Mike Gundy ready to crush Sooners and end Bedlam on high note

STILLWATER, Okla. — Saturday afternoon’s Bedlam series will be a memorable one for many reasons.

After all, it’s going to be the last time in the foreseeable future that Oklahoma State will face Oklahoma. The Sooners will be in the Almighty SEC next season, and Coach Mike Gundy would love nothing more than to make a statement by ending the annual rivalry in winning fashion.

The in-state rivals have clashed 118 times, but it’s been a lopsided affair as Oklahoma leads 91-19-7. Gundy hasn’t had much luck against the blueblood program either. The former Cowboy quarterback never beat the Sooners as a student-athlete, and he’s 3-15 against them as a head coach.

However, Oklahoma State did win the last game against Oklahoma at Boone Pickens Stadium. This will be a highly-anticipated matchup because there’s so much on the line. Both teams are currently in a five-way tie atop the Big 12 standings.

Oklahoma State (6-2) has won four-straight games since losing its’ conference opener at Iowa State. Oklahoma (7-1) is coming off an emotional loss at Kansas, but controls its’ own destiny. Gundy understands the magnitude of this game, and what it means to the State of Oklahoma as a whole. Not to mention both teams are in the Playoff rankings. Which is why Gundy wants to silence the critics because everyone is still underestimating his team, despite their recent success.

“Some people see us riding high, feeling good about ourselves and won’t be ready, meanwhile they’re all mad, upset about getting their butts kicked, so they’ll be more prepared than us,” Gundy said. “Those are all things that are irrelevant, we have to concern ourselves in our preparation about us, we don’t have anything to do with what Oklahoma does, zero.”

Gundy has the Cowboys playing at a high level, and they’re arguably the hottest team in the league right now. Oklahoma State has scored in the 40’s in each of its’ last two games. On top of that, the Cowboys have the best running back in the nation in Ollie Gordon Jr. The sophomore leads the entire FBS in rushing yards, and has 11 total touchdowns.

The Sooners’ defense allowed the Jayhawks to rush for 225 yards last week, so Gordon should be licking his chops. Both teams have great quarterbacks too, so the game has all the ingredients for an offensive shootout. Oklahoma’s Dillon Gabriel leads the Big 12 in passing efficiency, completion percentage and touchdown tosses. Oklahoma State’s Alan Bowman has thrown for 1,067 yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions during the four-game win streak.

Gundy wants to leave a lasting impression for the fans to remember, considering the uncertainty of when the two rivals will meet again.

“We’ll eventually play them again, I think it’ll be in a bowl, the SEC and the Big 12 have a lot of bowl matchups,” he said. “I think that’ll probably be the next time, the regular season in my opinion is history.”

The hate between the two programs is real. Gundy even described an incident during his weekly press conference. Oklahoma linebacker Brian Bosworth spit in Gundy’s face when they were players. Gundy spit back on Bosworth too. He also recalled teammate Thurman Thomas talking smack and Barry Sanders sleeping on the bench at halftime. Gundy downplayed the level of passion the rivalry brings though, and claimed it lost some luster over the years, compared to back in the day.

“It was a rivalry then, now it’s not as much anymore, unfortunately because of the way it is,” the 56-year old coach said. “But it’s a very important game, and I don’t want push pass that.”

There’s no denying all eyes will be on Boone Pickens Stadium this Saturday. So Gundy needs to have his Cowboys ready to take advantage of the spotlight.