Oklahoma State at Oklahoma football: Joseph Randle, Blake Bell and a Bedlam rivalry that began before they were Cowboys and Sooners

Didn't have a chance anyway.

Bell was strong with OU from the beginning, committing early in the process. And Randle was content with Oklahoma State.

And that's how it should have been. The two had been long-time cross-town rivals. Why not move it one state to the south?

So they did. And three years later, with Bedlam 2012 coming in Norman Saturday, their importance to the legendary college football clash has never been higher.

Using speed and elusiveness, Randle has a Big 12-best 1,099 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. Using power and strength out of his patented package, the Belldozer has 10 bruising touchdowns.

And the Wichita pair, producing heavily for schools historically filled with Texas and Oklahoma players, has combined for 2,660 yards and 57 touchdowns the past two seasons.

“It's awesome,” Bell said. “Seeing another guy from Wichita, a guy you grew up playing against, seeing the success he's had on the field at the next level is awesome.”

But come late this week, in true Bedlam spirit, the friendship will be put on a brief hold.

“He actually text me right before the game (last year) and said, ‘Man, I hope I get about three or four,' “ Randle said. “Then he asked me if I was going to match that. I was just like, ‘I don't know, we going to see.' So we got a little competition going.”

“I'm sure I'll shoot him a text at the end of (this) week,” Bell added. “It's always good to have some friendly trash talk here and there.”