Oklahoma State Preparing for What Could Be Last Bedlam for Quite Some Time

There's a quite a bit riding on the latest edition of Bedlam taking place in Stillwater this weekend. Both No. 7 Oklahoma State and No. 10 OU still have an outside shot at a berth in the CFP, OU's looking to make it back to the Big 12 title game and both teams will be playing for bragging rights as this could be the last Bedlam for who knows how long.

Mike Gundy said on Monday he wasn’t sure if Bedlam would be played again with OU going to the SEC at some point in the near future.  

So, when talking to players on Tuesday evening about the game, the importance of this Bedlam was brought up and if there’s any added pressure to win. We got to talk to Malcolm Rodriguez first and it really shouldn’t come as a surprise this is just another game for him.

“It’s the same every year; it’s always Bedlam, it’s always going to be high energy, high enthusiasm from each team,” said Malcolm Rodriguez. “That’s pretty much all I can say, it’s one of those things you’re used to, you know fifth year [here], it’s just Bedlam.”

Quarterback Spencer Sanders shared a sentiment a lot of people have shared on social media the past few days. If the Cowboys go out there and win this game, this history of the series won’t matter all that much to him.

“Obviously, I’m gonna say we’re gonna win, I’ve got confidence in our team,” said Sanders. “But I can already feel it, if we win then they’re going to bring up history, stats and all that, but honestly, I’m just gonna smile and know we won. It’s not gonna bother me. It’s like leaving a bad taste in somebody’s mouth when they’re leaving, it’s like they’re gonna have to deal with that; your last game with me you lost. So, I don’t want to hear about history, I don’t want to hear about stats, I want to hear about that game.”

Spencer was a little bit more diplomatic a few minutes later when asked if he could guarantee a win for the Pokes.

“Nothing’s guaranteed, but I can guarantee I’ll give it everything I got, 100%, and I feel like our team feels the same way,” Sanders said. We want to work hard and obviously they’ve got a great team down there, so I think it’ll be a good game.”

The Cowboys are 10-1 on the season and clinched a berth into their first Big 12 title game. So, while there’s still goals on the table, Gundy stated on Monday the team isn’t looking ahead to Arlington. Bedlam is the most important game on the schedule.

“So, the decision that we made is just to completely consider the championship game irrelevant and a bonus,” said coach Gundy. “And we're playing this game like it wasn't even there, like years ago when we didn't have a championship game. So, our approach as a staff with our team is that we're playing this game like the other game is non-existent. That's just the decision that we, and or, I made when I put myself in the player's shoes; I think that's what they want. I didn't ask them, but I think that's what they would want. So, we're business as usual. We're not changing anything this week other than our schedule a little bit because of Thanksgiving."