Emily Bott flips, twists, and tumbles with the best in collegiate Acrobatics and Tumbling. As a key member of Baylor’s National Championship-winning team, she earned All-American honors in her sophomore season. But behind her powerful performances is a story of grit and resilience. In this episode of Big Stories, Emily opens up about her scoliosis diagnosis, the invasive spinal surgery that left her with a metal rod in her back, and her unwavering determination to compete at the highest level.

Guests:

Emily Bott - Baylor Acrobatics and Tumbling athlete

Christine Bott - Emily's Mother

The Big Stories podcast loves its Top Fives, so they are adding a new segment declaring the Top Five teams of the week from the Big 12 with producer Chase Davidson. Hint: It's a team from Texas that won with their backup quarterback. After awarding the Big Man on Campus, host Cleon declares the Top Five quarterbacks in the conference and discusses the Top Five storylines in the Big 12 with the help of BYU SportsNation's Jarom Jordan and PHNX Wildcats podcast host Damon Fairall. Make sure you like and subscribe to the Big Stories podcast so you don't miss any episodes.

Drew Lisk wanted to challenge himself after he left high school. The former quarterback decided to walk on to the University of Utah Football team instead of accepting a scholarship at a smaller school. Drew didn't get a lot of playing time and even wondered if he should transfer, but in the end, he led Utah to one of the most improbable comebacks in Utes football history. Learn about Lisk's legend in this episode of BYUradio's Big Stories.

Guests:

Drew Lisk - Former Utah Quarterback

Whitney Hessler - Former Utah Track Athlete, Drew's Fiance

Jeff Call - Former Deseret News Reporter and Sports media lab manager at BYU

Fox's Big Noon Kick-Off is headed to Salt Lake City for the Big 12's first big game of the year as Utah hosts Texas Tech. KSL.com's Josh Furlong clues us in on what the Utes might have in store for the Red Raiders. Melissa Triebwasser of the Frogs Insider podcast discusses the guys helping out TCU QB Josh Hoover and why the Horned Frogs, along with their fans, are so eager to win the Iron Skillet Game against SMU. Plus, Coach Prime's honesty and leaping Sun Devils on this edition of the Big Stories podcast.

In this episode of Big Stories, West Virginia University President Michael T. Benson reflects on the pivotal choices that shaped his life—from proposing to his wife, Debi, to accepting the presidency in Morgantown. But perhaps his most defining decision was choosing a path in academia over a career as an athletic director. Benson opens up about his deep ties to college sports, what kind of AD he might have been, and why he ultimately embraced the world of higher education. Plus, he takes on a fun quiz to test his knowledge of WVU Mountaineer traditions.

Guests:

Michael T. Benson - West Virginia University President

Debi Benson - Michael's wife

Truman Benson - Michael's son and SLCC Bruins Soccer Player

It was a rivalry weekend for a few Big 12 teams. Houston takes down Rice in a crosstown clash, Iowa State reclaims the Cy-Hawk Trophy, and Baylor storms back to edge out SMU. Meanwhile, Kansas falls short in the long-awaited Border Showdown against Missouri after a 14-year break. Plus, Arizona State’s comeback hopes are dashed by a dramatic Mississippi State rally. Podcasters from around the Big 12 break down the biggest moments, key performances, and what it all means moving forward — only on Big Stories.

Podcasters:

Derek Johnson - Locked on Jayhawks podcast.

Anthony Totri - PHNX Sun Devils podcast

Tyler Carter - B-LEAV in Iowa State podcast

Jeremy Branham - host of ESPN 97.5’s The Killer B’s radio show

Jared Casey was affectionately known as "The Mighty Casey" on the radio whenever the Kansas Jayhawks football team played. As a former fullback and tight end, he worked incredibly hard to earn his spot as a walk-on player, which ultimately led to one of the most memorable catches in Kansas football history. In this podcast episode, you'll learn more about Jared's inner drive and how his faith in God continues to guide him after graduating from the University of Kansas.

Guests:

- Jared Casey - Former Jayhawks football player

- Jerry and Karen Casey - Jared's parents

Week one of the college football season is in the books, and every Big 12 team has now played at least one game. Some teams and quarterbacks looked impressive (Utah and Arizona State), while others have injured QBs (UCF, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma State). Meanwhile, some teams still have a lot of questions (we are looking at you, Baylor and Kansas State). Host Cleon Wall dives into the biggest storylines of week one with the help of podcast hosts from around the Big 12.

Podcasters:

Ashley Hodge - Sic'em 365

Drew Galloway - KSO Show Podcast

Adam Eaton - Sons of UCF

TCU wide receiver Jordyn Bailey gives his mother, Casaundra, all the credit for shaping him into the man he is today—alongside his faith in God. So, Big Stories host Cleon Wall set out to discover what makes Casaundra so special. How did she raise not just one, but two standout football players—one thriving in the Big 12 and the other chasing his NFL dream?

The Big Stories podcast brings you the top 5 stories from week zero of college football, and the majority of the talk centered around Iowa State and Kansas State playing in Ireland in the Farmageddon rivalry game. We also discuss Kansas' return to Booth Memorial Stadium and Oklahoma State's biggest storylines of the season.

Podcasters featured in this episode:

Derek Johnson - Locked on Jayhawks

Tyler Carter - BLEAV in Iowa State podcast

Drew Galloway - KSO Show

Cody Stovall - Locked on Oklahoma State