Welcome to Fact or Fiction Friday. Each Friday, I allow our Facebook and message board fans to ask the most intriguing questions in the Big 12, and I will tell you whether they come true or are set to fail.
Let’s crack open this week’s list and see what we have in store ahead of conference championship weekend.
Houston Head Coach Willie Fritz Will Win Coach of The Year in 2025
Fiction: As much as I love Willie Fritz, Houston is not going to be in a position next season to compete for a Big 12 title. For a coach to win coach of the year in the Big 12, they have to compete for a conference championship at the very least. Houston just isn’t there yet and probably won’t be for at least another couple of years. Dana left that program in shambles, and Willie Fritz is still picking up the pieces. Now, I will say that he did a great job considering what he had to work with, and it was clear that the Houston team we saw in November was different than the one we saw in September. Once Willie gets it figured it out in Houston, watch out.
Private Equity Makes Its Way To The Big 12 To Compete With The SEC And Big Ten
Fact: This is something that hasn’t been talked about in a while, but we will likely see this be brought up again this offseason. It’s no secret that the Big Ten and the SEC make a whole lot more money than anyone else, and if the Big 12 can close that gap, then by all means, they should at the very least explore that option. Obviously, there are still plenty of details that need to be worked out, but the conference should really consider this.
The Big 12 Champion Will Get a First-Round Bye
Fiction: The main problem with this idea is Boise State. No matter who wins on Saturday between Arizona State and Iowa State, they would need the Broncos to lose the Mountain West championship game against UNLV on Friday night. Why? Because the playoff committee somehow has Boise State ahead of both teams playing in the Big 12 championship despite every metric saying that they shouldn’t be. The only way this happens is if Boise State loses, and I think they will.
West Virginia Will Hire Nick Saban Or Jimbo Fisher
Fiction: While it is pretty crazy that both of these coaches are from the great state of West Virginia, I am just not buying either guy as a legitimate candidate. Jimbo Fisher never coached in the state of West Virginia, and Nick Saban hasn’t coached there since the 1970s. There aren’t strong ties for either of them to return to their home state and coach at West Virginia. Nick Saban looks as happy as ever on College GameDay, and Jimbo Fisher is off enjoying the $76 million that Texas A&M is paying him not to coach. Both guys have it made right now.
This Has Been The Wildest Year In Big 12 History
Fact: Some people who have been covering the conference a lot longer may disagree with this, but since I have been covering it (2016), this has been the wildest season I can remember. There was no team this season that went undefeated in conference play or even a one-loss team. Everyone in the conference lost at least two games in Big 12 play, and I think it’s due to a combination of two things. One, there is no elite team, and two, the depth of this conference from top to bottom is better than any other conference in college football. Every single week has been absolute chaos, and I love it.
