Oklahoma Players Recall Final Moments Under Lincoln Riley, Reflect on 12 Months of Change

NORMAN — While Oklahoma dominates the Bedlam series like no other college football rivalry is dominated, the mention of playing Oklahoma State might induce a little PTSD for Sooner Nation.

Or even the OU players.

It was just under one calendar year ago now that the Sooners lost their season finale in Stillwater, and only a few hours later, head coach Lincoln Riley, defensive coordinator Alex Grinch and a few others were on an airplane en route to Los Angeles.

The game went sideways that night at Boone Pickens Stadium. The Sooners’ once-promising season went sideways. Ultimately, the entire Oklahoma program went sideways.

The byproduct is unfolding weekly now, as losses pile up for the Sooners. Now rematching with the Cowboys, OU possesses a 5-5 record — a disaster, by all accounts, in Norman.

It all started 51 weeks ago at OSU, and the OU program has been on an entirely different track ever since.

“I guess. Yeah, definitely,” said wide receiver Marvin Mims. “I didn’t even think about that. It was a quick turn of events.”

OU coughed up a late lead to hand the Cowboys just their third victory in the last 19 years. Riley seemed more disengaged than disappointed, and the next day, everyone understood why.

Now, the program is under Brent Venables watch. At times it feels like the Oklahoma program just stepped out of a time machine. Many things have changed, including the win-loss totals.

“Yeah, it's crazy,” said defensive end Ethan Downs. “Just like that. Time’s flying.”

A week after Riley quit, Venables was hired.

Asked this week to look back on the events that led up to last year’s turnover, they described the Bedlam game as best they could.

“I just remember the energy, you know?” Downs said. “Last year I was so caught up in the awe of every game, you know, looking around at the stadiums and just seeing the colors flash. Like, everything was a blur last year.

“Honestly, when I was in the game, man, it's just electric to see that OU and OSU clashing heads, talking trash on the field.”

Downs was a freshman in 2021 who grew up in Weatherford, OK, romanticizing about the Bedlam game. Mims was a sophomore who had already tasted it.

“They had a really mean front seven,” Mims said. “Great defensive coordinator back then. All out blitz, and it was hard to stop. We’d get it from time to time. Really physical defense. Those guys are huge, even the safeties and corners are just real big, swole guys. And just the electricity of that stadium, especially when they brought the paddles out, start hitting the sideline, how close the sideline was to the wall. I mean, it’s different in Stillwater.

“That’s probably the thing I remember most. Just the atmosphere. A big screen that covers up the whole wall. I’d never seen anything like it, so I love it.”

Venables came to Norman and brought in strength coach Jerry Schmidt. He brought in a mindset that made defense a priority, not an afterthought. He brought in the SOUL Mission and a bunch of support staff and a holistic approach to being a student-athlete. He brought in toughness and leadership and accountability — even if some of it still hasn’t manifested on the field yet.

It’s a futile exercise to speculate on what-ifs. But what would the OU program look like right now if Riley hadn’t bolted?

“We’ve matured so much,” Downs said. “I’ve matured so much as a player, growing into a leader and being called into positions that other people depend on, other people look up to.

“And it's like, man, just last year, I felt like I was doing more watching than playing. And just now, you know, a year later, it’s like, ‘Whoa, I'm right here in it and I gotta be the man that takes the first step.’ “

The Sooners wilted down the stretch of last year’s 37-33 loss to the Cowboys. OU led 33-24 early in the fourth quarter and outgained O-State 441 to 354. The Sooners had a safety and three takeaways, including one on special teams when Justin Broiles jumped on a fumbled punt in the end zone. Kennedy Brooks recorded his third career 100-yard Bedlam game while the OU defense clamped down on OSU’s Jaylen Warren. Caleb Williams threw for 252 yards and three touchdowns, and after the Sooners surrendered the lead, Williams broke off a long scramble that looked as though he might reach the end zone.

It was OU’s most points ever in a loss in Stillwater.

But Riley lost his final game in crimson and cream and then took off for scarlet and gold.

Looking back, the whole 24 hours was surreal for the Sooners — especially the part where rumors broke out that he was leaving, athletic director Joe Castiglione called a team meeting, Bob Stoops showed up and Riley showed up late, then spoke to the team for about 2 minutes and walked out.

“A late Stilly game, drive back, team meeting — I want to say maybe afternoon — and then that breaking out,” Mims said. “And then we are where we are now. Even thinking back on it, it feels like forever ago, honestly. It feels like BV’s been here for a couple of years and we’ve had this coaching staff and these guys on this team. But it’s been about a year now, and it’s kind of crazy to just think about.

“I don’t even know what to say about it, but things are the way they are now. I’m happy to be here. I’m just blessed that Coach Venables and his staff have impacted me the way they have.”