Bedlam: A Game That Just Means More

This Saturday could be the last Bedlam at least for the foreseeable future. But we’re taking it back a step, remembering some of the greatest bedlam battles, and what this game really means to some of the greatest players from both teams.

“It's one of those nights that you wish you could just bottle up and have that feeling for the rest of your life it's hard to put into words,” said Brandon Weeden, former OSU quarterback.“Walking on the field, running out of that tunnel, feeling the stadium, I mean you can't even feel your feet hit the ground.”

Bedlam, by definition, is a scene of uproar. “It's just one of those games that for one day a year you get to have bragging rights for 364 days,” said Weeden.

If you’re from Oklahoma, you likely cheer for the Cowboys or the Sooners. For one day a year, the state is split, as the two teams battle it out at bedlam. “Enjoy the atmosphere because it could be the last one,” said Jason White, former OU quarterback. “That was the best experience ever and there's no possible way that you could recreate that.”

Former quarterback greats, Jason White and Brandon Weeden, say they will always remember their Bedlam games. They say it’s a game that just means more.

Both Weeden and White grew up in Oklahoma, and still live in the state today. Both grew up watching the Cowboys and Sooners battle it out and say they never imagined they would be wearing those jerseys one day. “Growing up a sooner fan to actually living that out on the field as an OU player was one of the greatest experiences ever for me,” said White.

Jason White played six years on and off at OU, overcoming two injuries during his college career. White won the Heisman trophy in 2003 and went on to play one final year at OU.  “Growing up here in Edmond I never had an NFL team and I think that's probably why because I grew up watching OU and OSU,” said Weeden.

Brandon Weeden started off his career as a baseball player and was drafted in the second round of the 2002 MLB Draft by the Yankees as their first selection in the draft. Weeden graduated from OSU and went on to play for multiple teams over seven years in the NFL including the Texans, Cowboys, and Titans. “There's just so many, so many memories. I mean I could talk for hours,” said Weeden. “The buzz in the stadium is pretty hard to duplicate.”

“It's still a game that's near and dear to me,” said White. “In 2003 to come out and win the way we did at home was one of the best memories of being able to carry that trophy off the field,” said White. “The number one memory obviously is my senior year, those goalposts came down, they're handing out Big 12 hats,” said Weeden.

But as the years of Bedlam come to an end, White and Weeden are holding on a little tighter to their years of memories. This last Bedlam just might mean the most. “Enjoy the atmosphere because it could be the last one,” said White. “This one just means a little more,” said Weeden.

Bedlam is set for 2:30 at Boone Pickens Stadium.