Rivalries have power in sports. OU/Texas, Michigan/Ohio State, Bedlam. They all have an additional meaning and emphasis compared to other matchups in sports. This weekend OU took on their biggest rival, Texas, in the Red River Rivalry in football. Unfortunately, that’s not an option for wrestling as Texas doesn’t have a program. So why not develop a different one for wrestling, and why not Missouri?
It’s already a bit of a rivalry amongst close followers. They’re both old Big 8 schools, with plenty of history, which lends itself to some rivalry elements. But you could say the same thing about Oklahoma State and Iowa State with either program. Bedlam is already an OU rival, but Oklahoma State also has Iowa and doesn’t necessarily need an additional rival outside those two programs. Same with Iowa State and their rivalries with UNI/Iowa.
While OU has Bedlam, Missouri doesn’t have as much of a traditional rival in that sense. Kansas has been their main rival in the “Border War”, but they don’t have wrestling. Arkansas is a bit of a rival, but also doesn’t have wrestling. Illinois is the only program with wrestling, that usually schedules a dual with Missouri and is considered one of their rivals.
So why not make OU/Missouri “THE” wrestling rivalry for these schools? They’re both in the SEC. They’ve competed for years in the old Big 8/Big 12, and they still currently compete in the Big 12. Build it up. Make it what Iowa is to Oklahoma State. Ohio State to Michigan, Army to Navy. What OU/Texas are in football. And sell it and brand it that way to fans.
Rivalries draw fans. Oklahoma State was Iowa’s most attended dual, Iowa State was Northern Iowa’s most attended dual, Ohio State was Michigan’s most attended dual, NC State at North Carolina was North Carolina’s most attended dual, Army/Navy, and on and on.
If OU/Missouri can find a way to make this a thing, to build it up, it could be big for both programs. Brand it as the “SEC Championship”, get a title sponsor and a traveling trophy, sell fans on the rivalry between these teams, and they’ll attend. It’s probably not easy to do, but it’s something I think could do a lot for OU wrestling as they move forward.
