Locked On Big 12 | Daily College Football & Basketball Podcast

Ryder Lyons, the highly touted 5-star quarterback who just committed to BYU, will indeed be taking a significant detour before he ever steps onto the field for the Cougars: he plans to serve a one-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This means that while he is a part of the 2026 recruiting class, he will not enroll at BYU until January 2027. His "freshman" season on t...

The 2025 NBA Draft has become a hot topic, and two names frequently appearing in the top 10 discussions are V.J. Edgecombe and Egor Demin. Both possess intriguing skill sets and high upside, making them strong candidates to be lottery picks. V.J. Edgecombe: The Explosive Two-Way Guard Projected Top Pick: Edgecombe, a freshman guard out of Baylor, has consistently been projected as a top-tier pick,...

Ryder Lyons, the highly sought-after 5-star quarterback from the 2026 class, announced his commitment to BYU on June 24, 2025, choosing the Cougars over other top programs like Oregon and USC. His decision was heavily influenced by a unique combination of factors:     Deep Religious and Family Ties: Lyons is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), which owns and operates...

Ryder Lyons, a highly-rated five-star quarterback in the 2026 class, chose BYU over other prominent programs like Oregon and USC. His decision was influenced by several key factors: Faith and Family Connection: Lyons is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which aligns with BYU's values and mission. Several of his family members have attended BYU, including an older sister...

While the 2026 recruiting cycle is still in its early stages, the Big 12 Conference is showing some promising signs, with several teams making strong moves and securing key commitments. It's too early to definitively declare how "great" the class will be collectively, but there are definitely reasons for optimism. Here's a breakdown of what's making the Big 12's 2026 recruiting look good right now...

The lawsuit filed by the University of Wisconsin against the University of Miami for alleged tampering with defensive back Xavier Lucas is a groundbreaking development in college athletics. This is a crucial precedent that could embolden other Power Four schools, like Baylor or Utah, to sue rivals such as BYU over tampering rumors. Wisconsin's lawsuit isn't merely an NCAA complaint; it's a state c...

Jay Bilas, the prominent ESPN college basketball analyst and former Duke basketball player, has indeed been vocal about the evolving landscape of college athletics, and his recent comments suggest that the transfer portal's frenetic activity might begin to wane in the wake of the House v. NCAA settlement.     His reasoning centers on the fundamental shift introduced by the settlement: schools can...

College sports face a financial reckoning. Are non-revenue generating programs doomed in the wake of the House settlement? Drake Toll and a panel of Big 12 experts tackle the controversial future of collegiate athletics. The discussion spans the viability of Olympic sports, donor influence on program decisions, and the cultural impact of diverse athletic offerings. Jake Hatch provides insights on...

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The House v. NCAA settlement creates a new system for direct university payments to athletes, but it does not solve the existing legal complexities for international student-athletes, meaning they cannot generally get paid through this revenue-sharing model without jeopardizing their visa status.     Here's why: F-1 Visa Restrictions on Employment: Most international student-athletes in the U.S. a...

talking about Texas Tech and Baylor potentially facing off in the Big 12 football championship in 2025 ! That's a much more plausible and interesting scenario given their current standing and trajectories within the revamped Big 12. Here's a breakdown of why both teams have a legitimate shot and what their paths might look like: Texas Tech Red Raiders: The Rising Contender Texas Tech enters the 20...

The House v. NCAA settlement, with its mandate for direct university payments to athletes, is indeed creating an unprecedented financial crunch for many Power Four (P4) athletic departments, leading to widespread concerns that some will be forced to cut non-revenue sports. This is not just speculation; signals are already emerging from various institutions. Here's why P4 schools may have to start...

The House v. NCAA settlement fundamentally alters the landscape of college sports, and a key aspect of this change is how it reshapes the role of donors in compensating athletes. While it doesn't completely eliminate donor involvement, it dramatically shifts the direct payment mechanism, meaning donors generally cannot give directly to athletes in the same way they did through NIL collectives prev...

Big 12 football shakeup: Conference merger talks heat up as Brett Yormark takes on the SEC. Is a new Power 3 on the horizon? Drake and the squad break down the potential Big 12-ACC merger, analyzing its impact on college football's landscape. The conversation shifts to Commissioner Yormark's bold stance against SEC dominance and the ongoing Jake Retzlaff situation at BYU. Jake Hatch from Locked on...

The specter of future media rights negotiations looms large over the college athletics landscape, and it's a particularly precarious situation for the revitalized, but still fragile, Pac-12. With major conference TV deals set to expire around 2030 and 2031, the current "stability" of conference alignment could be severely tested, and the Pac-12, having just pieced itself back together, could indee...

The landmark House v. NCAA antitrust settlement , which has received final approval, is indeed poised to fundamentally reshape the NIL landscape. This transformation could create a scenario where schools that relied less on massive, external NIL collectives (like Utah) find themselves in a more level, or even advantageous, position compared to those that leveraged large collectives (like BYU is pe...

The recent House v. NCAA settlement, which paves the way for direct athlete compensation, is indeed raising significant concerns about its impact on Title IX. Many advocates for gender equity in sports believe that the settlement, in its current form, delivers a "brutal hit" to Title IX's core principles, primarily because of how the new financial model is likely to be implemented. Here's a breakd...

The landmark House v. NCAA antitrust settlement , which received final approval from a federal judge in late May 2025, is indeed set to impose a significant financial burden on all Division I universities, including BYU and others, primarily through a new model of direct athlete compensation.     Here's how it will cost universities an estimated $20 million annually and why it's a challenge, parti...

The debate over the College Football Playoff (CFP) format has become a battleground reflecting the power dynamics in college athletics, with the SEC initially pushing for a model that would significantly favor it and the Big Ten over the Big 12 and ACC. The SEC's Initial Position: The "4-4-2-2-1" Model For some time, a prominent proposal, often associated with the SEC and Big Ten's interests, was...

While there are valid concerns about the concentration of power in the SEC and Big Ten, there are also arguments to be made that their growing influence could have some positive outcomes for college football: Increased Financial Stability: The substantial media rights deals secured by the SEC and Big Ten provide unprecedented financial stability for their member institutions. This can lead to impr...

The sentiment that ESPN and other major networks are biased against the Big 12 Conference is a recurring and strong feeling among many Big 12 fans, athletic directors, and even its commissioner, Brett Yormark. While networks would argue their coverage is driven by viewership and market demand, the perception of bias stems from several key areas: 1. Dominance of SEC and Big Ten Narratives: Media Ri...

The idea of a Big 12 and ACC merger is one of the more significant "what if" scenarios being discussed in college athletics realignment, particularly as a response to the dominance and increasing self-governance of the SEC and Big Ten. It's a complex proposition with many moving parts, especially concerning media rights. Here's what a Big 12-ACC merger could look like and why it's being considered...

The move to the Big 12 Conference for BYU and Houston, and specifically receiving full shares of the conference's revenue, is widely seen as a pivotal moment that will significantly boost their athletic programs, with the potential to elevate them to "powerhouse" status over time. Here's why getting a full share of Big 12 revenue is a game-changer for BYU and Houston: 1. Massive Increase in Financ...

Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark has indeed been quite vocal this week, engaging in a rather pointed, albeit indirect, back-and-forth with SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey, primarily centered on the future format of the College Football Playoff (CFP). This unfolded during the respective spring meetings for their conferences.     Here's a breakdown of the dynamic: Greg Sankey's Initial Jab: Ahead of t...

Big 12 football is at a crossroads. With SEC politics heating up and the Big 12's competitive edge in question, what does the future hold for college football? Dive into the latest controversies surrounding BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff's legal issues and Texas Tech booster Cody Campbell's financial influence. Hosts Drake Toll, Jake Catch, and others dissect Greg Sankey's SEC maneuvers, the implic...