bedlam rivalry to continue. And make no mistake. Even with this change, we want to play Oklahoma State in every sport, in every year,” Harroz said.
Harroz indicated that Oklahoma would have preferred for Oklahoma State to join the SEC with the Sooners, but that the landscape didn’t allow for that to be a possibility.
“The next question is why not Oklahoma State? Why did you do this and not bring in Oklahoma State University? This is a question we’ve thought about a lot dating back to 2012. That was part of our thought process and our conversation. We’ve analyzed this landscape deeply. Lots of conversations about how we do this. We looked at solutions for us to move together, but that simply is not what the market we’re pursuing allows. That was true then and it’s even more true today in this changed landscape,” Harroz said.
Oklahoma State president Dr. Kayse Shrum responded to the Oklahoma board of regents’ vote several days later on Twitter. On Aug. 1, Shrum tweeted the following statement.
Many have asked about the future of Bedlam. We enjoy the intensity and tradition whenever we play OU in any sport. Right now, there are too many unknowns to determine what the future holds.
— Dr. Kayse Shrum (@drshrum) August 1, 2021
“Many have asked about the future of Bedlam. We enjoy the intensity and tradition whenever we play OU in any sport. Right now, there are too many unknowns to determine what the future holds. Our athletic program is strong across the board and I have great respect for the dedication and hard work of our student-athletes in the classroom and their sports. Be assured we will move ahead with purpose, always honoring the principles we live by in the Cowboy Code and doing what is right — even when it’s hard. Go Pokes!” Shrum said.
Now, with the 2021 Bedlam game upon us, Oklahoma State head football coach Mike Gundy was asked if he thought the series against Oklahoma would continue.
“I don’t think it will. I just don’t think there’s a business side of it that…I don’t make that decision. I guess Dr. Shrum and Chad Weiberg, they could do whatever they wanted or the board. I don’t know who’s involved in this. I don’t think it’s a realistic thing that it’s going to happen based on the business side of power-five conference football in the Big 12 or the SEC. That’s just my opinion on it. I mean, I could be wrong and I’m not getting that from anybody. I’m just answering the question you asked me,” Gundy said.
Gundy felt the Cowboys’ existing non-conference commitments and an expanded Big 12 with BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF would mean continuing the Bedlam series is unlikely.
“So, that’s 10 power-five conference [games], so if you’re going to go back into this game, you would be willing to play 11 out of a 12-game season, which would be extremely difficult,” Gundy said.
“And, from a business standpoint, we all know this. The more success and games you win in football is a huge revenue avenue for your athletic department and your university, because the more you win in football, enrollment goes up. That’s the fact. Marketing money goes up. There’s a huge amount of money involved in that. So, you would say, if we were running a company and you’re in a business standpoint, somebody would have to make a decision. Do you want to risk some of that and how many other teams across the country that are competing to get into the final four are willing to play 11 conference games and only have one non-conference based on the amount of money that could be sitting there at the end? Whether you like it or not, I’m guessing that’s what’s going to take place.”
Gundy noted he’s not been involved in discussions with Shrum and Weiberg where either has said that Bedlam won’t continue. However it ultimately plays out, count Gundy in the camp that isn’t in love with the change.
“Well, Berry [Tramel] can tell you that I’m a traditionalist and I didn’t like any of it. I didn’t like when the Big 12 broke up whenever that was and Missouri and Nebraska headed out. And then, I didn’t like any of it. I liked it the way it was. I liked it. I thought the divisions were good. I just liked it that way, so, I mean, I’m not fired up about any of it, but, obviously, it doesn’t make a difference what I think,” Gundy said.
Oklahoma and Oklahoma State will renew Bedlam for perhaps the final time in Stillwater at least for the near future on Saturday night at 6:30 p.m. on ABC.
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