Let's talk Texas Bowl — the Trib's Baylor beat writer Zach Smith (@ByZachSmith) and sports editor Brice Cherry (@BriceCherry) check in for some Baylor and LSU football talk: 

• No Pop-Tarts here: Baylor is headed to Texas Bowl vs. LSU at NRG Stadium on New Year's Eve. What's your reaction to that placement? About right? Good location?
• Call it the Dave Aranda Bowl, too — it's been just 5 years since the Baylor HFC won a championship at LSU, an amazing team with an amazing defense. How do you view this as an SEC-Big 12 "rivalry"-esque matchup?
• Baylor has a few Houston guys on its roster, as you'd expect, and this isn't their first trip to the Texas Bowl either, including trips with Art Briles and a Charlie Brewer-led squad. It's also a recruiting hotbed for LSU, so do you expect a decent crowd to attend?

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We're joined by Houston beat writer Joseph Duarte of the Houston Chronicle (@Joseph_Duarte), along with the Trib's Baylor beat writer Zach Smith (@ByZachSmith) and sports editor Brice Cherry (@BriceCherry), ready to dig into some BU and Big 12 football talk: 

• Both Dave Aranda and Willie Fritz have done admirable jobs, with Aranda's resurrection of the Bears and Fritz's Cougars with three surprising wins over TCU, Utah and K-State after starting 1-4. Which of these guys' coaching jobs is more impressive, and is there any chance either of them get Big 12 coach of the year consideration?
• Clearly Baylor is on a roll with four straight wins, but the Cougars are good at home at 3-2. The Bears are an 8-point favorite, but what do you think — is this a trap game?
• BYU finally took their first loss of the week vs. a resurgent Kansas team. The Cougars and Colorado are now tied at 6-1, with Arizona State and Iowa State at 5-2 and then a big ol' jumbled mess of 4-3 and 3-4 teams. Out of any of these teams, who do you think has the best shot to win multiple games in the CFP, assuming they can get there?
• Let's look to 2025: Is this season of Big 12 parity just a one-year thing or is it here to stay? Do you see someone emerging who will be that year-in, year-out contender, a la Oklahoma of old?

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We're joined by Cody Nespor (@CodyNespor) of WVSportsNow.com, along with the Trib's Baylor beat writer Zach Smith (@ByZachSmith) and sports editor Brice Cherry (@BriceCherry) as the Bears head to Morgantown this week. 

• Let's call it the Big 12 Bowl — two teams face off that reflect the topsy-turvy nature of 2024 in the league. The Mountaineers have won back-to-back road games and the Bears have won three in a row. Anything from 5-7 to 8-4 seems possible for either squad. Where do you see these teams going? 
• Neal Brown seems like a perfect role model for Dave Aranda: He was on the hottest seat last year, then went 9-4 and won a bowl game. Aranda was facing a similar situation in Waco, but now has his Bears on the cusp of a bowl. So what's the feeling toward Neal Brown in Morgantown, and do you think Aranda will be here long term? 
• In the new CFP rankings, undefeated Big 12 leader BYU came in sixth, which would give the Cougars a first-round bye if that's how it ends up. But are Big 12 teams actually rooting for BYU to win out and make some noise in the playoff, for the good of the conference? How are people seeing this? 
• After nine games, who's the biggest Big 12 disappointment and who's the biggest surprise? 

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We're joined by longtime Fort Worth Star-Telegram columnist Mac Engel (@MacEngel) of the Tulsa World, along with the Trib's Baylor beat writer Zach Smith (@ByZachSmith) and sports editor Brice Cherry (@BriceCherry) as the Bears rekindle the Revivalry this week.

• Don't look now, but Baylor and TCU are both headed in the right direction again after the Frogs beat Utah on the road and escaped Texas Tech last week, while Baylor has strung together two wins for the first time in a long time. What's sparked these twin turnarounds in Fort Worth and Waco?

• Let's talk Sonny Dykes: He's had a wide range of outcomes leading the Horned Frogs thus far. Was it too much success too fast in Fort Worth? Will we see him at TCU long-term, or will he be moving on?

• Kendal Briles is returning to Waco this week with TCU. He's highly thought of as an offensive coordinator around the sport. He's only 41, so do you think he'll be a college head coach someday, or is the Briles name just too toxic?

• As far as the Big 12 goes, it seems pretty safe they'll get at least one team in the new 12-team CPF. But is two possible? BYU and Iowa State are still undefeated. If they both get to Jerryworld undefeated, could they both make the field? Or is there a path for Colorado to get in?

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We're joined by Oklahoma sportswriting raconteur Berry Tramel (@BerryTramel) of the Tulsa World, along with the Trib's Baylor beat writer Zach Smith (@ByZachSmith) and sports editor Brice Cherry (@BriceCherry) as the Bears return to Waco for Homecoming this week. 

• While Baylor had a big breakthrough last week in Lubbock, Oklahoma State hasn't yet won a conference game. Has Mike Gundy passed Dave Aranda on the Big 12's hot-seat-o-meter?

• We ask Berry: What has been the issue with these Cowboys? Only three wins on the year — can they get three more and get to a bowl game?

• In terms of press-conference styles, Mike Gundy and Dave Aranda could not be more different. As a sportswriter, do you prefer an animated, colorful guy, or is there something to the subdued, introspective approach?

• Let's talk about a Big 12 doomsday scenario: What if the conference gets left out of the College Football Playoff entirely? Berry breaks down how it could actually happen.

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We're joined by Lubbock legend Don Williams (@AJ_DonWilliams) of the Avalanche-Journal, along  with the Trib's Baylor beat writer Zach Smith (@ByZachSmith) and sports editor Brice Cherry (@BriceCherry) as the Bears hit the road this week. 

• Coming off an open week, Baylor (2-4) heads to Lubbock (5-1). Kirby Hocutt and Mack Rhoades won't like this question, but let's ask it anyway: When Matt Rhule left Baylor, assistant Joey McGuire was a serious candidate for the job. Instead, he went to Lubbock. If he had been hired instead of Dave Aranda, how would the trajectories of these programs been different?

• The last time Baylor went to Lubbock, in 2022, the Bears shocked the Red Raiders 45-17 and spoiled Patrick Mahomes Night. What are the odds of a repeat this week?

• Texas Tech is 5-1 and 3-0 in the Big 12, yet remains unranked in the Top 25 — in fact, they're the equivalent of No. 32 in the poll. Is this just the Big 12 not getting enough respect nationally and how much of a problem is that, or are the rankings more or less right?

• The Big 12 has two undefeated teams left in BYU and Iowa State. Will either or both of them make a run at a 12-0 regular season, and if not, who loses first?

• Lubbock eats: We get advice from Don on some grub, plus some weather talk.

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We're joined by Rob Gray (@ROBWGRAY) of Cyclone Fanatic and the Cedar Rapids Gazette, along with the Trib's Baylor beat writer Zach Smith (@ByZachSmith) and sports editor Brice Cherry (@BriceCherry) as the Bears hit the road this week. 

• For the second straight week, the Baylor Bears will face an undefeated, nationally ranked team when it goes to Ames, Iowa. Iowa State moved up to No. 16 and is the BIg 12's highest ranked team after Utah's home loss to Arizona dropped the Utes to 18. Is this Cyclones squad equipped to get back to the title game for the first time since 2020, and is Baylor anything more than a speed bump?

• Is the fact that the Big 12's highest-ranked team is only No. 16 in the country a sign of disrespect for this league, or is that about right — and a reflection of how wide-open this conference is?

• Houston plays TCU in a growing trend of Friday night games. Is this just the cost of doing business in the business of college football, or is this an affront to all that is good and holy in our nation's football landscape — i.e. high school football?

• We've got a pretty big nonconference game this week with UCF going to Florida. This is not a vintage Gators team, but how big would it be for this Knights program to win in Gainesville?

• Getting some food and hangout recommendations for anyone traveling to Ames.

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We're joined by Sean Walker (@ActuallyDSW) of KSL-TV in Salt Lake City, along with the Trib's Baylor beat writer Zach Smith (@ByZachSmith) and sports editor Brice Cherry (@BriceCherry) as the Bears return to McLane Stadium this week. 

• It's time for the "Holy War" between Baylor and BYU — two teams on opposite ends of the emotional spectrum with the 4-0 Cougars and the 2-2 Bears both coming off surprising outcomes. How much craziness do we expect, and who comes out on top? 

• Where does Parker Kingston's punt return against Kansas State last week rank among the best plays you've ever seen live? 

• Let's talk about Travis Hunter. He's pretty special, and Baylor saw why last week. Can he win the Heisman if Colorado goes 7-5? 

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We're joined by Mike Craven (@CravenMike) of Dave Campbell's Texas Football, along with the Trib's Baylor beat writer Zach Smith (@ByZachSmith) and sports editor Brice Cherry (@BriceCherry) as the Bears head west this week. 

• The Big 12 opener for the Bears is in Boulder, Colorado, against a new and old conference squad. It seems like a pretty interesting toss-up game. What's the key for the Bears to win in the mountains, and will they get it done? 

• Can Deion Sanders, Coach Prime, actually win in Boulder, or is this just a pit stop on the way to another job? 

• Things can change in a hurry in college football — just ask TCU, which blew a three-touchdown lead to UCF last week. The Horned Frogs were in the national championship game just a couple of years ago. Amid the Frog faithful, you hear a lot of grumbling. How hot is Sonny Dykes' seat in Fort Worth, or is that premature? 

• Game of the Week: No. 12 Utah goes to Stillwater to play No. 14 Oklahoma State. Cam Rising is supposedly back for the Utes. Meanwhile, Alan Bowman is tearing it up for the Cowboys. Is this a Jerryworld preview? 

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We're joined by Darby Brown of KWTX-TV in Waco (@DarbyJoBrown), along with the Trib's Baylor beat writer Zach Smith (@ByZachSmith) and sports editor Brice Cherry (@BriceCherry) as the Bears return home this week. 

• Both Zach and Darby were in SLC to witness Baylor's 23-12 loss to Utah firsthand. Obviously there's no shame in losing at Rice-Eccles Stadium, but this still felt like a step back for the Bears. What were the biggest areas of concern? 

• Baylor's where we figured they'd be, sitting at 1-1. Is this team well-equipped enough to get back to a bowl game? Did the Utah game change anything in your mind? 

• Speaking of bowl games, the Bears get a rematch with Air Force, who they faced in 2022 in a freezing Armed Forces Bowl affair in Fort Worth. The Falcons are a unique unicorn in college football with an old-school wing-T offense, but they haven't exactly lit up the scoreboard so far this year in a 17-7 loss and a 21-6 win. Is there anything the Bears need to watch out for here? 

• Friday night we have a not-actually-a-Big-12-game with a Top 25 matchup between No. 14 Kansas State hosting No. 20 Arizona. Is the winner of this one the team to beat in the league, or is Utah still the favorite? 

• How good did the Texas Longhorns look vs. Michigan? Could they win the national title? 

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