Joe Castiglione addresses future of Bedlam football: ‘I believe that will happen’
Bedlam football’s future is a conversation that won’t be going away as Oklahoma leaves for the SEC in 2024, or the the school’s relationship with Oklahoma State.
When OU announced it was leaving the Big 12, some at OSU felt their in-state rival left them behind. Some Oklahoma State administration and coaches have expressed displeasure with Oklahoma leaving, especially head football coach Mike Gundy who said in September, “OU chose to follow Texas and the money to the SEC. It’s OK. So now, we’re having what I think are childish discussions, in my opinion, over something that’s done.”
Oklahoma State athletic director Chad Weiberg said in September, “We don’t have any openings to play them.” Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione responded, “Oklahoma State has shown no interest to schedule any future games in football, so we’re moving on.”
Castiglione told SoonerScoop.com Friday it could be “the next decade” before the two schools meet again in football. That would push the next meeting on the gridiron into the 2030s.
But Castiglione and Weiberg are working to make Bedlam happen in all other sports.
“We’ve both agreed to find a time in this coming academic year and actually, it will probably be before the end of this coming calendar year, to get together and determine how many competitions we’re going to have with each of the sports,” Castiglione said. “We’re going to find out now how we would want to schedule it going forward. And I can tell you both institutions are in lockstep to make that happen with all sports but football. And that’s a different situation, but I do believe – and I’ve said this many times publicly – that years down the road, we’ll find opportunities for the two schools to meet in football. It just can’t happen right now and I understand why.”
Castiglione explained there are two reasons why scheduling Bedlam football in the future is difficult.
First, the SEC has yet to finalize how many conference games will be played each season. It could be eight or nine games, while the Big 12 says they will play nine conference games with three non-con games. The second, and bigger issue, is that both Oklahoma and Oklahoma State have already scheduled multiple non-conference opponents.
“A lot of people want to characterize it as something it’s not,” Castiglione said. “The real reason relates to out-of-conference games that have already been scheduled and contracts that are in place and liquidated damages to pay those institutions should games be dropped or canceled. Both institutions worked on some non-conference matchups for the future years. For example, we have Michigan in 2025 and 2026. We have the Nebraska series. Oklahoma State has other non-conference games they want to keep…
“It’s hard to bump somebody off a schedule to make an opportunity to create Bedlam in football. We understand that. Both Chad and I talked about that. So we’ll just have to work to find years that we both have open dates and then schedule it.”
Right now, Oklahoma State has a Power 5 non-conference opponent lined up through 2029. Oklahoma has one scheduled through 2027, with several others spread out between 2030-36. Those schedules can obviously change, but for now, there just aren’t openings.
So for those hoping Bedlam returns soon, enjoy the 2023 matchup in Stillwater, because it might be the last one for some time. Though, the door appears to be more open than previously assumed.
“I believe that will happen and I’ve always believed that will happen,” Castiglione said. “I realize there might have been different feelings expressed by different people, but in the long run, it’s good for the state that both schools compete.”
The post Joe Castiglione addresses future of Bedlam football: ‘I believe that will happen’ appeared first on On3.
