Note: Narrowing down top Bedlam moments is literally impossible to do. What we’ve decided to do is pick five special moments from games dating back to the 2010 season.
Setting Up The Play
Bedlam 2016 had already been resolved before the most talked about play of the game happened. With the Big 12 championship on the line, #9 Oklahoma and #10 Oklahoma State played to a 17-17 deadlock in the first half.
The Sooners came alive in the second half though. Baker Mayfield finished the game with 288 passing yards and three touchdowns, finding Dede Westbrook for 111 of those yards, and a score. However, the spotlight player was running back Samaje Perine who averaged 6.5 yards per carry on his way to a 239 yard, one touchdown, performance that helped Oklahoma outscore the Pokes 21-3 in the second half. However, it was what he didn’t do that has fans still talking to this day.
Leading 38-20, with 1:01 remaining on the clock, Oklahoma was a first down away from taking a knee in victory formation. Perine took the hand-off on 4th and 1 and burst through the Cowboy defense with only the goal line ahead of him. Instead of adding to his stat line with another score, Perine did the unthinkable and took a knee at the two yard line.
“I mean, what’s the point of scoring?” Perine said after the game. “We’re already up by two touchdowns. There’s only a few seconds left, so there’s no need to run up the score.”
The win gave the Sooners their second in what is currently a string of four consecutive conference championships. Oklahoma would end the season with a 35-19 win over Auburn in the Sugar Bowl.
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