Locked On Big 12 | Daily College Football & Basketball Podcast

Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark stated the College Football Playoff (CFP) selection committee "got the rankings right," despite the exclusion of his own conference member, BYU . This nuanced position appears to prioritize the stability of the new 12-team CFP system over aggressive advocacy for a single, non-champion team.     Backing the Process, Not the Result Yormark acknowledged he wasn't "ne...

Texas Tech has successfully forged its path to the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff, demonstrating a clear roadmap for Big 12 contenders. Their strategy revolved around two core objectives, which they achieved: 1. Winning the Big 12 Conference Title (The Automatic Bid) Under the new CFP format, the most guaranteed path is to secure one of the five automatic bids reserved for the highest-r...

A lawsuit by Brigham Young University (BYU) against the College Football Playoff (CFP) committee, ESPN, and the Southeastern Conference (SEC) based on the Sherman Antitrust Act would argue that their relationship constitutes an illegal restraint of trade or monopolistic behavior that harms BYU financially and competitively. The Legal Argument (Sherman Act) Restraint of Trade (Section 1): BYU could...

The potential pairing of Notre Dame and the Big 12 conference represents one of the most compelling and mutually beneficial moves left in college football realignment. For Notre Dame , the primary incentive is securing a clear and consistent path to the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff (CFP). While they can still earn an at-large bid as an independent, winning a conference championship wo...

The exclusion of the 11-1 BYU Cougars from a guaranteed College Football Playoff at-large bid in 2025 became a defining moment that revealed the selection committee’s preference for brand recognition over objective merit. Despite achieving one of the most successful regular seasons in the nation, BYU was historically ranked outside the top ten, a fate unprecedented for a one-loss Power Four team a...

The final College Football Playoff rankings of 2025 delivered a paradoxical judgment on the Big 12 Conference, resulting in a perceived injustice for the BYU Cougars while simultaneously awarding their rival, the Texas Tech Red Raiders, a coveted first-round bye. The stark contrast in treatment—BYU relegated to a low at-large seed despite an 11-1 regular season, and Texas Tech cruising into the to...

The case for the Brigham Young University Cougars securing a College Football Playoff bid following their 11-1 regular season record is overwhelmingly compelling, rooted less in tradition and more in objective data. In the expanded 12-team format, the Cougars’ resume checked every box required of a truly playoff-worthy contender, deserving of inclusion alongside college football’s traditional powe...

The Texas Tech Red Raiders delivered a definitive statement in the 2025 Big 12 Championship Game, routing the BYU Cougars with a dominant 34-7 victory. This triumph marked a watershed moment for the program, securing their first-ever Big 12 title and their first outright conference crown since 1955. The win not only validated the massive investment and roster build under Coach Joey McGuire but als...

The Big 12 Championship rematch between the No. 11 BYU Cougars and the No. 4 Texas Tech Red Raiders is college football's most compelling upset story this weekend. For BYU, the equation is stark: a win guarantees them the Big 12 title and an automatic berth in the 12-team College Football Playoff, validating their jump to the Power Four. Lose, and their impressive 11-win season is likely relegated...

The 11-1 BYU Cougars face a win-or-go-home scenario in the College Football Playoff (CFP) race, despite completing one of the program’s best seasons in decades. Ranked No. 11 in the penultimate CFP rankings, the committee has made it abundantly clear that an at-large bid is unlikely, placing BYU on the outside looking in behind teams with perceived superior résumés or bigger brands. For BYU, the m...

The moment of truth arrived for BYU football, and the answer was a resounding confirmation of loyalty: Kalani Sitake is staying in Provo. Following an aggressive pursuit by Power Four program Penn State, which reportedly offered an eight-figure annual salary, the Cougars' head coach chose to sign a long-term extension with his alma mater just days before their Big 12 Championship appearance. Sitak...

To defeat the No. 4 Texas Tech Red Raiders in the Big 12 Championship, the No. 11 BYU Cougars must execute a near-perfect game plan centered on offensive control, defensive disruption, and momentum-shifting plays. The primary key to victory lies in establishing the rushing attack . In their previous loss, BYU’s offense was stifled, managing a season-low in total yards. Running back LJ Martin, who...

Chris Klieman's tenure at Kansas State, succeeding the legendary Bill Snyder, was defined by blue-collar toughness and steady success. Imported from FCS powerhouse North Dakota State, where he won four national titles, Klieman swiftly instilled a culture of discipline and player development. His philosophy prioritized physicality and winning in the trenches. His greatest on-field achievement came...

The 2025 Edward Jones Big 12 Championship is set for a historic clash as the No. 4 Texas Tech Red Raiders (11-1, 8-1) face the No. 11 BYU Cougars (11-1, 8-1) on Saturday, December 6, at AT&T Stadium. For both programs, this marks their inaugural appearance in the Big 12 title game, with the winner not only claiming the conference crown but also securing a crucial automatic berth into the newly exp...

Drake Toll joined The Pete Sousa Show to talk Kalani Sitake remaining the head football coach at Brigham Young University, rejecting lucrative offers from established Power Four programs like Penn State, which represents a defining moment for the Cougars' athletic future. This choice goes beyond a simple contract negotiation; it underscores the institutional value of cultural fit and signals BYU's...

The closest Brigham Young University came to losing head football coach Kalani Sitake occurred in late 2025, just as the Cougars were completing one of their most successful seasons and preparing for the Big 12 Championship game. The crisis was triggered by the vacancy at Penn State, a Big Ten "blue blood" program that aggressively targeted Sitake as its next leader. The pursuit became very public...

Rumors linking BYU head coach Kalani Sitake to the Penn State vacancy have intensely heated up as the Nittany Lions' coaching search stretches into its 50th day following the mid-season firing of James Franklin. Sitake’s name has risen dramatically, propelled by a combination of his recent success and other top candidates signing extensions elsewhere. The Real Talk and The "Why" Sources now indica...

The final weekend of the Big 12 regular season (November 28th and 29th, 2025) delivered a decisive conclusion, officially locking in the matchup for the Conference Championship and featuring several dominant performances from the league's top teams. Texas Tech and BYU Secure Their Spots Both Texas Tech and BYU won their respective games to finish with an identical 11-1 overall record and 8-1 in co...

BYU head coach Kalani Sitake has recently emerged as a significant and unexpected candidate linked to the Penn State head coaching vacancy, following the mid-season firing of James Franklin. The rumors have gained considerable momentum as several early, high-profile targets—including Curt Cignetti, Matt Rhule, and Eli Drinkwitz—have signed contract extensions to remain at their current programs, n...

Texas Tech and BYU are set to face off in the Big 12 Football Championship game on Saturday, December 6, 2025, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas . This highly anticipated matchup marks the first-ever appearance for both programs in the Big 12 title game, a significant achievement for two of the conference's premier teams this season. BYU's journey is particularly notable, clinching a championshi...

The new era of the Big 12 culminates in a dramatic championship game featuring two teams that defied early projections: the BYU Cougars and the Texas Tech Red Raiders. This matchup is a testament to the league’s new, competitive parity, pitting BYU's renowned defensive grit against Texas Tech's explosive, high-tempo offensive attack. For BYU, this appearance validates their long journey from indep...

The College Football Playoff committee’s perceived lack of "love" for the Big 12 stems from a fundamental bias toward two key factors the conference historically lacked: undefeated champions and entrenched "blue blood" brands. During the four-team era, the Big 12’s round-robin scheduling and deep parity often resulted in conference champions carrying one or two losses. While this demonstrated the...

The Big 12 Conference has long endured a narrative of “CFP disrespect,” primarily because its hallmark—deep, competitive parity—was historically treated as a flaw by the selection committee. In the four-team playoff era, the conference often cannibalized itself, leading its champion to frequently carry an extra loss compared to the unbeaten or one-loss champions emerging from the SEC and Big Ten....

Open Letter from a Mass Casualty Survivor to UC Athletic Director In an open letter shared publicly, Brandi Hicken recounted the emotional cost of attending the BYU vs. Cincinnati football game, a planned "date night" intended to help her family find "some sort of safety and normalcy again" following an attack on her church two months prior. The attack, driven by anti-Mormon hatred, resulted in a...

The perception of "CFP disrespect" stems from a core incompatibility between the Big 12’s model of deep parity and the CFP’s historical preference for highly ranked, singular elite teams. In the 4-team era, the Big 12 champion often carried more losses than its SEC or Big Ten counterparts, resulting in the league being shut out entirely or its champion being significantly undersold. The committee...