• Bedlam football celebrates 100 years

By John Shinn

Transcript Sports Writer

Saturday’s game will be the 100th in football’s Bedlam Series. Oklahoma owns a 76-16-7 lead over Oklahoma State through the years. The Sooners are 36-8-2 in Norman, 36-6-5 in Stillwater, 5-2 in Oklahoma City and 1-0 in Guthrie.

However, the series has been much closer in recent years. Neither team has won more than two straight over the last 13 meetings. OU won back-to-back in 1993-94, 1999-2000 and is currently riding a two-game winning streak.

The Cowboys claimed consecutive wins in 1997-1998 and 2001-2002.

Big runners

Of the 36 200-yard rushing performances in OU’s history, eight have come against Oklahoma State.

Jim Grisham claimed the first 200-yard rushing day at the Cowboys’ expense when he piled up 218 in the 1963 contest.

Adrian Peterson had the most recent last year, when he ran for 249 yards as true freshman in OU’s 38-35 victory.

However, one OU player made a habit of having career days against OSU. Mike Gaddis topped the 200-yard barrier three times in the Bedlam game. In 1988 he rushed for 213 yards. He added 274 in 1989 and finished with 203 yards in 1991.

What’s Bedlam?

The Oklahoma-Oklahoma State rivalry has been dubbed the Bedlam rivalry for many years, but Stoops isn’t interested in where the moniker came from.

“I don’t get into all of the terms,” he said. “The bottom line is we’re playing Oklahoma State, an in-state rival, and we need to win it. All that other stuff, you guys have at it. It doesn’t much matter to me.”