Oklahoma Memo

In this episode of Bedlam Buds, we put Oklahoma State’s rough season under the microscope and ask the question every Cowboys fan has been quietly asking: what if starting quarterback Hauss Hejny hadn’t broken his foot in the very first game?

Jeremy and I walk through the defense’s late-season improvement, the offensive struggles that never let that defense breathe, and how a healthy, mobile Haney might have flipped multiple close games — and maybe even saved Mike Gundy’s job. Then we pivot to the future, breaking down why new head coach Eric Morris feels like a home-run hire and what OSU fans should watch for when his North Texas squad takes on Tulane.

What we cover:

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Ryan and Jeremy trade Bedlam talk for turkey talk in this Thanksgiving edition of Bedlam Buds, ranking their top five Thanksgiving foods and debating some truly polarizing holiday staples.

Ryan keeps it classic with stuffing, green bean casserole, pumpkin pie (with heavy Cool Whip), and leftover turkey sandwiches. Jeremy goes off-script with cheesy potatoes, ham, mashed potatoes with butter, and family-tradition pickle wraps.

They also tackle:

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Oklahoma State has its next football leader — and Bedlam Buds is on it. In this rapid-reaction episode, Ryan and Jeremy unpack the hiring of Eric Morris as OSU’s new football coach.

In this episode:

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Guest: Kimberly Robbins, president of the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Association of Realtors (OKCMAR)

Topic: Rising home insurance costs in Oklahoma and how Realtors help buyers and sellers navigate the landscape.

Summary:

Oklahoma’s home insurance rates are now roughly three times the national average. In this episode, Kimberly Robbins explains what’s driving the increases, how Realtors guide buyers through risk and coverage decisions, and why Oklahoma remains a strong housing market despite the cost pressures.

We discuss:

• What’s behind the jump in premiums

• How Realtors help clients shop insurance and understand coverage

• Why considering insurance early in the buying process matters

• OKCMAR’s role in advocacy and policy discussions

• How MLS data helps buyers make smarter decisions

• Why trust and local expertise are critical when choosing a realtor

• Why Oklahoma is still one of the best-value housing markets in the country

National journalist and podcaster Grant Hermes from the "Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes" podcast joins Oklahoma Memo founder and curator Ryan Welton to break down a week packed with political shockwaves: a near-unanimous vote to force the release of the Epstein files, an unexpected military-focused PSA from Democratic lawmakers, and new economic numbers that underscore why affordability is the issue both parties will run on in 2026.

In this episode:

• Why Congress moved so quickly on the Epstein files

• The political meaning behind the Senate’s voice vote

• Why some Republicans are publicly breaking away

• How a Democratic PSA turned into a political unforced error

• The president’s online reaction and what it signals

• Why affordability is overshadowing traditional economic talking points

• What ACA extension rumors could mean for 2026 races

• Why Hermes believes the next 30 days are pivotal

Plus: Grant shares what he’s reporting next, including changes to Coast Guard hate-symbol policy and updates on his Substack and video work.

Subscribe to the Oklahoma Memo newsletter at OklahomaMemo.com.

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📨 Sign up for the free Oklahoma Memo newsletter: https://www.oklahomamemo.com

🎧 Subscribe to “Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes”: https://www.youtube.com/@mimsnewspod

📰 Read Grant’s Substack: https://mimsnewspod.substack.com/

In today’s episode, Oklahoma Memo founder and curator Ryan Welton welcomes Timothy Lee, Senior Vice President at the Center for Individual Freedom (CFIF), to discuss a new poll spanning four conservative states — Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Kansas.

The results cut sharply against the national narrative:

Large majorities in every state oppose eliminating vaccine mandates, especially for children.

Tim explains how the poll was conducted, why voters separate COVID vaccines from long-standing childhood immunizations, and why accessibility to vaccines (insurance coverage, pharmacies) polls at nearly 90% support.

We also explore:

• How Florida sparked the debate by ending all vaccine mandates

• Why Oklahomans’ views don’t match online rhetoric

• The role of intellectual property and vaccine innovation in U.S. public health

• Why these findings should matter to legislators heading into 2026

Visit the CFIF website: https://cfif.org/v/

Link to story about the poll: https://cfif.org/v/index.php/press-room/7432-new-poll-red-state-voters-oppose-eliminating-vaccine-requirements-by-wide-margins

And that story has links to each individual state's poll as well as a combined poll.

Subscribe to the daily Oklahoma Memo newsletter at OklahomaMemo.com.

In this episode of Bedlam Buds, Ryan and Jeremy take you inside the Sooners’ massive road win at Alabama — powered by blocked kicks, pick-sixes, and old-school grit. But is OU’s offense good enough to keep it going against Missouri and LSU?

Then: Oklahoma State’s 14-6 loss to Kansas State was the latest chapter in a season of frustration — five turnovers and a handful of missed opportunities. Still, there’s leadership emerging behind the scenes and one last chance to salvage pride at UCF and against Iowa State.

Other topics include:

💬 Drop your questions and predictions in the comments.

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The government is back open — but the way Washington got there says a lot about where we’re headed next.

In this episode of the Oklahoma Memo Podcast, Ryan Welton is joined by “Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes” host Grant Hermes for a walk-through of the new funding deal, the hidden perks members of Congress gave themselves, and the fast-moving fight over the Jeffrey Epstein files.

They explain how the three-part package keeps agencies running, which programs are safe for a full year and which ones will be back on the chopping block by January 30, and why extending Affordable Care Act subsidies became the line Democrats couldn’t hold. They also look at the little-noticed provision that lets senators tap taxpayer money to cover legal bills tied to January 6 investigations.

Then the conversation turns to the Epstein files: the discharge petition forcing a House vote, the pressure campaign on specific Republicans, and the tens of thousands of pages already released from the Epstein estate that show just how intertwined Epstein’s world was with Donald Trump’s first term. Hermes lays out why this issue has been one of the few that can actually peel some voters away from their usual partisan patterns.

For Oklahomans, they connect the dots between D.C. brinkmanship and local realities: SNAP benefits, military bases, holiday travel and the broader question of how much compromise and self-dealing voters are willing to tolerate.

In this episode:

Links:

Oklahoma Memo’s latest College Football Pick ’Em with Bedlam Buds goes heavy on playoff implications, rivalry energy and a little chaos. Jeremy leans hard into style-point season — expecting bluebloods to run it up — while Ryan is a little more skeptical on some of the big numbers and spots a couple of upset and cover specials.

We start with Oklahoma–Alabama and Oklahoma State–Kansas State before rolling through Friday night matchups, top-25 Saturday games and even the 112th Grey Cup. Here’s exactly who picked what.

Game-by-game picks

Oklahoma at Alabama (-6.5)

Ryan: Alabama to win; Oklahoma +6.5 to cover

Jeremy: Alabama to win and cover

Kansas State (-19.5) at Oklahoma State

Ryan: Kansas State to win; Oklahoma State +19.5 to cover

Jeremy: Kansas State to win; thinks OSU might cover but is “having a hard time” predicting it

Friday games

Clemson at Louisville (-2.5)

Ryan: Clemson to win (upset)

Jeremy: Louisville to win and cover

Minnesota at Oregon (-25.5)

Ryan: Oregon to win; unsure on the cover

Jeremy: Oregon to win and cover

Saturday – major national slate

UCLA at Ohio State

Ryan: Ohio State to win and cover

Jeremy: Ohio State to win and cover (“blow ’em out”)

Wisconsin at Indiana (-28.5)

Ryan: Indiana to win and cover (agrees with Jeremy’s take)

Jeremy: Indiana to win big and cover

South Carolina at Texas A&M (-19.5)

Ryan: Texas A&M to win and cover

Jeremy: Texas A&M to win and cover

Notre Dame (-12.5) at Pittsburgh

Ryan: Notre Dame to win and cover

Jeremy: Notre Dame to win but not cover

Michigan (-11.5) vs Northwestern at Wrigley Field

Ryan: Michigan to win; Northwestern +11.5 to cover

Jeremy: Michigan to win; Northwestern to cover

Navy at South Florida (-9.5)

Ryan: South Florida to win and cover

Jeremy: Navy to win outright (upset)

Arizona at Cincinnati (-6.5)

Ryan: Cincinnati to win and cover

Jeremy: Cincinnati to win and cover

UCF at Texas Tech (-23 / -23.5)

Ryan: Texas Tech to win; expects a big win (effectively: to cover)

Jeremy: Texas Tech to win and cover

Georgia Tech (-16.5) at Boston College

Ryan: Georgia Tech to win; unsure on the cover

Jeremy: Georgia Tech to win and cover

Iowa at USC

Ryan: Iowa to win a close one (upset)

Jeremy: Iowa to win a close one (upset), something like 21–20

For this batch you teed up several lines together:

Virginia (-5.5) vs Duke

Tennessee (-39.5) vs New Mexico State

Ole Miss (-13.5) vs Florida

Utah (-7.5) vs Baylor

BYU (-3.5) vs TCU

Picks:

Ryan:

New Mexico State +39.5 to cover vs Tennessee

No specific calls voiced on the others in this stretch

Jeremy:

Says he doesn’t see any upsets here – “all the favorites win”

Thinks Tennessee might get a big lead then empty the bench, so may not love the giant spread, but still has Tennessee, Ole Miss, Utah, BYU and Virginia all to win

Marquee SEC showdown

Texas at Georgia (-6.5)

Ryan: Georgia to win and cover “going away”

Jeremy: Georgia to win and cover

CFL – 112th Grey Cup

Montreal Alouettes vs Saskatchewan Roughriders (in Winnipeg)

Ryan: Rooting for Montreal, but picking Saskatchewan to win (better QB, Trevor Harris)

Jeremy: Saskatchewan to win

Ryan and Jeremy talk about Oklahoma State's upcoming football game against Kansas State — but first, the wrestling team had a big win over a Top 15 Stanford squad and there's a big national dual this weekend.

Plus, the Pokes beat Texas A&M (drummed them) in basketball. Is OSU good this year?

And then finally, Oklahoma State has a shot at a win this weekend over Kansas State. If you love OSU, like and subscribe to this channel for more "Bedlam Buds."