Commentary: Bedlam Could Boost Oklahoma State’s Playoff Resumé — and the Big 12

STILLWATER – Oklahoma State already owns one of the nastier schedules in the reshaped Big 12. The Cowboys’ 2025 slate carries 22 strength-of-schedule points, tied for second in the league, according to a composite that weights every opponent against the preseason USA Today Coaches Poll released Aug. 4.

Yet the conference slate isn’t enough. OSU is the only Big 12 program facing a top-10 foe this season, and no league member meets a top-five team. Depth is real, but star power is thin. If the Cowboys want to look like a College Football Playoff contender — and fatten the athletic-department ledger — they need a second marquee date.

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The answer: revive Bedlam as a non-conference game.

Here’s what the numbers say

*RV = “receiving votes.”
Scoring model: Tier 1 = 5 points, Tier 2 = 4, Tier 3 = 3, Tier 4 = 2, Tier 5 = 1, Tier 6 = 0. Maximum possible score is 60.

Oklahoma State’s lone Tier-2 matchup does heavy lifting, but adding a second headline game would separate the Cowboys from every league rival and ease committee doubts about the Big 12’s top-end heft.

Why Bedlam moves the needle

Pat Kinnison - Chief Photographer

Dylan Smith finished off the Bedlam win in 2023.

Eyeballs and cash — The 2023 Bedlam finale drew nearly four million viewers on ABC, roughly a 60 percent bump over the same time slot a year earlier. Ticket, concession and merchandise sales routinely top $5 million when the Sooners come to Stillwater.

Playoff optics — A win over another helmet logo beats two victories over Group of Five teams in the eyes of the CFP selection committee.

Recruiting juice — Nothing sells a program like beating its former conference bully on national television.

How to make the calendar work

Lobby the Big 12 for an eight-game league model. The SEC still plays eight, giving its members room for both a helmet game and a late-November cupcake that keeps starters healthy and frees inventory for television specials.

Place Bedlam in Week 2 or a neutral-site kickoff classic. The early slot avoids tiebreaker complications, provides a ratings anchor before the NFL starts and leaves space for a Thanksgiving-week breather.

Schedule an FCS or low-tier Group of Five buy game. Current market rates run $500,000 to $600,000 — pocket change compared with the extra $2 million to $3 million Bedlam delivers.

Anticipated objections

OU isn’t ranked high enough. The Sooners open in Tier 2 and own a top-20 recruiting class; odds favor an upward move. Even a top-15 opponent doubles the résumé value of a mid-major.

Nine league games ensure fairness. Parity without playoff access is treadmill football. Matching the SEC’s eight-game model levels the field.

Why help the rival? Because mutual revenue beats ideology, and a rivalry win resonates longer than any balance-sheet squabble.

Bottom line

Pat Kinnison - Chief Photographer

Plus when you win it is a lot of fun!

The 2025 Big 12 offers plenty of depth but little dazzle. Oklahoma State already owns the league’s only top-10 test, and it still isn’t enough. Swap one conference game for a cupcake, resurrect Bedlam and the Cowboys walk into December with a stronger playoff case, millions in extra revenue and a rivalry the Big 12 sorely needs back on center stage.

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