Open For Business: College Football w/ John Kurtz

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Follow Chris Level at Locked On Texas Tech: https://www.youtube.com/@UCPkBv_tzDQTqWM0rp5Ac7-g 

Chris Level of Locked On Texas Tech joins the show to break down how Joey McGuire and the Red Raiders are positioning themselves for long-term success in the new Big 12. We discuss the Brendan Sorsby uncertainty, Will Hammond’s injury timeline, how Texas Tech may have to adjust offensively, and why the Red Raiders still have the roster pieces to compete at the top of the conference.

Then we get into the bigger story: Texas Tech’s high school recruiting surge. The Red Raiders are landing elite talent in the state of Texas, beating out programs like Texas and Oregon, and entering recruiting battles they rarely won in the past. Is Texas Tech becoming the new power player in Texas recruiting? And is this the foundation for Big 12 dominance moving forward?

Chris explains why this class is uncharted territory for Texas Tech, how the Red Raiders have changed their roster-building strategy, and why the rest of the state may be taking notice.

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Should the Big 12 actually love the 24-team College Football Playoff?

SEC country and much of the national college football media seem to hate the idea, but that might be exactly why Big 12 fans should take a closer look. In this show, I break down why a 24-team playoff could create a major opportunity for the Big 12, why it could also backfire badly, and the one massive risk the league has to avoid if more Big 12 teams start getting playoff chances.

We also take a nostalgic trip back to 1990s college football, when the sport was built on regional rivalries, New Year’s Day bowl games, Keith Jackson, neck rolls, and endless arguments over poll rankings. Was that actually the best era of college football? And is there any chance the sport ever gets back to what made it unique?

Then we get into the latest big-picture movement on the future of college sports, including potential salary cap enforcement, booster collective restrictions, media rights pooling, antitrust protection, a new governing body, and what it all could mean for the Big 12. Would a stricter system help stabilize college athletics long term, or would it take away some of the Big 12’s best paths to closing the gap?

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Brendan Sorsby’s gambling scandal keeps getting more complicated, especially when it comes to what Cincinnati knew and when the Bearcats knew it.

Justin Williams of The Athletic joins the show to break down the latest reporting on Sorsby, Cincinnati’s role in the story, the difference between legal gambling and NCAA violations, and why the ongoing lawsuit between Cincinnati and Sorsby makes this entire situation even messier.

Did Cincinnati know about Brendan Sorsby’s gambling before last season? Could the Bearcats face any trouble from the NCAA? And what does Jeffrey Kessler’s involvement mean for Sorsby’s future at Texas Tech and beyond?

Follow Justin on Twitter: https://x.com/Williams_Justin

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#Big12 #CincinnatiBearcats #TexasTech #BrendanSorsby #CollegeFootball #NCAA #TexasTechFootball #CincinnatiFootball #Big12Football

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Brendan Sorsby’s NCAA gambling investigation may not be as simple as it looked a few days ago. After reports that Texas Tech could back Sorsby in a legal fight if the NCAA rules him permanently ineligible, there may now be a better chance he plays than many originally thought.

On tonight’s live show, we’re breaking down the latest on Sorsby’s case, the involvement of prominent sports lawyer Jeffrey Kessler, and whether this could become another major legal challenge to NCAA power. We’ll also dig into the latest reporting on what Cincinnati knew, what it didn’t know, and whether the Bearcats could face NCAA scrutiny of their own.

Plus, we’ll talk about Brett Yormark’s new private capital deal for the Big 12, why the RedBird partnership may matter more than the headline dollar figures, and how the Big Ten’s massive revenue numbers are changing the future of college sports.

Topics include Brendan Sorsby, Texas Tech football, Cincinnati football, NCAA gambling rules, Big 12 private capital, RedBird Capital, Brett Yormark, Big Ten revenue, SEC revenue, and the future of college football.

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Texas Tech may be headed for a legal fight with the NCAA over Brendan Sorsby, and Cincinnati could be facing serious questions of its own after reports that it knew about Sorsby’s gambling situation before last season.

On tonight’s live show, I’ll break down whether Texas Tech could challenge the NCAA, whether a “ghost transfer” QB is realistic, and how much trouble Cincinnati could be in if this Sorsby situation keeps escalating.

We’ll also dig into the Big 12’s new private capital deal with RedBird and Weatherford Capital, including how much debt schools can take on, why the league says there is no ownership stake involved, and whether this is actually a smart move for the Big 12’s future media strategy.

Plus, why does the Big 12 keep creating its own problems? Between Texas Tech’s Sorsby situation, BYU losing Parker Kingston, major coaching turnover, and playoff perception issues, the league has plenty to prove heading into next season.

We’ll also talk Jerome Tang returning to Baylor, what it means for K-State fans, and why I’m not sure this is the move Baylor actually needs right now.

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Brendan Sorsby’s gambling investigation just took a major turn, and now Cincinnati may have serious questions to answer.

According to USA Today, Cincinnati was alerted before the 2025 season that Sorsby had been gambling, then still allowed him to play. Now Sorsby is at Texas Tech, Cincinnati is suing him over his departure, and the NCAA could be looking at more than just the quarterback.

In this video, I break down the latest reporting on Sorsby, why Cincinnati’s role in this scandal could matter, what the NCAA may do next, and why the sports gambling culture around college football makes this entire story even more complicated.

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Brendan Sorsby is entering treatment for a gambling addiction while the NCAA investigates thousands of online bets, including reported bets on Indiana while he was on the Hoosiers roster. That raises major eligibility questions and could end his Texas Tech career before it ever really begins.

In this video, I break down what we know about the Sorsby gambling investigation, why the Hunter Dekkers precedent matters, what Texas Tech may do next at quarterback with Will Hammond and Kirk Francis, and how this changes the Big 12 race. Texas Tech entered the season as one of the league’s clear favorites, but without Sorsby, the door may be wide open for BYU, Houston, Arizona, TCU, Oklahoma State and the rest of the Big 12.

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College football realignment may be ready to heat back up, and the Big 12 could have a new window into the ACC drama. With Miami reportedly searching for a new athletic director and Brett Yormark’s brother Michael Yormark connected to the job, the Big 12 may suddenly have a fascinating new tie to one of the most important brands in the ACC.

We’ll talk about what that could mean for Miami, the Big 12, Brett Yormark, and the next round of realignment. Plus, the Big 12 had a record-setting NFL Draft, Cody Campbell’s push to amend the Sports Broadcasting Act just got some major validation, and we’ll look at whether Kyle Whittingham can actually succeed at Michigan after leaving Utah.

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Kirk Herbstreit is still trying to kill the Big 12, and his latest ESPN comments after the NFL Draft are only adding fuel to the fire. In this video, I break down why the Big 12’s first round was a huge statement, how the conference stacked up with the SEC, and why ESPN still seems reluctant to give the league its due.

The Big 12 finished with six first-round NFL Draft picks, including three in the top 10, and had a night that challenged the usual SEC-dominated narrative. I also react to Herbstreit leaving the Big 12 out of a key conversation on ESPN, explain why that matters, and what it says about the way the conference is viewed heading into 2026.

If you’re a Big 12 fan frustrated with ESPN bias, conference disrespect, and the constant SEC-first narrative, this is the video for you.

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#Big12 #KirkHerbstreit #ESPN #NFLDraft #CollegeFootball #SEC

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ESPN dropped its new post-spring college football rankings, and once again the Big 12 feels stuck in the same old spot: respected just enough to stay relevant, but not enough to get the full benefit of the doubt. In tonight’s live show, we break down whether ESPN is really back to hating the Big 12, why Texas Tech may still be getting held back, why BYU might be getting more national respect than expected, and why Arizona State could have the highest upside in the entire league.

We also dive into what ESPN’s rankings could mean for the College Football Playoff race, whether Oklahoma State is quietly becoming the new money power in the Big 12, and who should actually go No. 1 overall in a hypothetical Big 12 player draft.

If you’re tired of college football being covered through an SEC and Big Ten lens, this is the show for you.

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#Big12 #CollegeFootball #ESPN #TexasTech #BYU #ArizonaState #OklahomaState #CollegeFootballPlayoff

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