Bedlam Gameday - OSU Guide

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Bosworth was in his last go-round with OU. If there was an OSU team fit to

OU 31, OSU 28

NOV. 5, 1988 –

OSU, under first-year coach Pat Jones, beat South Carolina in the Gator Bowl.

That win in Norman gave Barry Switzer’s Sooners a share of the Big Eight title with Nebraska, and it sent OU to the Orange Bowl to face one-loss Washington.

“I still resent that,” Dirato said. “We were right there. That was a bitter pill. That one was really bitter right there.”

Two plays later, Tillman took a pitch and went 20 yards to the end zone to put away a game in which OU possessed the ball for more than 40 minutes.

NOV. 24, 1984 –OU 24, OSU 14

In perhaps the first Bedlam flip, and as a result of Barry’s station losing the rights to OU games, he was the voice of OSU from 1973-90. Dirato was his partner for most of those years. “He had been at OU, and I’ll just leave it at that,” Dirato said through a laugh. “He celebrated that win maybe more so than anybody else.”

It’s easy to understand why that season’s meeting between the two was the highest-ranked matchup in series history. OSU had Thurman Thomas, Rusty Hilger, Jamie Harris and Malcolm Lewis. OU had Bosworth, Dante Jones, Danny Bradley and Spencer Tillman. The No. 2 Sooners were up 17-14 with less than two minutes to play, though the No. 3 Cowboys had just forced a punt. As it sailed through the air, Dirato said, an OU player ran into OSU returner Bobby Riley and caused a fumble. No penalty was called.

Aside from chronicling another one of Miller’s standout performances, Dirato took a different sense of pride in that triumph. That’s in large part because of what it meant to Bob Barry Sr., who was OU’s play-by-play announcer from 1961-72.

“That was a huge game,” Dirato said. “It was just a huge game for us.”

On the third play from scrimmage, with freshman Harold Bailey under center for the Pokes, Miller broke free down the sideline for a 72-yard touchdown. He finished the game with 159 yards rushing, etching his name into the record book, and effectively etching his name into Bedlam history to help the Cowboys snap a nine-game losing streak against the Sooners.

“I’m not into Sooner Magic. I never have been. Every game, you have a chance to win. There’s reasons you win, there’s reasons you lose,” Dirato said. “But there are things that have happened in this series that do not happen in a lot of series.”

There’s a term for that around here. With this being the final Bedlam for the foreseeable future before OU departs for the SEC, there’s no telling what rabbit will be pulled out of the hat.

Here are some of the most memorable moments in Bedlam history, recollected by Dirato himself: OCT. 23, 1976 –OSU 31, OU 24 Dirato covered OSU from the day Terry Miller arrived in Stillwater. If there was any game that personified the iconic running back’s career with the Cowboys, it was that day in Norman. Miller entered the matchup needing 35 yards to surpass Brent Blackman and become the program’s all-time leader.

For OSU, wins have been highlighted by heroics from Gundy, Terry Miller, Rashaun Woods, Tyreek Hill and Collin Oliver.

Two, somebody you don’t even know, who hasn’t done a whole lot up til now, is gonna be the difference-maker.”

Dirato said. “One, it’s not gonna go the way you think.

“You come to the Bedlam game, whether it’s here or in Norman, and you might as well just expect two things,”

For OU, which leads the all-time series 91-19-7, an abundance of wins has come courtesy of Bosworth, Billy Sims, Adrian Peterson, Baker Mayfield and Dillon Gabriel. When the teams have been evenly matched, there’s always something – something – that tends to help the ball bounce the Sooners’ way.

Fans spill onto the field in the aftermath of No. 7 Oklahoma State’s 37-33 win over rival No. 10 Oklahoma on Nov. 27, 2021, at Boone Pickens Stadium. The triumph marked the Cowboys’ rstfi at home in a decade.

Jason Elmquist | Stillwater News Press

“It almost defies belief sometimes.”

“It is a happening,” he said.

He’s witnessed a lot. When the Cowboys host the Sooners this Saturday in Boone Pickens Stadium, it will mark the 118th all-time meeting between the two. Dirato has been there for nearly half of them.

After moving from New Jersey, he covered Oklahoma State for The Oklahoma Journal. That led to a 30-year stint calling football and basketball games on the radio and working with OSU Athletics. Despite retiring roughly 15 years ago, Dirato is still heavily involved in this neck of the woods through local radio.

To his recollection, Dirato has missed a max of five Bedlam meetings since then.

Dirato isn’t a man of cliches, but there are a couple of constants that ring true when it comes to Bedlam – regardless if the rivalry is or isn’t as vicious as it was when Mike Gundy and Brian Bosworth were going at each other in the mid-1980s.

“It took me a while to have to warm to Bedlam because I didn’t know about Bedlam,” Dirato said. “I’ve understood now that, in offices and families, it’s a volatile thing.”

It was far from his last time as part of the series’ history.

Charlie Durkee’s field goal helped OSU return to Stillwater with a 17-16 win in hand on Dec. 4, 1965. That was his introduction.

Growing up in the middle of New Jersey, Tom Dirato didn’t have a clue what Bedlam was. The coveted rivalry between Oklahoma State and Oklahoma, sewn into the fabric of college football, was nonexistent. A trip to Pennsylvania was considered a trip to the West Coast. For Dirato, the matchup was always Army vs. Rutgers. Until the thick of the 1960s. His mom was from Oklahoma. Treks from New Jersey to the Sooner State every couple of years usually included stops to see his aunts in Idabel. One of them featured a trip to Norman, where he watched from the stands as

Gundy has a lousy Bedlam record; no one will care if OSU wins the last one

Mike Gundy is the most successful coach in the history of Oklahoma State football. It is also true that his record against the program’s most hated rival is deplorable.

The same can be said for every Cowboy coach with the exception of Les Miles, who split four games with the Sooners at the height of the Bob Stoops era.

But Gundy’s 3-15 Bedlam record is particularly headscratching, considering he is, among all Cowboy football head coaches, first in Bedlam points per game and games played at a higher rank than OU. Yet, he’s 10th in Bedlam winning percentage.

And the two schools have arguably never been closer as football programs – at least since the 1940s.

If Gundy and the Pokes couldn’t squeeze by the 2022 OU team, the worst since 1998, then it’s hard to find reasons to predict why the fans in orange will storm the field at Boone Pickens Stadium at the expense of the undefeated 2023 Sooners.

But what if?

What if OSU sends OU to the SEC with a loss in the last annual Bedlam game? What if it ruins OU’s case for a spot in the last iteration of the four-team College Football Playoff, ends Dillon Gabriel’s candidacy for the Heisman Trophy and potentially sets the stage for a rematch in the Big 12 Championship Game?

It’s unlikely but not impossible.

If that happens, Gundy gets a legacy free roll for the

rest of his career. He gets to decide when he walks away from coaching.

He can’t erase 118 years of one of the most lopsided rivalries in sports or even just the past 19.

The Bedlam Series could go on for another 118 years,

and OSU fans would never be able to say they have a leg up.

But a win on Saturday would let them say the one thing they could.

“We got the last one.”

Nothing would be more satisfying for a fanbase that

has supported a team for generations without realistic national championship expectations, aside from the outliers of 1945, 2011 and a handful of others.

Bedlam is Oklahoma State’s Super Bowl.

And the best part of this

year’s installment? All of the pressure is on the Crimson and Cream. They’re the ones with the great record, a playoff roster and an esteemed legacy to defend. Gundy and Co. have nothing to lose. Fans thought the season was lost

in September, and the turnaround has been nothing short of remarkable. But they’re supposed to lose this game.

And if they do, 19-91-7 and 3-15 doesn’t look any worse than 19-92-7 and 3-16.

Memories of past Bedlams won’t be lost with series finale

When the annual Bedlam football game between the University of Oklahoma’s Sooners and Oklahoma State’s Cowboys arrived on the schedule, the powerful Sooners were, with a few exceptions, favored to win. And for good reason. Oklahoma evolved into one of college football’s most successful programs. From 1953 to 1957, Oklahoma compiled a 47-game winning streak, which remains a national record. OU won 31 straight games from 1948-1950 and went on a 28-game winning streak from 1973 to 1975.

The Sooners have won seven national championships, have an all-time winning percentage of .726 and are annually ranked in the upper tier of preseason and postseason polls.

That’s the predicament facing Oklahoma State when playing OU in the past 117 years of the Bedlam football series, which has continued uninterrupted since 1910. The first game was played in Guthrie in 1904. The Sooners lead the series 91-19-7. OSU’s largest margin of victory — led by All-American Bob Fenimore — was 47-0 in 1945. Despite the series record leaning heavily in OU’s favor, Cowboy players and fans are enthusiastic and optimistic when Bedlam week arrives each season. The trash talking among fans begins early in the week and a Bedlam ticket is coveted.

It’s a yearly tradition that is coming to an end after Saturday’s battle in Stillwater. When Oklahoma and its Big 12 Conference neighbor Texas leave for the Southeastern Conference in 2024, Bedlam games will no longer be on the schedule. At least not anytime soon.

Some fans will miss the annual in-state clash. Some won’t. Regardless, it will be a time of adjustment.

Growing up in southern

Oklahoma near the Red River, I remember listening to an OU game or a Southwest Conference Game of the Week on the radio each Saturday afternoon.

We usually cheered for the Sooners – especially when they played Texas. If OU lost, we had to listen to our friends across the river brag about Texas winning.

In 1965, we listened when Oklahoma State used a late field goal by Charlie Durkee to edge OU, 17-16, in Norman. The late Cowboy standout running back Walt Garrison played well in that game.

I remember my dad, who earned an agriculture education degree from OSU, being happy that O-State won, and equally happy OSU captured a 15-14 Bedlam win in 1966 in Stillwater. Normally, Dad only appeared interested in watching the Olympics and boxing.

That’s when I understood what a victory over the Sooners meant to O-State graduates. I understood even more after graduating from OSU in 1970.

During my senior year at OSU, the Cowboys suffered a heartbreaking 28-27 Bedlam loss at Lewis Field in 1969. Memories from that game include OU running back Steve Owens carrying the ball 55 times for 261 yards and three TDS. OSU quarterback Bob Cutburth threw a 7-yard TD pass to Hermann Eben in the final minute, but the Cowboys

failed on a potential game-winning two-point conversion run.

In 1976, I was in OU’s Owen Field press box reporting on Bedlam. OSU was the underdog but opened impressively when running back Terry Miller, the recent inductee into OSU’s Hall of Honor, turned the corner near OU’s sideline, found daylight and sprinted 72 yards for a first quarter touchdown.

OU rallied to regain the lead, but the Cowboys scored three times in the second half behind quarterback Charlie Weatherbie — who entered off the bench — as coach Jim Stanley’s Pokes left town with a 31-24 upset.

As we flew back to Stillwater in the company airplane, jubilant students were seen pushing the large Sirloin Stockade bull down The Strip toward its resting place in Theta Pond.

Few Cowboy fans in attendance have forgotten the 1983 Bedlam game in Stillwater. OSU, led by coach Jimmy Johnson, dominated in the first half and appeared headed for an upset win over No. 15 OU before the tide turned when a Sooner onside kick bounced off a Cowboy’s face mask. OU capitalized, eventually toppling the Pokes,

The OU football team celebrates after beating Oklahoma State during the 2014 Bedlam game at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater.

both wins, becoming fan favorites in the process. Fields hit Woods with a 14-yard TD pass in the final minute lifting OSU to the 2001 upset. In 2002, Woods dominated, catching 12 passes for 226 and three TDs.

O-State snapped an eightgame OU win streak in 2011 when veteran quarterback Brandon Weeden led the talented Pokes to a 44-10 win. Weeden passed for 217 yards, Joseph Randle ran for 151 yards and two TDs and Justin Blackmon caught 10 passes for 95 yards.

The 1984 Bedlam game in Norman was the most high-stakes game in the series. OU, coached by Barry Switzer, entered ranked No. 2 nationally and the Cowboys, coached by Pat Jones, were ranked No. 3. The two teams were tied 7-7 at halftime with OSU – led by quarterback Rusty Hilger and tailback Thurman Thomas — taking an early 14-7 lead in the third quarter.

OU, however, sealed the win after recovering a fumbled Cowboy punt. Sooner quarterback Danny Bradley ran for the decisive touchdown for the 24-14 victory. OU would later lose to Washington in the Orange Bowl and end up ranked No. 6 in the final poll.

OSU defeated South Carolina in the Gator Bowl to finish 10-2 and ranked No. 7 nationally.

Another Cowboy close call came in 1988 when OSU battled throughout before suffering a 31-28 Bedlam loss at Lewis Field. It was a game that vaulted Barry Sanders to the front of the Heisman class.

Sanders torched the Sooners for 215 yards and two touchdowns. But OSU fans won’t forget a controversial unsportsmanlike call on Cowboy fullback Garrett

Limbrick late in the game and a possible game-winning TD pass from O-State quarterback Mike Gundy bouncing off Brent Parker in the end zone.

The 1992 Bedlam game in Stillwater ended in a 15-15 tie as OU kicked a late field goal to overcome a 15-12 Cowboy lead. In Howard Schnellenberger’s only season as Sooner head coach and Bob Simmons first as OSU coach, the Cowboys blanked OU 12-0 in 1995. It was the first time in 50 years OSU blanked OU. The Sooners had scored in 140 straight games prior to the loss.

Simmons, who had a 3-3 record in Bedlam games during his tenure, led OSU to a 30-7 road win over OU in 1997 and a 41-26 home Bedlam win in 1998. In Simmons’ final season in 2000, the Cowboys fired a last second pass into the end zone with a chance to upset the Sooners before losing 12-7. OU won its last national championship later that season.

In the 2001 and 2002 seasons, under Cowboy head coach Les Miles, OSU snared a 16-13 Bedlam win in Norman and a 38-28 home win, respectively. Then freshman quarterback Josh Fields and receiver Rashaun Woods sparked

OSU captured a 38-35 overtime win at Norman in 2014 in a game defined by OU coach Bob Stoops decision to re-punt to Poke speedster Tyreek Hill. Hill returned the punt 92 yards for a TD with 45 seconds left tying the game before OSU won in overtime thanks to Ben Grogan’s 21-yard field goal.

In 2021, No. 7 O-State handed the No. 10 Sooners a 37-33 Bedlam defeat in Stillwater, which was the last game at OU for head coach Lincoln Riley and quarterback Caleb Williams.

OSU used a 37-yard TD sprint by quarterback Spencer Sanders and one-yard TD run by Jaylen Warren in the fourth quarter, along with a last second sack of Williams by Collin Oliver, to secure the victory.

Through the years, some of college football’s outstanding players and coaches have competed in Bedlam games.

Bedlam memories of outstanding teams, players, coaches, dominating defensive efforts, close calls, not-so-close calls and goal posts coming down won’t soon be forgotten.

Ron Holt is a sports columnist for the Stillwater News Press. Holt served as sports editor at the News Press for more than 30 years and resides in Bixby.

OU, OSU quarterbacks unite to tackle mental health stigma

OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES

In a powerful match-up promoting mental health, student-athletes Dillon Gabriel from the University of Oklahoma and Alan Bowman from Oklahoma State University have joined forces with the 988 Oklahoma Mental Health Lifeline.

Together, they are on a mission to address the urgent mental health concerns facing all Oklahomans, especially college students.

Ahead of Bedlam, the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services is reaching out to young adults to connect them to care. Among college students, 44% have at least one symptom of depression and one in five Oklahomans experience mental illness.

TOP 5 OSU BEDLAM WINS

MARCUS TREVINO MTREVINO@ STWNEWSPRESS.COM

There haven’t been very many Oklahoma State wins in its historic Bedlam Series with Oklahoma.

But that means each one has its own special meaning for different generations of fans.

Here are the five biggest OSU wins in Bedlam history:

5.

JOSH FIELDS, RASHAUN WOODS PLAY SPOILER (2001, 16-13)

No. 4 Oklahoma and No. 2 Nebraska were destined for a rematch in the Big 12 championship game. Heisman Trophy winner Eric Crouch and the Cornhuskers defeated the defending national champion Sooners, 20-10, in late October.

But two teams stood in the way – No. 14 Colorado (8-2) and unranked Oklahoma State (3-7).

The Buffs went on to pull off one of the most impactful upsets in college football history, 62-36, effectively ending the Cornhuskers’ dynasty. It also gave the Sooners an easier path to back-to-back BCS National Championship games.

All they had to do was beat the Cowboys at home as 27-point favorites.

OSU had not beaten a top 10 team in 17 years nor a top 5 team in 25 years, and the 2001 team had just lost five straight games.

OSU quarterback Aso Pogi threw two interceptions early, and coach Les Miles quickly yanked him for freshman Josh Fields. But the defense didn’t allow the Sooners to take advantage, forcing four punts and two interceptions and holding the opposition to 59 yards on their first six drives.

OU’s Quentin Griffin broke the game open with a 9-yard

Spencer Sanders threw an interception late in the second half, giving Caleb Wiliams time to tie the game at 24 going into halftime.

It looked like any positive OSU momentum was lost when Dominic Richardson fumbled the ball into his own endzone for a safety. Even more so when Presley muffed a punt that was recovered for a Sooner touchdown.

Then, Tanner Brown missed a 44-yard field goal on the Cowboys’ next possession, and Sanders threw another interception on the one after that.

OSU was going to fall apart in another Bedlam.

But the defense, which was arguably the greatest in school history, had other plans. After Sanders’ second interception, the defense forced two punts and two turnovers on downs.

The offense was given new life, and it responded with touchdown runs from Sanders and Jaylen Warren. The Cowboys had the lead and were 50 seconds away from winning an instant classic.

The tension inside Boone Pickens Stadium had never been tighter when Williams ran 56 yards to the OSU 24-yard-line.

to unranked Colorado (sound familiar?).

But the tides turned in OSU’s favor on the third snap of the Bedlam game against No. 5 Oklahoma. Quarterback Harold Bailey faked a handoff to Skip Taylor and pitched the ball to Terry Miller, the most recent name in Boone Pickens Stadium’s Ring of Honor, who made an OU defender and ran down the right sideline for a 72-yard touchdown.

And on OSU’s first defensive snap, Richard Allen forced an Elvis Peacock fumble that the Cowboys recovered.

Willie Lester’s interception would seal the 31-24 win with 36 seconds on the clock.

“That really sends the (OU) fans to the exit, although I don’t imagine any Oklahoma State fans are leaving here,” said Cowboy Radio Network Bob Barry.

OU and OSU played 27 times from 1967 to 1994, and the 1976 game was the latter’s only win. It was therefore also legendary OU coach Barry Switzer’s only Bedlam loss.

rushing touchdown, and the teams proceeded to trade field goals the rest of the night.

That was until the Cowboys had their last, best chance to steal the win. Fields, with three minutes to play, strung together four straight completions that set up a 15-yard touchdown pass to Rashaun Woods that will always be remembered as one of the biggest plays in school history.

OU cornerback Derrick Strait pleaded his case that Woods was out of bounds with the official, but the toetap catch would have been good on Sundays.

The Sooners had 1:30 left to make something happen, but the Cowboy defense forced a turnover on downs and saved them from the embarrassment of playing the Miami Hurricanes.

4. COWBOYS END SOONERS’ FOUR-YEAR REIGN (2021,

37-33)

Oklahoma had won four Big 12 titles in a row and was a game away from a shot at its fifth despite surviving games against worse teams with preseason Heisman Trophy favorite Spencer Rattler at quarterback. Oklahoma State, mean-

while, was having its best season in a decade and went into Bedlam as a favorite for the first time in a decade, too. The Cowboys had already clinched a spot in the Big 12 Championship Game a week prior with their win over Texas Tech.

A Bedlam win would deny the Sooners a rematch in Arlington and give OSU a real shot at its first College Football Playoff appearance. The game was a shootout from the start. Both sides each scored a pair of touchdowns, and Brennan Presley put the Cowboys up 21-14 with a 100-yard kickoff return.

The defense stood up in its biggest moment. Incomplete, incomplete, incomplete, sack.

True freshman Collin Oliver became a hero, and the fans in orange rushed the field –potentially for the last time on OU.

And the cherry on top? Lincoln Riley bolted for USC the next day.

3. TERRY MILLER VAULTS OSU ATOP BIG EIGHT STANDINGS (1976, 31-24)

Fresh off OSU’s most successful season since 1958, the 1976 Cowboys’ started off as something of a roller coaster – beating No. 8 Kansas and subsequently losing

The win was essential for the Cowboys’ to earn their share of the Big Eight CoChampionship along with OU and Colorado. It was their only conference championship of the modern era until ...

2. COWBOYS CLINCH FIRST BIG 12 TITLE (2011, 44-10)

A long 14 days separated two of the most important games in the iconic 2011 Cowboys’ schedule.

The first, a 37-31 double overtime loss to Iowa State. It would ultimately cost OSU a chance to play for a national championship against an LSU team that was shutout in the BCS National Championship Game.

It’s a heartache fans still

Elimination of Bedlam will have an economic impact on Stillwater

LAUREN KING LKING@STWNEWSPRESS. COM

The question isn’t how will the end of Beldam affect Stillwater financially.

It’s how much.

“Lots of people come into the community, and they’re obviously spending money while they are here,” said City of Stillwater Finance Director Christy Cluck. “It is actually a very difficult question to answer because it is very difficult to quantify impact on sales tax.”

That information comes from the Oklahoma Tax Commission. However, the numbers that the City receives is not substantial enough to decipher the impact of Bedlam weekend, because the collection is represented in monthly amounts.

The City cannot accurately break down the sales tax by a specific day or weekend. To decipher why some months may generate more or less money, City officials have to consider events that occurred within that month.

“This is something that we struggle with, in general, as we’re tracking sales tax, trends and things like that, because we see some ebbs and flows in our sales tax collections,” Cluck said. “So, we have to be kind of cognizant of what events are going on in town during that month –or in the fall, we’re counting the number of home football games in that month.”

Although Oklahoma State University is losing its Bedlam game with the University of Oklahoma, that game will be replaced with another team in an era when the Cowboys are selling out home games. OSU will not be at a loss entirely, and the community would not lose a profitable event in that season.

But the City will lose out on the number of Sooner fans that travel for the game, and that can’t be expected to be made up for by fans of Cen-

tral Florida, BYU or the Four Corners Schools (Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah).

The out-of-state fans that do make the trek to Stillwater, however, will bring more revenue to the City in the form of extended stays that come with a 7 percent visitors’ tax.

“We may have more OU fans travel in-state to come to a game. We also may have less of those fans staying overnight in Stillwater because it’s a little easier to drive back down the road and go home,” Cluck said. “Whereas some of these out of state teams – if they’re flying in or driving in to attend a game – are very likely going to stay for the night or maybe a couple of nights.”

There are also a lot of Oklahomans who have no rooting interest in the game, but come to Stillwater anyway for the spectacle. It would stand to reason, president of Visit Stillwater Cristy Morrison said, that a team geographically further away won’t be as attractive for neutral parties.

“There’s a lot of people who come to town even just for the day and spend money at our retailers or restaurants, fill up with gas,” Morrison said.

“I don’t think that there is any denying that homecoming and Bedlam are among the biggest attended football games. I think that Bedlam is not only big for the economy of Stillwater and Norman, but for the state of Oklahoma.”

The sales tax of 4 percent goes to the City of Stillwater’s general fund, transportation funds and the Stillwater Utilities Authority. General funds – services such as public safety – is allotted 2 percent. Both transportation projects and the SUA – which is a one-penny fund – are each allotted 1 percent.

Morrison said there will be a severe impact on sales tax, but the impact to visitor tax might not be as great as people may think. There are a limited number of hotel rooms and short-term rental

properties, and there are 55,000 seats in Boone Pickens Stadium. Hotels should be booked regardless of the opponent.

An unknown, however, is the effect eliminating Bedlam will have on small businesses. There will be an obvious change, but there is no telling how great that change might be, especially depending on the different effects each business will have to adjust to individually.

“There are just so many different variables so it is really hard to try to sit down and even quantify that,” Cluck said. “You can kind of feel in your gut, ‘yeah there is going to be an impact,’ but how much of an impact? I am not real sure yet.”

BEDLAM PREVIEW

OSU position grades

MARCUS TREVINO MTREVINO@ STWNEWSPRESS.COM

A few weeks ago, the Pokes might have been flunking across the board but recent play has the offense clicking, and the defense still making enough plays to win. Here’s a breakdown.

QUARTERBACK — C

Alan Bowman among Big 12 passers is ninth in yards, 14th in touchdowns and, perhaps most notably, 19th in yards per attempt. He rarely pushes the ball down the field, but he limits mistakes and hasn’t been the reason OSU has lost games.

RUNNING BACK — A

Ollie Gordon II became the frontrunner for the Doak Walker Award after rushing for 450 yards and five touchdowns combined in the Kansas and West Virginia games. Gordon is top 10 in the country in yards, yards per carry and touchdowns. The offense goes through him.

WIDE RECEIVER — C

An injury to the Pokes’ No. 1 receiver in De’Zhaun Stribling hurts this grade, as well as the fact that OSU has no receiver inside the top 15 in receiving yards in the conference. Brennan Presley is the unit’s saving grace as he is top 5 in touchdowns.

OFFENSIVE LINE — B-

The offensive line would have received an ‘F’ if it was graded on the first four weeks of the season. But the coaches changed schemes and simplified the offense, and the lineman have turned the season around, especially center Joe Michalski.

DEFENSIVE LINE — D

The Cowboys are tied for the fewest sacks in the coun-

Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon celebrates after scoring a touchdown during this year’s game against Kansas State at Boone Pickens Stadium. Gordon had 21 carries for 136 yards with the one score in OSU’s 29-21 victory.

try and third to last in tackles for loss (both last in the Big 12). The defensive line gets a passing grade because it has contributed to stopping the run in the past few weeks.

Linebackers — A Linebacker Nickolas Martin is No. 1 in tackles in the

Big 12. He and Collin Oliver are in the top 10 in sacks. The two are the clear cut best players on the defense.

SECONDARY — F

The Cowboys have allowed the second-most passing yards in the Big 12 and have

a league-worst pass efficiency defense. In the Iowa State, Kansas and West Virginia games, the youngest unit on the team gave up 10 touchdown passes of at least 25 yards. It will be hard to overcome this if Dillon Gabriel gets hot early.

PUNTING — B+

Wes Pahl is around league-average in net average punt yards, but he hasn’t had many opportunities to prove what he can do. When he does, he usually pins the other team inside the 15-yard-line.

KICKING — A

Alex Hale is the best kicker in the league. He has the most field goals made and is the most accurate from 20 to 29 yards, 30 to 39 yards and 50+ yards. A few misses inside the 40-49 yard range keeps from an A+.

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BEDLAM PREVIEW

OSU’s Bedlam history by the numbers

MARCUS TREVINO MTREVINO@ STWNEWSPRESS.COM

Here’s a look at the Cowboys’ Bedlam history by the numbers:

19

This number in Bedlam is like 40 in The Bible – it’s everywhere.

Oklahoma State has 19 wins in the 118 year history of the series.

Oklahoma got its 19th win in 1935.

The Sooners won 19 straight games from 1946 to 1964.

Oklahoma has 19 wins in Stillwater by at least 20 points.

Mike Gundy is in his 19th season at Oklahoma State and has fewer Bedlam wins than Lincoln Riley, who was the OU coach for five seasons. He has fewer Bedlam wins than Chuck Fairbanks and Garry Gibbs, who were the OU coaches for six seasons each.

Mike Gundy is seeking his

fourth Bedlam victory. No Oklahoma State coach has ever won four Bedlam games, while seven OU coaches have won at least four.

Oklahoma has four national championships over the past 50 seasons. That’s how many home Bedlam wins Oklahoma State has in the same time frame.

Oklahoma has four Heisman Trophy winners in the 21st century. Oklahoma State has three Bedlam wins since Jason White’s Heisman Trophy winning season.

In last year’s Bedlam, OSU quarterback Spencer Sanders threw four interceptions.

10

Oklahoma State didn’t score its first Bedlam point until the 10th game.

Mike Gundy is 10th among Oklahoma State coaches in Bedlam winning percentage.

Oklahoma as a top 10 ranked team is 40-4 in Bedlam games. Oklahoma State is 3-4.

Oklahoma State has scored fewer than 10 points

in exactly half of all Bedlam games (59).

Oklahoma State has shutout Oklahoma 10 times and went 7-3 in those games.

Oklahoma State’s biggest blowout win in a Bedlam game was 47-0 in 1945. Oklahoma has 10 bigger blowout wins in the series.

1,449

That’s the total number of points Oklahoma State has scored in the entire Bedlam Series. Oklahoma scored its 1,450th point in the 1966

game.

Oklahoma scored its 1,450th point just in games held in Stillwater by 2017.

50 MILLION

The number of dollars the University of Oklahoma forfeited in revenue distribution to leave the Big 12 for the SEC one year earlier than agreed upon.

22 MILLION

The price to end one of the state’s most historic annual traditions.

beat the Sooners, surely it would’ve been one with a high-flying offense that featured the trio of Gundy, Barry Sanders and Hart Lee Dykes.

The Cowboys almost did, too. Brent Parker would tell you they should have.

OSU was threatening to score. Gundy, as he had done countless times that season, heaved a pass to Parker in the back of the end zone on the last play of the game. Most people remember what happened next. Dirato still does 35 years later.

“It just went off his fingertips,” he said. “There was a hand in the area, a defender’s hand, which I’m sure played a role. He didn’t just drop it, period. But he would tell you to this day that it was catchable.

“That might have been the most painful game that I remember.”

NOV. 11, 1995 –

OSU 12, OU 0

Pat Jones’ 11-season stint leading the Cowboys had just come to a close. Bob Simmons was in his first year as Oklahoma State’s head coach. Gundy was in his second season as the Pokes’ offensive coordinator.

The Cowboys had dropped 15 in a row to the Sooners at that point. That’s when Simmons, who had spent the

previous six years as an assistant at Colorado, delivered a decade-defining speech after practice the Thursday before Bedlam.

“He said, ‘I’m just telling you, this is no big deal to me. We beat Oklahoma when I was at Colorado time-in and time-out,’ which they did,” Dirato said. “He said, ‘I’m telling you, we can win this game, and we’re gonna go down there and beat them.’”

It wasn’t pretty, and the Sooners weren’t in their prime, but the 2-7 Cowboys walked into Norman and left with the program’s 12th win in the series behind 200 yards of offense and nine first downs.

The sight to see was once the Pokes returned to Stillwater. After all, OSU hadn’t beaten OU in 18 games, including a 15-15 tie in 1992.

“Our fans, they were running all over in celebration through the streets – literally,” Dirato said. “When they got back into town, there was a motorcade, they made up medallions and license plates with ‘12-0.’ When you don’t have many wins, you celebrate the ones you get.”

NOV. 30, 2002 –

OSU 38, OU 28

This was one of the rarities for Dirato, one of the select few Bedlam matchups he’s missed since his first taste of the rivalry 58 years ago. He didn’t completely miss it, either. He was out of state

with the men’s basketball team for a nonconference game at Alaska Anchorage.

“We watched the game, and it was just a buttkicking,” he said. “It was a heyday.”

That it was. A year after spoiling OU’s aspirations of playing in the BCS National Championship, OSU did it again. Josh Fields and Rashaun Woods were the culprits.

It took a last-second touchdown the season before to beat the Sooners in Norman. In a return trip to Boone Pickens Stadium, Fields and Woods connected for three touchdowns. Against the country’s ninth-ranked defense, the former was 18 of 27 for 357 yards passing and four scores. The latter had 12 catches for a school-record 226 yards receiving.

Together, they capped a historic run that began with Simmons. That win was the Cowboys’ fifth in eight meetings with the Sooners, making it one of OSU’s winningest stretches in the series.

“What a celebration there,” Dirato said. “There ain’t many five-of-eights.”

DEC. 6, 2014 –OSU 38, OU 35 (OT)

Bob Stoops decided to punt it to Tyreek Hill. Then he decided to do it again.

The Cowboys and Sooners had traded blows all night. Desmond Roland opened the fourth quarter with a 3-yard

score for OSU. OU’s Aaron Ripkowski responded a few minutes later with a short touchdown of his own. Brandon Sheperd’s 43-yard catch took him into the end zone to make the Sooners’ lead 35-28 with less than five minutes to play.

OSU forced a stop, and OU bottled Hill, an electric returner at the time, to a gain of a handful on the punt. A penalty for running in the kicker left Stoops with a choice, still up a touchdown with a minute remaining.

Electing to decline the penalty would’ve placed the Cowboys inside of their own 20 with no timeouts left and Mason Rudolph, a true freshman quarterback, in charge of leading the offense on a game-tying drive.

“So, in his infinite wisdom, he decided to kick it again,” Dirato said. “I mean, I was glad he did. But you’ve gotta just be happy you held (Hill) to 3 or 4 yards.”

Hill returned the second punt 92 yards to the house. OU missed a field goal in overtime. Ben Grogan nailed

a 21-yarder to complete the comeback for OSU, silencing the crowd at Owen Field, and clinching the Pokes’ bowl eligibility in their last chance to do so.

NOV. 27, 2021 – OSU 38, OU 33

Caleb Williams dropped back, dodged a defender crashing into the backfield and took off. As the OU quarterback ran freely down the southern sideline at Boone Pickens Stadium, everything OSU had worked for was seemingly about to be erased.

Brennan Presley’s 100-yard kickoff return in the beginning of the second quarter? Gone. Jaylen Warren’s goahead touchdown with eight minutes remaining? Gone. The No. 7 Cowboys’ College Football Playoff aspirations? Gone.

“For a second, it looked like he was going in for a score,” Dirato said. “I forget who pulled him down, but, fortunately, they did. It looked like, ‘Oh my goodness. Not again. They’re gonna score.’”

Collin Oliver, who would be named the Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year a week later, crawled his way to Williams’ ankles on fourth down and spilled him onto the turf. Spencer Sanders’ kneeldown moments later sent Stillwater into a frenzy. It was OSU’s first home win over OU in a decade.

“That was a heck of a game there, right down to the end,” Dirato said. “It came that close to being another heartbreak. Fortunately, it didn’t work out that way.”

Dirato can thank Christian Holmes for escorting Williams out of bounds, keeping an eventual 56-yard gain from turning into a gamewinning score. After three straight unsuccessful shots to the end zone, Williams dropped back for what ended up being the final time that night.

UNITE

CONTINUED FROM H7

These statistics are a stark reminder to prioritize mental well-being for student-athletes like Gabriel, Bowman, and the entire college-aged community. The partnership between the 988 Oklahoma Mental Health Lifeline and these college quarterbacks is crucial to addressing these numbers and providing essential support for individuals facing mental health struggles.

Gabriel, OU quarterback, has emerged as an advocate for mental health, sharing his journey with 988 Oklahoma in a video PSA. He highlights mental health’s indispensable role in student athletes’ lives and how addressing his emotions helped him recover from a significant injury. Gabriel’s narrative focuses on the importance of 988 Oklahoma and the available mental health resources for everyone.

“Having 988 is a great resource. It’s something that’s so easy — three digits call or text. It’s something that

should be useful and helpful,” Gabriel said.

OSU quarterback Bowman has consistently prioritized mental well-being. Despite the pressures of life as a Division I student athlete, Bowman has found solace in daily meditation. Bowman’s

openness about his commitment to mindfulness is an inspirational example for his peers and fans, highlighting the importance of placing mental health at the forefront in high-stress environments. His compelling story is featured in a public service

announcement broadcast at OSU football games throughout the 2023 season, reinforcing that mental health is a priority for everyone in the community.

“If people are dealing with things that maybe they don’t feel comfortable talking with

COWBOYS NUMERICAL ROSTER

0 Ollie Gordon II RB 6’ 1’’ 211 So. Fort Worth, TX / Euless Trinity

0 Lardarius Webb Jr. S 5’ 10’’ 175 Jr. Opelika, AL / Jackson Academy Jones College

1 Xavier Benson LB 6’ 2’’ 224 R-Sr. Texarkana, TX / Pleasant Grove Texas Tech / Tyler Junior College

2 Korie Black CB 6’ 0’’ 185 Sr. Waco, TX / Connally

2 Talyn Shettron WR 6’ 2’’ 195 R-Fr. Edmond, OK / Santa Fe

3 Jaden Nixon RB 5’ 10’’ 185 R-So. Dallas, TX / Lone Star

3 Cam Smith CB 6’ 2’’ 191 R-So. Little Elm, TX / Braswell

4 Nickolas Martin LB 6’ 0’’ 215 R-So. Texarkana, TX / Pleasant Grove

5 Jaden Bray WR 6’ 2’’ 200 R-So. Norman, OK / Norman

5 Kendal Daniels S 6’ 4’’ 213 R-So. Beggs, OK / Beggs

6 Zane Flores QB 6’ 3’’ 200 Fr. Gretna, NE / Gretna

6 Lyrik Rawls S 6’ 1’’ 212 R-So. Jefferson, TX / Marshall

7 Alan Bowman QB 6’ 4’’ 209 R-Sr. Grapevine, TX / Grapevine Texas Tech / Michigan

7 Cameron Epps S 6’ 3’’ 208 R-Fr. St. Louis, MO / Chaminade

8 Blaine Green WR 6’ 1’’ 220 R-So. Allen, TX / Allen

8 D.J. McKinney CB 6’ 2’’ 190 R-Fr. Colleyville, TX / Colleyville Heritage

9 Trey Rucker S 6’ 0’’ 207 R-Sr. Waldorf, MD / Flint Hill (VA) Wake Forest

10 Rashod Owens WR 6’ 2’’ 219 R-Jr. San Antonio, TX / Roosevelt

10 Kale Smith CB 5’ 11’’ 170 R-So. Oklahoma City, OK / Midwest City

11 Tabry Shettron TE 6’ 4’’ 231 R-Fr. Edmond, OK / Santa Fe

11 Dylan Smith CB 5’ 11’’ 170 Fr. Little Elm, TX / Braswell

12 Kam Franklin S 6’ 2’’ 190 Fr. Oak Grove, LA / Oak Grove

12 Gunnar Gundy QB 6’ 1’’ 200 R-So. Stillwater, OK / Stillwater

13 RJ Lester CB 6’ 1’’ 175 Fr. Fort Smith, AR / Northside

13 Garret Rangel QB 6’ 2’’ 189 R-Fr. Frisco, TX / Lone Star

14 Nick Session S 6’ 0’’ 193 R-Jr. Gardena, CA / East (UT)

14 Peyton Thompson QB 6’ 1’’ 214 R-Sr. Tulsa, OK / Union

15 Ty Williams S 6’ 0’’ 200 R-So. Muskogee, OK / Muskogee

16 Josiah Johnson TE 6’ 5’’ 235 R-Sr. Jacksonville, FL / Bolles School UMass

17 Leon Johnson III WR 6’ 5’’ 207 Sr. Bothell, WA / Bothell George Fox

17 Tywon Wray Jr. S 6’ 2’’ 185 Fr. Smyrna, GA / Campbell

19 Alex Hale K 6’ 0’’ 205 R-Sr. Point Frederick, NSW, Australia / St. Edward’s

19 Gabriel Rodriguez S 5’ 9’’ 165 Fr. Wagoner, OK / Wagoner

20 DeSean Buckner CB 6’ 0’’ 205 R-Jr. Pine Bluff, AR / White Hall

20 Sesi Vailahi RB 5’ 11’’ 195 Fr. Salt Lake City, UT / West

22 Jeff Roberson LB 6’ 1’’ 230 R-Jr. Harrah, OK / Choctaw

23 Kenneth Harris CB 6’ 0’’ 193 Sr. Columbia, LA / Caldwell Parish Arkansas State

23 Jalen Pope WR 6’ 0’’ 185 Fr. Aledo, TX / Aledo

24 De’kelvion Beamon CB 6’ 0’’ 203 R-So. Shreveport, LA / Huntington

24 Elijah Collins RB 6’ 0’’ 220 R-Sr. Detroit, MI / University of Detroit Jesuit Michigan State

25 Hudson Devins RB 5’ 11’’ 205 Fr. Berea, OH / Berea-Midpark

25 Ike Esonwune LB 6’ 2’’ 215 Fr. Austin, TX / Manor

26 Jordan Reagan CB 6’ 1’’ 184 R-Jr. Bixby, OK / Bixby

27 Raymond Gay II S 5’ 10’’ 180 R-So. Red Oak, TX / Red Oak

28 Eli Williams S 6’ 1’’ 184 R-Fr. Stillwater, OK / Stillwater

29 Hudson Kaak P 6’ 1’’ 222 Fr. Seymour, Victoria, Australia / ProKick Australia

29 Cooper Lai S 6’ 1’’ 180 Fr. Tulsa, OK / Cascia Hall

30 Collin Oliver LB 6’ 2’’ 235 Jr. Oklahoma City, OK / Edmond Santa Fe

31 Chance Clements LB 6’ 2’’ 207 R-Fr. Stillwater, OK / Stillwater

31 Jaxon Deason WR 5’ 10’’ 170 R-Fr. San Antonio, TX / Central Catholic

32 Gabe Brown LB 6’ 2’’ 224 R-Fr. Stillwater, OK / Stillwater

33 Donovan Stephens LB 6’ 0’’ 220 R-So. Del City, OK / Del City

35 Poasa Utu LB 6’ 1’’ 205 Fr. Arlington, TX / Kennedale

36 Ty Walls WR 6’ 0’’ 180 Fr. Jenks, OK / Jenks

37 Isreal Isuman-Hundley DE 6’ 5’’ 257 R-Sr. Colleyville, TX / Heritage

37 Seth Swirczynski WR 5’ 11’’ 191 R-Fr. Muenster, TX / Sacred Heart

38 Jake Schultz FB 6’ 3’’ 241 R-Sr. Prague, OK / Prague

38 Kade Welcher S 6’ 0’’ 182 R-So. Rockwall, TX / Rockwall

39 Parker Robertson S 5’ 11’’ 180 R-So. Dallas, TX / Dallas Christian

40 Garrick Martin S 6’ 0’’ 182 R-Jr. Stillwater, OK / Stillwater Emporia State

41 Constantino Borrelli LB 5’ 11’’ 220 R-Jr. Ramsey, NJ / Don Bosco Prep

42 Grant Mirabal LB 6’ 2’’ 230 Fr. Argyle, TX / Argyle

44 Shea Freibaum LS 6’ 1’’ 200 Fr. Scottsdale, AZ / Saguaro

44 Justin Wright LB 6’ 2’’ 244 R-Sr. Abilene, TX / Cooper Tulsa

45 Justin Crutchmer LB 6’ 0’’ 180 Fr. Pearcy, AR / Lake Hamilton

47 Luke McEndoo FB 6’ 1’’ 256 R-So. Stillwater, OK / Stillwater

47 Patrick Ojo DE 6’ 2’’ 238 R-Fr. Grand Prairie, TX / Lake Ridge

48 Bryce Drummond TE 6’ 3’’ 219 R-So. Pawhuska, OK / Pawhuska North Texas

48 Elijah Wright LB 5’ 9’’ 237 R-Jr. Vian, OK / Vian Central Oklahoma

49 Thomas Murray K 5’ 11’’ 175 R-Fr. Shreveport, LA / Captain Shreve Temple

51 Bo Hardy LB 5’ 11’’ 213 R-Jr. Piedmont, OK / Piedmont

51 Austin Kawecki OL 6’ 5’’ 281 R-Fr. Frisco, TX / Lebanon Trail

52 Garrett Keith OL 6’ 4’’ 275 Fr. Ardmore, OK / Plainview

53 Andrew McCall LB 6’ 0’’ 209 Fr. Atoka, OK / Atoka

54 Marcus Duckworth NT 6’ 1’’ 300 R-Jr. North Richland Hills, TX / Birdville

54 Jude Ropp OL 6’ 4’’ 280 Fr. Stillwater, OK / Stillwater

56 Xavier Ross DE 6’ 4’’ 290 R-Sr. Cedar Hill, TX / Cedar Hill

57 Ryan Baker DE 6’ 3’’ 235 R-Jr. Cashion, OK / Cashion

57 Osker Ehrlich LS 6’ 3’’ 200 R-Fr. Stillwater, OK / Stillwater

58 Viliami Makahununiu OL 6’ 4’’ 304 R-Fr. Norman, OK / Norman

59 Kason Shrum K 6’ 1’’ 160 R-Jr. Tulsa, OK / Broken Arrow UA Rich Mountain

61 Jake Springfield OL 6’ 5’’ 323 R-Sr. Flower Mound, TX / Flower Mound

62 Jamison Mejia OL 6’ 5’’ 280 Fr. Broken Arrow, OK / Broken Arrow

63 Zeke Zaragoza LS 5’ 10’’ 205 R-Sr. Ontario, CA / Ontario Christian San Bernadino Valley

A screen capture from Alan Bowman’s 988 video shows the OSU quarterback at Boone Pickens Stadium. To see both quarterback PSAs, visit youtube. com/ 988okla. com.

Image Provided

friends or family about and there’s something that really is on their mind that’s eating them up, 988 is always there to help,” Bowman said.

“Mental health matters, and it is important to encourage students to prioritize their well-being,”

College

64 Jarrett Henry OL 6’ 6’’ 310 So. Palestine, TX / Palestine Trinity Valley CC

65 Hilton Marsh OL 6’ 0’’ 275 R-So. Keller, TX / Keller

66 Joe Michalski OL 6’ 4’’ 303 R-Sr. Kansas City, KS / St. Thomas Aquinas

67 Cole Birmingham OL 6’ 5’’ 325 R-Sr. Katy, TX / Katy

67 Jaelen Tucker NT 6’ 1’’ 269 R-Fr. Oklahoma City, OK / Edmond Santa Fe

68 Taylor Miterko OL 6’ 6’’ 296 R-Sr. Carlsbad, NM / Carlsbad

69 Evan Bax OL 6’ 4’’ 280 R-Fr. East Cobb, GA / Walton

69 Logan Ward K 6’ 0’’ 210 R-So. Edmond, OK / Deer Creek

70 Jack Endean OL 6’ 6’’ 297 Fr. Tucson, AZ / Tanque Verde

70 Jed Wagner NT 6’ 2’’ 307 R-So. Tulsa, OK / Cascia Hall

71 Dalton Cooper OL 6’ 7’’ 311 R-Sr. Prague, OK / Prague Texas State

71 Aden Kelley NT 6’ 2’’ 295 R-So. Thomas, OK / Thomas-Fay-Custer

72 Calvin Harvey OL 6’ 8’’ 345 R-Fr. Houston, TX / Ridge Point

73 Jason Brooks Jr. OL 6’ 4’’ 298 R-Jr. Houston, TX / Dobie Vanderbilt

74 Preston Wilson OL 6’ 5’’ 295 R-Sr. Argyle, TX / Argyle

75 Jakobe Sanders OL 6’ 3’’ 336 Fr. Stillwater, OK / Stillwater

77 Noah McKinney OL 6’ 5’’ 317 R-Fr. Henderson, NV / Coronado UNLV

78 Davis Dotson OL 6’ 6’’ 301 R-Fr. Tulsa, OK / Berryhill

79 Wes Pahl P 6’ 5’’ 200 R-Jr. Columbus, GA / Brookstone Western Kentucky

79 Gage Stanaland OL 6’ 5’’ 285 Fr. Tuscola, TX / Jim Ned

ODMHSAS Commissioner Carrie Slatton-Hodges said. “We are dedicated to empowering young adults to prioritize their mental health. During the difficult transition to adulthood, we want them to be aware of the resources available to them. Seeing these real-life superheroes advocate for mental health resources will surely empower others to reach out, too.”

As influential figures in the college sports community, Gabriel and Bowman use their platforms to foster open conversations about mental health. Their willingness to share their challenges provides hope for those silently struggling. By teaming up with 988 Oklahoma, they underscore the importance of mental health and available resources. Everyone can cheer on mental health regardless of the team you root for.

For more information about mental health resources and the 988 Oklahoma Mental Health Lifeline campaign, please visit 988oklahoma. com. To see both PSAs, visit youtube.com/988okla.com.

80 Brennan Presley WR 5’ 8’’ 175 Sr. Tulsa, OK / Bixby

81 Camron Heard WR 6’ 0’’ 160 Fr. Houston, TX / Furr

82 Quinton Stewart TE 6’ 2’’ 255 R-Jr. Salina, KS / Salina Central

83 Cale Cabbiness WR 6’ 2’’ 200 R-Jr. Norman, OK / Norman North

84 Mason Gilkey WR 6’ 3’’ 175 R-Fr. Pawhuska, OK / Pawhuska

85 Tykie Andrews WR 6’ 1’’ 185 Fr. Enid, OK / Enid

86 Ian Edenfield TE 6’ 5’’ 272 R-Sr. Uniontown, PA / Laurel Highlands California (PA)

87 DeSean Brown DE 6’ 3’’ 254 R-Fr. Choctaw, OK / Choctaw

87 Cason Cabbiness

88

92

haven’t recovered from.

The second, a 34-point Bedlam blowout that stands as OSU’s second largest in the series behind a Bob Fenimore-led team in 1945 (47-0). The win secured Oklahoma State’s only outright Big 12 crown.

Joseph Randle and Jeremy Smith combined for 270 rushing yards and four touchdowns, Justin Blackmon caught 10 passes for 95 yards and the Cowboy defense, which entered the game ranked 107th out of 120 teams, didn’t surrender a touchdown in the game’s first 58 minutes.

The OSU college football team of 2011 remains one of the greatest ever to never play in a national title game, but the voters can never take away one of the best wins of the Mike Gundy era.

1. A MISSED FIELD GOAL SNAPS COWBOYS’ 19-GAME LOSING STREAK (1965, 17-16)

A lot of things happened between 1946 and 1964.

President Harry Truman proclaimed the end of World War II. The first mass vaccination of children against polio began. Construction of the Berlin Wall began in East Germany. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have A Dream” speech. President

John F. Kennedy was assassinated.

And an OSU freshman had lived his or her entire life, but neither the Oklahoma A&M Tigers, nor the Cowboys had defeated the Sooners on the gridiron.

That changed when Ron Shotts’ 41-yard field goal sailed wide left with six seconds on the clock. A minute and a half earlier, Charlee Durkee kicked a 35-yard field goal to put the Pokes up 17-16.

OSU President Oliver Willham canceled Monday classes. Students lit bonfires across campus, and the Student Union Activities Board organized a dance.

The 1965 Bedlam win didn’t clinch a championship of any sorts. The Cowboys compiled a 3-7 record that year. They didn’t beat a loaded OU team. The Sooners finished 3-7, as well.

But the streak was over, and for a night, the Cowboys were kings.