- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Norman Today
By the People, for the People
Norman, Stillwater Mayors Push to Renew Oklahoma-Oklahoma State Rivalry
The Sooners and Cowboys haven't battled on the gridiron since 2023, but local leaders are hoping to change that.
Published on Feb. 11, 2026
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
The mayors of Norman and Stillwater, Oklahoma have co-authored legislation that would require the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University to play each other in football every season. The mayors believe renewing the Bedlam Series rivalry would provide an economic boost to their respective cities.
Why it matters
The Bedlam Series between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State is one of the most storied rivalries in college sports, but the annual football matchup has been on hiatus since 2023. Reviving the rivalry could generate significant economic activity and excitement for fans in both Norman and Stillwater.
The details
Norman mayor Stephen Tyler Holman revealed that he and Stillwater mayor Will Joyce have co-created legislation that would force Oklahoma and Oklahoma State to battle annually in football. The legislation passed the Norman city council unanimously and will now go to the state legislature for consideration. Holman believes a Bedlam football game would be more economically beneficial for Norman than non-conference games against UTEP or New Mexico, while Joyce sees similar benefits for Stillwater compared to hosting a team like Oregon.
- The Bedlam Series' annual football matchups concluded in 2023.
- Oklahoma and Oklahoma State have continued to play non-conference contests in other sports, including men's and women's basketball in December 2026 and baseball and softball in April 2026.
The players
Stephen Tyler Holman
The mayor of Norman, Oklahoma.
Will Joyce
The mayor of Stillwater, Oklahoma.
University of Oklahoma
A public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma.
Oklahoma State University
A public research university located in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
What they’re saying
“The mayor of Stillwater and I got together and co-authored a piece of legislation that for economic development purposes under state law to require OU and OSU to play a football game every season, home and home.”
— Stephen Tyler Holman, Mayor of Norman (OU Daily)
“A non-conference game against OSU would be much more beneficial to the local Norman economy than playing New Mexico or UTEP.”
— Stephen Tyler Holman, Mayor of Norman (SI.com)
“Same thing for Stillwater. It would be much more beneficial for their local economy to have OU come visit every other season.”
— Stephen Tyler Holman, Mayor of Norman (SI.com)
What’s next
The legislation co-authored by the mayors of Norman and Stillwater will now go to the Oklahoma state legislature for consideration.
The takeaway
Renewing the Bedlam Series rivalry between the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University could provide a significant economic boost to the cities of Norman and Stillwater, which is why local leaders are working to make the annual football matchup a reality once again.
