Big 12 notebook: Gundy says `Bedlam’s history’ when OU moves
Published 11:09 pm Friday, July 15, 2022
- New Kansas State quarterback Adrian Martinez, a transfer from Nebraska, talks during a news conference on Wednesday at the Big 12 Media Days at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.
ARLINGTON (AP) — Oklahoma will still get to play its Red River rivalry game against Texas when the two teams go to the Southeastern Conference together, but there may be no more Bedlam for the Sooners against Oklahoma State.
“Bedlam’s history. Bedlam’s not going to be Bedlam after they leave the conference,” Cowboys coach Mike Gundy said at the Big 12’s football media days Wednesday. “I don’t make that decision. I’m just telling you in my opinion, I think it’s history.”
Gundy said the future of Bedlam is based on “somebody else’s decision,” a clear reference to the Sooners and their switch to the SEC no later than the 2025 season.
While Gundy knows most fans would love for the game to continue, he said doesn’t see that as feasible if the teams are in different conferences.
“When you look at, we’re scheduled out through 2032 or ‘33, something like that. And most conferences, once all this settles down, you’re going to have a minimum of nine conference games in my opinion,” Gundy said. “You’re talking about contract buyouts and you’re talking about convincing head coaches to play another game, which would be like playing another conference game.”
The Sooners have a 90-19-7 series lead, but Oklahoma State won 37-33 at home last year in a game that sent the winner to the Big 12 championship game.
NEBRASKA IN THE REARVIEWAdrian Martinez left Nebraska after 39 games at quarterback over four seasons and is set to replace Skylar Thompson as the starter at Kansas State.
The once-proud Cornhuskers were 14-29 in games Martinez played and haven’t had a winning season since 2016. He’s joining a team that has gone 8-5 in both full seasons under coach Chris Klieman (4-6 in pandemic-shortened 2020).
Martinez will be paired with dual-threat running back Deuce Vaughn, the 5-foot-6 speedster who averaged 108 yards rushing per game and added 468 yards receiving. Vaughn is going into his third season.
“That’s part of the reason why I came to K-State,” Martinez said. “He’s just been a tremendous help more learning the offense. I’m excited for something new, having him as an asset and just a different feel to the offense and maybe a little bit more balance I think will be mutually beneficial.”
LAWRENCE TO LONE STARKansas won only one Big 12 game in coach Lance Leipold’s first season, and that 57-56 victory at Texas is still a proud topic for the Jayhawks.
“We’ve been starving for some wins, so any of them we’re going to talk about,” Leipold said. “When you beat a program with the tradition and past success of the University of Texas and resources, all in all it’s something that we’re going to be proud of. … We probably hit them at a time when they were in a struggle and were able to take advantage of it.”
The Jayhawks won in Austin last November on a scrambling pass for a 2-point conversion in overtime to snap a 56-game losing streak in conference road games that stretched back to 2008.
“Guys just found out that we could compete at the highest level and we can beat one of the teams that’s been like one of the bluebloods of the conference,” safety Kenny Logan said Wednesday. “That momentum booster going into the rest of the season was definitely key for us. … Even though we didn’t have the wins to show it, we definitely improved.”
Kansas had lost its previous eight games by an average margin of 34 points. The Jayhawks then finished the season with two more losses, but by only a combined nine points.