Quarterback to Back: Is This the Best QB Matchup in Bedlam History?

I started writing these quarterback comparison posts ahead of Oklahoma State’s Big 12 opener against TCU and, honestly, what gave me the idea for them was a look ahead toward Bedlam and an elite QB-to-QB matchup, served with a side of Big 12 title implications.

Looking past TCU was not smart of me and it definitely didn’t work out for Oklahoma State — if that’s what happened — but the rest of my hopes are still in tact.

So let’s start with the numbers for the Big 12’s (maybe the nation’s) best two quarterbacks.

It warrants mentioning that Mayfield has 190 yards rushing to Rudolph’s 62 but that Rudolph has 7 rushing TDs to Mayfield’s 4.

Rudolph leads the FBS in passing yards and is in the top four in touchdowns, yards per attempt and passer rating. His Sooner foe ranks sixth in passing yards, but second in completion percentage and passer rating and third in passing TDs. The duo have occupied the top two spots in total QBR for most of the season with the orange-clad QB nipping at Mayfield’s heels.

The point is that these are the best two quarterbacks in college football, period. Show me another signal caller who deserves to be considered their peer on both the stat sheet and in his team’s success.

So Bedlam lives up to its billing, so far. Both teams have a blemish, but both teams are alive and well in the Big 12 title race and both still have plenty to play for beyond Arlington.

When asked about his in-state peer, Mayfield was unusually subdued.

“Great player,” Mayfield said of Rudolph “I think the biggest thing for both of us, we have great supporting casts and teams that are playing hard for us. Those guys make our jobs easy. So right now, we’ve just gotta lean on them towards the end of the year.

“You don’t try to do too much. You can make sure that those ball carriers and playmakers have a chance to change the game.”

Those playmakers surrounding Rudolph represent the Cowboys’ No. 1 strength — maybe the country’s deepest and most talented receiving corps. There are legitimately five to six wideouts who can slice up a secondary and take the top off of any defense.

But that strength went mostly unused in last year’s Bedlam tilt. Rudolph attempted 25 passes, OSU’s lowest total since his redshirt was burned in 2014, completing just 11 for a career-low (in starts) of 44 percent. He finished with 186 yards and no scores, probably the worst game statistically of his career.

Mayfield, on the other hand, has had the upper hand. No shocker there. In his two Bedlam games Baker’s completed 68.2 percent of his passes, amassed 468 yards and thrown five TDs with zero picks.

“No, you can’t ever get tired of playing against a good player,” said Rudolph of his Bedlam counterpart. “Competing, that’s all we talk about here is competing…

“That’s why we’re both in these positions because we’ve competed our whole way and battled our butts off and we’re leaders of our two teams.”

The question is whether or not this is the best Bedlam QB duo ever? Brandon Weeden and Landry Jones would definitely have something to say about that, as would Zac Robinson and Sam Bradford. I’ll say Mayfield gets the edge over Jones, the Big 12’s career leading passer, but is probably still behind Bradford, the Heisman winner.

In my book, Rudolph gets the edge over his guru and summertime trainer Robinson and is already OSU’s all-time leading passer. If he gets a win on Saturday, he’ll be on his way to being my No. 1 Oklahoma State quarterback. That notion would be confirmed by matching Weeden’s Big 12 trophy count.

So for my money this is the best Bedlam QB duo. Let’s look at their career numbers.

Mayfield gets the nod on the stat sheet and in the win column which was pointed out this week. Not encouraging.

Career Record:

Rudolph, 29-7
Mayfield, 29-5 (OU only)

Record vs Top 25:

Rudolph, 6-6
Mayfield, 11-3

Hard to pick against Baker #Bedlam

— Cayden McFarland (@caydenmc) November 2, 2017

This may be the best quarterback dual in Bedlam history, but we’ve been mostly robbed of its luster. Rudolph earned his first career win in Norman, but across the field was Mayfield, relegated to a spectator’s role due to NCAA transfer rules.

In 2015, Mike Gundy nudged Rudolph onto the field with a broken foot and his team down 28-10 in the second quarter. It was a tough call. Maybe he could make a difference. But three pass attempts and just one completion later — a 32-yard pick-6 to Sooner defensive back Jordan Thomas — and it was back to the bench where the injured sophomore belonged.

In a stroke of the worst kind of luck you can have, in last year’s Bedlam game it rained for the first time in 20 years in either Oklahoma or South Carolina. Obviously, Rudolph couldn’t be trusted to throw to his strengths.

Fortunately, my latest peek at Saturday’s forecast in Stillwater indicates 78 degrees, partly cloudy and a south wind of 5 to 10 miles per hour. Precipitation chance? Zero percent.

When the sun sets over Boone Pickens Stadium at roughly 6:29 p.m., which quarterback will be kicking it with the paddle people and which will be packing up his obnoxiously-sized crimson flag and heading for westbound 51?

Mayfield hasn’t lost a true road game since putting on the crimson garb three years ago. Will that change in Stillwater on Saturday?