Big 12 Sports Articles

HCS Mailbag: Predicting Big 12 Upsets, Coaching Tenures and Bourbon

By Derek Duke

Posted on June 15, 2021

NCAA Football: Oklahoma State at Iowa State

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 your favorite drink, and relax as I answer all your Big 12 questions. For those interested, I will send out a tweet (@Derekduke25) every Monday 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 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 Monday evening and of course this mailbag wouldn’t be nearly as fun without a beverage right next to me. Tonight’s drink of choice? A Love Street by Karbach Brewing. Cheers!

@bob66668047 asks: Who will be most likely to beat Oklahoma and Iowa State and to lose to Kansas?

Duke: That is one hell of a scenario Bob. I mean, that seems like a very two-sided team that would have a high ceiling and a low floor at the same time. First off, I don’t think there is any team capable of beating Iowa State and Oklahoma this season. Perhaps what is even more mind boggling here is a Big 12 team doing that and then losing to a team like Kansas. I guess if I absolutely must pick a team I would go with Texas. They have the talent to win games and unfortunately, they do have a habit of playing down to competition. Maybe Sarkisian can change that but who knows at this point.

@fraseriii asks: First Big 12 team to lose to new Kansas coach Lance Leipold?

Duke: Has this mailbag turned into a Kansas football chat? If so, I need another drink. I don’t think Kansas will win a conference game this season, so I won’t even attempt to answer that. Maybe my mind will change a few weeks in but right now, I just don’t see it happening in 2021.

@DesertClone asks: What is Iowa State’s biggest trap game this year?

Duke: Isn’t it crazy that we are talking about Iowa State having a trap game? A few years ago, Iowa State was a team that was a trap game for other Big 12 teams and now the roles are reversed. When I look at the Iowa State schedule there are two games that really stick out to me when it comes to a trap game. October 30th when they travel to Morgantown to take on WVU and November 13th in Lubbock.

The Cyclones play Oklahoma State in Ames and then travel to Morgantown before hosting Texas. West Virginia is a tough place to play and if the Cyclones are looking ahead to Texas, it could be dangerous. Also, going to Lubbock is always weird and it is smack dab in-between the Texas and Oklahoma game.

@RPTexan asks: Derek, Dave Campbell Texas Football listed Texas Tech’s Tyler Shough as the QB1 for the state of Texas. Where do you rank him in the Big 12?

Duke: I will be the first to admit I do not know a ton about Tyler Shough. He is a transfer from Oregon and what I did see of him, I wasn’t blown away like some of the draft scouts are. I definitely would not put Shough ahead of Spencer Rattler or Brock Purdy that’s for sure. I would have Spencer Sanders from Oklahoma State ahead of him and to be honest, I may even take Max Duggan ahead of Tyler Shough too. So, I would probably go with fifth maybe? One could argue to put Kansas State’s Skylar Thompson ahead of Shough as well, but I would like to see Thompson healthy this season first.

@Cyclonefan10 asks: Of all Big 12 football coaches, which ones most likely to be lifer at their school? I want a koozie.

Duke: Well, I think there are two prime candidates who already have lengthy tenures at their school. Gary Patterson has been the head coach at TCU since 2000, and I fully expect him to retire in Fort Worth. He will not be coaching any other school after he’s done at TCU. The other is Mike Gundy at Oklahoma State. While I don’t think he will be there in the next five years, I think Mike will hang his hat earlier than most coaches, but Oklahoma State will be his final stop. Also, the Koozie is yours my friend. Enjoy!

@SethLDow asks: It’s National Bourbon Day today (June 14th). What are you drinking first?

Duke: Anyone that knows me, knows I do love a good bourbon. I was able to have a few glasses of Eagle Rare for the first time this past weekend and it was fantastic and if I can get my hands on a bottle, I will buy one. With that said, I did not know it was National Bourbon Day on Monday. Maybe I should have put down the beer today, but I am sure I will make it up for it this upcoming weekend.