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Dan Rubenstein

Welcome to the Solid Verbal. The solid verbal come after me. I'm a man. I'm 40. I've heard so many players say, well, I want to be happy. You want to be happy for a day. Eat a steak.

Ty

It's that woo, woo.

Dan Rubenstein

And now, Dan and Ty.

Ty

Dan Rubenstein. We are gathered here today to talk about an entirely different conference than we have over the last couple episodes. You know, we started with the G6. We did a two part G6 preview. Then we moved on to the ACC three part ACC preview. The time has come for the good old Big 12. This is part one. This is where we do the whole 30,000 foot view. Talk through tiers, themes, storylines, anything else that we find interesting to get people primed and ready for for our team previews which are to follow. Sir, welcome back. How are you?

Dan Rubenstein

First of all, two things. Right off the bat, when you said we were going to talk about a different conference, I was hoping you were just stopping it right there. This conference is different, man. I don't know how to tell you. It's just different.

Ty

It is, it is.

Dan Rubenstein

And number two, if we're going to be just correct here, if we're going to be accurate, if we're going to use facts here, we are talking about the Caffeine Free Cherry 7Up Big 12, are we not?

Ty

I believe we're talking about The Monster Energy Big 12.

Dan Rubenstein

Not to me. Every episode a new sponsor. Every single time. I'm gonna challenge myself this season to name a new soft drink or energy drink sponsor for the Big 12. You can't make me say the Monster Energy Big 12. All season long, every episode we're doing something different, doing something a little different. So for today, it's the Caffeine Free Cherry 7Up Big 12.

Ty

I appreciate the hustle. Well, if you are new here, please hit follow or subscribe. Even if you're not new here and you have yet to hit follow or subscribe, these are ways you can help us. If you have yet to do so. Please leave a star rating or a review wherever it is that you find this podcast if you want to support the team. Verballers.com V E R B A L L E R S as people are listening to this, we are rounding the bend and getting ready to flip on our in season benefits over on the Patreon. So in addition to the ad free episodes and the bonus content and getting these a little bit early and having access to our discord, so on and so forth. We've got some other little knickknacks that we've been working on here in the off season as we get a little bit deeper into July, be able to switch those things on. But if you want to support the team, it's the best way you can do it.

Dan Rubenstein

Should add just. I'm gonna apologize right up front here, Ty. Seven up is naturally not caffeinated. Okay, so diet. It was just being redundant is what I was doing. Diet cherry seven up continue.

Ty

So this is the big 12. This is part one. For anyone out there wondering what the hell is Dan talking about with the Pepsi Big 12, there is some context. Okay, Brett Yourmark announced the start of a broad sponsorship agreement with Monster Energy. Monster becomes the quote, unquote, entitlement partner, whatever that means. The entitlement partner of the Big 12 Conference, which means Dan Rubenstein. It is not just Big 12 football in the year of Allure 2026. No, it is now officially Monster Energy Big 12 football. In addition to that weird branding, Monster also gets some co branded jersey patches. It's their logo. The Big 12 logo. It's also going to be a thing in men's and women's basketball. If that's. That's your thing.

Dan Rubenstein

Yep.

Ty

Monster, for what it's worth, is getting all of this for just $20 million a year, which I'm not a businessman. That seems cheap to me. Seems like a decent deal for what they're getting in return.

Dan Rubenstein

Ty, we're not seeing that money. Wow.

Ty

The dietary session Monsters giving their money to Bret. Your mark. Each school is gonna get $1 million annually out of this agreement.

Dan Rubenstein

Here's what I'm gonna do right now. I'm gonna plant my flag. Ty. And I don't know how ethically sound. This is great. All right, great. I will sell the solid verbals Big 12 reference sponsorship to any beverage company. And depending on how much sponsorship you want to get into, we will wear seven up patches on our shirts.

Ty

100%. I'll wear the full racing suit if they want to give that to me.

Dan Rubenstein

It can be about, I guess, any conference. It has to be a soft drink. I Prefer the Big 12. I prefer that Ty and I, if you know somebody at seven UP or wherever, we will use that sponsorship to refer to the Big 12 as that.

Ty

Because the Big 12 is now officially the Monster Energy Big 12. Does this mean if we are selling sponsorships on our show specifically for our references, that would mean that it's the 7 up. Monster Energy Big 12.

Dan Rubenstein

No, we refuse to acknowledge that sponsorship because they're not involved in our show. So we will sell the reference sponsorship to the Big 12 Conference to any beverage company that passes a background test. I'm not, you know, we're not. I'm not accepting money from your uncle's root beer company that he sells out of, you know, a trunk. But I'm willing to listen, first of all. But yes, any beverage company that wants to sponsor our previews and recaps from Big 12 games this season, advertising@solid verbal.com.

Ty

this is like how FIFA refuses to acknowledge Lumen Field and makes it Seattle stadium.

Dan Rubenstein

Exactly right.

Ty

So there's precedent for this.

Dan Rubenstein

Yeah. Lobster Cola. Get at us. Shout out triple play. 97.

Ty

A little bit like the Dana Carvey thing.

Dan Rubenstein

Yeah, exactly right. I want to cash in beverage. Big 12, this is the Big 12.

Ty

This is the Monster Energy. Big 12. A little bit of a recap as to what went down last season. Texas Tech won the conference. Everyone knows that by now. They beat BYU in a rematch. They won that game 34 to 7. I believe the score of the first game, the first meeting between those two teams was something like 29 to 7. So got a little bit worse the second time around. But we had a couple teams in the conference that finished with double digit wins. Texas Tech and BYU obviously among them. Utah very quietly finishing at 11 and 2. Houston finished with 10 wins as well. We also had Arizona with nine wins. We also had TCU with nine wins. So some of these teams are kind of snuck under the radar a bit. Perhaps we can get into that a little bit here on this episode as we look forward. But definitely some strides forward for schools like the Arizona's, like the Houstons to an extent, like the TCU's. We can discuss again here over the course of the next hour or so. But that is where this conference is at now going into 2026. Texas Tech has sort of become that team that everyone is focused on. And it seems as if based on preseason projections, if you believe those sorts of things, Texas Tech is the top dog. What I find interesting about the Big 12, maybe outside of BYU, is that there is a whole grouping of teams that frankly, I have no idea what to expect. Yeah, can point out some players, can point out some things that I like. But much like the ACC before it, there is that big old meaty middle teams that I think are going to be in a bowl. But if things go right, if they get a break, perhaps they could spring forward and be a little bit more part of this conversation at the top of the conference. Did you find the same thing when you were going through?

Dan Rubenstein

I think so. I mean, I think that's also just a product of the sheer number of teams that in a conference like the Big 12, if we feel like the competence floor is relatively high, especially post Mike Gundy at Oklahoma State, because we had seen that floor the year before in 2024 and knew that it was possible that when you have a competence floor that's relatively high, that you are going to get a pretty extended middle class. And generally that means teams that with breaks could be bowl eligible, teams that could go from being bull eligible to that eight, nine zone teams perhaps that have health, luck and schedule luck and for whatever reason miss teams could be in that nine, 10 competing in mid November in that conversation with the, you know, 73 part tiebreaker to go to the Big 12 title game. So yeah, in a conference this size with and this year more than last year, I think the number of returning quarterbacks makes it pretty interesting in the top half, which we don't always get after we just did the ACC preview. That makes it pretty interesting as well with the Big 12. But yeah, generally speaking, it doesn't look like in this conference that like you'll, you'll probably have a lower tier, a clear selection of teams that aren't quite sure things to go bowling. But yeah, you're going to, you're going to have a chunky middle here.

Ty

Some other facts on the Monster Energy Big 12 Dan

Dan Rubenstein

not my sponsor.

Ty

We got four new coaches in the conference. We've got Morgan Scally at Utah. We've got Colin Klein back with his alma mater at Kansas State, Jimmy Rogers coming over to coach Iowa State from Wazoo, and Eric Morris going north from North Texas is going to be in charge of Oklahoma State. We've got a handful of coaches that I think are maybe hot seat adjacent this year, but only about one to three by my count. I could see it for Randa, maybe for Dion, depending how things go out at Colorado. Scott Satterfield maybe, although I thought he did an okay job last year.

Dan Rubenstein

Yeah.

Ty

Doesn't feel to me like there's going to be too much Turnover going into 2027, but who knows? We always seem to miss on a few.

Dan Rubenstein

Yep.

Ty

Beyond that, eight teams to your point, with either a new starting quarterback, a quarterback competition or a starter in a new offensive system. Those being Cincinnati, Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas, West Virginia, Arizona State, Colorado and Kansas State at the very top of the conference. It's a little bit of a different situation.

Dan Rubenstein

Yeah. I mean Will Hammond with starting experience and we'll see when exactly he returns. It seems that there's more optimistic conversation about him returning if not at the very beginning of the season. Pretty close to there. I think they have week three circled as they'd love him to be healthy for Houston.

Ty

I didn't even include him.

Dan Rubenstein

Yes, he's. He's in the sort of gray area.

Ty

Yeah, we could say nine teams. But yeah, certainly not a full time starter.

Dan Rubenstein

No starting experience. But yeah. Bear Bachmier at byu, Devin Dampier at Utah, Connor Wigman at Houston, Noah Fafida at Arizona and Avery Johnson at Kansas State is a cool starting point for teams that Seem like they're in the upper half of the conference because we like stability in a chaotic college football landscape.

Ty

In terms of returning production, for whatever that's worth to you at home. This is a conference that has a lot back. There's a lot back in the Big 12. 14 of the 16 teams in this conference rank in the top half of FBS. Nine of the 16 are in the top 50. Three are in the top 20. Those being Texas Tech, Houston and BYU. So a lot back. Not necessarily with respect to the offensive line. Very few teams with an offensive line that isn't in some state of upheaval. And almost every team in this conference has a major loss on defense, either on the field or in the booth. In some cases both.

Dan Rubenstein

Yeah.

Ty

So this is more the case, I think, everywhere around college football. This is not necessarily a unique thing.

Dan Rubenstein

It's almost unique when it doesn't happen.

Ty

It is. It is. What is unique, though, in the Big 12 is that Texas Tech is this dominant storyline. They remain the dominant storyline, as I said at the top. And that's for a whole multitude of reasons. Could be because of the Brandon Sorsby saga. It could be because of how quickly and how aggressively they've been building their roster. Could be because Cody Campbell's role in the larger college football discussions.

Dan Rubenstein

Slash.

Ty

Potentially paying off politicians to file state lawsuits.

Dan Rubenstein

Or threatening letters.

Ty

Yeah, or threatening letters. Right. Just, you know, threatening language.

Dan Rubenstein

Yep.

Ty

The fact that Texas Tech is so out there and has very much been the type of team in this conference with a target on his back, I think that is a good thing for several different reasons. Because after Texas and Oklahoma left and joined the sec, there was a real question about where's the center of gravity now in the Big 12? Tech, to their credit, since the void, they went all the way in. Definitely all the way in. No matter how fun it is to have a conference where everyone is. Even the national discussion needs some of those tent poles over which you can drape a conversation. Then would it have helped if they didn't get shut up by Oregon last year in the playoffs? Yes, that. Absolutely.

Dan Rubenstein

That did happen.

Ty

Yeah, that absolutely would have helped. But I think Texas have kind of stepping up here. Becoming that team has definitely been good for the conference because now there is something that people can point to in the Big 12 and say, Aha, I know their story. Secondly, because Texas Tech has kind of sucked up all the oxygen, the other 15 teams can do whatever they want. The other 15 teams are playing fast and loose. They can build it at their own pace in their own way. And because that next tier down in this conference is so damn jumbled, it kind of feels like everyone has a shot. So my sense is that in addition to them getting the big sponsorship for Monster Energy or Cherry pepsi or Phantom.

Dan Rubenstein

Dietary 7Up.

Ty

Yeah, dietary 7Up. In addition to that, it feels to me like the vibes as a whole in the Big 12 are pretty good. And that's a good thing.

Dan Rubenstein

I think so. I think so. I think you're absolutely right on. Even though, you know, Texas Tech season didn't end the way that they had hoped, defense did plenty to win that game against Oregon, Texas Tech absolutely proved themselves to be of playoff caliber, as did, I would argue, BYU and Utah as well. Like, that's not that the gravity is outside of Texas Tech at the moment because of how they handled Utah, how they handled BYU and for that matter, Utah. But you know, internally, yes, everybody is aiming for Texas Tech, but there is to me reason to believe that there was at least last season depth at the top, like of playoff caliber. Right. That we've saw teams get blown out in the playoff. There's no reason Utah couldn't have been blown out in the playoff. There's no reason BYU couldn't have been blown out. And so when you have those three teams, plus other teams who have built themselves and have won the games that have good arguments to also be considered to be in or around that top tier, and you have, I think, the level of coaching that exists in this conference, the intrigue of, look, if things don't break right, we're probably 6 and 6. If they do, we're 9 and 3 with a chance to go 10 and 3 with a bowl. That kind of upside, I think is healthy for a conference. And I think we definitely have that in the Big 12. The quarterbacks we went through, that's important, right? If we have household quarterback names in a conference, especially associated with the same team year over year, or like in a couple of the cases here, right, with like DJ Lagway at Baylor. DJ Lagway is a household name in this sport that is good for the conference. That DJ Lagway is whatever he is, whatever he isn't that the name recognition of a quarterback at Baylor? I think it's great. So, yeah, I. I tend to think the Big 12 is in a much more positive place than not.

Ty

Anything surprise you or any other observations as you were going through the Big 12 from a really high level?

Dan Rubenstein

No, nothing. Nothing terribly surprising. I think, you know, it's actually because of that, that household name thing, I didn't even mention Drew Messamaker, who established himself as a big time national quarterback who had big time national interest both in his playing at North Texas, but also his, you know, potential transfer to a major program.

Ty

I mean, I could tell you mine the, the one for me that really jumped out. And again, this might be to the earlier point of how Texas Tech has sucked up all the oxygen in the room, but when you put the blinders on and get past the Texas Tech portion of the studying, you start talking about BYU and Utah. Okay, we know about BYU in Utah. They'll be pretty good. We'll talk about them in a second. Kansas State, Arizona, tcu, Houston, Oklahoma State, Arizona State, Cincinnati. Like, I can go pretty far the way down here and I have reasons to feel good about a lot of these teams and I wasn't expecting that. I wasn't expecting to feel that this conference is as deep as it is. Not fluke deep, not like, oh, this team who's probably going to finish 11th in the conference. I could see a situation in which they upset the number three team in this conference. I don't mean that. I'm talking about pretty far down on this list teams that if I look at them, if I really investigate them, yep, like I could make a pretty strong case for UCF this year. I'm really interested in watching to see what UCF looks like with Alonzo Barnett at the helm. There are reasons here, I think, to be excited about this conference the full way through and not just for a handful of teams at the top. And that's encouraging. Again, that's, I think more to the point of good vibes.

Dan Rubenstein

I don't know if it's a surprising thing, but at the moment it. There was a surprise to me about two of the coaches that seemed to be the most entrenched coaches with their teams moving on in. Matt Campbell and Kyle Whittingham. Yeah, right. Now, obviously Kyle Whittingham's time in the Big 12 as specifically that conference was limited. So there is the surprise of now seeing, you know, new polo shirts on those sidelines or in the case of Morgan Scally, same polo shirt, different position and different responsibilities on that sideline. So that, that's, that's going to take a minute to adjust to for Utah and Iowa State. But I'm with you that the cases for teams making noticeable leaps, right. UCF went 5 and 7 last year, more led by defense and offense, but they themselves get a known household quarterback name in Alonza Barnett from James Madison. Yes.

Ty

Yeah.

Dan Rubenstein

So there is reason for when you look at whatever, even Oklahoma State there, you can talk yourself into jump reasoning for more teams than I think I was ready to do. So if that's barely English, being a

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Hey, what's up, y'?

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Ty

to dating fails, conspiracy theories to cooking with celebrities who can't actually cook. Amazon Music's got the most ad free top podcasts ready to entertain included with prime foreign. Let's talk tiers here, okay? T I E R S. Of course.

Dan Rubenstein

We can do both.

Ty

We can do both. Who are your top dogs?

Dan Rubenstein

I think Texas Tech, byu, and Houston.

Ty

Okay.

Dan Rubenstein

Are to me, the teams for various, you know, specific team, specific reasons that I consider to be in the top tier that I can talk myself into thinking that they have a shot to win this conference for a couple of different reasons. For each of those teams. Texas Tech, it's a talent thing, it's a coaching thing, it's the ability to withstand losing their presumed starting quarterback, Brandon Sorsby, to a gambling scandal. He is out. That is 100% done. BYU, even though there are some changes on this defense with their defensive coordinator, leaving For Michigan. There is something to me about do you are if you. If BYU does not have the best backfield in the conference and I'm willing to listen to what it's Caleb Hawkins and Drew Messmaker at Oklahoma State. I think, I think the BYU backfield is in a better system and infrastructure at the moment.

Ty

Texas, Texas really good.

Dan Rubenstein

Texas Tech is that's just a Will Hammond in health and full time. What he looks like as an actual consistent starter. Question to me but yes, they should have good running backs obviously but BYU's combination of coaching was actually surprised he didn't leave with Kalani Satagi seemed like he was.

Ty

I thought he was gone.

Dan Rubenstein

Got that cookie cash. Got that weird frosted cookie cash.

Ty

I thought he was gone there for a hot minute, but apparently not.

Dan Rubenstein

So that combination of you know what seems to be consistent success for byu defensive development, the portal guys that have come in for BYU. The tight end room looks really interesting. Look, BYU has been there, done that and they play 73,000ft above sea level. So you know I'm always going to have a soft spot for that. And Houston, it's the continuity, it's coaching and it's schedule that they win double digit games with the bowl win last year and that's with some pretty big health issues and having a year two coach getting to double digit wins last season. So as for proof of concept for a team that is it won't take much for them to get to a conference championship game. I have Houston there because of those combinations, the teams that you like, the Arizona schools and you know, your tcu, Kansas State types. And I'm sure I'm leaving out teams that I have on the next tier. I think there's just more boxes checked from those three than others. Who do you have on the top tier?

Ty

I have just Texas Tech and byu.

Dan Rubenstein

Okay.

Ty

And I did grapple a little, a little bit with both Utah and Houston. I mean I have been talking to Houston all off season. You don't need to sell me on the Cougars here. I think they're going to be really, really solid. But let's round out the top tier for a second. So as we said at the top, Texas Tech, defending conference champion. They've got a really high returning production number. The big qualifier is that quarterback position. If you can forget about Will Hammond and the Brendan Soaresby saga and just look at the rest of the roster. The rest of the roster is good enough to win this conference and I don't think there's much debate on that. This is probably far and away the best roster in the Big 12. But the will Hammond thing, I think is going to be a real question now. He is coming off an ACL injury. We don't know for sure when he will be back when he's healthy, as we did see in moments last year, particularly in that second half against Utah. The talent is there. He has the ability to take over games, but they're going to need to manage his workload, I would expect early when he first steps foot on the field. And they're going to need to rely on other elements of that offense until he's out there and feeling back up to full speed. Yep, that's where the running backs come in. Both Cameron Dickey and Jacoby Williams are back for Texas Tech. Quentin Joyner, who had an ACL before last season, tore his ACL in August. He is also going to be returning. Remember, he had transferred over the previous offseason from usc. They've got a really good stable of running backs that I think are going to carry this thing for at least some portion of the month of September. But the Will Hammond question looms pretty large. What kind of upside does he give them if anything at all, once he's healthy?

Sam J

Yep.

Ty

Beyond that, it's like I feel good about where they're at, but they are losing David Bailey, Jacob Rodriguez, Lee Hunter, Romello Heights, some others on that defense. They did well in the Portal. I still think they're going to be really, really sound on defense, but I think there's a very obvious question of all right, what do you get from Will Hammond? Is this defense going to be as disruptive as it was a year ago or anywhere close to that level of disruption? It may not matter because this is the best schedule in the whole freaking conference. Yeah, they miss BYU, Utah, NK State. They have no road games against a preseason top 30 SP plus opponent and they get Houston, Arizona, Arizona State and TCU all at home. It is the easiest schedule in the conference. I'm not even throwing them under the bus. I'm not even making that joke. Doesn't matter. This is a really, really good team. That's why they're top in my view.

Dan Rubenstein

Yeah, I mean, look, it's the Portal class with Texas Tech once again adding to what they were able to add and develop last season. Adding to the defensive proof of concept was obvious last season. Now you need the guys and we'll see if the new guys are as productive as, you know, Jacob Rodriguez and David Bailey and Lee Hunter and Romello Height guys Like that. But they've even in just a season they she would in this defense they've earned a benefit of the doubt based on the the quick turnaround that we saw last season. The only thing I would add and this we can discuss this a little bit more on the team specific previews. So we're doing two more Big 12 episodes following this one. Looking at teams more specifically, I'm not immediate plug and play. Will Hammond is even going to be where Baron Morton was last year, which was pretty average.

Ty

I'm. I'm not there either.

Dan Rubenstein

I think Will Hammond was pretty average. Outside of that Utah game. I was not watching Will Hammond like, oh, this is the next big thing now. That wasn't my reaction for a half.

Ty

He looked that way against Utah. Against Utah.

Dan Rubenstein

But outside of that there was a lot of aggressively ordinary moments.

Ty

Number two, I think is is very clearly byu. I There's a lot to like with byu. You get Bear Bachmeyer coming back, you get LJ Martin coming back. That combination, to your point, gives them probably the best combination of quarterback continuity and an offensive centerpiece in the backfield. I that's probably not much of a debate.

Dan Rubenstein

I mean look what we saw out of North Texas's backfield last year. Makes me think we could see some cartoonish numbers from Oklahoma State. If it all works out, potential is there. But that was in a different conference.

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Ty

There is a question about if Bare Bochmire can be a little bit more of a passer. Um, that is definitely an area of his game that needs to improve. But you know, just having those two guys in the backfield is pretty good. Pretty good offensive line in front of them. The back seven of the defense looks like it's going to be really, really solid as well. My big question is a if you're going to be throwing a little bit more with Bare Bochmeier, who you throw into targets is I think are a very real concern. Don't know if they're going to have quite the edge rush that they had a year ago. The schedule. I think the schedule is mostly favorable because as we said a moment ago, they missed Texas Tech. They also miss K State and they get Arizona at home in addition to the Notre Dame game at home. Week seven, which will be a huge

Dan Rubenstein

deal, big deal game. Yeah. Obviously not a conference game, but the opportunity to pop on the national stage.

Ty

The other thing that the quirk that I would mention about the BYU schedule is obviously they host Notre Dame. Huge deal to have that one at home at altitude. It's immediately followed by a trip to ucf.

Dan Rubenstein

Yep.

Ty

So there, there are some potential landmines on this schedule in weird situational type things, but by and large this is still a team that is going to be in a really, really good spot. They did retain Kalani Sataki. They did not retain J. Hill, their defensive coordinator, as Kelly Popinga is now going to step in. So though the scheme and most of the guys on the team return, you're still replacing coordinator who built the defense. And anytime we see a situation like that, I think it's cause for pause of favorite pet charity. But agree, no reason not to have BYU in this top rung.

Dan Rubenstein

Yeah, agree.

Ty

The Houston conversation to me is, is an interesting one. I've been high on Houston. I don't think I'm this high on Houston.

Dan Rubenstein

Okay.

Ty

But I like Willie Fritz. They did take a jump last year. They return a ton of their production. I like Connor Wigman. I like that their coordinators are all coming back. I think the case for them to take another leap is fairly credible and easy to make. Bill's SP plus still sees Houston as like the seventh best team in the Big 12, but I still feel like with what they have returning and with the coaching talent that they've got on hand, I'm not as deterred by some of those projection numbers. I feel good about the Cougars this year.

Dan Rubenstein

As do I. Yeah, look, I think, I think you can talk yourself into most if not all position groups with Houston as having at the very least a high floor, experienced quarterback winning coach at interesting skill position in the portal. Interesting along the defensive line like all the, all the places where I want a team to keep adding to and keep getting better if they are going to challenge for a conference. I think Houston did a good job doing and now it's just doing it. Yep, their home road splits are pretty great. Especially like even though they have potentially tough teams on the road. Year one New coach Utah right like there is something nice about this is the year Houston gets blank because this is like it just aligns nicely with what is happening externally to Houston with what is happening internally with Houston.

Ty

Now what I would say about Houston, why I didn't put them higher defensive line is a question to me both on the interior and edge rush. We'll talk about that more when we get to team previews. I've got some uncertainty about the offensive line and I would also add Bill Connolly talks about this all the time but there was a little bit of a luck factor for Houston a year ago when they went six and one in one score games. So could make the case it's a better roster. You can make the case that maybe those one score games are such that you got a little bit more wiggle room in 2026, but if it's a situation where you're finding yourself in a bunch more one score games, do you like. Does that sort of regress to the mean a little bit? I don't know.

Dan Rubenstein

Yeah, the math doesn't love playing constant close games, but I don't know. I think in year three of a good coach and if their baseline coming from last year was a pretty, I would say pretty decent defense in different respects, like they were pretty consistently good on both sides of the ball and they lose, they lost their quarterback in the Texas Tech game. Right. Connor Wigman went down in that game and suddenly became a. Correct me if I'm wrong. Was that a Z on Chris takeover situation? I believe it was. They lose the close game to tcu, they lose the weird shootout to West Virginia, like I. And they kind of choked that game away. It was just a weird back and forth game. I think there are correctable moments on this schedule and hopefully to your point that they're able to distance them themselves even more and look, that was a losable moment to Arizona. Like teams go in directions. It seems to me Houston is going in the correct way.

Ty

I tend to agree. I like Houston. I'm not willing to put them in that top tier, but we can go off of yours. I'm. I'm cool with going off of yours,

Dan Rubenstein

but I, I also like what else is happening near the top of the for Houston, right. If Will Hammond doesn't work out, if the defensive line, if the defense at BYU takes a step back, right. That there is a little bit of stability at Houston that I'm into.

Ty

Willie Fritz is the type of guy you would hire to pull off a heist like this. Of course, very detail oriented, very disciplined, goes out in the portal, knows what he needs to target and talk more about that on the team previews. He's. He's very calculated and seems to get the hang of this thing pretty quick when he goes to a new place and we're seeing that pay dividends at Houston.

Dan Rubenstein

The, the analogy that I had with Willie Fritz in like this chaotic world, like, you know, people say like, oh, I've got a guy, right, that like your shingles are messed up on your roof and there's just like an old school guy that lives in your town. All he does is fix Shingles and think about shingles and dream about shingles. And like all Willie Fritz does is think about quickly improving teams and winning games without being fancy.

Ty

This is all he does.

Dan Rubenstein

I like that.

Ty

I was surprised Utah wasn't in your top rung.

Dan Rubenstein

Man, Utah loses everything other than Devin Dampier. So Devin Dampier's offensive coordinator from the past couple years. The first round tackles, plural, at Utah last year. Yes. I think the entire offensive line, I. I think basically all of the playmakers up front on defense, on the defensive line, everybody who caught passes like, and the new head coach thing, I want to put Utah there. Rice Eccles is a terribly difficult place to win if Utah is operating on a high level, as is obviously most home fields. But Utah has just been, when healthy, such an impressive program. But it was under a different guy and that's like new guy plus so many new faces. I can't do the top tier. I just can't. I want to. I can't.

Ty

I'm a little bit hung up on the fact that I think this is an offense that's going to want to run it. But they lose all five guys up front.

Dan Rubenstein

And not just five guys. Monsters.

Ty

Monsters. Monsters.

Dan Rubenstein

Yeah.

Ty

Every guy on that starting offensive line is going to be new. The two deep was at last reading for me. Still unsettled after the spring. So you lose that up front on offense and then on defense, they lose their best pass rusher, a bunch of interior guys from a group that was already kind of struggling to stop the run a year ago.

Dan Rubenstein

Man, that Kansas State game was something.

Ty

So I'm. I'm with you. I wanted to feel better about Utah and I'm still not going to put them like 8th in the conference or anything crazy. I think Utah will be fine, but I couldn't go much higher than this to the case for Utah. They also miss Texas Tech and K State, and the first two months of this schedule are very manageable. So they have Runway to get things sorted out. I think, you know, once they get into November, obviously they've got some bigger matchups that we can discuss more in team previews, but I like that setup for them. But there's just too many moving pieces here for me to feel all that confident.

Dan Rubenstein

The good news is there are pieces of the Kyle Whittingham infrastructure still standing in Salt Lake City. One of the the interesting ways that I guess it's an interesting way to think about it in a lot of different cases, similar to where Utah is, Utah lost its defensive coordinator who has been amazing at being a defensive coordinator. He's still there, but he doesn't have his hands on the defense like he's had for years upon years running the show there. And so that's a difference. Right? It'll be his vision, he'll be, it'll, he'll call the ultimate shots. But the day to day, hour to hour, minute to minute, it's not Morgan Scally's defense anymore.

Ty

All right, so you've got Utah rung down. Who else is in your, I guess, second tier outside of Utah?

Dan Rubenstein

I'll say tcu, Arizona, Utah. As mentioned Kansas State, and I think asu. Okay, likely asu.

Ty

Likely asu.

Dan Rubenstein

So these are teams that I'm confident in head coach, overall roster and squint and I can see how they can make it through their schedule going 8 and 4, 9 and 3 with breaks.

Ty

I'm with you on Arizona.

Dan Rubenstein

Yep.

Ty

I'm with you on TCU and K State. I don't think I'm with you on asu. Okay, I don't think I'm with you on asu. I would actually sub in for asu, Oklahoma State, because on my note sheet, my second tier is Utah, Houston, Arizona, TCU and K state. And tier 2B for me is what I call don't do it tie. And the only team in that tier is Oklahoma State.

Dan Rubenstein

Yeah, I mean, look, we can't help but be misled and misguided by Kurt Zagnetti in every single facet of the way we think about this sport. So in ordinary times we'd say, cool. Love the higher Oklahoma State. Really interested to see how this can all come together. Really interested. See how like these North Texas players perform and the other transfers come in at like a difficult place in an impassioned place that obviously still water is. But there is still part of me was like, okay, if we remove, remove Kurt Signetti from all of this, I know, what can we reasonably expect in year one?

Ty

I'm trying not to go too crazy on Oklahoma State. I get that because even though they bring over Drew Mestemaker, Caleb Hawkins, Wyatt Young, these are guys who knows the system. Eric Morris I thinks are really bright, a young, offensive minded coach. I don't know if they're going to play defense. I think the defense might be better than we expect. But you know, there's a question of the week to week rigors of playing in a power conference. How does that talent from North Texas translate to a setup? Like I don't know that.

Dan Rubenstein

Right.

Ty

I think it'll be fine. But That's a question. The offensive line, the offensive line is very much in flux. I believe these guys were not playing together at all this spring because of injuries. So the starting five, still a bit unsettled up front. You know, like there are questions abound here, especially when you've got so many new pieces, but it just feels to me like Eric Morris has enough of a track record, at least on the offensive side of the ball that the quarterback, the passing game, the running game, the parts that matter when it comes to scoring points are all that stuff is going to be there from day one. They also added so many other guys that they could bring on just as depth pieces. So it's not going to be a thin team. Even if somebody goes down, I think they're well positioned and I like what I'm seeing there. I might be a little bit too high on Oklahoma State, but as I look at the schedule, it looks like the draw is fairly manageable. You know.

Dan Rubenstein

Yeah, I'm with you. I just can't, I can't say anything with certainty with, with this much new

Ty

Arizona, TCU and K State. Okay, talk me through those.

Dan Rubenstein

K State is like I'm. I really want to like K State more than I actually do just because of so much new on defense and at head coach. There's still offensive pieces that I like. It's still a place where teams largely win seven plus games year in and year out. They've recently won the conference. New head coach is not obviously new to the little apple and Colin Klein. So I think again that's just like part of the infrastructure still standing. Even though there were changes made obviously all over the place. I think I still like K State. I'm not a big Avery Johnson believer anymore. I like a little bit of both in my marriage and in my college football fandom. Dependability. There's still just too much wild card.

Ty

Do you think though that now with Colin Klein at the helm, knowing the types of systems that he likes to run with a mobile quarterback, could you make the case that this is going to be a more friendly setting for Avery Johnson and that this could unlock some of what he, some of what we thought he brought to an offense.

Dan Rubenstein

This is year four of him playing games, not starting, but year four of him playing games.

Ty

Correct.

Dan Rubenstein

They've had players, offensive skill guys, quality offensive linemen, quality coaches, including Colin Klein, including concert. I know quarterback can be a developmental position, but Avery Johnson also falls into the like by now.

Ty

Right.

Dan Rubenstein

I would have liked to see a little bit more tender, loving Care with the ball. And so I think there will be moments where Avery Johnson looks like the best quarterback in the Big 12. And maybe it's a half, maybe it's a game, maybe it's a big game. But then you're going to get a couple games. If he doesn't develop into something beyond where he's been, where you're just like he fumbled again. Who exactly was he throwing it to on that third and eight, right. That like those are that moments. Like did he just throw into quintuple coverage with the receiver? Not even looking that. That's what worries me about putting Kansas State too much higher alongside all that's new there. But I'm still a believer in the infrastructure. We'll talk more about it when we talk K State specifically.

Ty

I think teams are gonna be able to run on K State.

Dan Rubenstein

It's just so much new up front.

Ty

Yeah, well, we'll get into that. But that's I think my biggest concern about defense. I think some teams would be able to run on K State. Arizona is another team you've got here. Arizona 9 and 4 last year. Kind of a breakthrough.

IBM Ad Voice

Yeah.

Ty

Weren't sure for a minute there, but they figured it out. Noah Fafida had a good year. Now both coordinators are coming back. Bill's got him number 30 in his preseason. SP plus. Can the defense that we saw last year, which was really good, especially against the pass, can they survive losing basically the secondary. Right. It was the secondary that kind of drove the bus. The defensive side of the ball, now that's gone. What does that look like now?

Dan Rubenstein

It's not just losing the secondary. It's losing pieces that are like clear, high level potential secondary.

Ty

Yeah.

Dan Rubenstein

Guys that really thrived in this new system last season. Totally correct to be concerned about that. I do like the stability of both coordinators being back. Noah Fafida being back for his 13th year at Arizona. I, I like all of those things. The home road splits aren't great, but with that kind of experience, I like the skill, talent. The offensive line is still somewhat of a question to me, but I think the vibes are pretty high in Tucson at the moment. And there's just something to me about them sort of flying below the radar still. Like they won the games they won last year and they were close to winning more. But I still feel as if so much of what do we use? Like the gravity of this conference still seems like it's kind of nowhere near Tucson. That there's. There feels like there's no Pressure on Brent Brennan after. There was a ton of pressure after year one that he was not able to. To immediately replicate Jed Fish's success in Tucson. That the pressure is off of him. They. I think they re up Danny Gonzalez on defense. They hit the portal once again. Like there's just enough about Arizona. Like I could see another year where if, if the portal guys work out on defense, especially like, oh, they're seven and two. I haven't even been paying attention. Great.

Ty

TCU won nine games last year. But new quarterback situation, offensive coordinator situation still got a pretty high mark in Bill's preseason projections at 34. But I have many more questions about TCU than I do any of those teams that we have talked about previously. That's a quarterback. There's some on defense as well.

Dan Rubenstein

If you are a Big 12 quarterback, you could throw on TCU last year.

Ty

Well, yeah, they gotta find a pass rush this year. They were good against the run a year ago, but really bad against the pass. They have no returning edge. Who proved that he can consistently create disruption. That's a problem.

Dan Rubenstein

I'm still waiting for my own edge to get back. Ty, a lot of us have returning edge issues. Yes, I think that's all right. I think there's still enough skill, talent on this offense. Look, quarterback's a question. Quarterback comes over from Harvard, that's a leap. Jaden Craig jumping from the Ivy to the Big 12 is a leap.

Ty

Yep. Jaden Craig.

Dan Rubenstein

So speed of the game, comfort with the game. Obviously very high level quarterback within the Ivy League. Had NFL interest. Had. I think there was Illinois may have had interest in him as well. Where they were scouring the market for a new transfer quarterback. So the interest is obvious to me. It's just a question now of like, can they do multiple things well at once? Right, right. They stopped the run last year, couldn't run the ball last year. That Josh Hoover made huge plays, did throw some interceptions. Can TCU string together boring things successfully at the same time? That is the open question to me about tcu because look, I still like Sonny Dykes as a coach. I still like Andy Avlos. I mean, I, it's more personal to me because he ran one of the best modern Oregon defenses. I think it was the 2019 one that was a Pac 12 championship defense. So I'm, I'm into the possibility of TCU surprising teams once again.

Ty

Yeah, I'm, I'm into it. I'm just not. I don't know if I'm buying it.

Dan Rubenstein

I think it's A high floor?

Ty

Yeah, yeah, it's a high floor. It's not like this team's going to bottom out or anything, but.

Dan Rubenstein

Right.

Ty

More questions for sure about this TCU team. Okay, so we're through. Texas Tech and byu. You've got Houston somewhere in there, which I'm fine with. Utah, Arizona, tcu, Kansas State. And we talked about Oklahoma State. A team that I think we disagree on then is Arizona State.

Dan Rubenstein

Yeah, I had them in that tier as well.

Ty

Yeah.

Dan Rubenstein

And that's a soft spot thing for me, I think.

Ty

A soft spot? What do you mean?

Dan Rubenstein

I think Kenny Dillingham's really good coach. Took a team pretty quickly to the College Football Playoff and won this conference. The portal development and the evaluation I think has been pretty great. I have questions about quarterback. I have questions about how they're replacing some key guys that they lost. I like who they bring in at receiver. I like what they've been able to do with a healthy defense. Hasn't always been healthy. So that's just a benefit of the doubt thing for me that there is always going to be a high floor with Kenny Dillingham at asu. There's a reason why he was in demand last year with Michigan calling his name. Like there are certain coaches to me that they're going to bring vibes and culture to the point where they're never going to not go bowling. And I think that's where ASU is. I think that's the baseline with asu. So from that point forward, look, they went. They go 8 and 5 last year, right? What is memorable about last year's ASU team, beyond Sam Levitt getting hurt?

Ty

It was going 8 and 5 with Jeff Sims.

Dan Rubenstein

They developed running backs. They went 8 and 5 with Jeff Sims. I just. I don't know, man. He's a chicken wire duct tape type coach when things are not going well and he does that well. So I don't know if Cutter Boli is going to work out. I don't know if any of the younger quarterbacks are going to work out. I don't know, man. He is just. He just finds ways. And so I can't say that about a lot of coaches in this conference.

Ty

It's a hard schedule.

Dan Rubenstein

It's a hard schedule. They have A and M. Week two, right.

Ty

Is the hardest schedule in the conference.

Dan Rubenstein

Yeah, it's real difficult.

Ty

Texas A and M, Texas Tech, byu, ucf, Arizona, Kansas in London. This run of games that I'm looking at here in October, Texas Tech, K State and at byu. I mean, that's just brutal. So they got a little bit of Runway to get things sorted. But it's not just the quarterback situation, which I remain kind of unconvinced on Cutter Boli offensive line, especially the tackle position. Questions about that defensively, are they healthy enough up front? That's a question.

Dan Rubenstein

Totally.

Ty

I like Kenny Dillingham a lot. I think everything you're saying is, is 100% true about Kenny Dillingham. There's a reason he's in demand, there's a reason ASU is happy to have him. But more questions about ASU this year than I have answers.

Sam J

Okay.

Ty

A little bit lower on him.

Dan Rubenstein

Yeah. It was Sam Levitt for looks like six and a half, seven games last year, including. They did beat the champ, right? Yep, they did beat. Now that was a champ without their starting quarterback and Baron Morton. But I don't know, man, if a non memorable ASU team can win that number of games with a chunk of it coming with not a ton of quarterback play, especially on the road. Right to me I'm just like, okay, that's. That's kind of the bottom. Okay, I know you're right about the schedule. I just be of the D man.

Ty

So we obviously had a little bit of a disagreement there, but that's fine. Yep, there are seven teams left then. And here's the way that I ordered them in no particular order in my third tier, Cincinnati, Baylor, Kansas and ucf. And then in my last tier, I've got Iowa State, Colorado and West Virginia. Does any of that conflict with what you've got on your side?

Dan Rubenstein

No, it's sort of like my I want to believe tier. Was that what the tagline was of the X Files?

Ty

I don't know.

Dan Rubenstein

Something right. Did you never watch the X Files?

Ty

I was creeped out by the X Files back in the day.

Dan Rubenstein

I didn't watch a ton of it.

Ty

I think I'd really like it now. I think I'm past that stage and I'd be really into it.

Dan Rubenstein

Yes, the X Files colon I want to believe was the name when they made a movie, an X Files movie. This is my big 12 colon I want to believe that Dave Aranda stepping away from calling the defense at Baylor and them hiring. Is it Joe Klanderman? Is that his name? I want to believe that that will make a difference for Baylor. I want to believe that DJ Lagway with what Spav. Jake Spavital is a difference maker. I want to believe that Alonzo Barnett going to UCF with what they've Done in the portal is a difference maker. Cincinnati. I don't know if I want to believe, but it's just a lot. That's a. That's a diff. That's a. Talk about a difficult schedule as well

Ty

for JC French action.

Dan Rubenstein

Yeah, I guess I want to believe. I just don't know if I do.

Ty

Yeah.

Dan Rubenstein

Who else did you include in there?

Ty

No, I. Just those 14.

Dan Rubenstein

Cincinnati, UCF and Baylor.

Ty

Yeah, I mean, my. My tiers are a little bit different than yours, and I.

Dan Rubenstein

And I would have Oklahoma State. My. I want to believe as well.

Ty

Yeah. So mine. I. Mine's not too far off from yours. I've got Tech and BYU at the top. I've got Utah, Houston, Arizona, tcu, K State, and the next one down. Like I said, 2B is Oklahoma State, where I said, don't do it. Then I've got asu. That brings us to where we're at now, and I've got it in this order. Cincinnati, Baylor, Kansas and ucf. I could probably make a case for UCF to really jump up. I like a lot of what I have seen in the preseason from ucf. The Baylor conversation, to me, is just different every year. Every year it's a different way to frame what's going on at Baylor with Dave Aranda. I really don't know what to make of both Cincinnati and Case. Or Kansas. Excuse me, I will say Case State.

Dan Rubenstein

Yeah, I would probably include Kansas here. So it's. You're getting Lance Leipold and Andy Kotelniki. Kotelniki.

Ty

It's Kotelniki. Yeah.

Dan Rubenstein

Okay. Just making sure. I want to believe in that duo once more. Questions at quarterback. I still need to see something from this defense, so, yeah, they're. They're in that space for me as well.

Ty

I like. I'm looking at my Cincinnati notes here, and they're all over the place.

Dan Rubenstein

They are.

Ty

They really are. They lose Brandon Sorsby. Brandon Sorsby won't be playing college football this year. They're replacing him with JC French, who comes from Georgia Southern. Everything that was written about him in the spring is all very encouraging, but there's a difference between being efficient in the Sun Belt and being efficient in the Big 12. How does that translate? I don't know. Cincinnati also only forced 10 takeaways last year, so can they get more? I don't know. They're going to need to, I think, if they want to jump above this tier and, well, like a totally new group of skill talent. So too many questions for Me. I think there's enough to build on here for Scott Satterfield. And I think all things being equally. He did okay last season, but I don't really know where to go with that. Cincinnati, Cincinnati roster. Excuse me.

Dan Rubenstein

Hold on. I love you saying Cincinnati, Cincinnati. Let's write that down for something during the year. I don't know what it means. I don't know if that's a new after hours club you and I are going to invest in.

IBM Ad Voice

So.

Dan Rubenstein

Cincinnati, Cincinnati. Okay.

Ty

And on the Kansas front, it's a quarterback race between Cole Ballard and Isaiah Marshall. Kotelniki is back. I like that he's back. I like that he gives them structure. I like that they've got some continuity elsewhere. I think they've got good speed. Dylan Edwards is now playing for this Kansas as he makes the world tour. But Leery about quarterback, Leery about O line, just too much for me to put Kansas any higher.

Dan Rubenstein

Okay, I think I'm with you.

Ari Chambers

What's up, fam? I'm sports journalist Ari Chambers.

Sam J

Hey, what's up, y'?

Dan Rubenstein

All?

Sam J

It's your girl, Sam J.

Ari Chambers

And we're the host of Everyone Watches Women's Sports, a new podcast from Together. And I heart women's sports because, let's

Sam J

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Ari Chambers

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Sam J

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Ari Chambers

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Sam J

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Ari Chambers

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Sam J

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Dan Rubenstein

You get the Palm, Naomi, you get

Ari Chambers

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Sam J

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MC Gin

You said to me, yo, you know, keep at it. Cause you let me rap for you. It was magical for all of us.

Sam J

They were like, ah, we made it.

Dan Rubenstein

We made it.

MC Gin

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Dan Rubenstein

I know these guys, but who are you?

MC Gin

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Ty

Let me think. Did you walk up to the gate?

MC Gin

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Dan Rubenstein

D. That was you.

MC Gin

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Dan Rubenstein

it'll be Colorado, West Virginia and who am I leaving out?

Ty

Iowa State.

Dan Rubenstein

Iowa State. Yes. Iowa State is just too much flux for me to have any real pickup on. You know, Jimmy Rogers did a nice job in one year at Washington State fcs before that, with the amount Iowa State lost mostly to Penn State, but to other places as well. It just feels like a almost a year zero. Especially with like the timing of it all. So I'm Iowa State. Show some energy, show some flash, show a spark. But I don't feel what is. It's the Arkansas State coming quarterback, right?

Ty

Jalen.

Dan Rubenstein

Jalen Rayner. Yeah.

Ty

21 interceptions over the last two seasons.

Dan Rubenstein

Not my favorite. I like dependability.

Ty

He's been dependable. I mean he started 36 games. He's thrown for nearly 8,700 yards in his career.

Dan Rubenstein

Yes.

Ty

I don't love picks, but yeah, 21 interceptions over the last two years. Don't know if they're going to be able to run the ball. Don't know how the defense is going to look. I feel like there are questions abound and that's to be expected whenever you've got a hard reset like this with Jimmie Rodgers coming over and so much of the talent going elsewhere.

Dan Rubenstein

But that said, taking over Washington State when Jimmy Rogers did and they went 7 and 6. They won their bowl game. Yes. And Wazu was in it for three quarters against Washington. Destroyed San Diego State last year, nearly beat a semifinal college football playoff team in Ole Miss on the road, which obviously I'm sure there's circumstance and context. Nearly beat the ACC runner up in Virginia and nearly beat college football playoff team James Madison. So they nearly had a crazy season.

Ty

What's the deal with Colorado, man?

Dan Rubenstein

Colorado has interesting upside to me. I don't love them because there's nothing like, look, if you're. If you're in on Brennan Marion, speaking of like getting his passport stamped on his 14th school in 15 years or whatever it is for him.

Ty

And he rents. He doesn't buy exactly the.

Dan Rubenstein

And furnished. Furnished door dash options. Right.

Ty

Inflatable furniture. Whatever it takes.

Dan Rubenstein

There is reason to believe that the offense will become more interesting this year with Brendan Marion and juju Lewis. Danny Scudero coming in from what, San Jose State? Yeah, it's mostly just a defense thing to me right now. And it's mostly just a. If Colorado is going to be flirting in the like 6, 7, 8 win territory, I have to be convinced in mid July that they're going to do something excellently. Doesn't mean to be a lot of things. What do you do? What is the thing that you do really well? Is it rushing the passer? Is it running the ball? Is it bombing it deep to Danny Scudero, Whatever it is, because of how they have been lately, it's sort of like I need, I need proof, any

Ty

proof that the line can block. Remember Jordan Seaton left along with a

Dan Rubenstein

bunch of other dudes.

Ty

Yeah, with a bunch of other dudes. I need proof at running back that whatever system, the Go Go system they're going to try and run with Brennan Marion is going to work. I need proof about their defensive line that they can stop the run. I think they'll be fine in the back seven. But up front we've seen that on occasion. Come back to bike Colorado, you combine that with the fact that it's a really difficult schedule, at least to my eye.

Dan Rubenstein

They open up at Georgia Tech. Yes.

Ty

Yeah, I just, I don't feel great about this. I'm curious to see juju Lewis. I want to see what he can do. Really small sample size a year ago. This is obviously going to be his first full season as QB1 in a new offense. So it's either really going to hit or it's really going to. Not interested, but I'm out.

Dan Rubenstein

They won one Power Conference game last year. Yes, it beat Iowa State, then proceeded to lose their final five. Last year's not this year. Especially with how much Deion Sanders turns over that roster. Didn't love the quote at media day. I think it was a media day from Julian Lewis talking about, like, yeah, last year we didn't even study defenses.

Ty

Like, excuse me, Grant's great stuff, right?

Dan Rubenstein

What's that? So, yeah, got to see something before I feel anything positive about the Buffs right now.

Ty

I think I am with you. And then that brings us to, I guess, our final team here. How are we feeling about West Virginia?

Dan Rubenstein

TBD again? It's one of those teams that with the sheer number and it's. Look, the vibes seem to be good. The recruiting class was nice. Like the incoming high school kids. I just want to know what they are. I want to know what they're going to do. Well after last season and like, if the starting point for West Virginia is winning the Backyard Brawl, great. Don't lose five straight after that.

Ty

Right.

Dan Rubenstein

Beat Houston, beat Colorado and then lose 49 nothing to Texas Tech. Well, I guess they also lost close to asu. So it's going to be this year, similar to Colorado. What are they going to do really well this year? I don't love where they are at quarterback. They stopped the run pretty well last year and they were equally bad, you know, stopping any quarterback. So college football is always much more fun when West Virginia is fun. Rich Rod, good coach, has proven that at multiple places. Now it's like, what are we stringing together?

Ty

I like Cam Cook, their transfer running back.

Dan Rubenstein

Okay.

Ty

Almost 1700 rushing yards last year. He gives that offense sort of the workhorse that we know Rich Rod wants. So there's upside there. I think he fits the scheme. I think they will find ways to use Cam Cook for all he's worth. But is it Michael Hawkins Jr. Is it Scotty Fox Jr. Who is the quarterback? Does it matter? Offensive line, they have more guys on the line now. I think they were adamant about trying to get more options. But more options does not necessarily fix a unit that was among the least efficient in both run blocking and pass blocking a year ago. And just overall on the defensive side of things, they lose their top five tacklers. They're rebuilding the entire back end. That was already pretty bad against the pass a year ago. There's a reason they're down here. I'm rooting for Rich Rod. I have nothing against West Virginia. I like a lot of these players actually. But relative to the field, I think I'm pretty bearish on West Virginia this season.

Dan Rubenstein

They scored 30 points once after that backyard brawl last year. Yeah, couldn't run, couldn't throw. Quarterback health issues. Quarterback non health issues. I just, I want to see stability from Mountaineers before feeling decently about him.

Ty

Do you have a pet player this year? A player that pet player? Yeah, that in your research just kind of peak curiosity.

Dan Rubenstein

That's a good question. I really liked Ashton Porter at Oregon. He was a rotation edge obviously. Couldn't really crack any sort of significant rotation and big moments with Mateo Young Lay and Tatum Tuiodi there. He's a good player now he's I think going to be like counted on at Houston to be a difference maker on their edge and he's good story. So I'm rooting for Ashton Porter because of that connection. Rooting for Noah Fafida this year just because the stability. I think it's the first time he has two straight years with the same coordinator.

Ty

Correct?

Sam J

Yep.

Ty

Seth Dege.

Dan Rubenstein

I've always look, two years ago he was an absolute nightmare and it did not seem like a sure thing that, you know, that first year of Brent Brennan that he was going to be hanging around or on this level or whatever. I liked him hanging in there last year and having that bounce back year. So I'm rooting for. For Noah Fufita. There's a big conference. Let me see, what other team do you have? Anybody that stands out?

Ty

I've got two other quarterbacks actually. Alonza Barnett the third.

Dan Rubenstein

Sure.

Ty

So Alonza Barnett comes down from James Madison. He did miss spring because of injury but seems like he's going to be a full go. I am curious to see what the offense looks like with him at the helm because he's an athletic guy. 38 total touchdowns. He definitely gives the offense the type of quarterback that can go out there with designed runs. Can use a guy like that in the red zone. I'm curious to see what they're doing with respect to Alonzo Barnett and I think he's got some decent pass catchers. Maybe not household names, but I think the combination of what they have on offense just in terms of their athletes and what they have on defense, especially in the secondary, it makes UCF a really interesting case this year and I don't want to get too far out over My skis. It's not the easiest of schedules, but I think a healthy Alonza Barnett clearly gives UCF a very easy path to get into a bowl. If not go a little bit higher and maybe pull off an upset or two.

Dan Rubenstein

Definitely.

Ty

The other one that I'm really interested in is DJ Lagway.

Dan Rubenstein

Oh, yeah. I'm rooting for that to work out,

Ty

you know, like, you mentioned him in passing and it's cool. It's cool. You understand why Baylor isn't necessarily on the tip of our tongue when we're talking about the top teams in the Big 12. Clearly, there's a lot at stake for a guy like a Dave Aranda this season. DJ Lackawa has been a guy who's easy to root for. He's had his moments. Clearly had his moments while he was at Florida, that situation in Gainesville was imploding out from under him. There were moments in that game where. Or in that season, both last year and the year before, where it was sort of on hero ball. Right. Like, what can DJ Lagway do to kind of lead us out of this thing? I don't know if this is a better situation for him. It's probably more familiar confines, given personal history. He's got the arm talent, he's got mobility. If he can cut back on those, on those interceptions. This is like a completely different conversation for Baylor.

Dan Rubenstein

I mean, but that's the sport, right? The talent being tantalizing, the mistakes. Just take like. I think Max Brown just did a video about this about DJ Lagway on YouTube. I've watched a chunk of it.

IBM Ad Voice

It's very good.

Dan Rubenstein

It would be very cool if it worked out for DJ Lagway and Baylor the other. I don't know if it's a pet thing, but it's a thing that stood out to me because I like putting certain players or groupings of players like, oh, they're like the best combination of linebackers. They're the best, like, edge rushers. I was thinking about it. If ASU can figure out quarterback Omarion Miller, and I think it's Reed Harris, the Boss Miller.

Ty

Yeah, I talked about him all off season, too.

Dan Rubenstein

I think he's great on my radar. If the passing game is something, if quarterback is something, whoever that quarterback is for asu, yeah, that could be the best receiving tandem in the conference. No, it has a chance to. I'm just in mid July. I could see that's where my brain is. So, yeah, got got to have somebody throw them the ball. But, yeah, that's where we are.

Ty

I've got Texas Tech over BYU in a much closer game in the conference title.

Dan Rubenstein

I've got Houston beating Texas Tech in a rematch after losing that first game to Texas Tech. They beat him in the championship game

Ty

right in solid verbalmail.com Let us know your thoughts on the Big 12 again. We've got two other parts yet to yet to come here following this episode. We're going to break it into eight and eight. Talk about eight teams in part two and then the eight other teams in part three. That'll be our Big 12 team previews that will of course follow this episode. Follow or subscribe if you made it this far so that you don't miss any of the preview content. And if you are ever so inclined, leave us a star rating or review, head on out to verballers.com it's the best way to support the team. Help Dan and I keep the lights

Dan Rubenstein

on here at SVHQ and mention that you heard on Solid Verbal for half off entry, half off drinks at the new club Ty and I are starting Cincinnati, since it just mentioned you mentioned you heard about it on the Solid Verbal and our bouncer Terry will let you in.

Ty

Well, you know how it is. Like, I have my notes here. Oh, and I don't. I. I don't. Nothing is scripted. Yeah, it's all just a bunch of bullet points. And so I'm worried about how long is the show running? Do we need to move to the next topic? What are we talking about next? How can I make my point here? And it's all of those conflicting things that leads you to get a little bit mushmouth and say things like Cincinnati, that's okay. Which now could actually be a fine dining establishment in the greater Cincinnati area.

Dan Rubenstein

Depending on you think it's a fine dining sounding name?

Ty

I think it could be. I don't think it's that, but it's open to interpretation. Maybe there are some entrepreneurs out there in the Cincinnati area that would like to weigh in.

Dan Rubenstein

SolidVerbalMail.com oh, I think it's an adult establishment. Not like a strip club. Not like a gentleman's club, but I think for like the discerning adult.

Ty

Oh, for like. Okay, right.

Dan Rubenstein

Cincinnati.

Ty

Cincinnati, right.

Dan Rubenstein

I don't know.

Ty

Dare we Google to see if there is a Cincinnati?

Dan Rubenstein

I'll no, I don't want the dream to be dash tie Cincinnati. Also, should we start doing an X Files rewatch podcast on our bonus Patreon show?

Ty

Oh, here we go. If I type in Cincinnati, I get I get. Apparently there's an escort website. There we go. Okay.

Dan Rubenstein

Really?

Ty

There's your answer.

IBM Ad Voice

Yep.

Dan Rubenstein

It was too good a name.

Ty

Yeah.

Dan Rubenstein

It always had to fly free. So there you are. Our business dreams of Southern Ohio have been destroyed.

Ty

They've been destroyed.

Dan Rubenstein

Yeah.

Ty

Alrighty. That does it for Big 12 part one. Thank you for bearing with us here. Much, much more to come. Looking forward to diving in, talking in more depth about all of these teams that we covered here. Just in passing today, Dan Rubenstein, again, I would encourage everybody write in either at the email, sellverblobal, gmail.com, social media, wherever you can get a hold of us. We read everything. We'd love to hear from you, would love to get your thoughts on where you stand in the Big 12, what your tiers look like. In the meantime, until next time for that guy over there, Dan. For myself over here, Ty, you know the drill. Stay solid.

Dan Rubenstein

Peace.

Sam J

This is an I heart podcast. Guaranteed human.