Fact or Fiction Friday: Mike Gundy is on the Hot Seat, Texas Goes 12-0
Welcome to Fact or Fiction Friday. Each Friday, I give our Facebook fans an opportunity to ask the most intriguing questions in the Big 12 Conference, and I will tell you whether they come true or if they are set to fail. Let’s crack it open and see what we have in store this week.
Kansas Will Beat Kansas State This Year
Fiction: As much as I like this Kansas team, I am not quite ready to put them ahead of Kansas State just yet. I picked Kansas State to make it back to Arlington this season and I am still sticking with my preseason pick. With that said, if there was a year for Kansas to finally knock off the Wildcats this may be the year it happens. Kansas will host Kansas State in November and I know that the Booth will be rocking that day. Jalon Daniels is the best Kansas quarterback since Todd Reesing, and I wouldn’t be shocked if they pulled off the upset honestly. But as of now, I am not ready to pick the Jayhawks.
BYU and UCF Will Win This Weekend
Fact: I don’t have any doubts about BYU and UCF taking care of business this weekend. While I am not sure what to make of this BYU team just year, I do trust them at home against Cincinnati. The Bearcats don’t have the offense to scare me in this game and playing in a crazy environment on the road doesn’t make me feel any better about them. Even with the line moving on this game, I still like the Cougars.
As for UCF, I feel the same way about them hosting Baylor on Saturday. It stinks that we aren’t going to get to see John Rhys Plumlee and Blake Shapen healthy in this game. And right now, I don’t know how anyone can look at Baylor and think that they are going to win this game in the Bounce House. UCF’s offense shouldn’t have much trouble going up against Baylor’s defense even with backup Timmy McClain. Give me the Knights on Saturday.
Mike Gundy is on the Hot Seat
Fiction: As much as I would like this to be true, it’s not. Mike Gundy may have one of the best contracts in all of college football. Essentially, he has a rolling contract that keeps getting extended after every season as long as he is the head coach. Right now, his contract is good through the 2026 season, and it will increase by a year and so will his pay if he is the head coach by January 1st. If Mike has yet another mediocre season or a bad one, I strongly recommend that Oklahoma State thinks twice about this contract until some changes are made. Unfortunately, I don’t have faith in that actually happening.
Baylor Doesn’t Win Another Game
Fiction: I know Baylor is in a dark place right now, but eventually this team will get starting quarterback Blake Shaplen back. Yes, their performance last week looked pathetic and yes, they have lost seven out of their last eight games dating back to last season, but it can’t go on forever. Eventually, they will get another win or two this season. Will they go to a bowl game? Probably not, but I think Baylor will finish the year with either four or five wins.
West Virginia Goes Bowling
Fact: Call me crazy but I think they can. I had a mailbag question recently about this topic and I will say the same thing. Look at the remaining schedule for West Virginia.
- @TCU
- @Houston
- vs Oklahoma State
- @UCF
- vs BYU
- @Oklahoma
- vs Cincinnati
- @Baylor
This team can win at least three more games. I am just not sure if that will be enough to save Neal Brown’s job though.
Texas Goes Undefeated
Fact: As much as some people don’t want to hear it, the Texas Longhorns are the real deal. There’s a difference between this year’s Texas team and the previous ones. This Texas team is outstanding in the trenches. Their offensive line is physical, and their defensive line can give some people nightmares. In previous seasons, Texas had relied heavily on their skill guys to do the heavy lifting. That’s changed under Steve Sarkisian which is why I believe that Texas is for real this season. Quinn Ewers looks good, and he has weapons around him like Xaiver Worthy and Jonathan Brooks. Plus, he’s got a good line in front of him and a defense that can shut down just about any offense in the country. Right now, I don’t see another Big 12 team on their level just yet.
