Welcome to the Heartland College Sports Big 12 football mailbag. This mailbag is for all you football junkies out there who root for a Big 12 school and not only have questions about your team but other teams in the conference as well.
So, join me, grab a can, bottle, or glass of your favorite beverage, and relax as I answer all your Big 12 questions. I want to thank each one of you who submitted a question this week on Twitter and our message boards! As for tonight’s drink of choice, take a look for yourself. Cheers!
@mat_with2ts_ asks: Do you think ASU can play spoiler for a few teams the rest of the season and control their own destiny to the Big 12 title game?
Duke: The Suns Devils are sitting at 2-1 in conference play so they absolutely can still make a run to Arlington. Their next three games are against Cincinnati, Oklahoma State, and UCF which all look very winnable to me. However, they end their season with Kansas State, BYU and Arizona which will be tough, but I could see them knocking off a team like BYU in Tempe.
Arizona State does an excellent job stopping the run (third in the conference) and they love controlling the tempo of a game due to their ability to run the football with Cam Skattebo. When he’s eating, the team does well because he is the engine to their offense. My only concern with the Sun Devils is their inability to consistently throw the football with Sam Leavitt.
Related: Which Big 12 Stars Took Home Player of the Week Honors?
@BearcatMta asks: Something tells me that even if Cincinnati was 6-0, they’d still be unranked. I get the sense that voters put too much stock into trajectory and last season. ASU is unranked despite a 5-1 record. Anti-Big 12 bias or just ignorance?
Duke: If the Bearcats were 6-0, they would be ranked and anyone who wouldn’t have them in their top 25 would be a complete moron. But that’s not the case with this team because they are 4-2. The reason they aren’t ranked right now is because of their resume. Cincinnati has wins over Towson, Houston, Miami of Ohio, and UCF. None of those teams have a record above .500. The good news is that we are going to find out a lot about this team over their next five games because they will have to play Arizona State, Colorado, West Virginia, Iowa State, and Kansas State. A win over Arizona State and Colorado may get them in the top 25 before they play West Virginia.
@DannyBliek asks: How good is Texas Tech? I feel like they have by far the weakest schedule of the 4 Big 12 title contenders, and I haven’t watched many of their games this year. I know about Tahj Brooks, but what/who else do I need to know?
Duke: Their schedule is a big part of why I like them to be a Big 12 title contender. Their toughest game left is against Iowa State and their next two toughest games are at home against Colorado and West Virginia. If you already know about Tahj Brooks, then you understand that the offense runs through him. He is the bell cow back for them and he seems to get better as the game goes on which is unheard of for a running back.
The other person you need to know is the quarterback Behren Morton. He is quietly having a career year in Lubbock as he is having his best year in completion percentage and has thrown for 14 touchdowns with just two interceptions. Behren is fully healthy unlike previous years and has done an excellent job taking care of the football. Now their defense is still a work in progress, but they have done a better job in their last four games than their first two games of the season.
@simonwilson24 asks: Why do you hate the Big 12? ESPN, CBS, Fox (national media) all project Two B12 teams in the playoffs. Yet HCS just says it’s incredibly unlikely.
Duke: Do you really think I hate the Big 12? I’ve been covering the conference for nine seasons. I wouldn’t cover something I despise for nine years. I can’t speak for everyone on out staff, but the thing is that I don’t trust the playoff committee at all. It’s not that two Big 12 teams don’t deserve to be in the playoff, it’s the fact that it is VERY unlikely. If ESPN. FOX, CBS or whoever wants to “project” two teams get in that’s fine but until I actually see it, I refuse to believe it.
The only way two Big 12 teams can get in is if the loser of the conference title game suffers their first loss in the conference title game. So, if a team like BYU or Iowa State goes 12-0 during the regular season and then loses in Arlington, they would still be in. I have a tough time seeing them put in a two loss Big 12 team that didn’t win a conference title over teams in the SEC or Big Ten due to the ass kissing they do to those particular conferences.
@KStr8riot asks: Is DJ Giddens the best running back in the Big 12?
Duke: Don’t get me wrong, DJ Giddens is an excellent running back but he’s not the best in the Big 12. He may be leading the conference in rushing yards, but I wouldn’t take him over guys like RJ Harvey, Tahj Brooks, or Cam Skattebo. Ollie Gordon II would be up there too if he had a decent offensive line and a coaching staff that knew how to use him. I mean no disrespect to DJ, but he’s not better than those players I just mentioned.
Related: Big 12 College Football Power Rankings for Week 8: A Strong 1-2 Punch
@FauxMatCampbell asks: BYU and Iowa State run the table and meet in the Big 12 Championship. Who wins and would the Big 12 be a multi-team bid conference?
Duke: If those two run the table and are both 12-0 going into the Big 12 title game then they would both be in no matter what, but that is a big IF. As for who would win that game, give me Iowa State. Both defenses are excellent, but I would take Iowa State’s offense led by Rocco Becht over BYU’s Jake Retzlaff. The Cyclones have more weapons with guys like Jayden Higgins, Jaylin Noel, Benjamin Brahmer and running back Jaylon Jackson. I don’t think there is any question that Iowa State has the better offense compared to a team like BYU.
@kciastate asks: Should the NCAA grant Cam Rising an 8th Year (!!) of eligibility if he wants it? Or should Utah move on and focus on the future?
Duke: Cam is eligible to return for an eighth year but what are we doing? The NCAA needs to fix this ASAP. Eight years? The man was in the same recruiting class as Trevor Lawrence who is now in his fourth year in the NFL. It’s time for Cam Rising to get a job. If he returns to Utah next season, then he should have a headset not a uniform.
