OSU athletic director Chad Weiberg discusses Bedlam’s grand finale, Big 12’s future

STILLWATER — Chad Weiberg had multiple reasons to celebrate this year’s Bedlam football outcome.

As a longtime Oklahoma State fan with a treasure trove of Bedlam memories, Weiberg found personal meaning in the Cowboys’ 27-24 victory over OU to end the regularly scheduled Bedlam series Saturday in Stillwater.

The win also held significance in his professional life.

Weiberg, OSU’s athletic director, has spoken faithfully about keeping the Big 12 Conference strong despite the impending exit of OU and Texas to the Southeastern Conference. This statement victory from the Cowboys, who have a five-game win streak after starting the season 2-2, restored some power to a program that’s staying in the Big 12 for the foreseeable future.

And conference commissioner Brett Yormark was in Stillwater to watch.

In an exclusive interview with The Oklahoman, here’s what Weiberg had to say about the Bedlam finale and the new Big 12.

More: Oklahoma State football grades: Kasey Dunn’s offense, Cowboys’ uniforms sharp in Bedlam

Q: What does it mean to you to conclude the Bedlam series on this note?

A: It’s always great to win that game, and I think the fact that this was the last one for the foreseeable future just makes it that much more. Then you add on to that the fact that this puts us in the position to play for even more, so it’s a great night.

Q: When you think back to your earliest Bedlam memories, what stands out to you?

A: Things were very different, and (there are) so many memories. It’s always been Bedlam. It’s never mattered; it’s always been that. But I think part of it is how far we’ve come.

Q: Where were you when the field storm was happening?

A: I was on the field trying to stay out of the way, but it was great.

More: Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy hit a milestone in Bedlam. Here’s what it meant.

Q: What has it been like to greet the players and see the fan interactions with the players after this?

A: The players have been great, and they’re just so engaged with each other. The chemistry on this team is just special. They’ve had a great interaction with our student body and our fans, and I think everybody appreciates that.

Q: It’s already been discussed as far as not scheduling Bedlam in the foreseeable future, except the bowl possibility was brought up. Is that something you could see, depending on how bowls turn out in the future?

A: Yep, I think (it depends on) how bowls turn out in the future, but there’s also the 12-team playoff. So we’ll be shooting for being in the playoff.

Q: In the new Big 12, with OU leaving, is there any team you can see emerging as a new rival?

A: We’ll see. I think that’s going to be part of the fun of the new conference. I think it’s going to be really competitive and really balanced, so we’ll see how that plays out.

Q: There are still some games ahead, but what are your takeaways from this whole season so far with the new Big 12 teams meshing with this group?

A: It’s been good. I was hearing some of the scores (Saturday) night. You got to come to play every night, or somebody’s going to be in a position to beat you, so I think it’s a really balanced, competitive league. It’s going to be fun for fans to watch, so I think the future of the Big 12 is really bright.

Q: For the context of the program as a whole, what do you think about this win and the midseason turnaround Coach Gundy is leading now?

A: They’ve obviously done just a terrific job. Every year is a new year. You’ve got a new team, and you’re trying to figure out what’s the right mix of things to do. I can only imagine. I think that it’s more challenging than most people think that it is, but they’ve just done an incredible job. The

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