In the wake of the Bedlam showdown last Saturday, I'm sure some Oklahoma State fans haven't quite yet come to terms with the outcome. It's not hard to understand why. They were flying high and their star couldn't have shone any brighter; picking up landmark wins against Texas Tech, Kansas State and Texas. It had also been forever and a day since they last went undefeated on the road in conference play. Meanwhile Oklahoma had faltered along the way, with losses to Mizzou and Texas A&M.
This certainly had to be the year; they had vanquished Texas and the only thing standing between them and a Big 12 Title game, was Oklahoma. All the pieces seemed to fit. Playing at home against a team, whose struggles on the road have been well documented; and a prime time television audience to sweeten the deal. Just about every analyst out there had picked Oklahoma State to win; you can thank Lee Corso for that (by the way, he says, "you're welcome!!").
When all was said and done, the result was another Oklahoma win and this is maybe why, if possible, you should tell Lee Corso to never pick your team. As an OU fan, I've witnessed it enough times to know that there's not a lot of good that comes out of him wearing the mascot head of your school. That being said, believe it or not Cowboy fans, but in some weird, twisted way, Oklahoma fans can kind of relate to how you were feeling after Saturday night. I know it sounds crazy, but just stay with me and I'll take you on a trip down memory lane.
In 2001, #3 ranked Oklahoma headed into that Bedlam showdown, needing a win to book their place in the Big 12 Title game in Dallas (the irony). They were the defending national champions and, despite a loss to Nebraksa (more irony), there were still in a good position to play in the Rose Bowl (the site of that year's championship game). Oklahoma was riding a 19 game win streak in Norman and were hosting a 3-7 Oklahoma State team. How hard could it be, right?? Not to say that they underestimated OSU; but c'mon, a 3-7 team coming to your backyard?
If only games were won on paper. Even though Oklahoma scored early, they didn't have much going for them. Oklahoma State sacked quarterback Nate Hybl about 7 times (maybe more), intercepted him 3 times (including a late desperation heave to seal the game) and shut down running back Quentin Griffin; in the process, they held Oklahoma to negative yardage in rushing. In the meantime, the Cowboys were slowly but surely chipping away at the lead.
Then in the 4th quarter, with about 1:43 (or something like that) left in the game, Josh Fields threw a fade to the corner of the end zone, that was caught by receiver Rashaun Woods for a touchdown, giving OSU their first lead of the game. I could have sworn I heard a pin drop in Owen Field at that moment. With that touchdown, everything was gone!! A shot at a Big 12 title, a trip to the Rose Bowl to defend their national title. It was gone!! Out the window. I couldn't begin to tell you how much that really hurt. It did.
In Austin however, Texas players and fans were celebrating like they had just reclaimed the Alamo. They had just clinched the south division title, courtesy of Oklahoma State, and an outside chance to play in the national championship game. All they had to do was win the Big 12 title and hope for some weird scenarios to take place. Well, Texas lost to Colorado in that game, but that's not the point I'm trying to make.
Back to Bedlam. Even though Oklahoma has been to three other national championship games (they lost all three, but that's not the point either), that 2001 Bedlam loss was one that was just a little too hard to swallow. In some ways, it was "the one that got away". There are certain things in sports that you can never quite understand, until they happen to you. And until Oklahoma State was in the same position, on the brink of something special, even historic, only to have it taken from you right under your nose, you'd never quite understand. Maybe now you will.
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