Podcasts about louisiana tech

New purveyor of all things Bulldog golf Keenan Hickton steps up to the starting tee in providing details on his journey in becoming the head golf coach at Louisiana Tech. Hickton shares his vision, driving influences, and more as the Tech golf season is now underway.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Frank DeBari is joined by Toledo women's basketball head coach Ginny Boggess on this episode. Boggess is gearing up for year No. 3 leading the Rockets, who advanced all the way to the MAC championship game last March as the six-seed. Toledo begins this season at home against Louisiana Tech in the MAC-SBC Challenge on Nov. 2.

The first Tales From the Tailgate takes Tigs through two completely different LSU football Saturdays and into the stories happening everywhere except the field.At the Clemson game, visiting fans experience LSU game day, Quinn serves up alligator jambalaya, an unexpected J.R. the Handler reunion breaks out at the tailgate, and one fan makes a 49-7 prediction that eventually reaches nearly two million views across social media.But one of the day's best conversations comes from Cliff, a retired Marine who traveled more than 24,000 miles with his wife following College GameDay around the country. He shares what they learned from the journey, why they decided not to wait to take it, and the remarkable story of Pat McAfee promising him a Dodge Ram and following through.A week later against Louisiana Tech, things get considerably stranger: kids report what they've seen on the streets of Baton Rouge, adults struggle with presidential history, and Tigs discovers exactly how many people know Teddy Roosevelt was president in 1904.There's also the Gator Millworks Question of the Week, an ongoing investigation into whether sauce is ruining society, and the story behind the custom 10-gallon cooker that followed Tigs home from the tailgate.Tales From the Tailgate is presented by Gator Millworks.Tigs Bits | TigsBits.com

Colorado at Baylor Prediction by Tony T.Colorado was routed 41–7 at Northwestern, managing only one touchdown after falling behind 21–0 at halftime. Baylor beat Louisiana Tech 36–19 as Nate Bennett completed 21 of 24 passes for 253 yards and three touchdowns.

On today's episode, Grayson Grundhoefer and Colt Barber dive into what the Bears need to show against Louisiana Tech on Saturday. How much will Lagway play? Could Nate Bennett guide the Bears to another win?

-Princewill Umanmielen---a 2-year Husker---spent one year at Ole Miss and registered 9 sacks last year, before leaving Oxford to joinLane Kiffin at LSU---where he already has 5 sacks through 2 games, including 3 vs. Louisiana Tech last week-The star defensive end was served with papers on Tuesday in the ongoing lawsuit saying he and one other player violated revenue-sharing contracts with Ole Miss…will it get into his head or fire him up more to play well on Saturday? The Louisiana governor haschime in also!Our Sponsors:* Check out Progressive: https://www.progressive.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

One of the nation's leaders in digs, Riley Steubing is more than just a productive player on the court for Louisiana Tech volleyball. Steubing chronicles her journey in the latest from Tech Drive, including how her joy and confidence for the sport has grown throughout her time at Tech. A great teammate and infectious leader, Steubing is eager to attack what's ahead after her final season in Ruston but says she intends to stay closely connected to the game she loves.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome to the new week!  College football’s second week featured a few upsets and some late game rallies (nicely done, University of Texas!).  The NFL’s Week #1 finally got underway with a few surprises.  In golf, America’s best female players were defeated by Team Europe in Sunday’s Solheim Cup final matches. But first… Remember those scrolling football scores at the bottom of your TV screen? That never-ending ribbon of both college and NFL scores seems to have vanished from ESPN’s family of companies beginning this football season. Why? ESPN recently said, “By removing the BottomLine during live action, we’re creating a cleaner presentation that keeps the focus where it belongs – on the field.” Sorry, Pinocchio.  I’m not buying that one. It is my opinion that the sports giant ditched the popular score ribbon so that TV viewers would not be able to easily locate a more compelling game to watch (especially if that other game is being carried on a competitor’s network). My own Saturday night proved that point.  I watched much of the Louisiana Tech vs LSU game from Baton Rouge. LSU emerged from a narrow 10-7 halftime lead to post an easy 45-14 victory as the Tigers’ offense caught fire in the final two quarters. In years gone by, I would have been following the ESPN score ticker along the bottom of my TV screen in search of a more compelling game.  Fortunately for me, I checked in on the Ohio State vs. Texas game at the end of three quarters. The #4 Longhorns trailed by 20 points against #1 Ohio State entering the final quarter.  Texas caught fire offensively to score the game’s final 21 points and take a thrilling 24-23 win on a touchdown with just 25 seconds remaining. What is the real reason that ESPN dropped the on-screen sports ticker? Money, of course. They are trying to get viewers to stay with one football game as long as possible.  The sales teams for the ESPN family of companies has likely heard complaints from its major advertisers – especially those buying ads in the second half of games.  The network’s viewer-friendly sports ticker has accidentally created viewer defections toward more competitive match-ups. Viewers could change to watch a more compelling game being carried by a competitor such as FOX Sports, NBC, or even the CW Network.  If the self-proclaimed sports leader had not received negative feedback from its advertisers, the sports score ticker/ribbon would still be on your screen during football games. The departure of ESPN’s score ticker at the bottom of your television screen will have another desirable effect for ESPN.  Millions of frustrated viewers will visit the ESPN.com website to receive their score updates. ESPN’s website traffic will balloon on game days and, of course, represent a new advertising vehicle. But keep this in mind.  ESPN’s television advertisers may find that fans will become more likely to neglect watching their very pricey ads.  Viewers will now utilize more time during ESPN’s lengthy three-to-four minute commercial breaks to search online for other scores. I turned on ESPN and the SEC Network earlier today (Monday).  I was a bit surprised to find that (gasp!) the bottom line sport ticker was still in use on weekdays! Yes, ESPN is utilizing it primarily to, among other things, promote their own slate of shows and upcoming football games. I’m not falling for the excuse that “It’s cleaner for viewers to enjoy the game experience”. If true, why not remove it from all of your shows during the rest of the week, too? College Football – Week #2’s game of the week Fans of wrestling legend “The Undertaker” could appreciate how the Texas Longhorns came to life after nearly being pronounced dead at the start of the fourth quarter. Austin, Texas reached a scorching 101 degrees on Saturday.  The heat and the pressure finally got to #1 Ohio State late in this game.  Ohio State surrendered a 23-3 fourth quarter lead to give the rejuvenated Horns a 24-23 come from behind victory on Saturday night. Texas was able to exact a little revenge after Ohio State’s 14-7 win last season in Columbus.  Texas (2-0) just replaced the Buckeyes as #1 in the AP’s way-to-early Poll released on Monday.  Ohio State (1-1) dropped to #6. Duck hunting season began in Stillwater Saturday afternoon! As mentioned here last week, the much ballyhooed Oregon Ducks did not look like national title contenders after barely taking down Boise State in Week #1. The Ducks flew eastward to Stillwater, Oklahoma last Saturday and were attacked by swarms of Oklahoma State hunters.  OSU was embarrassed by regional rival Tulsa 24-10 in its first game.  The Cowboys came into Saturday’s match-up with Oregon having lost 21 straight games to FBS (large division) schools. Okie State dominated this game from start to finish. They rolled-up 554 yards of total offense compared to Oregon’s 281. Oklahoma State has a new head coach (Eric Morris from N. Texas) who signed dozens of his former Mean Green players from last year’s 12-2 team to join him. James Madison tied an NCAA record Sun Belt Conference member James Madison trounced Wagner from the FCS 87-3 on Saturday in Harrisonburg, Virginia.  The 84-point win erased Louisiana Tech’s 80-6 win over Northwestern State in Week #1 as the largest rout of the 2026 season. Did you know that the JMU Dukes scored three of its touchdowns on punt returns? Two came via the conventional route as Michael Scott fielded two punts and returned them for scores.  A third punt-related touchdown came after the visiting Seahawks from Staten Island, New York had a punt blocked by JMU.  The loose ball was picked-up by special teamer Michael Halbert who ran it in for a touchdown. This trifecta of touchdowns scored by James Madison off the opposing team’s punts tied an NCAA record. Southern Cal was the last FBS team to accomplish this feat in 2013. The NFL’s Week #1 featured few surprises but… If you are a fan of the Miami Dolphins, Tennessee Titans, or Cleveland Browns, it’s time to create an appropriate paper bag to wear while watching your team this fall. They stink – again. A Super Bowl rematch featuring Seattle and New England produced a 13-10 win for the Seahawks as Patriots’ quarterback Drake Maye tossed an ugly interception deep in Seattle territory to end the game. Minnesota Vikings new starting quarterback Kyler Murray went down in the first quarter with a concussion.  The Vikings opted to turn to veteran Carson Wentz and not former first round pick J.J. McCarthy.  This turned out to be a good move as the Vikes reeled-off 22 straight points in the final quarter to down hated rival Green Bay 39-22. Didn’t you expect the Dallas Cowboys’ defense to be a little better this year?  They were 32nd out of 32 teams last year. Alas, the visitors from Texas allowed 29 first downs and nearly 400 yards of total offense as the New York Giants claimed a 28-20 win over the Cowboys. A bigger concern for Dallas fans was the puny 244 yards of total offense generated by its highly paid offense.  The $60 million dink-passing quarterback Dak Prescott completed 22 of 34 passes for only 175 yards. The biggest surprise from Week #1 for me was the Los Angeles Rams’ 27-7 loss to NFC West rival San Francisco.  This game was played in front of 100,000 fans in Melbourne, Australia.  Los Angeles’ vaunted offense tallied just 290 total yards as the 49ers controlled this game from start to finish. The Rams have said this season is considered “Super Bowl or Bust”.  They now have a flat tire to repair after Week #1. Golf news – Europe smashed US women to reclaim the Solheim Cup Team Europe apparently took offense after USA’s Jennifer Kupcho rolled in a 93-foot birdie putt on hole #17 and then added a 25-footer on #18 Saturday to win her Solheim Cup match.  Kupcho roared “Vamos – Let’s Go!” and taunted the crowd as the day ended with the Solheim Cup matches tied at eight points apiece. The team competition was over.  Sunday’s singles matches would decide the winner. Team Europe came out Sunday wearing their “Do Not Adjust your TV Set” vibrant blue and yellow golf apparel. Thousands of Netherlands golf fans helped to try and unravel the American golfers.  Speakers around the course blared loud music much like at a LIV Golf event.  Local fans even chanted the refrain from The Beatles’ “Hey, Jude” for several minutes. It worked as Team Europe earned a 15-13 victory Sunday.  The final point which was clinched after Jennifer Kupcho of the US lost in her singles match. Europe won the Solheim Cup to honor their recently retired 39-year old Swedish team captain Anna Nordqvist.  It was the fourth European win in the past five of these biennial golf matches. The 2028 Solheim Cup comes to Louisville, Kentucky’s Valhalla Golf Club.  There will be plenty of enthusiastic American golf fans, music, and, of course, some colorful golf apparel on display. In the men’s Ryder Cup and the women’s Solheim competitions, Europe has dominated the past few decades by focusing on teamwork.  The US needs to foster more camaraderie long before these matches begin. The post Where did ESPN’s scrolling football scores go? appeared first on SwampSwamiSports.com.

The Bros begin the show by recapping the Tiger's concerning win over Louisiana Tech. In the second segment they discuss the things LSU has to be better at. To end the show they begin previewing the Tiger's much anticipated matchup against the Ole Miss Rebels in week 3.

LSU had a some early struggles against Louisiana Tech, but the Tigers ended up blowing out the Bulldogs. WWL.com columnist Jeff Palermo joins us to break it all down.

* LSU vs. Louisiana Tech! We'll go over what to watch for when the Tigers take on the Bulldogs with WWL.com columnist Jeff Palermo. * It's the 25th anniversary of 9/11. How have things changed since then? How big of a problem is terror now? We'll talk with David Schanzer, a professor of public policy at Duke.

LSU vs. Louisiana Tech! We go over what to watch for when the Tigers take on the Bulldogs with WWL.com columnist Jeff Palermo.

SEC football picks and best bets including Kansas vs. Missouri, Michigan vs. Oklahoma, Kentucky vs. Alabama, LSU vs. Louisiana Tech, and more with Brian Edwards and Jay Greeson. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this week's episode of Hearing Voices, Chris Blair visits with Kyle Schassburger, Voice of the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, to preview Saturday's showdown between LSU and Louisiana Tech inside legendary Tiger Stadium.

Turn the page in your textbook to profits! Join Seth Woolcock and Scott Bogman for their 2026 College Football Week 2 early picks and line movement predictions. Is there early-line value on the #1 Ohio State Buckeyes (+1.5) against the #5 Texas Longhorns? Will the #16 Penn State Nittany Lions (-23.5) continue to roll against the Temple Owls? Plus, are the North Texas Mean Green (+3.5) better than expected and ready to put a fight against the UNLV Rebels? The Pros get into the Week 2 lesson plan! Timestamps: (May be off due to ads) Introduction - 0:00:00Autographed Le’Veon Bell Pittsburgh Steelers Jersey - 0:02:18Campus Wire: College Football Week 1 Recap - 0:02:45Heisman Odds Update - 0:11:54The 8AMs: College Football Week 2 Early Picks - 0:13:37#2 Oregon Ducks vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys - 0:13:59Arizona State Sun Devils vs. #8 Texas A&M Aggie - 0:18:35BettingPros College Football Football Projections & Picks - 0:23:25#10 Oklahoma Sooners vs. #16 Michigan Wolverines - 0:23:45#1 Ohio State Buckeyes vs. #5 Texas Longhorns - 0:27:49Polymarket - 0:33:03Week 2 Lines To Lock In Now - 0:34:13North Texas Mean Green +3.5 (-110) vs. UNLV Rebels - 0:34:18UCLA Bruins -11.5 vs. San Diego State & Under 53.5 (-110) - 0:35:33#16 Penn State -23.5 (-115) vs. Temple - 0:36:53#8 LSU -35.5 (-107) vs. Louisiana Tech - 0:38:30Outro - 0:44:09 Helpful Links: Polymarket - Polymarket is giving you a $50 bonus when you deposit just $10. Sign up right now with promo code FPPOD at https://app.polymarket.us/S8ac/FPPOD. 18+ Only. Restrictions and eligibility requirements apply. Not available in all jurisdictions. Trading is risky. 100% loss can occur. See http://polymarket.com/tos for more information. The Polymarket US App serves as an independent software provider and affiliate of Polymarket US and Polymarket Clearing, the CFTC-regulated exchange and clearing organization. Subscribe to BettingPros College Football on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@BettingProsCollegeFootball - Get year-round college football futures, weekly best bets, game previews and betting analysis from Seth Woolcock, Scott Bogman, and the BettingPros team. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BettingPros App⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Make winning bets with advice and picks from top sports betting experts. The BettingPros app puts consensus and expert-driven sports betting advice at your fingertips to help you pinpoint the best odds and make winning bets. Download it today on the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠App Store⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Google Play⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Check the Latest College Football Odds - https://www.bettingpros.com/ncaaf/odds/ - Compare current NCAAF lines and find the best available odds before placing your college football bets. Upgrade to BettingPros Premium - https://www.bettingpros.com/premium/ - Unlock premium picks, advanced betting tools, expert analysis and additional data to help you make more informed wagers. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BettingPros Discord⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Looking to up your game in sports betting? Join our exclusive sports betting Discord community at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠bettingpros.com/chat⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Not only can you connect with expert handicappers who provide free picks for NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, player props, live betting, and more, but now you can also participate in our weekly community picks. Cast your vote, see how your picks stack up against the experts, and track your success! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BettingPros Pick Tracker⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ – Want to track all of your wagers in one place? Check out the BettingPros Pick Tracker. It syncs up with your sportsbooks to tally which picks hit, and which miss AND gives you a live look at what the public is doing so you can use real-time tracking to determine which plays to make, and which to fade: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠bettingpros.com/pick-tracking⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Blake explains why SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey is simply moving the goal posts on LSU. Why he is personally attacking Louisiana State University and why he has an axe to grind. Blake explains he does not believe the players ultimately will be added and there will be some form of settlement.Also, Blake explains why he believes Louisiana Tech very well may be the perfect opponent to get their legs up under them. Why LSU needs to be tested in both the passing game on both sides of the ball.Lastly, Blake fields questions from listeners.(0:00) - Greg Sankey Simply Hates LSU(17:10) - Others Were Doing It(23:00) - TRO vs LSU(27:54) - Goal Posts Were Moved(36:32) - Introduction(43:30) - Lane Kiffin To Be Suspended?(48:09) - LSU vs La Tech Preview(1:11:59) - #AskBlake

In hour 2, Geaux 24/7's Zach Nagy joins the show to recap LSU's 51-10 win over Clemson and what's to come next for the Tigers. They also continue to look ahead to Saints-Lions this week and wonder aloud if the Saints can take advantage of a re-tooled Lions offensive line. And Deuce goes over some additional keys to the game, as the black and gold try to start 1-0.

In this episode, Blake explains why SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey is simply moving the goal posts on LSU. Why he is personally attacking Louisiana State University and why he has an axe to grind. Blake explains he does not believe the players ultimately will be added and there will be some form of settlement.Also, Blake explains why he believes Louisiana Tech very well may be the perfect opponent to get their legs up under them. Why LSU needs to be tested in both the passing game on both sides of the ball.Lastly, Blake fields questions from listeners.(0:00) - Greg Sankey Simply Hates LSU(17:10) - Others Were Doing It(23:00) - TRO vs LSU(27:54) - Goal Posts Were Moved(36:32) - Introduction(43:30) - Lane Kiffin To Be Suspended?(48:09) - LSU vs La Tech Preview(1:11:59) - #AskBlake

A new type of Labor Day telethon is underway in South Carolina.  Clemson fans are collecting their hard earned money to help raise the $57 million needed to buyout the contract of two-time national championship football coach Dabo Swinney. LSU virtually assured the end is near for 56-year old Coach Swinney after a 51-10 beatdown on national television Saturday night in Baton Rouge.  The Bayou Bengals spotted Clemson an early 3-0 lead after LSU was intercepted on the game’s first series. LSU then roared back to score 51 consecutive points to take a 51-3 lead in the fourth quarter.  The Louisiana Tigers registered 309 rushing yards to go with 335 passing yards while utilizing three different quarterbacks. Clemson could manage only 145 yards in total offense and a measly eight first downs in the game.  Most of those totals came in the fourth quarter. It was the worst loss of Coach Dabo Swinney’s 18+ year career at Clemson. The Clemson coach (for now) said afterwards, “The best thing about that game is that it’s over.” Yes, and so is your time at Clemson, coach.  This new telethon just hasn’t reached its goal – yet. The first game in the Lane Kiffin era at LSU was a rousing success LSU fans were confident that former Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin would be able to improve the team’s offense.  No one likely expected this amount of improvement, though. A school record 38 first downs were recorded during LSU’s 51-10 thrashing of Clemson in front of 102,000 rain-soaked Tigers fans in Baton Rouge. LSU’s transfer portal brigade of 44 new players led the way.  Former Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt passed for 230 yards and ran for another 113 on 13 carries as he accounted for three scores. Back-up quarterback Landen Clark (from FCS power Elon in Greensboro, NC) also looked sharp going 5-for-7 with another touchdown pass for LSU. It was Wisconsin transfer running back Dillin Jones who stole the show for LSU versus Clemson.  The former high school wrestler lowered his shoulders and bullied his way for 113 yards against what had been expected to be a tough Clemson defense. LSU’s 644 yards in total offense against a nationally-respected ACC team like Clemson opened a lot of eyes on Saturday night. The Tigers’ next opponent scored even more points – in just the first half! Is Louisiana Tech really that good (probably not) or was Northwestern State really that bad (yes) While LSU was thrashing Clemson, the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs scored a school record 63 points in the first half against long-time foe Northwestern State University in Ruston Saturday night. Exactly like Clemson did against LSU, Northwestern State took a 3-0 lead early in the first quarter against the Bulldogs. Louisiana Tech then reeled-off a school record 80 consecutive points to demolish their north Louisiana FCS rivals. Final score – Louisiana Tech 80, Northwestern State 6. The Demons from Natchitoches are now 0-2 after losing their home opener 42-37 to surprising NAIA member Louisiana Christian (Pineville) last weekend. Third-year head coach Blaine McCorkle came to Northwestern State with high hopes after he had turned-around the football program at Belhaven College in Mississippi. Coach McCorkle told the press after Saturday’s loss, “These games can get sideways on you in a hurry!” Indeed, Coach! His Demons football teams are now 1-25.  Coach Blaine McCorkle’s lone win came in 2025 as Northwestern State scored a 20-10 home victory last season against Alcorn State. Meanwhile, the Ruston-based Bulldogs travel to Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge to take on the LSU Tigers this Saturday.  Last year, Tech made LSU work hard to earn a 23-7 home win. With LSU scoring 51 points against Clemson and Louisiana Tech ringing-up 80 on Northwestern State, don’t expect another low scoring affair this Saturday in Baton Rouge. Nuts and bolts, nuts and bolts, Western Michigan got… NBC’s television cameras showed that the game clock was at 0:00 after Michigan’s last-gasp Hail Mary pass went incomplete against 27-point underdog Western Michigan.  The Broncos from the Mid-American Conference had just defeated #16 Michigan 12-7 in front of 107,000 stunned Wolverines fans in Ann Arbor Saturday afternoon! But wait! The referees huddled for a few minutes and told the stadium crowd and home television audience that there was one second left on the clock.  Michigan would get one more chance. A well conceived second heave-ho by Michigan’s vastly overpaid NIL quarterback Bryce Underwood landed in the hands of wide receiver JJ Buchanan for a 47-yard score in the game’s second “final” play. Afterwards, thousands of jubilant Michigan fans stormed the field to celebrate the home team’s unlikely 13-12 win. Western Michigan fans and a nationwide television audience were up in arms after watching the referees grant another chance to the Wolverines.  The refs claimed that the clock being kept on the field by the officials was different from what the stadium and home viewers were seeing. R-i-i-i-ght! Impressed by: Both #9 Ole Miss and #24 Louisville – The Rebels won last night’s 41-38 thriller on a last second field goal in Nashville.  These two teams looked very sharp – especially in the second half. We already knew that Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambiss was good.  It was Louisville’s Lincoln Keinholz who surprised a national television audience with 309 yards of passing and 69 yards rushing to account for three Cardinals’ touchdowns.  How about a rematch of these two teams in the playoffs! Pittsburgh – If you’re looking for an early Heisman Trophy surprise candidate, look no further than true sophomore quarterback Mason Heintschel of Pitt. The Panthers’ QB passed for seven (correct) touchdowns and 434 yards in Pitt’s season opening 59-14 trouncing of Miami (Ohio).  Watch out, ACC! Virginia – The University of Virginia has one of the most experienced and oldest college rosters in the country.  This group of “senior” citizens from Charlottesville opened the season with a 34-8 rout of ACC rival North Carolina State a week ago.  Virginia’s Wahoos play an incredibly easy schedule in 2026.  It includes just only one current Top 25 team (at #19 SMU on October 17).  Did someone say “Playoffs?” Tarleton State – This fast-rising FCS school located southwest of Fort Worth, Texas improved to 2-0 after beating FBS Mid-American conference member Bowling Green 20-13 in Kentucky Saturday. How ’bout those Texans?!! U-Mass – The Minutemen have been one of the worst major college football teams for more than a decade.  U-Mass had just 18 wins against 94 losses over the past ten football seasons.  On Thursday night, the University of Massachusetts went to New Jersey and defeated Big Ten member Rutgers 37-21 as Scarlet Knights fans sat in stunned silence. Too early to tell: Season-opening cupcakes are fattening and don’t sharpen your squads for the games ahead. Let’s give a rain check to the following teams until they actually play a worthy opponent: #1 Ohio State 56, Ball State 3 #3 Georgia 63, Tennessee State 3 #5 Texas 59, Texas State 7 #6 Indiana 52, North Texas 16 #7 Miami 45, Stanford 6 #8 Texas A&M 50, Missouri State 0 #10 Oklahoma 51, UTEP 0 #12 Texas Tech 33, Abilene Christian 10 #13 Alabama 48, East Carolina 10 #14 BYU 63, Utah Tech 7 #18 Penn State 45, Marshall 0 #20 Tennessee 56, Furman 9 #21 Utah 66, Idaho 14 #22 Iowa 40, Northern Illinois 0 #25 Missouri 54, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 14 Not impressed by: #2 Oregon – The Ducks were tied with unranked Boise State 27-27 midway through the final quarter at home Saturday afternoon. A late touchdown pass gave Oregon a 34-27 lead. It took a final defensive stand to end Boise State’s upset bid and keep Oregon from being embarrassed on national television.  Oregon’s #2 ranking should drop. #4 Notre Dame – The halftime score of Sunday night’s game in Green Bay was “Notre Dame 13, Wisconsin 10.”  That’s when the Fighting Irish woke up in the second half to score 28 more points in a 41-13 win.  Notre Dame does not have the same talent as last year’s team.  However, the Irish do have a lightweight schedule which will keep this team as a likely playoff contender.  America’s most over-hyped team was not impressive in Week #1. #16 Michigan – We have already covered that lucky win over Western Michigan.  Forget the playoffs, Wolverines fans. Your team may be fortunate just to finish 7-5. Auburn – The “other” SEC Tigers got a break when Baylor went for a two-point conversion in the closing seconds. The Bears were stopped inches short of the goal line and a possible winning conversion.  Auburn took this 17-16 “Siesta Bowl” victory in one of the most boring televised games in recent memory.  Baylor is no slouch, but Auburn’s offense still stinks. Relieved by: LSU – Coach Lane Kiffin did not place his former NFL preseason football players onto Saturday night’s roster against Clemson.  That was a wise move and left a lot of legal options open. LSU will travel to Kiffin’s former employer at Ole Miss in two weeks.  Free idea – the most hated coach in the state of Mississippi might want to consider coaching his new team from the press box (behind some well-tested safety glass) for that game in Oxford. Oh, no!  Here we go again… Oklahoma State – The Cowboys fired longtime football coach Mike Gundy and finished 1-11 in 2025. The Pokes then hired rising young football coach Eric Morris from North Texas.  Coach Morris brought a truckload of his former Mean Green football players along with him to Stillwater.  Alas, his orange-clad Cowboys were trounced 24-10 on the road by Tulsa Saturday. This week, #2 ranked Oregon (which beat Okie State 69-3 last year) is coming to Stillwater.  Uh-oh. Charlotte – The 49ers have been a bad college football team for years.  The team formerly known as UNC-Charlotte has posted just one winning season (2019) in the past 13 years. Their Week #1 home game saw FCS member The Citadel take a 43-41 triple overtime win over the home 49ers.  It’s going to be another long season in Charlotte. UL-Monroe – I wanted to believe that this year’s Warhawks might be able to break the school’s 13-year streak of not having a winning football season. Alas, ULM is already 0-1 after losing 62-13 at Mississippi State on Saturday.  The Warhawks’ defense (?) gave up a calculator-busting 762 yards as the Bulldogs racked-up 35 first downs.  ULM placekicker Abram Murray (from C. E. Byrd High School in Shreveport) kicked a 52-yard field goal and 40-yarder to give ULM a ray of hope should this team play in a close game later in the season.    This was a fun first week of the college football season.  I can’t wait for Week #2! The post College Football Week 1 – Pass the Hat for Dabo Swinney appeared first on SwampSwamiSports.com.

The Sunday Hurry-Up makes its triumphant return. Rodger Sherman is again in the hot seat with Richard Johnson to break down a Week 1 that was anything but boring. We go through as many games as are fit to print (or podcast about).* Michigan 13, Western Michigan 12* Oregon 34, Boise State 27* Ohio State 56, Ball State 3* Indiana 52, North Texas 16* USC 39, Fresno 0* Penn State 45, Marshall 0* Iowa 40, Northern Illinois 0* Illinois 42, UAB 23* Michigan State 30, Toledo 20* Nebraska 49, Ohio 21* Northwestern 34, South Dakota State 18* UMass 37, Rutgers 21* LSU 51, Clemson 10* Auburn 17, Baylor 16* Oklahoma 51, UTEP 0* South Carolina 57, Kent State 0* Alabama 48, ECU 10* Florida 66, FAU 21* Vanderbilt 28, Austin Peay 9* Georgia 63 vs Tennessee State 3* Texas Tech 33, Abilene Christian 10* Houston 33, Oregon State 20* Cincinnati 34, Boston College 15* West Virginia 31, Coastal Carolina 24* Miami 45, Stanford 6* UCLA 45, Cal 24* Duke 17, Tulane 3* Colorado 14, Georgia Tech 13* Pitt 59 vs Miami (OH) 14* Wake Forest 38, Akron 16* The Citadel 43, Charlotte 41 (3OT)* Memphis 42, Arkansas State 24* USF 19, FIU 9* Temple 38, Rhode Island 14* Tulsa 24, Oklahoma State 10* UNLV 21, Hawaii 6* Nevada 49, Western Kentucky 14* New Mexico 38, Central Michigan 7* North Dakota State 38, Fordham 0* Tarleton State 20, Bowling Green 13* Buffalo 21, UAlbany 17* San Jose State 27, Eastern Michigan 21* Sacramento State 52, Mississippi Valley State 0* James Madison 20, Liberty 13* Louisiana Tech 80, Northwestern State 6* Troy 24, Sam Houston 21* Colorado State 35, Wyoming 13* Idaho State 29, Utah State 17Yeah, we went big for Week 1.Producer: Anthony VitoTHANKS TO OUR PARTNERS* 10% off a set of Nokian Tyres with code SPLITZONEDUO at: https://www.tires-easy.com/brands/nokian-tires* Shop for college sports apparel at Homefield This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

Jack, John and Nate chat about Ohio and look back on Frank Solich's first game as head coach, 1998 vs. Louisiana Tech!

The week of kickoff for the Bulldogs delivers a special conversation with an outside perspective on Tech's upcoming season. Matt Belinson is entering his 5th season covering Louisiana Tech as the Sports Editor for the Ruston Daily Leader. Belinson handicaps the strengths of this year's team, the anticipation of a first-time Sun Belt schedule, and how the influx of local high school talent to Tech signals heightened excitement. Belinson also reflects on his career path and journalistic influences. He pulls the curtain back on the development of a story idea or content plan, too. Finally, Belinson indicates how he's helping each day to protect the legacy of the late O.K. 'Buddy' Davis, who formerly held his position and was Ruston's sports authority for nearly 40 years.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Lane Kiffin told LSU reporters his players endorse signing former NFL players, and Jason says it proves college football has entered the Al Davis era. With boosters pouring in millions and a brutal September slate — Clemson, Louisiana Tech, Ole Miss, and Texas A&M — Kiffin knows he must win now or be gone by Halloween. He is the outlaw built for chaos, the college Al Davis, while Dabo Swinney's Lombardi ideals are being punished by the portal era. Then Jason turns to the WNBA, where Caitlin Clark's leverage has rewritten the league's power structure, and A'ja Wilson is making a calculated Queen's Gambit to preserve order and protect her crown as the league chooses between chaos and control. ➢​​Today's Sponsors Keksi is a family-owned bakery from Fort Worth, Texas, that offers nationwide shipping for its diverse menu of artisanal cookies. You can get 15% off your order by using the promo code JASON at https://Keksi.com. ➢ Show Outline 0:00 - The New Era of College Football Is Here 32:25 - Lane Kiffin Is the Al Davis of College Football 46:15 - Is This a Level Playing Field? 55:10 - A'ja Wilson Sits Out the World Cup 1:12:15 - Can Team USA Win Without Wilson? 1:55:10 - Individual Agendas vs Team Success ➢ Follow Our GUESTS https://www.youtube.com/@KTVwatch  https://x.com/SteveKim323 https://x.com/BuckyBrooks  ➢ Subscribe to Jason's other channel https://www.youtube.com/JasonWhitlock?sub_confirmation=1 https://www.youtube.com/@JasonWhitlockHarmony?sub_confirmation=1 https://www.youtube.com/@JasonWhitlockBYOG?sub_confirmation=1 https://www.youtube.com/@JasonWhitlockClips?sub_confirmation=1 ➢ Connect with Jason on Social Media:  https://x.com/JasonWhitlock  https://www.instagram.com/realjasonwhitlock/ https://www.facebook.com/jasonwhitlock ➢ Send Jason an Email FearlessBlazeShow@gmail.com ➢ Support The Blaze Visit https://TheBlaze.com. Explore the all-new ad-free experience and see for yourself how we're standing up against suppression and prioritizing independent journalism. Support Conservative Voices! Subscribe to BlazeTV at https://www.fearlessmission.com and get $20 off your yearly subscription. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode, we discuss a wide-ranging “Conspiracy Friday” conversation featuring Charlotte and Mark, beginning with humorous—but unverified—claims about QAnon, Project Looking Glass, Skinwalker Ranch, digital IDs, weather manipulation, and events in Nepal. The hosts also examine political influence, online data investigator “Data Republican,” alleged funding networks, media narratives, and how sensational headlines can shape public perception. The conversation shifts to AI's potential effects on employment, education, robotics, population trends, and the future relevance of college degrees. Finally, the group considers how Louisiana's expanding space and technology industries could affect ULL, Louisiana Tech, Ruston, Lafayette, and nearby communities. Don't miss it!

Former Alabama quarterback Jake Coker and Mick Gillispie break down the latest surrounding Alabama Crimson Tide football as the 2026 college football season approaches — including a surprise defensive starter, a devastating injury, a major future scheduling change and one of the SEC's best rivalries bringing back an incredible tradition.

University of Tulsa head coach Eric Konkol discussed his successful 2025-26 season that produced 30 wins and an NIT championship game appearance, a campaign built on staff continuity and attracting a complementary, high-character roster. His program is guided by the core philosophy of “Attitude, Commitment, Class,” a framework from Jim Larrañaga that prioritizes energy, dedication, and professionalism. Konkol emphasized playing lots of basketball through a game-based approach that incorporates advantage drills and a “three-trip game” (canceling pauses) to develop decision-making skills, while using video in multiple ways—primarily for corrections—for teaching. He detailed the team's record-breaking three-point shooting performance, explaining their recruiting strategy and testing methods such as the 5-minute threes drill to identify and develop shooters. The conversation also covered managing roster turnover, maintaining program-building momentum after his success at Louisiana Tech, defensive principles focused on sprinting back and physicality, and the mental aspects of coaching through challenging periods.

The gang previews the 2026 Louisiana Tech football season.

Eric Ciano  is the Director of Strength and Conditioning for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Now entering his 17th NFL season, he previously spent 15 years with the Buffalo Bills, where he was named the NFL Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year in 2020. He was also while strength and conditioning leadership roles at Georgia Tech, Tennessee, and Louisiana Tech.  0:58 The Hinge Moment That Led to an NFL Strength & Conditioning Career 2:43 Winning a National Championship and Building Championship Culture 3:27 Leadership Lessons from Legendary Strength Coach Johnny Long 4:19 Building Mental Toughness Through Accountability and Standards 5:37 Daily Habits That Create High-Performance Athletes 6:38 How Mental Toughness Is Built Every Single Day 8:03 Building Confidence During an 0–8 NFL Season 9:10 Creating a Winning Team Culture with the Buffalo Bills 10:49 The "13 Seconds" Game and Recovering from Heartbreak 13:47 Leadership, Recognition, and Bringing Out the Best in People 15:33 Using Competition to Build Mental Toughness and Accountability 19:24 Why Talent Without Discipline Never Creates Champions 21:37 Getting Fired After 15 Years in the NFL and Moving Forward 24:21 Mental Toughness When Life Doesn't Go According to Plan 25:54 Leadership Lessons from Nearly Two Decades in the NFL 27:41 Why Passion Still Separates Great Athletes from Good Ones 28:43 What's Wrong with Youth Sports and Athlete Development Today 30:14 Calvin Johnson and the Habits of Elite Performers 33:02 Daily Training, Longevity, and Performing at a High Level 35:08 Purpose, and Life Beyond Football Don't forget you can also follow Dr. Rob Bell on Twitter or Instagram! Follow At: X @drrobbell Instagram @drrobbell 5 Mental Toughness Advantages for Financial Advisors: https://pages.drrobbell.com/ If you enjoyed this episode on Mental Toughness, please subscribe and leave a review! Dr. Rob Bell Exclusive Podcast Sponsor: Morton Brown Family Wealth https://mortonbrownfw.com/  Morton Brown Family Wealth is the Presenting Partner of The Mental Toughness Podcast with Dr. Rob Bell. Sponsorship of this podcast does not imply endorsement of the views, opinions, products, or services expressed by individual guests.

Dr. Matthew Thornton, director of the School of Human Ecology and interim department head of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences at Louisiana Tech, discusses his new role and the school's unique programs in human development and family science and fashion merchandising and retail studies. He highlights the new applied behavioral analysis undergraduate certificate, designed to address the growing need for ABA professionals. And he shares his journey from a student at Louisiana Tech to a seasoned mental health professional, emphasizing the importance of authentic relationships and servant leadership in his work. School of Human Ecology: latech.edu/education-human-sciences/about-cehs/human-ecology/ Website: 1894.latech.edu/beyond/ Email: 1894@latech.edu

Coach Andy Fox shares his journey from being a standout basketball player at Cornell (Iowa) to becoming the Associate Head Coach at George Mason University.Andy got his start in the profession as Graduate Assistant at Tennessee under Buzz Peterson, he was retained when Bruce Pearl took the reins, the Volunteers captured the SEC East Championship in 2006 and earned 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament.He went on to join the coaching staff at The Citadel under Ed Conroy and he helped propel the Bulldogs to a school-record 20 wins and the program's first postseason appearance in 2009. Coach Conroy took Andy with him when he accepted the job at Tulane. After five seasons at Tulane, Coach Fox joined the coaching staff at Louisiana Tech serving under Eric Konkol.After four seasons at Louisiana Tech he moved to Nashville and served in a multitude of roles under Jerry Stackhouse at Vanderbilt. The Commodores made a pair of NIT appearances and had their best season in over a decade during his time in Nashville.Coach Fox spent the 2024-25 season coaching at Army West Point under Kevin Kuwik. In 2024-25, Fox helped lead the Black Knights to a historic season, which included the program's first postseason win in 55 years.Tony Skinn hired Andy Fox to his George Mason University coaching staff in June 2025 and they pioneered the Patriots to the program's best-ever overall (18-1) and A-10 starts (6-0). They became the fastest in school history to reach 20 victories (22), they earned a spot in the 2025 NIT. In June 2026 Coach Skinn promoted Fox to an Associate Head Coach.

Fresh off a full summer serving as Orientation Student Leaders, Louisiana Tech juniors Sarah Freeman and Tason Lawrence love the University more than ever. They share their reasons for choosing Tech for college, their reasons for signing up for the tall task of being OSLs, and their reasons for feeling like the campus community is a perfect place to call home. LA Tech FYE on Instagram: instagram.com/latechfye Website: 1894.latech.edu/beyond/ Email: 1894@latech.edu

What does it take to remain faithful in youth ministry for more than four decades and still see your influence growing through future generations? In this interview episode of Youth Worker On Fire, Doug Edwards sits down with longtime ministry leader Hugh Kirby for a powerful conversation about youth ministry longevity, relational discipleship, mentorship, prayer, church leadership, and going the distance in ministry. Hugh has served in ministry for more than 42 years, including 17 years directly leading student ministry at New Hope Baptist Church in Fayetteville, Georgia. Today, he can look back and see former students influencing their own children, grandchildren, churches, and communities. But Hugh's ministry story began long before New Hope. He shares how God moved powerfully during his years playing football at Louisiana Tech, where more than 40 players and others connected to the team came to faith in Christ. Hugh reflects on the spiritual influence of his roommate Denny Duron, the leaders who invested in him, and the way God used relationships to shape his calling. Hugh also shares how Dr. Millard Box helped transform his understanding of discipleship as a teenager. Rather than building everything around programs, Dr. Box invited Hugh into a relationship-centered environment built on Scripture, honest conversation, accountability, and prayer. That experience became a model Hugh would carry into decades of youth ministry. In this episode, you'll hear about: • What helped Hugh remain faithful through 42 years of ministry • Why ministry longevity requires dependence on Jesus and support from family • How relational discipleship shaped Hugh as a teenager • Why relationships should come before programs • The importance of Scripture, accountability, and intimate prayer • How Hugh learned to build disciples who would disciple others • What youth pastors can learn from Jesus' progressive disciple-building model • How long-term ministry influences students, families, and generations • Why churches must keep Jesus—not programs—as the main thing • How mentors and mature believers shape a young person's future Hugh explains that effective discipleship is not simply giving students more information. It means entering their lives, building relationships, helping them understand Scripture, creating loving accountability, and teaching them how to walk personally with Jesus. This conversation is especially valuable for youth pastors, student ministry volunteers, Christian educators, parents, grandparents, mentors, and anyone who wants to invest in the next generation for the long term. Programs eventually end. Positions eventually change. But a life poured intentionally into another person can continue bearing fruit for generations. Listen and be encouraged to build relationships, make disciples, remain faithful, and go the distance in the ministry God has given you. Listen to more episodes from the Youth Worker On Fire Podcast here: https://bit.ly/3saDyYq _________________________________________________________________________________

On today's episode, we discuss a “non-conspiracy” Friday without Charlotte, mixing playful inside jokes like the day's motto “wooly bully” with sharp political and legal commentary. The hosts start with stories about strongly worded letters—one that got James blacklisted by Louisiana Tech years ago and a new one aimed at a big New Orleans law firm—using them to reflect on how their approach to conflict has evolved. They then shift to their running “presidential apprentice” theme, comparing contenders like Ron DeSantis, Marco Rubio, and J.D. Vance, and spotlighting Rubio's recent media performances and Vance's troubles with a talkative security detail. A substantial part of the discussion digs into military law and free speech, analyzing whether a soldier who posted an expletive-laden anti-Trump video on his last day in uniform could face consequences under Article 88 of the UCMJ and how Article 15 proceedings work in practice. The episode rounds out with updates on a scrubbed rocket launch, speculation about Obama's post-presidency moves, and concerns over voter roll irregularities in states like New Jersey and Minnesota, blending conspiracy-flavored questions with skepticism and fact-checking from AI tools like Grok. Don't miss it!

Alex and Richard conduct the second annual Coach Firing/Retirement/Departure Confidence Draft, assigning point values to 27 FBS coaches based on how likely they are to leave their jobs after the 2026 season, either because they got fired or retired. (Poachings are not included.) Last year, Alex scored a narrow victory thanks to his bold and successful pick of Kyle Whittingham to be out at Utah after the season. Can Richard fight back?The board runs in order of tenure, from Kirk Ferentz's 28th year at Iowa to Bill Belichick's second at North Carolina, and produces wide gaps on Joe Moorhead, Mike Norvell, Luke Fickell, and the exact meaning of a Lincoln Riley departure. In this episode, we cover these coaches in order:• 5:23: Kirk Ferentz at Iowa• 6:21: Troy Calhoun at Air Force• 7:54: Dabo Swinney at Clemson• 9:39: Dave Doeren at NC State• 11:01: Pat Narduzzi at Pitt• 12:15: Mike Locksley at Maryland• 14:27: Mike Norvell at Florida State• 15:32: Ricky Rahne at Old Dominion• 16:11: Shane Beamer at South Carolina• 18:12: Steve Sarkisian at Texas• 20:34: Sonny Cumbie at Louisiana Tech• 21:50: Joe Moorhead at Akron• 23:49: Timmy Chang at Hawaii• 24:39: Tony Elliott at Virginia• 27:01: Lincoln Riley at USC• 29:04: Sonny Dykes at TCU• 30:35: Brent Venables at Oklahoma• 31:53: Deion Sanders at Colorado• 33:43: Luke Fickell at Wisconsin• 34:40: Jamey Chadwell at Liberty• 35:35: Matt Rhule at Nebraska• 37:05: Bill O'Brien at Boston College• 38:41: Kalen DeBoer at Alabama• 40:14: Scotty Walden at UTEP• 40:50: Derek Mason at Middle Tennessee• 40:53: Dell McGee at Georgia State• 42:00: Bill Belichick at North CarolinaNote: We unintentionally omitted Baylor's Dave Aranda from this draft. We will come back to him in the Big 12 preview later this summer.Producer: Anthony Vito This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

Kyle Kavanaugh's title may not fit on a business card, but it's warranted because of his influence in so many different areas across both athletics and academics at Tech. Kavanaugh helped grow the largest student organization in 'Blue Bloods.' He's also heavily involved in the latest marketing campaign geared at enhancing support for the Bulldogs & Lady Techsters, 'One More.' Kavanaugh is another one who graduated from Louisiana Tech. The amount of his soul he pours into Tech is immeasurable. Listen as Kavanaugh touches on all of this and more, including the hype around Tech's entry into the Sun Belt Conference, on Tech Drive.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Justin Kavalir is Louisiana Tech University's associate VP and general counsel, a guiding and protective hand when it comes to institutional litigation. In this episode, he discusses his beginnings in the realm of accounting before deciding to take on law school, his easy choice to make a professional return to Tech, and the complex nature of his day-to-day. He highlights some of the standout cases he's seen in his role and stresses the importance of balancing First Amendment rights with campus safety. Website: 1894.latech.edu/beyond/ Email: 1894@latech.edu

What's in a name? Temple forward Sir Issac Herron had plenty to say about that on this week's episode of The Scoop. The 6-foot-10 forward who joined the Owls via the transfer portal from Louisiana Tech talked about the origins of his name, recovering from two injuries, and why he feels better than he ever has as he attempts to build upon last season and improve coach Adam Fisher's frontcourt. Herron had some high praise for fellow Temple big man Christian Beam and forwards Edwin Suarez and Baboucarr Njie, and we'll tell you why you should keep your eyes peeled for another Temple football verbal commitment this week. Intro: 0:00 – 4:32 Sir Issac Herron joins the show: 4:32 – 48:35 A football verbal is on the way: 48:35 – 50:01 Mailbag: 50:01- end

You’re listening to American Ground Radio with Stephen Parr and Louis R. Avallone. This is the full show for July 14, 2026. We open with the Democratic Socialists of America's national co-chair going on record calling for the abolition of the United States Senate — and we explain why this isn't a fringe idea anymore. The DSA wants to replace the Senate, the presidency, and the Supreme Court with a single legislative body allocated purely by population, rename it the People's Bureau, and hand it public ownership of the nation's largest corporations. We walk through what that actually means — that seven or eight major cities could effectively govern the entire country, that the constitutional protections for smaller states would vanish, and that the structure they're proposing is the same one that produced the Third Reich, the Soviet Union, and Communist China. We also note that 51% of the DSA's National Policy Committee openly identifies with communism, Marxism, or Marxist-Leninism — not according to conservative critics, but according to a report cited by the former Democratic chief counsel for the House Judiciary Committee. The Democratic Party needs to decide whether it is going to continue letting these people run under its banner. In our Top 3 Things You Need to Know, President Trump formally notified Congress that hostilities with Iran have resumed — opening a new 60-day window under the War Powers Act after Iran repeatedly violated the ceasefire and continued attacking civilian shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Then inflation dropped from 4.2% to 3.5% last month — the largest single-month decrease in four years — driven largely by falling gas prices during the ceasefire, with core inflation down to 2.6%. And Justices Elena Kagan and Amy Coney Barrett testified jointly before Congress requesting increased security funding — with Barrett revealing that six weeks ago her teenage son opened the front door to find their street filled with police cars responding to a swatting attack on their home. We also weigh in on President Trump's signature appearing on the new $100 bill as part of America's 250th anniversary commemoration — and we have a genuine disagreement about it. It's a milestone that comes once in a nation's history and deserves recognition. But putting a sitting president's name on currency in circulation is outside American tradition, starts to look like the kind of thing emperors and monarchs do, and gives his critics an easy target that's hard to defend. Our American Mama Teri Netterville makes the case that moms are still better matchmakers than any dating app ever invented — and backs it up with evidence. Three couples she personally set up are now married, including her own daughter Summer and Louisiana Tech baseball captain Phillip Matulia, whom Teri identified as the right match before her daughter was even willing to consider it. She also shares the story of Andrea Swift — Taylor's mother — who heard that Travis Kelce loves his mother, said ding ding ding, and the rest is history. Terry's conclusion: we know our children. Apps know your data. There's a difference. In our Digging Deep segment, a Fort Worth police officer threatened street preachers Richard Pankoski and David Grisham with disorderly conduct citations at a Pride parade — telling them directly that if someone is offended by their talking, that constitutes a problem warranting a citation. We explain why this is not a close constitutional question. The First Amendment does not exist to protect popular speech. It exists precisely to protect the kind of speech that offends people. The Fort Worth police chief acknowledged the officers were wrong — but we push back on his framing. They weren't wrong in the manner they addressed it. They were wrong to address it at all. Religious speech enjoys the same constitutional protection as secular speech. If marchers get to publicly celebrate what scripture calls sin, preachers get to publicly call it sin. We then turn to Zoran Mamdani's New York City — where Manhattan's average one-bedroom rent has hit an all-time high of nearly $5,500 a month and Brooklyn is setting its own records, with critics calling the housing situation DEFCON 1. We connect it directly to Mamdani's rent freeze threats, which gave every landlord in the city a powerful incentive to raise rents before the freeze could take effect, and to congestion pricing, which is now making it financially attractive to live inside Manhattan rather than commute — driving up rents from the demand side. The left created this crisis with its own policies and is now running on those same policies as the solution. For our Bright Spot, President Trump and Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi announced that U.S. troops will be out of Iraq by September 30th — ending a 23-year military presence that peaked at 170,000 troops and is now down to roughly 2,000. We also cover Iraq signing new oil deals with Chevron and other American companies to build pipelines running from Iraq through Turkey to Europe — bypassing the Strait of Hormuz entirely — which would permanently reduce Iranian leverage over global energy markets. And we close with 28-year-old Rishi Sharma, who at 18 became curious about World War II, interviewed one veteran, then another, then another, until curiosity became an obsession — and he has now spent every single day of the last ten years interviewing veterans of the Greatest Generation, preserving 3,000 firsthand accounts of American history on hard drives and SD cards before those voices are gone forever. May your pursuit of happiness bring you joy. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts, visit AmericanGroundRadio.com, and join the conversation at 866-AGR-1776!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The previous post covered my grades on how the strength of today’s four largest college athletic conferences compare with their previous versions twenty years ago in 2006. Here's a brief recap. In my estimation, only the SEC (which expanded from 12 to 16 teams over that 20 year period) has shown an upgrade in competition levels since 2006.  I awarded the SEC a “B” grade. The Big 12 (which lost four of its prominent members to the SEC) received a C+ for their nimble addition of several relevant regional sports schools. A “D” grade was handed down to the Atlantic Coast Conference.  Their nonsensical addition of West Coast newcomers Cal (Berkeley) and Stanford in 2024 crashed the ACC's overall score. Speaking of lousy grades, I awarded a D- to the Big Ten Conference as its recently-annexed properties have resulted in a BIG thud.  From the east (Maryland and Rutgers) to the west (Nebraska, Oregon, UCLA, USC, and Washington), the Big Ten’s new coast-to-coast configuration has failed to improve this conference for either sports fans or student/athletes. How have the five mid-major conferences fared with recent expansion issues? These other conferences (nicknamed the “Group of Five”) can be quite entertaining but rarely win national championships.  They must compete against the “Big Four” major conferences featuring the wealthiest college sports programs. American Athletic Conference (AAC) The AAC has only been around since the year 2013.  There were 10 initial AAC members and now 14 in 2026. Only Memphis, South Florida, and Temple remain from 2013.  The ACC raided Conference USA to obtain several of its new members. Army and Navy – What's not to like about these two additions?  They bring the focus of the entire college football world to their annual game played in early December.  Grades – A Charlotte – The 49ers have been perpetual cellar dwellers in most sports.  Charlotte, North Carolina sports fans are more likely to follow UNC, Duke, and Clemson.  Yawn.  Grade – D- East Carolina – The Pirates have made the NCAA baseball playoffs ten times since 2013 and have occasionally contended for the AAC title in football.  A hearty fan base makes ECU a fun place to watch sports.  Grade – B Florida Atlantic – A member of the AAC since 2023, this school is best known for its men's basketball team and having a great beach nearby.  Sadly, most local sports fans don’t give a hoot about the FAU Owls yet.  Grade – C- North Texas – The Mean Green had a brilliant 12-2 football season in 2025 in the school's third year as part of the AAC.  The other sports are lagging behind.  Grade – C Rice – Another third year AAC member, the Houston-based Owls have been an athletics flop in their new conference.  Grade – D Tulane – Green Wave football program has rejuvenated Tulane athletics down in the Crescent City.  Unfortunately, the remainder of the school’s sports teams rarely lead the AAC.  Grade – C Tulsa – Golden Hurricane football and men's basketball programs have been on the decline in the past decade.  That's a shame, because Tulsa fans desperately want to get behind the city’s lone major college athletics team.  Grade – C- UAB – Try as I might, I'm having trouble remembering any recent sports successes for the Blazers.  Grade – D- UTSA – Like Tulsa, the Roadrunners have the entire San Antonio market ready for their athletics programs to take off.  Other than some recent success in football, UTSA sports still appear to be taking a siesta.  Grade – C- AAC overall grade for expansion: C- Conference USA (C-USA) I am not going to provide individual grades to Conference USA member schools.  It is not their fault that C-USA management has done such a lousy job of keeping this conference together and relevant in major college sports. The conference has seen a 100% turnover in the past 20 years. Schools being added have generally been former FCS top teams such as Delaware, Sam Houston, and Jacksonville (AL) State. Things have declined so badly in Conference USA (“How badly have they declined?”) that longtime member Louisiana Tech recently agreed to pay a reported $8 million to buy its way out of C-USA.  The Bulldogs’ jubilant athletic department and fans are rejoining the Sun Belt Conference this fall.  Louisiana Tech will save more than $1 million annually in travel costs formerly required to travel to schools within the far-flung Conference USA. Longtime C-USA holdovers Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee State deserve a better fate.  Save your money and call the Sun Belt in a couple of years! C-USA overall grade for expansion –  F- Mid-American Conference (MAC) In contrast to Conference USA, the MAC has remained remarkably stable for the past 20 years. Eleven of the dozen MAC members in 2006 remain a part of the conference today.  Northern Illinois (which had been part of the MAC for 30 years) is leaving this fall to become part of the Mountain West Conference. In a couple of curious moves, the Mid-American Conference has added two new members recently. UMass – The 2025 addition of the University of Massachusetts (which is at least in regional proximity to longtime MAC member Buffalo) was rather questionable.  Athletic success at Umass has been nearly invisible over the past decade.  After just one year in the MAC, the Minutemen have been a net negative in sports for the Mid-American Conference.  Grade: D- Sacramento State – Seriously?  Yes, the Mid-American Conference will add this longtime FCS member from California to its football schedules this fall.  Sacramento (the #20 TV market) is 2,500 miles from the middle of Ohio. The Hornets will be a football-only member of the Mid-American Conference.  For the usually stable MAC, this is a rather bizarre expansion move.  Grade: F MAC overall grade for expansion:  D- Mountain West Conference (Mountain West) The Mountain West has survived a few departure tremors in recent years.  Of the nine Mountain West members 20 years ago, only Air Force, New Mexico, UNLV, and Wyoming remain.  Let’s review the teams which have come aboard since 2006. Hawaii – The Rainbow Warriors (2012) have posted winning football records in just four of their 14 seasons in the Mountain West.  The other athletic squads are nearly invisible in the post-season tournaments.  Hawaii remains a dream road trip destination for visiting teams and their fans, though.  Grade: C- Nevada – At least the men’s basketball team has appeared in the NCAA March Madness event five times over the past nine seasons.  Otherwise, fans of the Nevada Wolfpack (which joined the Mountain West in 2012) haven’t had much to howl about lately.  Grade: C- North Dakota State – This former FCS division powerhouse football program is stepping-up to play against the big boys beginning this fall.  The move is for football only. The Bison are a terrific geographic fit for the Mountain West Conference, too.  This makes sense.  Grade: A Northern Illinois – The Huskies will join the Mountain West this fall after 30 years in the Mid-American Conference.  Northern Illinois’ sports resume has weakened in recent years.  Other than bringing the #3 TV market (Chicago) to the Mountain West, this move makes little sense.  Grade: D San Jose State – The Spartans (members since 2013) have appeared in four bowl games over the past decade.  On the other hand, the men’s basketball team has won just 33% of its conference games over the past 13 years.  Grade: C- UTEP – This longtime Conference USA member joins the Mountain West this fall.  UTEP’s football team has been downright awful in recent years.  Despite a sports slump, UTEP bring strong fan support from the El Paso area.  They should be a fine geographic fit for the Mountain West.  Grade: C Mountain West overall grade for expansion:  C Sun Belt Conference (Sun Belt) The Sun Belt has been nicknamed the “Junior SEC”.  This conference has grown from 10 members in 2006 to 14 today. Only Arkansas State, Louisiana-Lafayette, South Alabama, Troy, and UL-Monroe remain from 2006. Appalachian State – The Mountaineers (members since 2014) have been a top football contender in the Sun Belt.  Their enthusiastic fans make road trips to Boone, North Carolina a fun stop.  Grade: B Coastal Carolina – Speaking of fun stops, how about a visit to Myrtle Beach to play Coastal Carolina?  The 2017 Sun Belt addition of the Chanticleers has been a terrific addition for the conference.  Coastal’s football team has played in six straight bowl games.  The baseball team won the men’s College World Series in 2016.  Grade: A Georgia Southern – Would it surprise you to learn that the Golden Eagles from Statesboro, Georgia have played in seven bowl games over the past eight seasons?  The other sports programs at Georgia Southern need to step it up.  Grade: B Georgia State – The 2013 addition of the Panthers from Atlanta has not added a lot of sports notoriety.  However, the men’s basketball program has earned four invitations to March Madness in the past 11 seasons.  Grade: C Louisiana Tech – The Bulldogs paid dearly ($8 million) to escape Conference USA beginning this fall.  Louisiana Tech brings several highly competitive sports teams. They are a perfect geographic addition to the Sun Belt Conference Western division.  Grade: A Marshall – This begins Marshall’s fourth year in the Sun Belt Conference.  The Thundering Herd has been a top football competitor and competes well in other major sports.  Grade: B Old Dominion – ODU came into the Sun Belt in 2022.  The Monarchs from Norfolk, VA posted a nifty 10-3 football record in 2025.  Old Dominion has been relatively quiet in its other sports, though.  Grade: C Southern Miss – The Golden Eagles (Sun Belt members since 2022) have been a dominant team in recent NCAA college baseball post-season tournaments.  Last season’s 2025 football team improved from a miserable 1-11 record in 2024 to a hopeful 7-6 mark.  Grade: B Sun Belt overall grade for expansion:  B+ Bonus Conference!  The newly revived Pac-12 Conference “states” its case in 2026 The most prominent names of the long-time Pac-12 Conference bolted for better TV money into the Big Ten and ACC in 2024.  That left holdovers Oregon State and Washington State “homeless”.  The Beavers and Cougars have bagged a few top teams from the Mountain West Conference to help them rebuild the Pac-12 starting this fall. Boise State is the biggest name coming to the new Pac-12.  The Broncos have fielded a nationally ranked football program several times in the past few decades. Other Mountain West migrants include Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, and Washington State. Texas State (formerly of the Sun Belt Conference) will also join the Pac-12 this fall. In case you didn’t notice, each of the eight new Pac-12 schools has the last name of “State”! Summary Only the Sun Belt Conference has earned a positive score (B+) from SwampSwami among the “Group of Five” mid-major conferences. The Sun Belt is the only major college athletic conference opting to maintain two divisions (East and West) to minimize travel expenses for its member schools and lessen the travel impact on their student/athletes.  Bravo! The post Grading the Mid-Major Conference expansions – Part 2 appeared first on SwampSwamiSports.com.

#270: Eric Konkol is the head men's basketball coach at the University of Tulsa and has established himself as one of college basketball's most respected program builders. He most recently lead the Golden Hurricane to one of their best seasons in program history winning 30 games (second most in school history), reaching the American Conference semifinals for the first time in over a decade, and making a run in the NIT all the way to the championship game.Since taking over Tulsa in 2022, he has been recognized for his emphasis on culture, player development, and leadership. Before arriving at Tulsa, he spent seven successful seasons at Louisiana Tech, where he won 153 games, led the Bulldogs to six 20-win seasons, captured a Conference USA West Division title, and was named Conference USA Coach of the Year.More importantly than all of the accolades you will get to hear the real reason why he coaches to make an impact on his players and everyone that is a part of the program. For more on Coach Konkol check out social media as well as tulsahurricane.com Enjoy the show!

We are in that brief summertime window where college athletics have gone on vacation. The men’s and women’s College World Series ended last month.  Football season begins again in late August. I have been reflecting on the ever-changing landscape of college athletics. Even just twenty years ago, the major college sports conferences looked a whole lot different than they do today.  Schools have been shifting to new conference locations primarily to maximize revenues. A few have switched conferences primarily to reduce expenses (I’m looking at you, Louisiana Tech!) The question remains as to whether the recent decades of musical chairs has resulted in improvements for college athletic fans and athletes?  Or have these changes primarily benefited the wallets of major universities and the media companies who quietly wink and nod after bigger TV markets have been added to the portfolios of the largest conferences. Let’s jump into the Wayback machine today and return 20 years to 2006.  We will take a look at each major college athletic conference as it was in 2006 and how it is structured today in 2026. Have these additions been for the better or worse for each conference? Today, let’s examine the top four (by money) major football conferences.  We will review the group of “mid-major” conferences in my next report. Southeastern Conference (SEC) New teams:  Missouri and Texas A&M (2011); Oklahoma and Texas (2024).  Interestingly, each of those four teams moved from the Big 12 Conference to the SEC. Analysis by Team: Missouri – has been a geographic misfit in the SEC from Day 1.  The Tigers have not competed at a high level in most sports nor do they have a lot of trophies to show for the past 15 years in the SEC.  Grade: D Texas A&M – made a lot of sense coming to the SEC in 2011.  The Aggies needed to move along from its constant obsession about being compared to intrastate foe “Texas University”.  SEC leaders were able to snag the huge Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth TV markets.  A&M has proven it “belongs” in the SEC over its 15 years in the league by earning several league titles and staying relevant annually.  Grade: B Oklahoma – The Sooners played in the College Football playoffs last year and just claimed the men’s College World Series title in June.  OU’s long history of athletic success has already been felt around the SEC.  Grade: B+ Texas – The Longhorns are annually contending for the College Football Playoffs in recent seasons.  Texas also brought the growing San Antonio and Austin TV markets into the SEC.  The Longhorns have quickly become top SEC competitors in basketball, baseball, and other sports.  Grade: B+ SEC overall grade for expansion: B Big Ten Conference (Big Ten) New teams: Nebraska (2011); Maryland and Rutgers (2014); Oregon, UCLA, USC, and Washington (2024). It took a long time for the stodgy Big Ten Conference to finally invite Penn State to become its 11th team in 1990.  Since that time, the poorly named Big Ten has grown to 18 schools today.  The league picked-up several large TV markets in New York City and Philadelphia (Rutgers), Washington DC/Baltimore (Maryland), Los Angeles (UCLA and USC), and Seattle (Washington).  Those new schools have produced relatively little in terms of sports titles for the conference, though.  Analysis by Team:  Nebraska – The Cornhuskers left the comfy confines of the Big 12 Conference in 2011 and quickly saw their national stature in sports take a beating in the Big Ten.  Despite lofty expectations, Nebraska has been a disappointment.  Grade: D Maryland – Ditto.  Just substitute “ACC” for “Big 12”.  Grade: D Rutgers – Rutgers was lousy at most major sports prior to joining the Big Ten.  They were added to the Big Ten simply to attract television viewers from the New York City and Philly TV markets.  Athletically speaking, Rutgers has been a Big Ten bust.  Grade: F Oregon – The Big Ten’s raid of the former Pac-12 snagged one of the nation’s top football teams in Oregon.  The Ducks have given the Big Ten a much needed bolt of energy.  However, I can’t give a top grade to Oregon when its athletes must travel thousands of miles just to participate in Big Ten events.  Grade: C+ UCLA – The Bruins’ women’s basketball and softball teams have been been excellent.  However, the men’s sports programs haven’t made much of a dent in the Big Ten yet.  Grade: C USC – There were lofty expectations for the Trojans’ football team.  They have under-performed.  Like UCLA, USC has not been a difference maker in the Big Ten.  Grade: C- Washington – The Huskies’ football team has regressed the past two years with a 14-11 overall mark.  Washington’s other sports teams have been nearly invisible in the 18-team Big Ten Conference.  This is yet another school spending a ton of money on jet fuel.  They are forcing student/athletes to travel across the country to play in athletic events just to grab more money from television.  Grade: D- Big Ten overall grade for expansion: D- Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) New teams: Pitt and Syracuse (2013), Louisville (2014), SMU, Stanford, and Syracuse (2024) Exiting team: Maryland (2014) to Big Ten *Notre Dame:  The Irish joined the ACC in 2013 but remained independent in football.  The current 17-team Atlantic Coast Conference has, by far, the worst geographic fit of any major college conference in America.  Twenty years ago, the ACC’s 13 teams (Maryland has since left) were located along the Atlantic coast.  Adding SMU (Texas) and West coast entries Cal and Stanford in 2024 has been one of the most puzzling decisions in recent years.  Analysis by Team: Louisville – This school (since 2013) has been surprisingly competitive in football but surprisingly non-competitive in men’s basketball recently.  Overall, the Cardinals have been a solid addition to the ACC.  Grade: B+ Syracuse – The Orange (coming aboard in 2013) has produced just four winning seasons in football after 13 years in the ACC.  Some early ACC basketball success has faded in recent years.  Grade: C- Pittsburgh – Pitt (which arrived in 2014) had a good run in football a few years ago with Kenny Pickett running the offense.  Otherwise, their addition to the ACC has been “OK” at best.  Grade: C- Cal (Berkeley) and Stanford – these two Pacific Coast schools (added in 2024) have brought zero titles to the ACC since joining the league.  They remain a waste of jet fuel.  Grades for both schools: F SMU – The Mustangs effectively bought their slot in the ACC in 2024 with the help of their wealthy financial backers.  SMU made it into the 2025 College Football Playoffs but hasn’t been a factor in other sports.  Grade: D+ *Notre Dame – The Irish baseball team made it into the College World Series in 2022.  Notre Dame’s financially prudent but quite selfish decision not to participate in football in the ACC comes with a marked-down score. Grade: D ACC overall grade for expansion: D Big 12 Conference (Big 12): Only seven of the Big 12 Conference members remain from 2006.  Within that group, Colorado left the Big 12 for the Pac-12 in 2011 but returned in 2024. Analysis by Team: Arizona – The Wildcats came to the Big 12 in 2024 as a refugee from the dying Pac-12 Conference.  Arizona went 9-4 in football last season.  It’s too early to give the Cats a good grade.  Grade: C Arizona State – Same story as Arizona.  Grade: C BYU – The Cougars came into the Big 12 in 2023.  They have rolled-off 11-2 and 12-2 football records in 2024 and 2025.  The BYU basketball team has appeared in the NCAA tourney in all three seasons after joining the Big 12.  Despite its geographic distance from other longtime Big 12 members, Brigham Young has been a positive addition to its new conference.  Grade: B+ Cincinnati – They entered the Big 12 in 2023.  The Bearcats haven’t been a major sports factor in their three years in the conference.  Cincy has been a good geographic fit for the Big 12, but a sports dud.  Grade: D- Houston – The Cougars also came into the league in 2023 along with the valuable Houston television market.  The Coogs have been competitive in football and a regular national championship contender in men’s basketball.  U of H has been a solid addition to the Big 12.  Grade: B TCU – Texas Christian joined the Big 12 in 2012.  In addition to bringing the Dallas-Fort Worth TV market into the league, the 2022 Horned Frogs’ football team played in the national championship game (and lost).  TCU’s other athletic programs have been regular contenders in the Big 12.  Grade: A- UCF – Central Florida (added 2023) hasn’t posted a winning season in football in three years in the Big 12.  The other sports teams haven’t been very competitive, either.  This school was added primarily due to its enormous size (70,000 students) and the Orlando television market.  Despite those pluses, the school is 1,000 miles east of Houston (the nearest Big 12 city).  This addition has been puzzling since Day 1.  Grade: F Utah – The Utes football team finished 11-2 in 2025 (the school’s second year as part of the Big 12).  Utah’s sports programs are generally quite competitive and bring enthusiastic fans.  Grade: B- West Virginia – Mountaineers entered the Big 12 back in 2012.  In the past 14 years, West Virginia has posted a winning football record 50% of the time.  Like Utah, this is a school with passionate sports fans who have been a plus for the Big 12.  Grade: B- Big 12 overall grade for expansion: C+ Conclusion – SEC, Big Ten, ACC, and Big 12 conferences After the questionable addition of Missouri in 2011, the SEC’s expansion to add both Oklahoma and Texas in 2024 has made their conference a bit stronger.  OU and Texas jumped from the Big 12 to the SEC in 2024 after huge piles of money were being pushed in their direction to incentivize the move.  It still saddens me that these two long-time anchor tenants of the Big 12 Conference aren’t around any longer. Speaking of the Big 12, let’s give that conference credit for adding several new schools within relatively proximity of the league’s Midwestern stalwarts.  However, the addition of UCF (Central Florida) made absolutely no sense in 2023.  It is still puzzling today. Both the Big Ten and ACC moved to add schools located west of the Mississippi River in recent years.  The Big Ten’s addition of four former Pac-12 universities still feels odd.  Meanwhile, Cal and Stanford have brought zero value to the ACC. Instead of buying their way into the ACC, SMU should have remained patient.  The Mustangs could have bought their way into the Big 12 at some point and be competing with nearby TCU and other regional rivals instead of jetting their athletes up and down the Atlantic seaboard. All in all, expansion has generally served to water-down the four major college conferences – at least on the playing field.  The recent moves have all centered on universities pocketing more money from television and media companies. Let’s examine the American, Conference USA, Mid-American, Mountain West, and Sun Belt conferences during our next visit! The post Grading the College Conference expansions – Part 1 appeared first on SwampSwamiSports.com.

The final Group of 6 conference preview episode hits the Sun Belt, the American Athletic Conference, and the rebuilt Pac-12 with full 2026 picks, predictions, betting angles, title-game projections, surprise teams, disappointment picks, and schedule notes.The Sun Belt enters a transition year with James Madison trying to survive another coaching change under Billy Napier, Old Dominion and Marshall pushing in the East, and a chaotic West led by Troy, Louisiana, Arkansas State, and newcomer Louisiana Tech. Gary explains why JMU is the champion pick, why Troy and Louisiana Tech carry betting value, and why Southern Miss may be the biggest fade in the league.The American looks wide open after major coaching and roster turnover. Navy has the cleanest path, UTSA has the best quarterback profile with Owen McCown, Memphis has the transfer upside under Charles Huff, and ECU, Army, USF, Tulane, FAU, and Tulsa all bring different paths and problems.The new Pac-12 is back as a rebuilt Group of 6 power league, with Boise State as the overwhelming favorite. San Diego State, Fresno State, Texas State, Washington State, and Utah State all have challenger cases, but the real question is whether anyone can make Boise State uncomfortable.

July 1st signaled a new age of Louisiana Tech athletics as the Bulldogs and Lady Techsters will now be competing in the Sun Belt Conference. Vice President & Director of Athletics Ryan Ivey provides details on what the Sun Belt's impact will have on Tech, including the excitement around reigniting geographic rivalries and the added benefits to student-athletes. And while it's the dawn of a new era, Ivey says the expectations will not change for any of Tech's 16 sponsored athletic programs. Ivey also discusses the current structure of college athletics, federal legislation, roster construction, facilities and how the Sun Belt's core values align most with Louisiana Tech.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dr. David Szymanski, department chair and professor of Kinesiology at Louisiana Tech, charts the path that began in Chicago as a fine arts major, pivoted, and then took him through the ranks of collegiate baseball coaching. He highlights his transition from a professional baseball hopeful to a "professional professor," his pioneering research in baseball sport performance, and his role in expanding the University's kinesiology programs. He shares his passion for helping students figure out what they want to be when they grow up and gives the reasons why he considers kinesiology a versatile "renaissance degree" capable of opening doors to everything from allied health fields to Major League Baseball. LA Tech Kinesiology: https://www.latech.edu/education-human-sciences/about-cehs/kinesiology/index Website: 1894.latech.edu/beyond/ Email: 1894@latech.edu

ACC, Big 12 and SEC college football coaches and players start gathering for their respective conference's media days. Also, Louisiana Tech and Tennessee Tech both have new conference homes for the 2026 season. The Y'all Show is a production of Yall.com, and hosted by Jon Rawl.

Down 20 points and ice cold from beyond the arc, Louisiana Tech once again found itself staring at a familiar script against Middle Tennessee. This time, the ending belonged to the Bulldogs. Tech's only made 3-pointer with 4.7 seconds remaining capped a stunning comeback as the Bulldogs erased a massive deficit and stunned the Blue Raiders, 59-58, inside the TAC.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dr. Leland Weiss, the new-ish dean of the Graduate School and longtime Louisiana Tech engineering professor, discusses his journey that began in Canada, carried him all over the U.S., and eventually landed him at Tech. He highlights his transition from industry to academia, his research focus on waste heat recovery, and his role in supporting graduate programs across the University. He shares his vision for the Graduate School and gives the reasons why he thinks Tech's graduate programs can stack up against any others in the country. Louisiana Tech Graduate School: latech.edu/academics/graduate-school/ Website: 1894.latech.edu/beyond/ Email: 1894@latech.edu

Geographic information systems, remote sensing, and spatial data are becoming everyday tools for forestry and natural resource management. In this episode of Timber University, Dr. Michael Crosby from Louisiana Tech University joins us to discuss how GIS can help foresters, landowners, students, and natural resource professionals better understand forests, make maps, analyze management decisions, and connect field observations to landscape-scale patterns. Dr. Crosby is an Associate Professor in Louisiana Tech's School of Agricultural Sciences and Forestry, where his work connects forestry, spatial modeling, forest health, invasive species, weather, and climate. He has also co-authored Geographic Information System Skills for Foresters and Natural Resource Managers, a textbook focused on helping foresters and land managers apply GIS to real-world data and management problems. In this conversation, we discuss why GIS matters in modern forestry and how mapping tools can move beyond "pretty pictures" into practical decision support. Dr. Crosby explains how spatial data can help answer questions about forest condition, access, disturbance, risk, invasive species, and management planning. The episode also touches on how students and working professionals can build confidence with GIS, even if they are not coming from a technical background. We also discuss the growing role of remote sensing, aerial imagery, and spatial analysis in forestry education and practice. From identifying patterns on the landscape to supporting better field decisions, these tools are increasingly important for foresters, land managers, consultants, researchers, and students preparing to work in natural resources. This episode is a useful listen for forestry students, consulting foresters, land managers, extension professionals, GIS users, and anyone interested in how spatial tools are changing the way we understand and manage forests. You can contact Dr. Michael Crosby at mcrosby@LATech.edu Additional resource: Geographic Information System Skills for Foresters and Natural Resource Managers Dr. Crosby co-authored this GIS textbook for foresters and natural resource managers.