Oct 18, 2026 · 1h 14m
Big 12 stakes rise as Iowa State enters a new era
Williams and Blum: Big 12’s time is now and a new era at Iowa State
The episode connects BYU’s national breakthrough and Iowa State’s leadership transition to a conference fighting for relevance in college football’s new competitive order.
- 1BYU’s win over Notre Dame gives the Big 12 a rare chance to strengthen its national reputation after Texas and Oklahoma departed.
- 2Greater roster spending and competitive parity are resetting expectations for fans and making sustained dominance harder to maintain.
- 3Iowa State’s transition raises questions about coaching access, fan expectations, and how road trips shape the program’s identity.
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The hosts make BYU’s win over Notre Dame the clearest example of how one result could elevate the Big 12’s national standing.
The brief
Chris Williams and Brent Blum preview Iowa State’s trip to Tucson while framing road travel as a way fans build a broader connection to the program.
BYU’s win over Notre Dame becomes the episode’s central case for Big 12 opportunity, with Bear Bachmeier’s leadership and emerging Heisman candidacy in focus.
The hosts argue that spending, narrower margins, and deeper parity are changing what fans should expect from college football’s traditional powers.
A Big 12 roundup tests that argument through Utah–Colorado, Oklahoma State–Houston, Baylor’s struggles, and questions about Houston’s legitimacy.
The conversation turns to Iowa State’s new era, coaching access, and the contrast between fall-camp openness and increasingly closed staffs.
The episode closes on the culture of traveling with Iowa State, contrasting difficult experiences with hopes for a welcoming Tucson crowd.
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