A Bedlam football revival? Not so fast, Chad Weiberg says

It didn’t take long for Eric Morris to catch the attention of Oklahoma State fans.

Not with his coachspeak nor any philosophical football chatter. Instead with a tease at a potential return of the Bedlam football game.

“I’d love to get on the phone with anybody that we know that could help us bring that game back,” Morris said Monday during his introductory press conference on campus. “If they’re asking if coach Morris welcomes that game, I’d welcome it with open arms.”

Morris acknowledged he had spoken to OSU athletic director Chad Weiberg about a potential return of the in-state rivalry prior to Monday. Thus, Weiberg wasn’t caught off guard when the new Cowboy football coach mentioned it. 

“Our position has not changed on that,” Weiberg said. “We’re not against playing that game. It just has to work out for the schedules. They’ve got new scheduling parameters now. We’ll continue to have to work through when the timing is right.”

The rivalry, which Oklahoma leads 91-20-7 all-time, has been dormant in football since 2023 when Oklahoma departed the Big 12 for the SEC. However, the Cowboys clinched the most recent Bedlam 27-24 at Boone Pickens Stadium, commencing one of the more ironic moments in program history as Stillwater erupted into pandemonium. 

Fans stormed the field, a goal post was torn down and the city streets were backed up for miles. The victory catapulted OSU’s season, as it went on to make an appearance in the Big 12 championship game for the second time under former coach Mike Gundy and finish with 10 wins.

So, why can’t the Cowboys and Sooners clash on the gridiron once more?

Complexities exist on both ends. For OSU, its first scheduling vacancy would be 2030-31, however, that spot is filled for 2032-35. The Cowboys’ current model includes at least one Power Four non-conference opponent each season. 

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For OU, its future schedules include a Power Four opponent every year through 2030, to which the spot is filled again from 2035-36. Not to mention, the SEC’s enforcement of a new scheduling philosophy of facing at least one Power Four opponent each season while trimming out-of-conference schedules from four to three games will likely make it all the more difficult for both parties to come to an agreement.

College football fans deserve Bedlam. Oklahomans need Bedlam, which Morris acknowledged. 

How much for a yearly contest even at a neutral site, hurt after all? Florida and Florida State play yearly. So do Notre Dame and USC. Clemson-South Carolina and, Georgia-Georgia Tech, too. 

Heck, North Carolina and South Carolina play in Charlotte every four years.

Unfortunately for fans, Weiberg said, it’s more complicated than what meets the eye. 

But if Monday was indicative of anything, Morris is already fitting the mold of a seasoned Cowboy. Hating the Sooners was a substantial step forward. And fans present appreciated each jab more and more. 

At one point, he even told fans not to “mention the school down south.” 

So, regardless of whether Morris’ first season is an instant turnaround, slow burning process or a drastic flop, regardless of whether the Bedlam rivalry lives on again, at least OSU fans can find solace in his disdain — even if new — for “the school down south.

“We’ll continue to have to work through when the timing is right. Weiberg said. “...Just have to take everything one day at a time.”