Big 12 Football Mailbag: The Toughest, Weakest Schedule Stretch in 2019
Welcome to the HCS Big 12 mailbag. This mailbag is for all you football junkies out there who root for a Big 12 school who not only have questions about your team, but other teams in the conference as well. So, join me, grab a cold brew or your favorite drink and relax as I answer all your Big 12 questions in my mailbag. For those interested, I will send out a tweet (@Derekduke25) every Monday at noon until last call (No, not 2 AM) at 8 PM CT for you to send in your questions to be answered every Tuesday right here at Heartland College Sports.
I will pick the best question for each mailbag and label it as my question of the week. The winner gets a free HCS Koozie to keep your beer cold (Unless you like it warm, but that’s just plain wrong). It was a little slow today but that’s alright. I was on vacation last week and the mailbag took a vacation with me in Vermont. I want to thank each one of you who submitted a question this week and for those reading, I am glad you could join me. I am doing this on Tuesday afternoon, and I have a radio segment today talking about some Big 12 football so no drink. Ok, maybe there is a little crown in my coke. Cheers! Also, have a happy fourth of July!
@MissionCFB asks: Big 12 fans are everywhere. While you enjoyed your vacation, which Big 12 schools are best represented in terms of fans walking around beach, hotels, pools, etc.
Duke: Well if you are talking about where I was vacationing at, it was none. I went to New York City for a day to catch my Astros play the Yankees in Yankee Stadium but after that, I went up to Vermont to a quiet cabin in the woods, miles away from civilization and I enjoyed it. Fishing, kayaking and relaxing were the three things I did up there and it was awesome. Although I did spend my evenings on our message boards talking Iowa State recruiting and I did end up writing a little something about Terry Bradshaw’s dumb ass comments about Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger. Honestly, college football isn’t big up there. It’s all about the Yankees and Red Sox and I could care less about either one of those two teams.
@maxdijion asks: With renewed talks of conference realignment, how do you see the Big 12 shaping up in the next five or so years?
Duke: Is it that time of the year again for realignment talk? I was hoping we left that back in 2016. With that said, the Big 12 will be fine. The money is great, and the conference looks stronger than it did a few years ago. The Pac-12 should be the conference that should be worried. The attendance, the performances have both been sub-par to say the least. I think if any conference starts getting poached, it is going to be the Pac-12. I don’t really want to get into too deep because I could write a novel on the topic but that would be a short version of my top thoughts.
@tracks182 asks: Who would win in a WWE style throw down between the current Big 12 head coaches?
Duke: Forget about that WWE crap that is on now. I want the WWF back when the Rock and Stone-Cold Steve Austin were kicking ass and taking names. I have no idea what this “WWE” stuff is besides bad acting. Now, in a “WWF” style match I would have to go with either Mike Gundy or Matt Campbell. This may break your heart since you are an Iowa State fan, but I would have to go with Mike “The Mullet” Gundy. It’s close but I must go with Gundy.
@SethLDow asks: What is the toughest and weakest three-game stretch in the league?
Duke: Great question here Seth. As far as the weakest three game stretch, I don’t think anyone will be surprised: It’s Baylor’s non-conference schedule. It’s a joke of a non-conference schedule and Baylor has been doing that for years but at some point, it will get tougher. The Bears play Stephen F. Austin, UTSA and Rice. YAWN, YAWN and YAWN. Are you asleep yet? Now, people laughed at my Kansas has the toughest schedule take and maybe this will stir up that fire again but there is a three-game stretch where Kansas travels to Fort Worth to take on TCU, hosts Oklahoma and the travels to Austin to battle the Longhorns. OUCH!
@woody5211 asks: What are the odds you come to the CyHawk game?
Duke: I would say low. I have some time off in November and as of now, my plans are to go to Ames when the Cyclones host Texas. But there may be someone from HCS in Ames for the CyHawk game. It could be our owner Pete Mundo hosting a tailgate there and attending the game. His tailgate schedule isn’t booked yet, but I know that is a game that’s circled on his calendar.
@RPTexan asks: Rank the power five conferences by starting quarterbacks. How was the vacation?
Duke: I probably couldn’t even name half of the starting quarterbacks in other conferences, so I am going to have to pass on that one. If you are wondering about the Big 12, I believe back in April I ranked the quarterback in the conference. As far as my vacation, it was awesome but now I am ready for Big 12 media days and for the season to start. Thanks!
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