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Spring games have become an unexpectedly hot topic of conversation as the college football offseason continues to unfold, and the NCAA inserted itself into the discussion by shutting down a potential showdown between Colorado and Syracuse. That apparently rubbed Mike Gundy the wrong way, as the Oklahoma State skipper pushed back against the governing body while implying he’d be willing to call their bluff.
Most college football teams have historically held an annual spring game that gives fans a chance to get their football fix while watching an intrasquad showdown that allows their offense and defense an opportunity to get some reps and showcase what they’re working with ahead of the real thing in the fall.
However, the transfer portal has thrown an interesting hitch in that time-honored tradition, as at least a dozen programs—including notable names like Texas, Nebraska, and Ohio State—have announced they’ll be forgoing a spring game this year while citing the potential risks of players being poached in the wake of a strong performance.
That development led to a number of coaches reaffirming their commitment to spring games while lobbying for a unique approach that would feature teams from two different schools facing off in an exhibition; Colorado and Syracuse filed a formal request with the NCAA after Deion Sanders and Fran Brown agreed to the showdown that was positioned as a pilot program, but it was ultimately denied.
Mike Gundy also threw his support behind a spring game between his Oklahoma State Cowboys and Oklahoma to revive the Bedlam Series that’s currently on hold until at least 2031, but it doesn’t seem like it’s in the cards this year.
With that said, the man with the most marvelous mullet of any college football coach doesn’t seem to put too much stake into the NCAA’s ability to govern spring games.
According to On3, Gundy reaffirmed his interest in an exhibition with the Sooners while implying he’s not too concerned with the organization that once ruled college sports with an iron fist only to see its grasp exponentially weaken in recent years, saying:
“I mean, I mentioned it the other day, I just thought of the deal with OU. I think it’s a good deal. I would like to do it. I would like to practice against them.
I’ll be honest with you, I’m not going to waste my time on who’s going to determine what the rules are anymore. Because essentially there’s not really enough of them to follow. And I’m not sure how they have grounds to say you can’t do it.
Like if somebody just goes and does it, what are they going to do to them?”
It doesn’t seem like Gundy actually plans to follow through on what is certainly a thinly veiled threat, although it would be very interesting to see how the NCAA would actually respond if the aforementioned ruling was ignored.
It seems safe to assume it would levy some sort of fine in an attempt to firm up its authority, although it would also need to be careful not to overcorrect when it comes to doling out discipline when you consider there’s no rational reason to prevent two consenting schools from facing off in a game that doesn’t really matter.