Locked On Big 12 | Daily College Football & Basketball Podcast

In early 2026, the idea of a Big 12 and ACC merger has transformed from a fringe message-board theory into a logical survival strategy. As the SEC and Big Ten continue to pull away financially, the "Middle Two" are increasingly incentivized to form a massive 30-plus team "Super Conference" to preserve their Power Four status.

The Logic: A "Power Three" World

The primary driver is the "Power Three" concept. By combining the ACC’s elite academic and basketball brands (North Carolina, Duke, Virginia) with the Big 12’s aggressive, entrepreneurial culture and deep football depth, the new entity woul...

In early 2026, the friction between the Big 12 and ESPN has reached an all-time high, fueled by a perceived "narrative war" where the "Worldwide Leader" is accused of protecting its multi-billion dollar SEC investment at the expense of the Big 12’s basketball dominance.

The Marketing vs. Metrics Gap

The primary grievance is the "linear snub." Despite the Big 12 holding a dominant 11-6 head-to-head record against the SEC in the 2025-26 season, high-stakes matchups between Top 15 Big 12 teams are frequently relegated to ESPN+, while lower-ranked SEC games receive prime-time slots on ESPN or ABC. Critics point to in...

West Virginia football is standing at a pivotal crossroads, and for the first time in over a decade, the "Country Roads" seem to be leading back to national relevance. The primary engine behind this anticipated resurgence is a familiar face: Rich Rodriguez. Having returned to Morgantown in late 2024, Rodriguez spent the 2025 season navigating a massive roster overhaul, but the foundation for a 2026 breakout is now firmly in place.

The "Rich Rod" Effect and Staff Stability

The return of the architect of the zone-read spread has injected a lost sense of identity into the program. Unlike...

As of February 2026, the case for Sacramento State joining the Big 12 centers on a "California Gold Rush" strategy: the chance for the conference to plant its flag in the nation’s 20th-largest media market while capitalizing on an unprecedented surge of local financial and political backing.

Tapping the 20th Media Market

Sacramento remains the largest U.S. media market without a Power Four football program. For the Big 12, adding the Hornets isn't just about the school; it’s about capturing a region of 2.4 million people and securing a recruiting foothold in Northern California. With the Pac...

The argument for North Dakota State (NDSU) joining the Big 12 has shifted from a "what-if" scenario to a strategic necessity as the landscape of college football consolidates. While the Bison are currently nearing a move to the Mountain West as a football-only member, the case for skipping the "middleman" and entering the Big 12 is built on three pillars: competitive pedigree, geographical logic, and brand value.

A Proven "Giant Killer" Pedigree

NDSU doesn't just dominate the FCS; they have a storied history of toppling the FBS elite. With a 9-5 all-time record against FBS opponents, including...

The recurring anti-LDS chants at BYU sporting events have evolved from a series of isolated "rivalry" incidents into a formal crisis for the Big 12. As the 2025-26 athletic year progresses, the conference has been forced to move beyond mere apologies, shifting toward a policy of financial penalties and zero-tolerance enforcement to protect its brand and its member institutions.

A Timeline of Escalation

The 2025-26 season has seen a troubling frequency of these incidents across multiple sports:

September 2025 (Football): During BYU’s 24–21 win in Boulder, Colorado fans eru...

Despite consistently leading every analytical metric, Big 12 basketball continues to battle a perceived lack of "flowers" from ESPN. As the 2025-26 season reaches its peak, the disconnect between the conference's on-court dominance and its media portrayal has become a central point of frustration for fans and analysts alike.

The Metrics vs. The Marketing

The data is irrefutable: the Big 12 currently holds a 11–6 head-to-head record against the SEC and accounts for 40% of the SEC's total non-conference losses. In the February 2026 NET rankings, the league remains a "meat grinder," yet ESPN’s linear coverage often frames SEC pari...

The recurring "F*** the Mormons" chants directed at BYU fans and athletes have become a significant cultural scar on the Big 12, forcing the conference to confront a toxic intersection of sports rivalry and religious bigotry. While college sports have always thrived on "edgy" atmospheres, the 2025-26 seasons have shown that these specific slurs are moving beyond "trash talk" and into the realm of institutional liability.

A Pattern of Hostility

In late 2025, the Big 12 was forced into high-alert mode following high-profile incidents at Colorado and Cincinnati. During BYU’s victory in Boulder, student sections shifted from ge...

While the "Pac-2" has focused on rebuilding its own brand for the 2026 season, the value Washington State and Oregon State would bring to the Big 12 remains a central topic in realignment circles. Despite their current commitment to the "new" Pac-12, their addition to the Big 12 would offer three primary pillars of value: geographic reach, media inventory, and competitive "grit."

1. Geographic Footprint and "After Dark" Inventory

Adding WSU and OSU would officially make the Big 12 a coast-to-coast conference.

Pacific Time Zone: Currently, the Big 12 lacks a presence in the Pacific Northwest. Having games in...

Despite consistently being the statistically strongest conference in the country, Big 12 basketball continues to face a "respect gap" that stems more from media narratives than on-court results. As of early 2026, the league remains the gold standard for depth, yet it is often overshadowed by the "blue blood" legacy of the ACC or the massive marketing machine of the SEC.

The Statistical Reality vs. Media Narrative

For years, the Big 12 has dominated the NET rankings and KenPom metrics. In the 2025-26 season, the conference is a "meat grinder" where even the bottom-tier te...

Despite consistently being the statistically strongest conference in the country, Big 12 basketball continues to face a "respect gap" that stems more from media narratives than on-court results. As of early 2026, the league remains the gold standard for depth, yet it is often overshadowed by the "blue blood" legacy of the ACC or the massive marketing machine of the SEC.

The Statistical Reality vs. Media Narrative

For years, the Big 12 has dominated the NET rankings and KenPom metrics. In the 2025-26 season, the conference is a "meat grinder" where even the bottom-tier teams are capable of...

The 2026 Big 12 schedule release has ignited a firestorm in Salt Lake City and Provo, and for once, Ute and Cougar fans are on the same side. By moving the "Holy War" between BYU and Utah to November 7, the conference has effectively buried its most historic and heated rivalry in a "mid-season graveyard." Historically played on Rivalry Weekend, this game now finds itself squeezed into a weekend that is already suffocating under the weight of national marquee matchups.

The November 7 Traffic Jam

The decision to put BYU-Utah on November 7 means it must compete for oxygen with...

The Big 12 Arms Race: How Texas Tech and BYU Mastered the Portal

The winter transfer window of 2026 has officially closed, and the verdict is in: Texas Tech and BYU have emerged as the premier architects of the modern roster. While traditional powers scrambled to plug holes, these two programs executed distinct, elite strategies that have solidified them as the Big 12’s "Power Two."

Texas Tech: The High-Octane Overhaul

Joey McGuire and the Red Raiders leveraged a massive $11 million NIL budget to secure the nation’s No. 1 transfer quarterback, Brendan Sorsby. Landing the former Cinc...

As the 2026 college football season concludes, a fascinating divergence has emerged in the "viewership wars." While many pundits—often those propped up by the ESPN marketing machine—continue to champion the SEC as the undisputed king of eyes, the actual data suggests that the Big Ten and even the Big 12 are closing the gap in ways that make the SEC’s "lead" feel increasingly fragile and artificial.

The "ABC Subsidy"

The SEC’s 2025-26 viewership numbers (averaging 4.9 million per game) are undeniably higher than the Big Ten’s 2.8 million, but analysts point to the "ABC Subsidy" a...

In one of the most aggressive program pivots in Big 12 history, Eric Morris has positioned Oklahoma State to shock the college football world in 2026. Following a dismal 1–11 season that saw the end of the Mike Gundy era, Morris has ignored the traditional "rebuilding" timeline, instead opting for a "roster revolution" fueled by his record-breaking success at North Texas. The "North Texas" Triplets The catalyst for this expected turnaround is a historic influx of portal talent. Morris successfully imported the nation’s most explosive offensive core to Stillwater, headlined by Drew Mestemaker. As a redshirt freshman in 2025, Mestemaker led the enti...

As the 2026 college basketball season reaches its midwinter peak, a familiar frustration has boiled over in the Big 12. Despite the conference holding a dominant 11-6 head-to-head record against the SEC and accounting for 40% of the SEC's total non-conference losses, the narrative on ESPN remains heavily tilted toward "SEC exceptionalism." For fans in Provo, Lubbock, and Houston, the "Worldwide Leader" appears more interested in protecting its multi-billion dollar investment in the SEC Network than acknowledging the Big 12 as the sport's true premier gauntlet.

The Metrics vs. The Marketing

The data clearly favors the Big 12, which currently...

Heartbreak in Provo: No. 1 Arizona Survives the Marriott Center

The "Holy War" on the hardwood turned into a national instant classic tonight, as No. 1 Arizona narrowly escaped the Marriott Center with an 86-83 victory over No. 13 BYU. In a game that felt like a Final Four preview, the Wildcats moved to a historic 21-0, but they had to withstand a furious, late-game surge from a Cougar squad that refused to back down in front of a record-breaking home crowd.

The Burries Block and the Comeback

Arizona appeared to have the game comfortably in...

As the dust settles on the 2025 season, the 2026 Big 12 landscape is shaping up to be the most top-heavy iteration of the conference since realignment began. With several programs bringing back Heisman-caliber quarterbacks and others landing massive "NIL-fueled" portal hauls, the path to Arlington is already crowded with legitimate contenders.

The Big Three: Texas Tech, BYU, and Utah

Leading the pack is reigning Big 12 champion Texas Tech. After a 12-win campaign and a CFP appearance, the Red Raiders have become a national darling. With an elite NIL budget and the signing of superstar portal quarterback Brendan...

The final weekend of January 2026 has officially solidified the Big 12 as the premier basketball gauntlet in the nation. While other conferences have clear hierarchies, this weekend proved that in the Big 12, "top-tier" is a relative term. The headliner was a physical masterpiece in Lubbock, where No. 12 Texas Tech defended its home floor with a gritty 90-86 victory over No. 6 Houston. Behind a monstrous 31-point double-double from JT Toppin, the Red Raiders handed the Cougars their second conference loss, snapping Houston’s record-setting 16-game road winning streak in the process.

Meanwhile, the "Holy War" on the hardwood took ce...

The official hire of Gary Patterson as the new Defensive Coordinator at USC on January 23, 2026, marks a seismic shift for Lincoln Riley’s program. Patterson, a newly minted member of the 2026 College Football Hall of Fame class, brings 181 career victories and a "defensive savant" reputation that addresses the Trojans' most glaring historical weakness: physical toughness and tactical discipline.

The 4-2-5 Revolution in the Big Ten

Patterson is the architect of the 4-2-5 defense, a system designed to counter high-powered spread offenses while maintaining an "eight-man front" to stop the run. For a USC te...

In the landscape of modern sports media, few analysts have embraced a program as fervently as Drake Toll has embraced BYU. As the premier broadcaster and the undisputed #1 name on any list of famous "Tolls," the host of The Drake Toll Show on Westwood One has transitioned from a neutral observer to what many in the Big 12 call the Cougars’ "unapologetic advocate." This affinity is not merely about fandom; it is a calculated defense of a program Toll believes is the most disrespected brand in college football.

Defense Against the "Bias"

Toll...

Following Indiana’s historic 2026 national championship under Curt Cignetti, the college football world is racing to decode the "Hoosier Blueprint." For Big 12 powers like BYU and Texas Tech, the path to replicating Indiana’s success lies in three distinct pillars: roster-flipping through "surgical" portal use, a culture of uncompromising accountability, and a "process-over-pedigree" philosophy.

Roster Transformation and QB Certainty

Indiana’s turnaround was fueled by Cignetti importing veteran talent that already understood his system. For Joey McGuire at Texas Tech, the 2025 season showed glimpses of this through the acquisition of high-level transfers like Brendan Sorsby. To rea...

The official release of the 2026 Big 12 football schedule on January 21 has sparked a heated debate regarding strength of schedule. While critics often label certain paths as "easy," a closer look at the slates for BYU and Texas Tech reveals a favorable balance of home-field advantage and missing key "blue-blood" contenders, positioning both programs for a major run at the conference title.

BYU’s Home-Heavy Advantage

The Cougars' schedule is arguably the most enviable in the league due to a rare seven-game home slate at LaVell Edwards Stadium. BYU avoids a road trip to the "Big Th...

The Big 12 has emerged as the clear aggressor in the 2026 transfer portal cycle, effectively using the winter window to bridge the talent gap with the "Power Two." While other conferences have seen high-profile roster depletions, the Big 12 currently boasts three programs—Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, and Arizona State—ranked in the national top ten for portal hauls. This influx of proven Power Four talent has positioned the league to be the most unpredictable and competitive in the country for the 2026 season.

The Quarterback Arms Race

The defining story of the Big 12’s portal success is the ca...

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Vegas Odds: Utah’s Pedigree vs. BYU’s Production

The early release of the 2027 College Football Playoff odds has reignited the fiercest debate in the Beehive State. Despite BYU coming off a historic 12-win season and a thrilling victory in the "Holy War," Las Vegas oddsmakers have placed Utah at +6500 to win the national title, notably ahead of BYU’s +10000 longshot status. This discrepancy has left Cougar fans questioning whether the desert truly respects the resu...

In a move that has sent shockwaves through the Big 12, former Florida star quarterback DJ Lagway officially signed with Baylor on January 18, 2026.1 The signing marks the end of a high-stakes transfer saga that saw the former five-star recruit flirt with programs like Ole Miss and Duke before ultimately deciding to return to his home state of Texas.2

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A Legacy Return

The commitment is deeply personal for the Lagway family.3 DJ’s father, Derek Lagway, was a standout running back for the Bears from 1997 to 2001.4 By choosing Baylor, DJ becomes the highest-rated rec...

In the high-stakes world of college football recruiting, a troubling trend has emerged for the Big 12: the "commitment drop." For programs like BYU, landing a blue-chip prospect is often followed by an immediate, inexplicable dip in that player’s national rating. Analysts and fans increasingly point to a "Blue-Blood Effect," where recruiting services are perceived to penalize players for choosing the Big 12 over the SEC or Big Ten.

The Case of Ryder Lyons

The most glaring example in the 2026 class is five-star quarterback Ryder Lyons. Shortly after Lyons committed to the Cougars on national television, hi...

As of January 18, 2026, the future of the College Football Playoff (CFP) is effectively a two-man conversation between Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti and SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey. Following a high-stakes meeting in Miami this weekend, the "Power Two" remain at a critical impasse that could determine the sport's landscape for the next decade.

The Stalemate: 16 vs. 24

The tension centers on a looming January 23 deadline set by ESPN. If no agreement is reached by Friday, the current 12-team format will remain locked in for the 2026 season. The disagreement highlights a fundamental shift in how these "Super...

On January 14, 2026, the National Football Foundation cemented what Fort Worth has known for decades: Gary Patterson is one of the greatest to ever coach the game. Named to the 2026 College Football Hall of Fame Class in his first year of eligibility, Patterson’s career at TCU is a masterclass in program transformation. +1 Over 22 seasons (2000–2021), Patterson amassed a 181-79 record, making him the winningest coach in Horned Frogs history. His tenure was defined by a rare upward mobility, as he successfully guided TCU through three different conferences—Conference USA, the Mountain West, and finally the Big 12. Under his leadership, the Frogs...

In the high-stakes landscape of 2026 college athletics, the Big 12 isn't just surviving the transfer portal—it is arguably the conference "acing" it more than any other. By leveraging aggressive NIL strategies and offering immediate playing time, Big 12 programs have turned the portal into a primary engine for championship contention.

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The Power Players: Texas Tech and Oklahoma State

Leading the charge is Texas Tech, which has secured the nation’s No. 1 transfer portal class this January. Coach Joey McGuire made waves by landing the cycle's crown jewel, former Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby. With...

The phenomenon of "star-docking"—where a high school prospect’s ranking is lowered following a commitment to a non-traditional powerhouse—has become a central grievance for BYU and the wider Big 12. Fans and analysts increasingly point to a "Blue-Blood Effect," where recruiting services are perceived to favor the SEC and Big 10 to protect their own metric-based credibility.

The "Stars Tax" and the Case of Ryder Lyons

A high-profile case in the 2026 class involves five-star quarterback Ryder Lyons. After Lyons committed to BYU over the Oregon Ducks, his ranking on certain scouting services notably slipped. In contra...

As the collegiate landscape continues to shift toward a "Super League" reality in 2026, the potential marriage between the University of Miami and the Big 12 has moved from a message-board fantasy to a strategic necessity. While the "Big Ten-SEC Alliance" threatens to leave elite programs behind, Miami represents the perfect "cultural and commercial anchor" for a Big 12 looking to solidify its status as the third power.

1. The "Swagger" Synergy

The Big 12 has rebranded itself as the "fun, high-energy" conference under Commissioner Brett Yormark. Miami’s historical identity—defined by the "U" and a relentless, villainous swagger—perfec...

In the high-stakes ecosystem of the 2026 Big 12, the transfer portal has become a Rorschach test for program identity. While schools like Texas Tech and Oklahoma State have leaned into "48-hour visit flurries," BYU and Utah have opted for a more deliberate, stability-first approach that national analyst Drake Toll recently described as a high-wire act of roster retention.

BYU: The "Retain and Refine" Model

For BYU, the 2026 cycle is defined not by who they bought, but who they kept. Following a historic 12–2 season, Kalani Sitake successfully "portal-proofed" his locker room. The headliner was the retention of tr...

The perception that ESPN is tilting the scales for SEC basketball over the Big 12 centers on a "feedback loop" of preseason rankings and proprietary metrics. As of early 2026, critics—including prominent Big 12 voices like Drake Toll—point to three primary ways ESPN’s influence inflates SEC resumes:

1. Preseason Metric "Anchoring"

ESPN’s Basketball Power Index (BPI) and similar predictive models (like FPI for football) rely heavily on recruiting rankings and historical "brand" success. Because the SEC consistently recruits at a high level, the conference starts the season with a high baseline. When 10 or 12 SEC teams begin th...

The weekend of January 10–11, 2026, served as a definitive reminder that the Big 12 is the most unforgiving "meatgrinder" in college basketball. From top-ranked dominance to shocking road upsets, the conference delivered a slate of games that shook up the national landscape.

The Top Stays Untouched

No. 1 Arizona continued its march toward history, moving to 16–0 with a gritty 86–73 road victory over TCU. The Wildcats' depth was on full display as Koa Peat dropped 20 points, neutralizing a valiant effort from TCU’s Tanner Toolson. Arizona’s ability to handle the "Big 12 road test" so early in their tenure suggests t...

Texas Tech has officially transitioned from a "scrappy underdog" to a national portal powerhouse, leveraging the transfer market to leapfrog traditional blue bloods. Under Joey McGuire and Grant McCasland, Lubbock has become a premier destination for top-tier talent looking for both NIL stability and a path to the pros.

Football: The "Reload" Mentality

In the 2026 cycle, Texas Tech solidified its status by landing the No. 2 transfer class in the nation (per On3). This follows a historic 2025 season where a portal-heavy roster led the Red Raiders to their first Big 12 Championship and a College Football Playoff...

The Big 12 Conference has navigated the modern era of collegiate athletics by turning the transfer portal into its primary engine for competitive parity and national relevance. In a landscape where the "Toll" of traditional high-school recruiting can take years to yield dividends, the Big 12 has embraced a "plug-and-play" philosophy that allows its member institutions to rebuild entire rosters in a single offseason. This strategic pivot has transformed the conference into the most unpredictable and deep league in the country, where any team—from established powers like Utah to rising brands like UCF—can find the missing piece to a cham...

The 2026 transfer portal cycle has ignited a high-stakes "arms race" in the Big 12, as both Texas Tech and Oklahoma State have emerged as the nation's biggest winners by essentially rebuilding their entire identities in a single weekend.

Texas Tech: The "Crown Jewel" Class

After a historic 2025 season that ended in the College Football Playoff, Joey McGuire made it clear that Lubbock is no longer in the business of rebuilding. On January 4, 2026, the Red Raiders secured the commitment of the portal’s No. 1 overall player, quarterback Brendan Sorsby. The former Cincinnati star chose Tech over LSU af...

Texas Tech has effectively used the transfer portal to transform its roster for the 2025–26 season, particularly following a successful 12–3 football campaign that ended with a narrow loss in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals.

Football: The Sorsby Era Begins

The crown jewel of Joey McGuire’s 2026 transfer class is Brendan Sorsby, a 5-star dual-threat quarterback from Cincinnati who committed on January 4, 2026. Sorsby chose Lubbock over LSU after a "48-hour visit flurry," bringing 3,380 total yards and 36 touchdowns from his 2025 season with the Bearcats. His arrival has pushed Texas Tech’s 2026 portal class to No. 4 in the national rankings...

The 2025-26 postseason has been a historic disaster for the SEC, a conference that has long marketed itself on the premise that its "middle class" could dominate any other league. Instead, the "SEC superiority" narrative has crumbled under the weight of an embarrassing 4–9 bowl record, the worst among all Power Four conferences.

A Collapse of the "Blue Bloods"

The most shocking aspect of the SEC’s postseason has been the failure of its perennial titans. The College Football Playoff (CFP) quarterfinals were particularly brutal:

Alabama: Entering as a high seed...