No love will be lost Saturday when No. 9 Oklahoma visits No. 22 Oklahoma State for the last scheduled meeting in the long-running "Bedlam" series before the Sooners depart for the SEC in 2024. The flames were fanned Thursday when Oklahoma defensive lineman Trace Ford, who transferred from the Cowboys to the Sooners in the offseason, criticized how Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy's handling of his transfer process.
"Not once [have Gundy and I spoke since I transferred], and he doesn't care that I left," Ford said during an appearance on WWLS Radio in Oklahoma City. "He didn't care that I was leaving when I was about to leave. I tried to inform them, he didn't care. I don't think the staff and I have the best of relationship. Some of the coaches still text me to this day, but not all of them. That's for sure. ... When I was informing the coaching staff of thinking about leaving, they were like, 'OK, get on outta here.' They're pretty much like, 'we don't want to talk to you.' So that's just the life we live. It is what it is."
Gundy, during an interview with WWLS Radio earlier in the week, was asked about the prospect of coaching against Ford as the Cowboys and Sooners prepare to clash for the 118th time.
"I've watched a lot of tape and honestly have not paid attention or noticed," Gundy said. "I look at concepts, schemes, numbers, what I think ability is ... What to attack, what I want to stay away from, things like that more so necessarily than who it would be. I don't really notice [those] things."
Gundy's comment was replayed for Ford during Thursday's segment, to which Ford responded "I can't wait to see his face."
Ford made 32 total appearances for the Cowboys. He battled a slew of injuries, including ACL tears in both 2020 and 2021, during his four years at Oklahoma State. He most recently fractured his patella during the 2022 season, forcing him to miss Oklahoma State's final four games of the year before transferring to the Sooners. Ford has registered 10 total tackles and an interception with Oklahoma this season as he continues to bounce back from that ailment.
Oklahoma and Oklahoma State are set to kick at 2:30 p.m. CT Saturday at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma, as the two foes find themselves in a five-way tie atop the Big 12 standings. A rematch could potentially come Dec. 2 in the Big 12 Championship Game.