Note: Narrowing down top Bedlam moments is a bit of a challenge. What we’ve decided to do is pick five special moments from games dating back to the 2001 season.
Setting Up the Play
Oklahoma entered the game ranked 20th in the nation at 8-3, a down season for the Sooners, but the Cowboys came in at 5-6 just seeking an opportunity to get bowl eligible. The Sooners were a heavy favorite at home, and nobody expected the Cowboys to stand a chance.
The Sooners scored first, but the Cowboys answered back and forth until Oklahoma took a 28-14 lead at halftime. The Sooners were poised to run away with the game in the second half, but nobody scored in the third quarter, and the Cowboys found the end zone on the first play of the fourth quarter.
Oklahoma put another score on the board midway through the final quarter, and the game appeared all but over, but Oklahoma State was able to score again with just under 5 minutes to go to make it 35-28.
The Cowboys were able to get a stop and force the Sooners to punt with under a minute to go, but it didn’t appear to be enough time for Oklahoma State to put together a drive to tie the game. Fortunately for the Cowboys, the unthinkable happened on the punt return.
The Play
Tyreek Hill, a track star in high school and at Oklahoma State, was one of the few bright spots for the Cowboy football team. He was as fast as they come, and after the Sooners punted the ball to him for two consecutive plays—the Cowboys picked up a penalty on the first one, and Bob Stoops elected to re-punt, attempting to push Oklahoma State even further into their own territory.
Hill took advantage of the return, and he managed to find crease after crease to break loose for a 92-yard return for a touchdown.
The Result
The score allowed the Cowboys to tie the game and force overtime in Norman. The Sooners were unable to move the ball at all, and Michael Hunnicut missed a 44-yard field goal, giving Oklahoma State the chance to put the game away.
The Cowboys played the possession conservatively by only running the ball. Since all they needed was a score, Oklahoma State lined kicker Ben Grogan lined up for the 21-yard field goal, knocking it through for the 38-35 upset.