NORMAN —
The celebration at Owen Field early Saturday evening was as big as it’s been after any Oklahoma victory in years.
Running back Brennan Clay’s 18-yard touchdown to give the Sooners a 51-48 win over Oklahoma State in overtime sent the place into a state of euphoria.
OSU coach Mike Gundy noticed it.
“I can’t speak for them, but it was a big celebration,” he said. “I think now there is a respect that is present now that maybe hasn’t been before.”
There is.
These late November or early December Bedlam meetings have become some of college football’s most fiercely contested games.
The Sooners’ victory on Saturday was their 83rd in the 107 games with the Cowboys. However, OU’s last two victories in the series were in games that came down to the final play. The gap in between is the 44-10 thumping OU suffered last season in Stillwater.
OU certainly acted like it had won a game it would never forget.
“You always remember those tight games, you always remember those games where you come from behind and get a victory,” said OU quarterback Landry Jones, who will finish his career with a 3-1 mark against the Cowboys.
Players remember games where it was a non-stop barrage of big plays. The 2012 version of Bedlam was like a “Rocky” movie. The haymakers were thrown early, and landed early and often.
Jones threw for 500 yards. Wide receivers Justin Brown, Jalen Saunders and Kenny Stills all had more than 100 receiving yards.
Once again, OSU’s offense remained a mystery to the Sooners. Running back Joseph Randle rushed for 116 yards and four touchdowns. Quarterback Clint Chelf rushed for another 63 and threw for 253 yards with 150 going to wide receiver Josh Stewart.
There was never a strong sense that either team was in control until Clay crossed the goal line in overtime.
OU defensive coordinator Mike Stoops had to suffer through it. Twice the Sooners tied the game and twice his unit gave up almost immediate touchdowns after it.
Chelf hit Stewart on a 75-yard touchdown pass on the first play of third quarter.
After Jalen Saunders’ 81-yard touchdown return tied it at 38-38, the Cowboys ripped off a 7-play, 77-yard touchdown drive that consisted of six running plays and a screen pass.
“It was a roller coaster today,” he said. “We got the game tied. The first play of the second half, we’ve got a safety (Tony Jefferson) that is nowhere to be found, and they go 75, so we lose the momentum. We tie the game back up finally. I think our offense went three-and-out one possession. They went tempo on us and ran the zone play virtually four times in a row and scored.
“The game shifted. We could never sustain any momentum. It’s not going to be perfect playing these teams. They are too good offensively.”
That’s why the Sooners celebrated so much when they won anyway. Bedlam was one wild ride.
The hard part for OU is that it has to regroup after an incredibly emotional game and play the regular season finale at 11 a.m. Saturday at TCU.
The Sooners can still secure a share of the Big 12 championship with a victory. The title could be all theirs if Kansas State were to stumble against Texas.
Getting ready for the emotional challenge is going to be one of the toughest tasks OU has faced all season.
OU coach Bob Stoops was already hinting at that after the game.
“Great to win, and we got one more coming next week,” he said.
Bedlam was so action packed that playing the following week is going to seem anticlimactic.
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Bedlam competitiveness at all-time high
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Blake Shelton brings relief concert to Oklahoma City
Blake Shelton has organized and will headline the telethon “Healing in the Heartland: Relief Benefit Concert” on May 29, to take place at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday.
Grammy Award-winning artists Miranda Lambert, Reba and Vince Gill also will perform. Additional guests for the concert will be announced shortly.
The concert will be televised live at 9 p.m. ET/PT on NBC. It also will air on cable networks Style, G4, Bravo, E! and CMT on either a live or delayed basis. -
OCU’s Wright playing for Moore
Drew Wright’s heart will be with her hometown of Moore when her Oklahoma City University softball team competes in the NAIA Championships this week. Edmond Santa Fe graduate Kayley Humann, an OCU outfielder, is one of Wright’s teammates.
Wright and the fourth-ranked Stars (50-13) opened national-tournament play against fifth-ranked Cal State San Marcos Friday at South Commons Softball Complex.
The senior third baseman said it was difficult to leave Oklahoma City on Tuesday after a destructive tornado leveled several city blocks of Moore and south Oklahoma City on Monday.
Fortunately, Wright’s family is safe from the tornado that has been hailed as the most severe to hit the area. -
Bronchos win 2 straight at NCAA Division II World Series
Kaylee Brunson and Kacie Edwards keyed an 11-hit attack that carried Central Oklahoma to a 7-1 romp over Molloy in the second round of the NCAA Division II Championship Finals in Salem, VA. Friday afternoon at the Moyer Sports Complex.
Brunson and Edwards had three hits apiece and both drove in runs during a big five-run, sixth-inning outburst that turned a precarious 2-0 lead into a comfortable 7-0 cushion as UCO coasted into Sunday’s winner’s bracket finals. -
Area camps start May 28
Girls hoop camp kicks off Tuesday
The three head varsity girls basketball coaches (Dandy Peeler, Edmond Memorial; Karlie Free, Edmond North; Paul Bass, Edmond Santa Fe) of Edmond Schools will be hosting a youth basketball camp for girls entering kindergarten-ninth grades at Edmond Memorial High School May 28-31.
The younger kids, entering grades kindergarten-4th, will run from 9 a.m.-noon. The camp will focus on basic fundamentals of the game including shooting, passing, ball handling as well as defensive and offensive skills.
Girls entering grades 5-9 will be in the afternoon camp from 1-4 p.m. The camp will focus on offensive and defensive fundamental skills along with sharpening individual skills through station work and competitive contests.
Cost is $115. Contact Dandy Peeler at 250-4377 for more information. -
Still time to register for UCO's Endeavor Games
Registration is open online for athletes and volunteers for the 2013 University of Central Oklahoma Endeavor Games, June 6-9, the nation’s largest multi-sport event for athletes with physical disabilities.
Athletes of all ages or sporting experience are invited to register for the event. Community members are also encouraged to register to volunteer with more than 300 volunteer opportunities available.
Similar to the summer Paralympic Games, athletes may register for multiple adaptive sports, which include cycling, indoor archery, outdoor archery, powerlifting, sitting volleyball, shooting, table tennis, track and field, wheelchair basketball, and, for the first time at the UCO Endeavor Games, paratriathlon. The paratriathlon will be limited to athletes over the age of 16 with previous paratriathlon experience. -
UCO opens World Series with a victory
Kalynn Schrock dominated in the pitching circle and Kaylee Brunson came through with a tie-breaking triple to lift Central Oklahoma past fourth-ranked Armstrong Atlantic 5-2 in Salem, Va. Thursday in the first round of the NCAA Division II Championship Finals.
It was the sixth straight postseason win for the No. 19-ranked Bronchos, who improved to 48-11 and moved into today’s 3 p.m. semifinal game against either defending national champion Valdosta State or Malloy.
Schrock gave up just two hits and no walks while striking out 15 — including 10 of the final 12 batters she faced — in improving to 31-6 on the season and 6-0 in the postseason. -
Edmond Santa Fe's Taylor heading to Central Florida
Danielle Taylor, fresh off a Central District Youth Rowing Championship victory on the Oklahoma River at the start of the month, followed up the success by signing a letter of intent in rowing with Central Florida at Edmond Santa Fe High School.
Though Santa Fe does not offer rowing as a team sport, Taylor competes for OKC Riversport on the Junior Crew which competes on the Oklahoma River.
Taylor missed her junior season due to an injury, but Coach Brian Ebke knew the Santa Fe athlete would be raring to go her senior season.
“She’s an extremely hard worker,” Ebke lauded. “Her work ethic is impeccable.” -
Bronchos hit final match play spot in first round
Dillon Rust got off to a blazing start and ended up shooting a one-under-par 70 to lead Central Oklahoma in the second round of the NCAA Division II Men’s Golf Championships in Hershey, Pa. Tuesday.
Rust birdied four of his first five holes en route to his under-par round and the Bronchos ended up with a 300 on the day, giving them a 36-hole total of 597. The 300 leaves UCO eighth in the 20-team field heading into final round of stroke play, with the top eight teams advancing to match play that will determine the national champion. -
Area players earn All-State honors on the diamond
Three area baseball players were selected to the All-State Team this week.
Right-handed pitcher Holden Lyons from Edmond North, made the team after posting a perfect 7-0 mark with an ultra-low 1.29 earned run average.
Deer Creek’s Cole Lindley made it as an outfielder and Oklahoma Christian’s Austin Brooks landed on the list in the designated hitter’s spot.
The threesome will compete on the Large West squad on July 30 at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa. -
Tennis camps offered in Edmond
Edmond Raquet Club is offering a pair of tennis camps beginning May 28.
For ages 5-8, a camp is offered from 8:45-9:30 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays and for ages 7-15 a tennis camp is available from 6-6:55 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Both camps run from May 28-June 13 and cost is $99 per camp.
A camp session for ages 8-16 will run on Mondays and Wednesdays from 8:30-9:25 a.m. May 29-June 12 for the identical cost.
For more information concerning these camps and others, call 341-4241. - More Sports Headlines
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Blake Shelton brings relief concert to Oklahoma City
