In recent years, Bedlam has become one of the most thrilling rivalries in all of college football. Over the last decade, Bedlam has delivered high stakes and high drama, which have come to define the rivalry.
With ESPN “College GameDay” making the trek back to Stillwater, Oklahoma, Bedlam holds Big 12 championship implications yet again, as both teams could win the outright title.
To set up the Oklahoma-Oklahoma State showdown, we look back at the top 10 moments in Bedlam history below:
10. Miller goes the distance (1976, OSU wins 31-24): On the third play of the game, OSU tailback Terry Miller took an option pitch and dashed 72 yards down the sideline for a TD. OSU went on to win to claim a share of its only Big Eight title. OSU hadn't won Bedlam in a decade and wouldn't win it again until 19 years later.
9. Landry strikes twice (2010, OU 47-41): In the final two and a half minutes, Landry Jones threw touchdown passes of 86 yards to Cameron Kenney and 76 to James Hanna in a late-game scoring flurry that also included Justin Gilbert's 89-yard kickoff return TD.
8. Sooners' two-point stuff (1969, OU 28-27): After a late TD, OSU went for the win on a two-point try. But OU's Albert Qualls sacked QB Bob Cutburth to save the Sooners, after Steve Owens capped his Heisman-winning season with a 55-carry, 261-yard rushing performance.
7. Bell’s fourth-down score (2012, OU 51-48): With 10 seconds remaining, Blake Bell smashed over OSU LB Caleb Lavey on fourth down to tumble into the end zone, sending Bedlam to OT for the first time. In overtime, Brennan Clay’s 18-yard TD finished off the dramatic come-from-behind win.
6. Lashar caps comeback (1983, OU 21-20): The Sooners trailed 20-3 with 10 minutes remaining, but a series of plays bounced OU’s way, including an onside kick that ricocheted off the helmet of OSU's Chris Rockins. With 1:14 to go, Tim Lashar nailed a 46-yard field goal to cap the improbable comeback.
5. Strait’s swat (2000, OU 12-7): On fourth-and-goal, OSU QB Aso Pogi threw the ball up for grabs to tight end Marcellus Rivers. But cornerback Derrick Strait swatted it away, ultimately preserving OU’s national championship season.
4. The Bell tolls again (2013, OU 33-24): Third-string QB Blake Bell led the Sooners the length of the field before connecting with Jalen Saunders in the corner of the end zone for the game-winning score. A couple of plays before, Justin Gilbert couldn’t hang on to what would’ve been a clinching INT. Eric Striker returned a fumble to the house during OSU’s desperation lateral attempt as time expired for the exclamation point.
3. Punt, Bob, punt (2014, OSU 38-35): After a running-into-the punter penalty, Bob Stoops inexplicably opted to punt to Tyreek Hill again with less than a minute remaining. Hill fielded the ball at his own 8, then sprinted down the sideline for a touchdown to send the game to overtime, where the Cowboys prevailed with a game-winning field goal.
2. Parker’s drop (1988, OU 31-28): The Cowboys had Heisman winner Barry Sanders, but OU had Sooner Magic. On its game-winning drive, OU fumbled twice, then converted a fourth-and-1 off a busted play. The Cowboys had a chance to answer, but Mike Gundy’s fourth-down heave bounced off the chest of Brent Parker in the end zone.
1. The catch (2001, OSU 16-13): With 1:36 left, true freshman QB Josh Fields found Rashaun Woods, who leaped over future Thorpe Award winner Derrick Strait in the corner of the end zone for the game-winning TD, lifting the four-touchdown-underdog Cowboys to the biggest upset in the history of the rivalry. The TD was set up by T.D. Bryant's acrobatic catch down the middle of the field over another Thorpe winner, Roy Williams.