Mike Gundy suggests reviving Bedlam vs Oklahoma for spring game

Spring is beginning to look a little different in college football. A few programs are going without a spring game this year, opting for an open practice or a fan day. Colorado‘s Deion Sanders is attempting to work with Fran Brown at Syracuse, potentially allowing them to practice and scrimmage against each other.

Mike Gundy has a similar idea but with a little more spice than a potential Colorado-Syracuse scrimmage. Gundy suggests Oklahoma State revive Bedlam with Oklahoma and face off against each other in a spring game. Two matchups a year was his first thought before proposing the idea of alternating venues while splitting revenue.

“That’s something we’ve talked about,” Gundy said of practicing/scrimmaging against another team. “I think it’s a great idea… Honestly, for us, we should do a home and home with OU in the spring… They should come here on the 19th. I think their’s is earlier in the year, we should go down there and play a home-and-home against each other in the spring. Charge $25 a head, they can use it for NIL, we can use it for NIL. If they don’t want to do two in one spring, we can do one here this year, do it there next year, and split the gate. Because we get tired of practicing against each other.”

Bedlam is currently dormant after Oklahoma left the Big 12 in favor of the SEC. After well over a decade of history, 2024 was the first season the Sooners and Cowboys did not play since 1903. No future games are on the schedule either, a controversial topic inside the state.

So, if nothing is going to come together for a regular season matchup, a spring game might be the next best thing. Usually one of the more intense games of the year, the level would certainly have to drop if Gundy’s idea came to fruition. Injuries are still a big concern for him, not wanting “live” periods.

“It’s not going to be a live game,” Gundy said. “I don’t know what Coach (Brent) Venables would say but I would be concerned with making it live just because of injury. But nobody really has live scrimmages anymore, so you make it a full thud, like we’re doing, and practice against each other. Just like in the NFL.”

Neither Oklahoma nor Oklahoma State will host a spring game this season. Gundy’s squad will have something on April 19, while a week prior, the Sooners will host the Crimson Combine. Fans will have great opportunities at both however, you have to imagine seeing the rivals on the same field would draw a lot more interest.