Big 12 Busy Season

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas this week! I’m so grateful for all of you who support my content in the newsletter and on YouTube. I don’t take it for granted that you give me a platform to talk about what I love. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. 

Get ready for things to get moving in Big 12 country. We have five more Big 12 bowl games in the next three days, conference play in basketball kicks off on Monday, and Arizona State gets a shot at Texas in the College Football Playoff on Wednesday. Here’s a quick glance at the rest of the Big 12 bowl schedule (all times Central). 

Today, December 26th 

Rate Bowl: Rutgers (7-5) v. K-State (8-4) – 4:30 ESPN
Line: K-State -7

Friday, December 27th 

Liberty Bowl: Texas Tech (8-4) v. Arkansas (6-6) – 6:00 ESPN 
Line: Tech -1

Saturday, December 28th

New Mexico Bowl: Louisiana (10-3) v. TCU (8-4) – 1:15 ESPN
Line: TCU -11.5

Pop-Tarts Bowl: #18 ISU (10-3) v. #13 Miami (10-2) – 2:30 ABC
Line: Miami -3.5

Alamo Bowl: #17 BYU (10-2) v. #23 Colorado (9-3) – 6:30 ABC
Line: Colorado -4

Tuesday, December 31st 

Texas Bowl: Baylor (8-4) v. LSU (8-4) – 2:30 ESPN
Line: Baylor -2 

Wednesday, January 1st

College Football Playoff Quarterfinal: Peach Bowl
#5 Texas (12-2) v. #4 Arizona State (11-2) – noon ESPN
Line: Texas -13.5

What You Need to Know

• Colorado stars Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter will both play in the Alamo Bowl on Saturday against BYU. Why risk injury when they’re both set to be top-ten draft picks? Because Coach Prime made a savvy decision, which he explains here. 

• Will Texas Tech running back Tahj Brooks play in the Liberty Bowl against Arkansas tomorrow? We got an update from Red Raiders head coach Joey McGuire on Thursday. 

• K-State quarterback Avery Johnson says he didn’t seriously consider leaving the Wildcats via the transfer portal this offseason. Head Coach Chris Klieman reiterated that Johnson’s decision to remain committed to K-State led to most of the roster staying intact. 

• Texas Tech mega booster Cody Campbell gave Double T 97.3 a long interview with some great nuggets. Check out his answer around the 22:00 mark to hear why a Super League that includes only the SEC and Big Ten likely won’t fly legally.

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Big 12 Player Survey: NIL and Tampering

It’s time for the Big 12 basketball anonymous player survey! 

I talked to around 20 players at Big 12 Media Day in Kansas City and got their choices for Big 12 champion, favorite opposing coach in the league, school with the meanest fans, and much more. 

Today is the final installment of the survey. I asked players whether the reported NIL numbers are accurate and how prevalent tampering is. 

Here’s what they said:

NIL

“It is exaggerated. It is what it is. The internet thing makes people shocked, but it is exaggerated. It’s supposed to be. It’s social media. I know that when they shout out the numbers that they’re not getting that.”

“I feel like they’re pretty accurate, to be honest. When it goes high for six figures, they’re pretty accurate. Once you get into the multi-millions, you never know.”

“I’m not trying to be in anybody’s pocket.”

“If I see a couple hundred thousand or a couple Ms, I wouldn’t say it’s not. But I wouldn’t put it past anybody to lie about it, either.”

“I know for a fact a lot of these people aren’t making what they say. Even if they are, I feel like it shouldn’t be a concern for people who just judge athletes for being athletes. People wake up and go to work every day, and that is a tough thing to do, but basketball is all year round. We don’t get breaks. I feel like whatever people are making, it’s very much worth it.”

Tampering

“Oh yeah, it happens a lot. They just never get caught. It’s been happening way before NIL.”

“I’m not sure. A couple places might have said something, but for me it wasn’t really anything crazy. I guess it does happen, but in my situation, it wasn’t like a coach or a school hit me directly, but maybe somebody affiliated with them did.”

“Every time the season ends, coaches are looking for new players. I’ve been targeted a couple of times, but I knew where my heart was at. I didn’t have any plans of leaving.”

“I wouldn’t say a coach will text me or slide in my DMs, I’ll just hear about it.”

“I really don’t think so. I feel like players reach out more than coaches. I’ve never talked to any coach in the portal. I feel like you have agents that do that for you.”

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