Speaker 1: It's time to celebrate the biggest team sport known to man,
where modern day gladiators collide for all the glory on
the Gridie, Let's talk some college football on Cougar Sports
with Ben Credle.
Speaker 2: Welcome back to the Sports one O three nine ninety
eight point three. S been a fantom that we're broadcasting
from our Vanderwealth Studios. Bandawell Dot, I'm getting on a
free q and a no omigates to do in vest
QNA with our tax mort Wealth Advisors certify financial planners.
Nobody does it better than Blaine Anderson and Bander Wealth.
And he's time for a little college football segment. Gonna
be brought to you by Dental Pros of Utah in
American Fork. They utilize the best biomametic techniques minimally invasive
techniques to rebuild your teeth layer by layers so you
don't have to settle for fake teenth. Later on in
Live choose Dental Pros. Check out the Google reviews who
won't be disappointed in their products their services. They do
fantastic work at Dental Pros and they want to earn
your business.
Speaker 3: Let's get out to the hotline.
Speaker 2: Welcome in Big Twelve Insider, Big twelve Podcasterer. He's got
a fantastic newsletter that's rusted by many in the Big
twelve world. Also a part of the Casey Sports Network.
Let's welcome in John Kurtz for the show. John, How
you living?
Speaker 4: What's up?
Speaker 1: Ben?
Speaker 4: I'm doing great, man?
Speaker 3: How are you doing?
Speaker 2: Fantastic? What's been keeping you busy this week?
Speaker 3: John? What have you been delving into on your podcast?
Your show? What have you guys been discussing?
Speaker 4: I think the better question this week is what hasn't
been keeping me busy? I'm sitting down, I'm writing the
open for business Big Told newsletter right now, and I'm like,
you know, there are three or four things that kind
of buried the actual Big twelve championship game in the
news cycle this week, which is nuts because that game
obviously is so consequential BYU's playoff live probably on the line,
though I do think there is maybe one sliver of
a scenario where it wouldn't be but Texas Tech playing
for a playoff by all that's going on. But yet
this week you had Kiwanie Sataki's flirtation with Penn State
and how just painstaking I'm sure that was around Provo
and for BYU fans, and now it turns into i
think a massive boom for BYU football because they have
gotten so many resources together and in line to support
that football program moving forward. You had Joey McGuire signing
an extension with Texas Tech, so he's not going anywhere.
You have another set of playoff rankings coming out, where
again I think BYU is just criminally disrespected, especially compared
to Notre Dame who is right in front of them,
and Texas Tech winds up in the fourth spot, which
would mean that they are in lines essentially for a
top four seed and a buy in the college football playoffs.
So it's like all that and then I'm a k
State guy. So in KSE State world, it was Chris
climb In deciding to retire and Colin Clin coming in
as the head coach at k State. So that all
happened by the time we got to Wednesday yesterday. So
there's been a lot. There's been a lot going on.
Speaker 2: So give me a little breakdown on the climbing situation.
I mean, look like I look at this schedule. I mean,
he's been there for seven years, right, and he's done
some fantastic work. I mean, this is a good football
program that yeahs has lost games, but they've been on
the cusp of greatness it seems every single year. And
you know this year they've had a ton of close losses.
They're right there. Yeah, disappointing losses, but they're a good
football program.
Speaker 3: What happened? Why did this happen?
Speaker 4: Yeah, So it hadn't been a very well kept secret
for a couple of years around Manhattan that Chris Cleman
was not a guy who was going to or was
likely to coach deep into his sixties. He's fifty eight
years old now as he retires, and so there had
always been this thought like, he's not probably going to
coach too terribly much longer. And I think that all
got hastened by just how crazy the entire environment in
college sports has become. And Jean Taylor, case State's athletic director,
referenced that in the press conference yesterday as a reason
why this is happening. You know, Chris Piman's a guy's
he's kind of like he's an old school ball coach man.
He wants to coach football. He doesn't want to fundraise.
He doesn't want to be out on the road doing
speaking engagements. I'm sure he doesn't want to be working
around the clock always rerecruiting his roster, like just you know,
managing the money aspect of this with a GM, like
all the stuff that goes into it now in college football.
I think he just wanted to be out there and coach,
you know, And I think all that really started to
wear on him. He had had a couple instances of
getting dizzy on the sideline over the last couple of
years too. I don't know if there's a major health
issue there, but at least, you know, seemingly just like
some stress related things had been popping up to so
going into this year, and really when they started one
and three this year, there were whispers about, like, hey,
is this going to be it? Like is he gonna
hang it up after this year? Now, Having said that,
after the Utah game and the tearful press conference and
all that, everything I had been hearing behind the scenes
was that he was pretty re energized and fired up
and wanting more NIL support and ready to go to
bat for that. And so it was a shock to
me when I first found out like Tuesday afternoon that
this was going to happen. I think one other factor
that you do have to keep in mind here is
that Chris Clement has handled this all very selflessly. He
made this decision really quickly, and because of that, Case
State was able to turn around and get calling Klin
lined up ready to go, and that was It was
a point of stress for Case State fans throughout the
year because Clent almost got the Oklahoma State job. He
finished runner up there, he was about to take the
South Florida job when Case State called. The fear was
he's going to take a powerful job this offseason and
you'll miss your opportunity to grab him forever. And Case
State fans definitely felt that stress. And I kind of
tend to think Chris Climban in the back of his
mind had that lodged in there too, like, Hey, if
I'm already teetering on this, I don't want to be
the guy that keeps k State from taking a shot
at the prodigal sun coming home here one of the
hottest names in the coaching industry. So I think all
of that probably factored into what happened with Chris climbing there.
So I'm really excited to see what happens here. I
think you've got a really high upside with Klein. I
think this could be like the State's Kenny Dillingham, would
be like your best case scenario. But hey, Texas Tech
fans had almost the exact same scenario play out with
a guy who was the offensive coordinator at Texas A
and M once upon a time in Cliff Kingsbury. And
obviously Colin Klein is coming over from being the offensive
coordinator at Texas A and M right now, and Kingsbury
was pretty beadyocre at Texas Tech. So we'll see. There
is an element of be careful what you wish for
I think probably in play here, but it's it's taken
a big swing, for sure.
Speaker 3: Man, crazy times, no doubt about it.
Speaker 2: How how powerful, how strengthened is the Big Twelve with
some of these moves, do you think or is it?
Is it weakened by some of these moves that we've
seen Oklahoma State right there was a there was a
lot of turnover on Gundy's staff because the donors just
you know, they wanted more wins, and so he had
to he had to make some changes. Now, he's out
after an atrocious season.
Speaker 3: Well, you know, what do you make of the Big twelve?
Where do we stand as a Big twelve conference?
Speaker 4: Well, I think the the Klonie Sataki piece of it
was just huge, you know. I mean to me, that's
the one that matters a lot. And it's it's not
you know, I'm not somebody that's out there saying like, hey,
Byu couldn't have found anybody to come in and win games,
you know, if it was gonna be Jay Hill or
whoever else, Like I'm there, there were definitely options. It's
a strong program. There are a lot of resources there.
But man, Kolonie Sataki is just like the perfect fit.
I mean, he is a perfect ambassador. He totally embodies,
I think it what it means to be a BYU Cougar.
On top of just being clearly an excellent football coach,
He's got four double digit win seasons and now has
won twenty two games the last two years and has
you on the brink of the playoff yet again. So
the combination of the fact that Sataki is coming back
with I'm going off of Pete nkos At on Freeze
report about the ten to fifteen million extra NILB and
dumped on top of Revshre. I mean, if that's going
to be the case, and having a roster that is
that loaded for bear financially like BYU is going to
be really really competitive, and that's huge. Locking down Joey
Maguire or not that I ever thought he would leave,
but locking him down that's another huge thing at Texas
Tech with the financial resources that they all have committed there.
So I think those really headline it for me. I
think BYU and Texas Tech are really positioned to be
the powers of the league right now. The fact that
they have the coaches that they do, with the financial
support that they do, it's really hard to argue against that.
And as much as the Big Twelve has been this
conference of parody, what it really needs to be more
respected nationally is like big brands that people trust. And
I think what Texas Tech and BYU have done this year,
and for BYU last year too, you know you're starting
to see them position themselves as that. I think there's
a lot of upside with Eric Morris at Oklahoma State.
I mean, I definitely like that higher and I think
it's another situation where Gundy leaving and having to go
hire a coach and Eric Morris, who I think was
coveted by, you know, perhaps a place like Arkansas. You
were going to have to have your nil ducks in
a row to attract a coach like that, to attract
a good candidate. So I think that probably whipps Oklahoma
State into shape. I think Colin Klin's going to help
you that at case State too. He's coming from the
SEC at Texas A and M, where they spend like
nobody else, and he has seen what it takes to
win at the highest level of the SEC and make
the playoffs. So I think he'll come and demand at
least in the ballpark of that type of support at
k State, which Case State probably needs a little kick
in the rear end on that front right now. So
I think those are two high upside plays and then
two I mean just blue blood you know stock that
you know is going to hit with Colonie Sataki and
Joey McGuire up.
Speaker 2: Top, John Kurt Big twelve Insider here on ESPN the
Fan talking Big twelve Football College Football playoff as well.
Let's trans obviously BYU fans feeling slided right now, feel disrespected,
called Football Playoff Committee just not giving credence to their resume,
their eye tests versus the U in that Texas Tech game.
Speaker 3: Where BYU, yeah, you know they didn't. They got beat.
Speaker 2: Handily, but so has everybody else. You know, everybody else
has been beaten handily by Texas Tech. Do you think
anything changes this week in Arlington? Do you think by
is much more competitive? Can they get the win? How
do you see this game playing out?
Speaker 4: Yeah? I mean there's there's so much here, so I think,
first and foremost, the infuriating part about the playoff discussion
is that it's not even so much that BYU as
of right now wouldn't be in the playoffs, sitting just
one spot outside of that, But it's how little they're
included in the national discussion when it comes to like
ESPN and any of the national reporters talking about this,
so much of the discussion is just about Alabama, Notre
Dame Miami, and it's like we've literally seen the graphics
multiple times that just omit BYU from that discussion. And
before anybody tries to say, well, BYU's basically got a
playing game this week, well so does Alabama they're playing
in a conference championship game too. They make the graphic
and the discussion every time. It's it's insane to me.
It's the same thing that happened last year, but just
on a more egregious scale this year because BYU's resume
is better. It's crazy, man. They have a better strength
to record, a better strength to schedule than Notre Dame,
and they have a better best win than Notre Dame.
I mean the resume. Really on paper, they have a
better resume than Notre Dame. I don't think there's any
denying that. It's just the eye test gets thrown against them.
And so that is where all raised one interesting point here,
and I don't think it's been talked about a lot,
probably because people don't have faith in this working out.
And I agree because that means you have to trust
the committee that clearly cares more about logos than what's
actually put out there. But if the eye test is
the one thing holding b YU back, right, they have
a better resume than Notre Dame. But people look at
the eye test and they say, hey, Jeremiah loves playing great.
Notre Dame's smashing people and the one time everybody watched
BYU this year at Texas Tech. They were not very competitive. Okay, well,
what if Texas Tech goes out or BYU goes out
on Saturday and plays like a knockdown, dragout overtime game
with Texas Tech. I think of the Big twelve Championship
game a couple of years ago between K State and
TCU goes to overtime, there's a goal line stand and
then a game winning field goal. If Tech's on the
winning edge of that. But BYU shows like, hey, this
team that you all think is consensed like top four,
now you think it's worthy of a playoff. By everybody
has gotten behind Texas Tech on that front. We show
now that we are actually a good enough team to
go toe to toe with them. Is that enough to
then sway the committee to be like, well, we our
eye test has now changed a bit, and if we're
going to say all things are pretty equal here, then
let's give the edge resume wise to BYU.
Speaker 3: There.
Speaker 4: I don't have a ton of faith that that would happen,
but I at least would raise out of a possibility
will that happen. I would not predict it. I mean,
I like everybody else watched the first game. This year,
I've seen a lot of Texas Tech. The problem really
just is the defense, you know, I struggle to see
how BYU is going to consistently move the ball on
that defense. The other thing that it's you know, I
mean it, it's been a distracting week, right. I know
Kolanie's Ataki's not necessarily in the minutia on everything that's happening. Offensively,
Aaron Roderick is handling a bunch of that, and certainly
could well Kolani was dealing with whatever he needed to
with Penn State. But I do think that's something you
have to factor in at least a little bit. So
I think the line seems about right. I think BYU
will be more competitive. I don't think it's going to
go exactly the same way it did last time, but
I would probably predict an outcome that's similar to what
the line is telling you there. I would take Texas
Tech by ten to seventeen points, probably in a game
that is moderately competitive, but not probably what you would
need to get a boost in the rankings.
Speaker 2: Unfortunately, So if that happens, and let's say, how far
does BYU drop. What bowl game do you think they're
going to do they think Alamo picks them up?
Speaker 3: Is it a b Y U USC matchup?
Speaker 2: Do they get relegated over to the Pop Tarch Bowl?
Maybe a b YU Miami matchup? What's the ideal situation
if Bwie's not in the College Football playoff?
Speaker 3: Do you think?
Speaker 4: Yeah, it's so hard to know what the like how
the Bulls these days will handle that, because I mean,
you're right, like the Alamo is obviously the thing that
makes a lot of sense then being first up in
the pecking order there, But if you just played in
it last year, how much a deal is there on
both sides? I mean, I do think BYU would still
send a ton of fans. I don't think they would
have to worry about attendance, which is a lot of
what I think a bowl game would typically worry about.
If you're going back to back there, like how many
fans are actually going to go do that same trip again,
I think it's a little litle bit different when you
have such a you know, so many people with the
LDS Church that are just going to be living there
and want to go to the game no matter what.
So maybe that makes it a bit more likely. But yeah,
I almost think, you know, I mean, I hate saying
it out loud. I mean the season by you's had
nothing against the Pop Tars Bowl, but that it seems
kind of disrespectful, you know, to think that that's where
they could wind up. But if it is a matchup
against Miami, that would at least be fun, depending on
how many how many teams are playing, Like not just
from a hey, Miami's a big brand standpoint, but also
just from these were two of the teams that were
really in the center of that playoff debate that kind
of like, you know, I loved the idea of Vandy
was trying to set up a game with Utah this week.
Like I mean, it's in essence a game like that.
Two teams that are right on the periphery of the
playoff discussion, I think could be great to see them
go play. So yeah, I think you're probably onto it
there as to what the possibilities would really be. At
least if it were the Alamo, you know, you wouldn't
have to be playing a conference opponent again, so there
is that that would be a little bit better.
Speaker 2: John Kurtz ladies and gentlemen, John, best way to support
you what you do, how you do it for all
of our listeners.
Speaker 4: Yeah, appreciate that. You can check out the Open for Business,
a Big twelve newsletter at ofbnews dot com. It is
totally free ofbnews dot com. And then I've got the
Open for Business Big twelve podcasts which you can find
on YouTube or Spotify, Apple, anywhere you get your podcasts.
Just search Open for Business with John Kertz. Should be
able to find it there. And you can follow me
on Twitter as well. It's J. L. Kurtz, j L
k u r t.
Speaker 2: Z my man, John Kurtz, Ladies and gentlemen. I always
love chatting with you. Always learned something from you, a
great insight as always. Man, thanks for conversing with me
today on our show.
Speaker 4: Hey anytime, Ben, Take care Man, Yes.
Speaker 2: Sir, that was John Kertz and that segment was brought
to you by Dental PROSIVI dentalprosfvie dot com. If you've
been told you need a filling a crown a root canal,
I'm asking you to do is get a second opinion
at Dental Prosa of ut on American Fork they utilize
the best biomometic techniques. These are minimally invasive techniques to
rebuild your teeth layer by layers. See you don't have
to settle for the fake teeth later on in life.
Check out their Google reviews. You won't be disappointing their products,
their service how they educate you through the process of
oral health and retaining your natural living. Anatomy your two
structure at Dental Pros of Utah on American Fork. Also
want to remind you, guys, is the season to be
giving and the road home is in need of food items,
nonperishable food items, hygiene items, as well as any funds
that you can provide. ESPN the Fan and the Rocky
Mountain Chevy Dealers invite you to help those at the
road home this holiday season with much needed blankets, coats, shoes, hats,
lightly used gloves. Drop off donations at any Rocky Mountain
Chevy dealer. Visit espnfan dot com for the dealer locations,
spread the warm and help others find their way home.
Speaker 3: Let's take a brief time out. We'll be back. This
is Cougar Sports on one of three nine ninety eight
point three e