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 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!
@kciastate asks: What does Iowa State have to do to prevent Cam Skattebo from running up and down the field at will?
Duke: It’s going to take a group effort from Iowa State’s defense. One defender can rarely tackle Cam unless they go low. He is extremely shifty, fast, and has a knack for running people over. He the textbook definition of a bellcow running back. The Cyclones will need to key in on him and ensure they swarm to the ball. Jordyn Tyson being out for Arizona State will put even more focus on Skattebo, and those linebackers are going to need to be on their toes. Cam is more than capable of catching passes out of the backfield, too.
@_AlexGookin asks: 2024 was impossible to predict, so let’s raise the stakes: Who is in the Big 12 title game a year from now? And will it be another 4-way tie or a clearer cut?
Duke: Welcome, Alex, and as a fellow bourbon lover, I know you appreciate that delicious 1792 pick I am sipping on this evening. This may be a cowardly answer but there is no way in hell I am even going to attempt to pick who makes the Big 12 title game in 2025. Heck, I couldn’t even get it right six months ago when I picked Utah and Oklahoma State to play this weekend, and those two ended up not even making a bowl game!
Regarding the second part of your question, I don’t see the conference title picture getting any more transparent. The teams in the Big 12 are so evenly matched that it truly is the deepest conference in all college football. Expect more chaos and carnage in 2025, and you will likely need to know all the tiebreaker rules again.
@adamdejoode asks: Should the Big 12 actually do “inverted NFL scheduling,” meaning they give the teams that will be ranked the highest the next season the easiest schedule?
Duke: I don’t like that idea because I don’t think giving a school a light schedule does anyone any favors. A lot of times, it gives people the idea that a team is really good because of their record, but when you look at it, they haven’t played anyone with a pulse. What I would like to see is more even schedules. I hate seeing teams who have to play three of the best teams in a conference and then see another school not even have to play a team who would finish in the top five in their own conference. I want to see more balance overall.
@wart222 asks: Isn’t a committee that derives rankings that drive conversations about the quality of opponents able to sway perceived conference strength by ranking mid-tier members higher? For example, ranking an 8-3 Mizzou #21 bolsters TAMU, Bama, and USC’s argument that the SEC schedule is tougher.
Duke: I am glad you asked this because it’s not talked about enough. The SEC plays eight conference games, while everyone else plays nine. Why? So they can keep their November cupcake weekend alive without worrying about any of their teams getting beat and falling out of the rankings. It’s a free weekend in the most important month of the season, and nobody talks about it. And yes, the committee will do everything in its power to keep any SEC team with three or fewer losses inside the top 25 to help boost the resumes of others come selection time. The SEC may have the best teams in college football for most years, but they also get more breaks than any conference in college football.
@Vectoze_ asks: Who is the best fit to coach at WVU? We need some hope in Morgantown.
Duke: I am glad you used the word fit because that is exactly what West Virginia needs right now in Morgantown. I thought our own Matthew Postins did an excellent job listing few candidates and a few of the guys on his list stuck out to me. Jon Sumerall from Tulane is going to be the hottest group of five candidate on the market this offseason so he could be a guy to watch out for.
Another one would be Andy Kotelnicki who is the offensive coordinator at Penn State. He spent three seasons at Kansas and helped build that offense and program there before going to Penn State and reviving their offense this year. He is a guy I would keep an eye on. Last but not least would be Memphis coach Ryan Silverfield who has posted back-to-back ten-win seasons and really built that Memphis program back up. Plus, he has ties to Florida which is a hot bed for recruits.
@mat_with2ts_ asks: Do you think ISU will finally have the “everything clicks in all three phases game” & moves Campbell to 6-0 against the B12 newcomers?
Duke: The Jordyn Tyson injury is huge, as I mentioned earlier. It is going to give Iowa State’s secondary a chance to really lock up those Arizona State receivers who really aren’t game-changers like Tyson is. In fact, the wide receiver with the second most yards on the team has 800 fewer yards than Jordyn Tyson. And I had to say receiver because Cam Skattebo is actually second on the team in receiving yards. The focus of Iowa State will be slowing down Cam.
Offensively, I think the Cyclones are good enough in the passing game to cause Arizona State some problems. Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins are arguably the best wide receiver duo in the Big 12, and Arizona State’s weak spot is their secondary. If Iowa State can find some balance on offense, then they have a chance to score more than what people think they can. Last weekend, against the best run defense in the Big 12 (Kansas State) they were able to rush for almost 200 yards. They will need to run for at least 100 if they are going to win on Saturday.
Both quarterbacks in this game are good, but in crunch time, give me Rocco Becht. He has had some big moments this year and is capable of leading a late game drive. When it comes to kicking field goals, Iowa State also has an edge there, which is something to keep an eye on.
While I am not sure if everything will click perfectly for Iowa State, I like them to win on Saturday in a close one and take home their first conference championship in over 100 years.
