Locked On Big 12 | Daily College Football & Basketball Podcast

Big 12 football shakeup: AP poll surprises and gambling scandal rock Oklahoma. Is a true freshman about to make BYU history? Experts break down the unexpected AP poll rankings, questioning Utah's inclusion and Oklahoma State's absence. The John Matier controversy at Oklahoma takes center stage, sparking debate on gambling in college sports. Quarterback battles heat up across the conference, with B...

Texas Tech's recent recruiting success, fueled by significant NIL opportunities, has created a stir in the college football world, drawing particular frustration from fanbases in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), including Georgia. For years, the SEC has been the undisputed king of college football recruiting, often landing top prospects with relative ease. However, Texas Tech has successfully ch...

The AP Poll's perceived neglect of the Big 12 is a common criticism, often stemming from the conference's smaller number of ranked teams compared to others like the SEC and Big Ten. This is particularly noticeable in preseason polls where voters often rely on historical reputation and "brand recognition" rather than recent on-field success or returning talent. 🏈   Preseason Poll Bias   The presea...

Morgantown is buzzing with a renewed sense of optimism as the West Virginia University football program heads into the 2025 season. The return of head coach Rich Rodriguez, coupled with a roster re-tooled with a blend of key returning talent and promising newcomers, has ignited hopes that the Mountaineers are on the cusp of a successful campaign. A primary driver of this optimism is the reappointm...

A scandal has recently emerged involving Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer, stemming from screenshots of his past Venmo transactions that circulated on social media. The screenshots, which were reportedly from November 2022 when Mateer was a freshman at Washington State, showed payments with descriptions such as "sports gambling" and "sports gambling (UCLA vs USC)." This came to light on social med...

The omission of Utah, Baylor, and BYU from the 2025 preseason polls represents a significant and questionable oversight by the voters, as a compelling case can be made for all three. The exclusion of the University of Utah is arguably the most glaring error. Fresh off a dominant 10-2 debut season in the Big 12, the Utes proved they are a legitimate conference power. Under the steady hand of esteem...

Both West Virginia and BYU enter the 2025 season with significant question marks at the quarterback position, a situation that could prove costly in the highly competitive Big 12. While both coaching staffs express confidence, the lack of a clear, proven starter is a major concern. West Virginia's Quarterback Carousel West Virginia's quarterback situation is a true position battle. Head coach Rich...

ESPN's Strength of Schedule (SOS) metric, a key component of its Football Power Index (FPI), is often criticized for a methodology that, by its very design, appears to skew in favor of the SEC. While the exact, proprietary formula is not public, its known inputs and a self-reinforcing cycle create a scenario where the SEC's schedule is almost always deemed the most difficult. The core of the issue...

Big 12 football faces an uphill battle for respect. Can the conference overcome media bias and scheduling challenges to earn a spot among college football's elite? Drake and the squad dissect the USA Today coaches poll, questioning Big 12 team rankings and omissions. The panel debates SEC quarterback talent, analyzes Big 12 perception problems, and proposes strategies for boosting the conference's...

The rumors and discussions surrounding West Virginia's potential move to the SEC are primarily speculative, often originating from fan discussions, message boards, and independent content creators who are "connecting the dots" based on past realignment talks and geographic considerations. Here's a breakdown of the current situation: No Official Sources: There have been no official reports from res...

The phenomenon of a recruit's ranking dropping after they commit to a Big 12 school, particularly to programs like BYU, has become a hot topic and a source of frustration for fans. While recruiting services would deny any intentional bias, the perception is widespread and supported by recent examples. The core of the issue stems from the differing ways recruiting services, like Rivals, On3, and 24...

The recently released 2025 preseason Coaches Poll delivered a significant blow to the Big 12's national standing, with the conference lagging behind its power conference peers in the rankings. While the Big 12 has often been praised for its competitive depth, the poll reflects a perception that its top teams are not on par with the elites of the SEC and Big Ten.     The SEC, in particular, dominat...

In the ever-shifting landscape of college athletics, the Big 12 Conference faces a strategic decision in its expansion considerations. While programs like North Carolina State, Wake Forest, and Pittsburgh offer established East Coast presences, a compelling, data-driven argument can be made for extending invitations to the Pacific Northwest's Washington State and Oregon State. This case is built o...

If UNC were to successfully leave the ACC, it's highly likely that Louisville would embrace a move to the Big 12. For the Cardinals, such a move would not be about loyalty but about financial stability, competitive necessity, and fan-driven desire for a better conference fit. Here's why Louisville would likely embrace a move to the Big 12: Financial Security: This is the most critical factor. Loui...

The Big 12 is in a prime position to add Louisville as the ACC crumbles, and they should do so with a clear, strategic plan that benefits both the conference and the Cardinals. This isn't just about adding a school; it's about solidifying the Big 12's footprint, enhancing its athletic prestige, and strategically positioning the conference for the future. Here's how the Big 12 should handle adding...

West Virginia head coach Rich Rodriguez delivered a passionate and candid press conference on Thursday, July 31, 2025, following the team's second day of fall camp. His comments, which quickly went viral, touched on a variety of topics, from his team's performance to the broader state of college athletics and society at large. Here are the key takeaways from his "rant": "Softness" in Society and A...

Conference realignment shakes up college football landscape. North Carolina eyes SEC move, Miami ponders Big 12 jump. What's next for the ACC? Drake and the Big 12 Squad break down potential conference shifts, analyzing financial motivations and brand impacts. The hosts explore ACC teams as expansion targets, weighing geographic fit and rivalries. Deion Sanders' dramatic health journey and coachin...

The current college football landscape is dominated by the financial disparity between the SEC/Big Ten and the ACC. With reports indicating that North Carolina (UNC) is actively exploring a move to the SEC, primarily driven by the pursuit of significantly higher media rights revenue, it's almost a certainty that Florida State and Clemson would aggressively pursue an early exit from the ACC if UNC...

While Miami boasts a nationally recognized brand and a strong history of football success, both the SEC and Big Ten might hesitate to add the Hurricanes in future expansion due to several strategic and operational considerations. For the SEC: Market Overlap: The SEC already has a strong foothold in Florida with the Florida Gators. Adding Miami, though in a large media market, wouldn't necessarily...

West Virginia University Athletic Director Wren Baker has definitively denied recent speculation linking him to the open Athletic Director position at the University of Oklahoma, emphatically stating that there is "no truth" to the rumors. The rumors gained traction after longtime Oklahoma AD Joe Castiglione announced his retirement, and Baker's name quickly surfaced as a potential candidate due t...

Excellent news has just broken regarding Deion Sanders' health and his future at Colorado! In a highly anticipated press conference held today, Monday, July 28, 2025, alongside his medical team from CU Anschutz Medical Campus and UCHealth, Deion Sanders announced that he had been diagnosed with bladder cancer in April. However, the critical update is that he has since undergone bladder removal sur...

Recent reports indicate that the University of North Carolina (UNC) is actively exploring a departure from the ACC, with the SEC as its primary target . This speculation has intensified following the recent settlement of lawsuits between the ACC, Florida State, and Clemson, which revealed a decreasing exit fee for schools. The exit fee is set to drop to a more "manageable" $75 million by the 2030-...

When discussing how much five-star quarterback Ryder Lyons is "being paid" (referring to his Name, Image, and Likeness or NIL valuation), it's important to understand a few things: NIL Valuations vs. Actual Deals: Recruiting services like On3 provide an "NIL Valuation" for top recruits. This is an estimated annual value of their NIL based on factors like social media following, on-field performanc...

The Big 12 is eyeing the 2030-2031 timeframe as a potential window to "steal" schools from the ACC due to the evolving dynamics of the ACC's Grant of Rights (GOR) and media deal. While the ACC's primary media rights deal with ESPN runs through 2036, recent developments indicate a potential softening of the exit fees for member institutions. Here's why the Big 12 could make a move in that period: D...

UNC Exploring Potential Move to SEC: What You Need to Know Recent reports, notably from Inside Carolina and corroborated by outlets like ESPN and On3, suggest that the University of North Carolina is actively looking to depart the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and has the SEC as its primary target for future conference alignment. This comes amid ongoing conference realignment discussions and leg...