Dusty Dvoracek ignites more Bedlam return buzz as OSU catches a stray

With momentum all of a sudden building to bring back Bedlam football, ESPN's Dusty Dvoracek, who played for the Sooners before his broadcasting career, doesn't understand why the rivalry’s return wouldn't be wanted by Oklahoma fans.

Recent news has stirred talk of Bedlam's revival on the football field among both fan bases and all over local sports talk radio in the state this week, including when Dvoracek was on The Ref for one of his regular appearances.

"I mean, you telling me that Sooner fans wouldn't love for Oklahoma State to come down from Stillwater and kick their heads in in Norman," Dvoracek said. "I mean, come on. I think they would be fired up for that opportunity."

Dusty Dvoracek questions why Oklahoma wouldn’t want Bedlam

Bedlam returning has been a frequent conversation in the state since it was last played in 2023 and was shelved because of the Sooners' move from the Big 12 to the SEC. The buzz of a revival escalated this week, though, when Norman mayor Stephen Tyler Holman and Stillwater mayor Will Joyce co-authored a piece of legislation that would make it a state law for Bedlam football to happen every season as a home-and-home series for economic development in both college towns.

That legislation will likely go nowhere and was basically pointless, but it did at least prompt a possible conversation between the powers who actually can schedule games between the Sooners and Cowboys.

After the piece of legislation was announced, OU Daily, Oklahoma's student newspaper, reached out to the university about the possibility of Bedlam returning. OU responded in a statement that it was "ready to explore the possibility with Oklahoma State officials again."

However, there's still a long ways to go and a lot to figure out before talk turns into action, and Dvoracek also knows that.

Nonconference games are scheduled years in advance for college football. The Sooners also already have some big-time nonconference matchups on the schedule, including a home-and-home series with fellow blue blood Michigan that had the Wolverines visit Norman in 2025 and the Sooners heading there next season. Not to mention the daunting SEC slate the Sooners are handed on a yearly basis.

"I love this Michigan home-and home," Dvoracek said. "You know what I mean? I wouldn't want (Bedlam) to be the only other, but then you're talking about 11 Power Four games, and all of a sudden, you're saying, 'Ooh, jeez.' That's a beefy schedule."

Dvoracek, although maybe a little biased toward his old rival, bluntly pointed out OSU's recent struggles, though. The Cowboys haven't even won a Big 12 game since OU left the conference two years ago, which led to Mike Gundy getting fired early on in the 2025 season and ultimately getting replaced by Eric Morris.

If OSU continued that trajectory under Morris, then adding the Pokes to the Sooners' schedule wouldn't exactly be a demanding task, especially considering the overall series record. That's probably why we've heard more out of Norman than Stillwater about a Bedlam return.

"I hate to say this -- not to be a jerk -- the way Oklahoma State's played the last two years, that almost feels more like a Group of Six type of game," Dvoracek said. "I'm intrigued. Look, I hope Eric Morris gets it going in the right direction.

"But I don't know, man, sign me up. I would love to see the Bedlam football series rekindled back on an annual basis."