One True Podcast: Baylor/Big 12 football

Jerry Hill joins the Trib guys as college football kicks off for 2022: • At long last, the season openers are here. Baylor will open up at home against the University of Albany on Saturday. The Bears, of course, are the Big 12 preseason favorites for the first time in program history. What will need to happen for Baylor to actually live up to that prediction this season? • Dave Aranda said this week that one of his chief objectives for the opener was to “establish an identity.” Obviously this will be revealed over time. But if you were guessing today, what's the most likely identity for this Baylor team? • Down in Austin, the Texas Longhorns created a little hubbub this week for something they did NOT do. That is, Steve Sarkisian opted not to release UT's depth chart prior to the season opener against Louisiana-Monroe. Furthermore, reports surfaced that Sark plans to not release a two-deep all season. What do you think, is this is a big deal or much ado about nothing? • Most of the Big 12 teams should have lopsided wins on their ledger after this weekend. The team that has the toughest road to a win is West Virginia, which plays No. 17 Pitt in the “Backyard Brawl” on Thursday night. Pitt is a 7.5-point favorite in this one. What's the likelihood that the Mountaineers spring the upset? • A little breaking news out of the Big 12: The league plans to enter into discussions with ESPN and Fox about a potential early extension of its media rights deal that still has two more football seasons left after this one. What's going on there? • Finally, we were all in Arlington in July for Big 12 Media Days, which means we were part of the Great Beef Jerky Eating Competition. The Big 12 hooked up with a company called Old Trapper Beef Jerky for its official sponsor, and Old Trapper, meanwhile, hooked the media up with plenty of free samples. So the question is this: If you could pick any company to sponsor the conference and thus supply us with all sorts of free goodies, who would you pick?Support the show: https://wacotrib.com/sports/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to special guest Stephen Simcox, an alum of both TCU and ESPN Central Texas who hosts the Locked On Horned Frogs podcast, available anywhere that you pod. He's here to talk with Brice Cherry and John Werner about Big 12 football: The big news of the week is that Gary Patterson won't be on the sideline for the first time in 20 years when TCU face Baylor. Even though the Frogs have been trending in the wrong direction for a couple of years, it seems like a pretty surprising move, especially coming in-season. What's your reaction? At last check, Baylor is a 6.5-point favorite in Fort Worth — seems like it could be higher, as this looks like two teams going in very different directions. But it is a rivalry game, of course, with all the old cliches. Is this a trap game for the Bears, or will they roll easily over the Frogs under Jerry Kill? Baylor opened at No. 12 in the College Football Playoff rankings with a 7-1 record — not sure if we would have predicted that level of success coming into the year. That said, we know how the CFP can go. Assuming they win out, which means beating Oklahoma twice, is there a path for a one-loss Baylor team to get to the CFP final four? TCU coaching search: Who are the top candidates for the Frogs? Not to mention, Texas Tech is in the market for a football chief. Are they targeting the same people? Where will SMU's Sonny Dykes likely end up? Sam Khan wrote in The Athletic that "TCU may be the best job in the future Big 12" (sans-OU and UT, that is). Could that possibly be true? Culinary Corner: Kincaid's Hamburgers is the official Fort Worth stop of the Trib sports staff, but we're in kind of a rut. Here's hoping Stephen can clue us in to some different options, either under or on the radar. Support the show: https://wacotrib.com/sports/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Baylor hosts Texas on Saturday at McLane Stadium, and it's a tale of two teams going in very different directions. The Bears are coming off back-to-back wins over West Virginia and a ranked BYU team, while Texas is floundering with a couple of inexplicable collapses against Oklahoma and OSU. Is this a toss-up game? How do we see it coming out?  Baylor and Texas are meeting for the 111th time on Saturday, and while it's clearly been one-sided historically, the Bears and Longhorns have been a lot more balanced in the last decade-plus, with some feisty and memorable matchups. Do we think that Baylor and UT will continue to play each other, even after the Longhorns exit the Big 12? Or will it be more like Baylor-A&M? Despite the Texas-Oklahoma cash grab in heading to the SEC, it's hard to see how the Longhorns think they'll come out ahead, at least on the field. The Longhorns haven't exactly lit it up in recent years. Is this a zero-sum game for Texas, unless Steve Sarkisian can get UT winning with a little more frequency?  Kirk wants to know: Just how good is Baylor, really? Are they a top 15 squad? John and Brice compare and contrast the Bears to great teams of the past, including the 2015 and 2019 squads.  Cedric and Kirk grab a shovel and commence with some insightful digging into the truth about this year's Texas program, where the word "average" comes up ... a lot. Other than Bijan Robinson and a couple of others, does UT have any difference makers? Conclusion: This is a good team, but not a great team.  Since Ced and Kirk will soon be departing for the SEC, we thought we'd ask them which Big 12 city's food they'll miss the most. Could George's factor in?  And is there any good barbecue anywhere in the SEC? Your thoughts?  Support the show: https://wacotrib.com/sports/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're glad to welcome Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel, who's @therealBeede on Twitter, and welcome back Joseph Duarte of the Houston Chronicle who's @Joseph_Duarte on Twitter. They're here for a special Big 12 expansion edition with Trib sportswriters Brice Cherry and John Werner: So, the word is that UCF, Houston and Cincinnati are slated to join the league “no later than 2024-25.” But what are the odds that those three are able to wiggle out of the American Athletic Conference prior to that? With the addition of BYU, this conference will now have teams spread across three time zones. Do you envision some geographical challenges to the new Big 12? Or does that matter in today's college sports landscape? There are some obvious reasons why BYU, Cincy, UCF and Houston would want to join the Big 12 – money, exposure, recruiting. For the schools that you cover, UCF and Houston, what's the biggest appeal, in your view? Got a good laugh out of a recent tweet touting “Big 12 legend Oscar Robertson,” referring of course to the Hall of Fame basketball great at Cincinnati. In all seriousness, all of these programs have a rich athletic history that predates their arrival in the Big 12. If you were creating a Mount Rushmore for UH (Joseph), UCF (Jason) and Baylor (John), who would be the four people you'd put up there? Support the show: https://wacotrib.com/sports/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We didn't have to go far to find special guest Chris Williams, who's @CWillTV on Twitter: He's been a sports reporter for KWTX-TV News 10 for about a year, and he joins Brice Cherry and John Werner to talk college football: Well, the Bears got back on track with a convincing 45-20 win over West Virginia last wee. What impressed you the most about Baylor's performance? Where was the biggest improvement — QB play, pass rush? They didn't know it when they scheduled it, but a future Big 12 opponent, BYU, comes to Baylor this week. The Cougars dropped from No. 10 to No. 19 this week after their first loss of year, 26-17 to Boise State. It should be interesting to see what kind of reception a future Big 12 member gets at McLane Stadium: How do you see this matchup shaking out — and do you agree with Vegas that BU should be favored by 4.5 points? Chris hails originally from Salt Lake City and even attended BYU football camp as a kid, so let's pick his brain about the culture: Where does BYU football rank among Utah's sporting passions, especially vs. the Jazz? What's the fanbase like? Two undefeated teams are left in the Big 12: Oklahoma and OSU. The Cowboys head to Austin to play Texas, which has to be desperate for a win after last week's Red River debacle. Does the winner of this one have the inside track to meeting the Sooners in the Big 12 title game? With a win, could a Texas win blow open the conference? And is anybody actually impressed by Oklahoma State? It's Baylor Homecoming week — let's say you're heading back to your college for homecoming, and you were making a parade float that best captures your college experience. What would the theme be and what would it look like? Support the show: https://wacotrib.com/sports/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the Bears regroup from their first loss, Brice Cherry and John Werner are ready to talk some college football: • The Baylor Bears will not go undefeated as the dream fizzled in Stillwater. Let's glance into John Werner's Dave Campbell-esque crystal ball — will the Bears be ranked in the Top 25 at the end of the season? • Offensively, Baylor has regressed in its last two games against Oklahoma State and Iowa State. Admittedly, those are pretty good defenses. But what's most concerning for the Bears right now? And do you agree with Dave Aranda that these issues are fixable? • Who is Baylor's MVP through the first 5 games? How about JT Woods? • Texas has (sort of) righted the ship and Oklahoma hasn't been a world-beater, to say the least. Could the Red River Shootout be another close one, even an instant classic after a 4 OT game last year? • An all-Texas Big 12 tussle is on tap as TCU travels to Lubbock — which teams needs it more, who's likely to win this one, and are those the same team? Music: http://www.purple-planet.com, "Funk City" Support the show: https://wacotrib.com/sports/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're glad to welcome Jenni Carlson, who's @JenniCarlson_OK on Twitter: She's been writing for The Oklahoman since 1999 and joins Brice Cherry and John Werner to talk college football:  • Pretty good game this week in Stillwater: Are the undefeated Bears or the  undefeated Cowboys more surprising to you so far this season, and who do you like in this matchup? OSU has an good resume with a road win over Boise State and last week's 31-20 dispatching of ranked K-State. Obviously, Baylor pulled off a huge win in Waco last week, 31-29 over Iowa State.  • Mike Gundy and the undercurrent of unrest: It's been a unique marriage Mike Gundy and Oklahoma State. He's an OSU guy and the second-longest tenured coach in the Big 12 behind TCU's Gary Patterson. And he's had a lot of success -- the Cowboys haven't missed a bowl game since his first season as coach. But there always seems to be something going on, with rumors of him going elsewhere. How is Gundy viewed by the majority of the OSU fan base? Does he need a second Big 12 title to get a little more leeway?  • It hasn't been hasn't been all sunshine and lollipops this season for the Sooners, despite them being undefeated, at least not for Spencer Rattler. The quarterback faced boos last week after an interception against West Virginia, and apparently some fans chanted “We want Caleb,” a reference to redshirt freshman Caleb Williams. Do y'all expect Lincoln Riley to stick with Rattler, and do you think there's a segment of OU fans that might want Tanner Mordecai back after his eye-popping performances at SMU?  • Finally, let's close with a little news you can use (or at least we can use) - we love to talk Big 12 road trip eats, and it anything makes the trip to Stillwater worth it, it's got to be Hideaway Pizza. Can Jenni recommend any any off-the-radar Stillwater eateries that we should know about? Music: http://www.purple-planet.com, "Funk City" Support the show: https://wacotrib.com/sports/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're glad to welcome Randy Peterson, who's @RandyPete on Twitter: He's been writing for the Des Moines Register since the 1970s and he joins Brice Cherry and John Werner to talk college football: Following three straight afterthought opponents, Baylor takes a dramatic upward step in its schedule this week when 14th-ranked Iowa State comes to Waco. Both teams are coming off extremely impressive wins, as the Cyclones dismantled UNLV, 48-3, in Las Vegas last week, while Baylor opened Big 12 play with a 45-7 thumping of Kansas. The Cyclones are a touchdown favorite in this matchup. How vulnerable to an upset is Matt Campbell's team, and do you guys think Baylor will pull it off? The expectations surrounding this Iowa State team entering the season were through the roof, as many predicted the Cyclones to challenge Oklahoma for the Big 12 title. Did any of that enthusiasm dampen with the loss to Iowa? Baylor's defense gave up just 166 yards in that win over Kansas. We've talked a lot about the Bears' dramatic improvement in their running game and offensive line play this year, but it's still the defense that remains the biggest strength of this team, right? Around the Big 12, this might be the most interesting slate of games to date yet this season. Of the rest of the games around the league this week, which will you guys be most interested in watching? And who do you like in it? Randy wrote a column recently proposing an interesting idea for the future Big 12, after the four new additions join the conference. He tossed out the concept of a two-division system where those divisions are reshuffled every two years. We ask Randy to explain his thinking there — does he suspect there's any hope that the Big 12 would adopt such a plan? Or does it make too much sense for that to happen?  Music: http://www.purple-planet.com, "Funk City" Support the show: https://wacotrib.com/sports/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

• After a 2-0 start against a couple of in-state schools, Baylor opens up Big 12 play this week at Kansas. The Jayhawks are hitting the reset button again — what's the matter with Kansas? New head coach Lance Leipold, formerly of Buffalo, takes over a program that has been in a perpetual rebuilding cycle over the past 10-plus years. Is there any reason to believe that Leipold can succeed where Turner Gill, Charlie Weis, David Beaty and Les Miles failed?  • Obviously, the shining jewel of the Kansas athletic program is the men's basketball program, helmed by Bill Self. John has witnessed plenty of games in both Allen Fieldhouse and Memorial Stadium — just how different are those gameday atmospheres? Have you ever seen a KU football game that matched a basketball game in terms of intensity?  • There's been a hefty amount of quarterback turnover so far this season in the Big 12. Meanwhile, six defenses in the Big 12 are allowing fewer than 300 yards per game. Is it possible we've seen a culture shift? Is this a defensive league now?  • Old Big 8 rivals Oklahoma and Nebraska meet on Saturday, and it's the 50th anniversary of their epic 1971 clash that was dubbed the “Game of the Century.” Is this still a “big game?” Can it pull the eyeballs of the nation, or is it more fun from a nostalgic sense?  • Finally, let's close with a few memories of our favorite Kansas superfan, Kristin Hoppa. She was an amazing person in many ways, and had a passion for her family, her friends, her dogs and, of course, Kansas athletics, but especially KU basketball. What are some of our favorite memories of Kristin cheering on the Jayhawks or her other favorite teams, the Royals and Chiefs? Music: http://www.purple-planet.com, "Funk City" Support the show: https://wacotrib.com/sports/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're glad to welcome back Joseph Duarte, who's @Joseph_Duarte on Twitter: He's spent 25 years on several sports beats at the Houston Chronicle and he joins Brice Cherry and John Werner to talk college football: Baylor opened the year with a fairly pedestrian 29-20 win over Texas State on Saturday. What did we see that was encouraging for the 2021 Bears, and what areas of concern jumped out? Instead of previewing Texas Southern, which should be a layup, let's talk with Joseph Duarte of the Houston Chronicle about the topic on the minds of all college football fans: conference realignment and expansion. The Big 12 is reportedly in the midst of extending invitations to Houston, BYU, Cincinnati and UCF. Does this lock down the Big 12's long-term stability? And what do each of these new programs bring? Of course, Houston has tried to hook up with the Big 12 before, including in 2016. We've also some rumblings that Baylor was at least initially against adding UH this time around, but either acquiesced or was outvoted. Will there be a bit of bad blood between the Cougars and Bears once Houston makes the move? The big game in the Big 12 this week also shapes up as one of the most attractive games in the country: Both Iowa State and Iowa will be ranked in the Top 10 when they play, with College GameDay coming to Ames. How do we see the game coming out, and will the Cyclones be in the CFP discussion at the end of the year? Finally, we always like to close with “Culinary Corner” — Joseph gives us some prime intel on good eats in the AAC cities of Cincinnati and Orlando. Music: http://www.purple-planet.com, "Funk City" Support the show: https://wacotrib.com/sports/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

• Baylor opens its season with its first-ever game in San Marcos — luckily, we have two Texas State alums, former Tribber Jason Orts and longtime Baylor beat writer John Werner, to reflect on the rise of the program from the NAIA ranks to the FBS: What's the gameday atmosphere like at Bobcat Stadium, and how does it compare to those halcyon student days?  • Both the Bears and Bobcats are coming off two-win seasons, though the Bobcats played 12 games to Baylor's nine. Given the fact that Baylor's going on the road, breaking in a new quarterback and a new offensive scheme, does that give Texas State a reasonable shot to win this game? How do you guys see it playing out?  • Elsewhere in the Big 12, we actually have a Top 25 game on the docket the first weekend, as No. 21 Texas hosts No. 23 Louisiana (Lafayette). The Longhorns start out the year in the Top 25 and then exit rather quickly — will it be in Week 1 with a loss to the Ragin' Cajuns?  • Do you think Steve Sarkisian is the guy to take Texas back to prominence? And what reception awaits the Longhorns and Sooners when they travel to other Big 12 stadiums this season?  • Let's do a quick run-and-shoot of other Big 12 games of interest: K-State vs. Stanford and Texas Tech vs. Houston.  • We always like to close with our “Culinary Corner” — John and Brice are making a beeline for Herbert's in San Marcos, but where else can you find good eats in Bobcat Country? Music: http://www.purple-planet.com, "Funk City" Support the show: https://wacotrib.com/sports/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the first time since 2008, Baylor will travel to Lubbock this week — that was Art Briles' first year, so it's been awhile. Two not-so-great teams will meet there, with the 1-4 Bears seeing injuries start to mount while the Red Raiders are just 2-5. Who do you think needs a win more, Tech or Baylor? It's Matt Wells' second year now at Tech, and while he didn't exactly inherit a juggernaut from Kliff Kingsbury, Red Raider fans have to be frustrated with the progress. After a 4-8 campaign last year and despite a strange COVID season this year, do you think that, long term, Wells is the answer in Lubbock? Baylor got some devastating injury news this week when it lost linebacker Terrel Bernard and running back Craig “Sqwirl” Williams to season-ending injuries. Bernard was arguably Baylor's best all-around player, leading the Big 12 in tackles per game at 11 per contest and ranking fifth in the league with 3.5 sacks. It's easy to forget, though, that he was a backup player in 2019 until Clay Johnston went down with his own season-ending injury. So, is there a breakout, Bernard-type impact guy waiting in the wings for the Bears? Around the league, the only other game this week is West Virginia and TCU. The Frogs are 3-3 this year, with the three wins all coming over their in-state Big 12 rivals (Texas, Baylor and Texas Tech). Recent social media commentary has suggested that Gary Patterson is overrated as a coach. So we'll bite: is overrated, underrated or maybe just properly rated? Finally, it's Masters week, which is extremely strange to say in November. Matt has covered the Masters a bunch of times — he gives us an inside look at what it's like at Augusta and some of his favorite experiences working with Jim Nantz and others. Support the show: https://wacotrib.com/sports/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hello to our old friend Jerry Hill, who's @ViewFromHill on Twitter: He's been covering sports in Waco since he started at the Tribune-Herald 1983 and he's been on the Baylor football beat since 1987, before moving over to edit the Baylor Bear Insider in 2008. He joins Brice Cherry and John Werner for a Trib reunion to figure out what's going on with this year's crop of Bears: • It was an agonizingly slow start (but a rapid finish) against TCU as the Bears fell, 33-23. Brice wrote about several reasons why the Bears are 1-3 in his Sunday column, but why do we think the Bears are so inconsistent? • Ames, Iowa can be a rowdy place to play, but there are limitations on that behavior in 2020. So does that benefit Baylor on the road this week? • Jerry Hill has covered 383 consecutive Baylor games and 9 head coaches — so what's his assessment of the current one, Dave Aranda? • As far as the Big 12, it's been a dog-eat-dog, parity-filled season, with no teams in the top 10 and none undefeated. So who are we projecting for the Big 12 title game? OSU? Sooners? Iowa State? UT? Baylor? • Finally, we have to talk about Jerry's famous dancing prowess: How it all started and his biggest Twitter hits. Support the show: https://wacotrib.com/sports/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're joined by Drew Davison, who's @drewdavison on Twitter: He's spent 13 years at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the last three on the Horned Frogs beat, and he joins Brice Cherry and John Werner return to dissect this week's head-scratcher at Amon Carter Stadium: • This week it's a renewal of the old TCU-Baylor rivalry, and it feels like the Frogs and Bears are floating down the Brazos in the same boat: Both teams are coming off disappointing losses to Big 12 teams who have endured their own disappointing seasons. They call this series the Revivalry, so which offense is most in need of reviving? • Since TCU went 11-3 in 2017, they've kind of backslid with 7-6 and 5-7 years, missing a bowl game last season for only the third time in Gary Patterson's tenure. What accounts for the program's downslide? • For a long time, Gary Patterson was THE defensive coach in the Big 12, a league known for wacky, point-a-minute barnburners. Now you've got Matt Campbell at Iowa State, Chris Klieman at Kansas State, Dave Aranda at Baylor. Do you think the conference is taking on a more defensive mindset? • Oklahoma State remained undefeated by slipping by Iowa State in Stillwater last week. Now the Cowboys get an unpredictable Texas team — do we see the Good Longhorns or the Bad Longhorns show up this week, and do they have enough to corral the Cowboys? • The what-if segment: Most people know that both TCU and Baylor used to both reside in Waco a century or so ago. But what if TCU's administration building had never burned down in 1910 and the school remained in Waco? And what if Baylor had moved to Fort Worth instead? How would that have changed each program's trajectory over the years, if at all? Support the show: https://wacotrib.com/sports/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Zooming with Kirk Bohls (@kbohls) and Cedric Golden (@CedGolden) of HookEm.com (aka the Austin American-Statesman), Brice Cherry and John Werner return to dissect this week's showdown in Austin with the Longhorns: • As of right now, the Baylor-Texas game is still a go for Saturday as the Bears are 2-3 this year —  2 games played, 3 canceled. Has this tumultuous season going like you expected, and what's the likelihood that the game still hits the scrap heap before Saturday? • A typically ridiculous season for the Longhorns saw them plummet from No. 8 to an unranked 2-2 record: Kirk, Ced, what is the chief issue with this program in terms of not quite living up to expectations? • So, Baylor hasn't played in three weeks. And Texas has had two weeks to prepare. What do you guys expect from this game, and who are you taking? • The Big 12 serves up one Top 25 matchup this week as Matt Campbell's No. 17 Iowa State team travels to Stillwater to face the league's only unbeaten, Oklahoma State. There's no way the Cowboys run the table, right? So is this the week? • Let's say you had to be quarantined with one Big 12 football coach. Who are you bringing the party and why? Support the show: https://wacotrib.com/sports/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chad Conine drops by to talk Big 12 football with Brice Cherry and John Werner as the Bears take another unexpected siesta this week: • This one wasn't a scheduled bye week: The Bears are dealing with an outbreak of COVID-19 cases that led to the postponement of the homecoming game with Oklahoma State, and as we sit here today, it feels like even next week's game at Texas is in question. Has Baylor just been unlucky, or have the Bears not been cautious enough with all the protocols? • Now BU-OSU is slated for Dec. 12, the same day as the Big 12 Championship Game. What's the likelihood that the conference will have to move that game back a week — it's already built a Dec. 19 possibility into the schedule — in order to accommodate the Cowboys or Bears competing for a spot in that game?  • The Big 12 stat of the week is that 62 percent of the games have been decided by a touchdown or less, with four upsets out of 13 games. Simple question: Good thing or bad thing for the league? • Not to get too political on One True Podcast, but here's a timely question: What Big 12 head coach would make the best presidential candidate, who would be his running mate, and what would their slogan be? Music: http://www.purple-planet.com, "Funk City" Music: https://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music Support the show: https://wacotrib.com/sports/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chad Conine drops by to talk Big 12 football with Brice Cherry and John Werner as the Bears take a breather this before homecoming Oct. 17: • So, the cliché tells us that the biggest improvement in a team comes from Week 1 to Week 2, and Baylor's Dave Aranda even agreed with that sentiment last week. So, what exactly happened to the Bears in Morgantown? And what was the most disappointing step back for Baylor? • Obviously he was under duress much of the game, but it was far from Charlie Brewer's best effort, and certainly not what you want to see from a senior four-year starter at quarterback. As good as Brewer can be, he mixes in his fair share of bad days as well. I'm not suggesting a change at QB, but doesn't he have to play better? • Kirk Bohls this week basically put the nail in the Big 12's coffin from a national perspective, due to last week's losses by Oklahoma and Texas. It's a theory that notoriously bristly TCU coach Gary Patterson bristled at, and we agree with him for once. Is the Big 12 ever going to thrive as a conference if it can't escape the idea that if OU or Texas is down, the whole league is down? • Though it hasn't exactly played murderer's row, Oklahoma State is undefeated and has given up just 27 points in three games. Could the Flying Mullets be a player on the national stage in 2020? Music: http://www.purple-planet.com, "Funk City" Support the show: https://wacotrib.com/sports/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We welcome a very special guest in Trib sports writer Chad Conine this week. Baylor finally got a game in, trouncing Kansas handily with a 47-14 win. But on a scale from “it's just Kansas” to “that was a thoroughly impressive performance,” where does this one rank? It's yet unknown whether WVU fans will burn couches after watching the Mountaineers from home as the Bears go to Morgantown for their first road trip of the year. Given the usual home-field advantage at Milan Puskar Stadium, how much of a benefit is that for BU? Speaking of things burning, the Big 12's been something of a mess this season thus far. We've seen a lot of the league's teams lose games they were “supposed” to win, with OU dropping a game to K-State for a second straight year the latest example. Last year, the Sooners bounced back to make the CFP. Can this team do the same? Crossing the Red River, the Longhorns won a wild overtime game at Texas Tech (sorry, Chad) that they looked destined to lose. Honestly, it's a game several recent Texas teams probably would have lost. Could Tom Herman's team actually be the best in the Big 12? The Heisman Trophy is the most prestigious award in college football. But what would the award for the Most Disappointing Player in College Football be called? For lack of a better idea, we're calling that the Skip Bayless Award, because, let's face it, he's always disappointing. Who in the Big 12 would be the front-runner? Music: http://www.purple-planet.com, "Funk City" Support the show: https://wacotrib.com/sports/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hello to Benton Smith, who's @BentonASmith on Twitter: He's spent 9 years at the Lawrence Journal-World in Jayhawks county and he joins Brice Cherry and John Werner to talk about (hopefully) a football game being played in Waco this week: • Baylor had the first Power 5 game in the country canceled on a Friday this year, and given everything going on, what's the likelihood that this Kansas-Baylor game happens? • Les Miles was an interesting hire by the Jayhawks, to say the least. What's the general feeling about him among the KU fan base as Year 2 unfolds? Especially after laying an egg to Coastal Carolina for a second straight year? • Meanwhile, Baylor remains a bit of a mystery with Dave Aranda at the helm. While Matt Rhule's Bears won this game, 61-6, last year in Lawrence, that kind of blowout isn't likely to happen again. Right? • Texas traveling to Lubbock to face Tech is probably the most intriguing Big 12 game this week after the Red Raiders nearly lost to Houston Baptist. But No. 8 UT is almost perpetually overrated by national voters and the sportsbooks have the Longhorns a double-digit favorite, naturally. What are the odds Matt Wells' bunch can spring the upset? • It's the return of Culinary Corner: Even though this game isn't in Lawrence, what are some of your favorite eating spots there? Music: http://www.purple-planet.com, "Funk City" Support the show: https://wacotrib.com/sports/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're glad to reconnect with Joseph Duarte, who's @Joseph_Duarte on Twitter: He's spent 25 years on several sports beats at the Houston Chronicle and he joins Brice Cherry and John Werner to talk Baylor-Houston, the Big 12's disaster week and more: • It's remarkable how this game came together so quickly, especially in the age of college football schedules being set up eight to 10 years in advance. Was this the best-case scenario for both schools? • Dana Holgorsen is entering Year 2 at Houston, while Dave Aranda kicks off his first year as a head coach at Baylor. Does that give Houston an advantage? • Who needs a win more in its season opener? • It was a rough start for the Big 12 overall, with three favorites falling to Sun Belt teams. How much does that hurt the optics of the conference on a national level? • Plus, The return of Culinary Corner: Brice and John offer up some Waco favorites, plus get Houston recommendations from Joseph. Music: http://www.purple-planet.com, "Funk City" Support the show: https://wacotrib.com/sports/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to special guest Max Olson, @max_olson on Twitter, who has covered national college football for The Athletic since 2017. Prior to that, he spent six years covering Big 12 football and recruiting for ESPN.com. After the weirdest offseason in memory, Here's what Brice Cherry, John Werner and Max have on their minds this week: • We will have a college football season — kind of. After the strangest offseason on record, how do you guys expect the 2020 season to unfold? And will the champion always be marked with an asterisk, given that two major conferences aren't even playing? • Locally, Baylor has experienced its own paradigm shift. Fast-talking Matt Rhule is now in the NFL and in his place enters the soft-spoken, thoughtful Dave Aranda, kind of the polar opposite personality. John's gotten to know Aranda through a lot of remote, Zoom interviews: How will he fit in with the Waco crowd? What does Max think is the perception of Aranda from a national perspective? • Coming off a Sugar Bowl trip and an 11-win season, Baylor is picked only fifth in the conference. Kind of a Goldilocks question here, but is that too low, too high, or just about right? • In terms of the Big 12, what or who are you most looking forward to seeing? • What do you think would constitute a successful 2020 college football season? Support the show: https://wacotrib.com/sports/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.