Building a Dream Big 12 Football Road Trip for 2025
Spring practice and the ongoing battle over the House settlement in the courtroom grabbed most of the headlines in the world of college football this week. However, even with over 100 days until kickoff, the intrigue and early previews for the 2025 season never stops. The Big 12's '24 title chase featured four teams at 7-2 in league play, with three finishing a step behind at 6-3. With another close conference title race expected in '25, the Big 12 should have another entertaining battle on tap.
To preview early storylines and teams to watch for '25, on this week's episode of 'Athlon U: The College Football Podcast,' Braden Gall and Steven Lassan discuss a dream road trip for the 2025 Big 12 schedule.
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Rules of the Big 12 Dream Road Trip for 2025 (10:00)
Why the Week 0 showdown in Ireland for Kansas State and Iowa State looms large for 2025 (12:10)
What's at stake for Colorado's opener against Georgia Tech (13:30)
Intrigue with Auburn visiting Baylor in Week 1 (14:30)
The Border War returns! (15:20)
Where the Big 12 has room to improve on its schedule (20:30)
Is Oklahoma State's home game versus Baylor a must-win for coach Mike Gundy? (22:40)
Arizona State's tough '25 road slate (31:00)
The Holy War tops the list of must-see matchups (33:00)
Is Kansas State at Kansas one of the Big 12's biggest games of 2025? (34:00)
Why Texas Tech's stock is on the rise in 2025 (36:00)
What's at stake in the Big 12 Conference Championship rematch between Arizona State and Iowa State (36:50)
Is Texas Tech at Kansas State a Big 12 title game preview? (37:30)
Why BYU at Texas Tech could be one of the biggest games in November (39:40)
Is TCU at Houston a trap game for the Horned Frogs? (44:20)
Could Colorado-Kansas State in Week 14 decide a spot in the Big 12 title game? (46:05)
Arizona at Arizona State likely to be the best Big 12 rivalry matchup in Week 14 (47:30)
Why the Big 12 is likely to be difficult to predict once again in '25 (49:00)
Related: Big 12 Football: Predicting the Best Game Every Week in the 2025 Season
Related: Big 12 Football: Way-Too-Early 2025 QB Rankings
Related: Ranking the Big 12 Football Schedules for 2025
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Fox Sports
23 minutes ago
- Fox Sports
College sports commissioners laud $2.8B antitrust settlement, call for Congress to act
Associated Press Conference commissioners lauded a judge's approval of a $2.8 billion antitrust lawsuit settlement as a means for bringing stability and fairness to an out-of-control college athletics industry but acknowledged there would be growing pains in implementing its terms. In a 30-minute virtual news conference Monday, commissioners of the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and SEC renewed their call for congressional action to supplement and even codify the settlement and emphasized that cooperation at every level of college sports would be necessary to make it work. They said it was too early to address how violators of rules surrounding revenue sharing and name, image and likeness agreements would be punished and noted newly hired College Sports Commission CEO Bryan Seeley would play a major role in determining penalties. The new era of college athletics has arrived after U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken gave final approval Friday night to what's known as House vs. NCAA. Beginning July 1, each school can share up to about $20.5 million with their athletes and third-party NIL deals worth $600 or more will be analyzed to make sure they pay appropriate 'market value' for the services being provided by athletes. Some of the topics addressed Monday: Binding conferences to terms The conferences drafted a document that would bind institutions to enforcement policies even if their state laws are contradictory. It would require schools to waive their right to pursue legal challenges against the CSC. It also would exempt the commission from lawsuits from member schools over enforcement decisions, instead offering arbitration as the main settlement option. Consequences for not signing the agreement would include risking the loss of league membership and participation against other teams from the Power Four conferences. Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark said the document remains a work in progress but that he's gotten no pushback from his schools. 'I look to get that executed here in short order,' he said, "and know it will be very necessary for all the conferences to execute as well.' Directives on revenue sharing There has been no directive given to individual schools on how to determine the allocation of revenue-sharing payments, commissioners said. It's widely acknowledged that athletes in football and basketball are expected to receive the majority of the money. 'I know for all five of us no one is forgetting about their Olympic sports and continuing to make sure we've invested a high level for all of our sports,' ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips said. College Sports Commission CEO The commissioners said Seeley, as Major League Baseball executive vice president of legal and operations, was uniquely qualified to lead the CSC, which is charged with making sure schools adhere to the rules. 'Culture doesn't change overnight," Seeley told The Athletic over the weekend. "I don't expect that to happen overnight, but I do think that the schools that have signed on to the settlement want rules and want rules to be enforced. Otherwise they wouldn't have signed on to the settlement. I think student-athletes want a different system. So I think there is a desire for rules enforcement. There's a desire for transparency.' Sankey said Seeley is well-versed in areas of implementation, development and adjustment of rules and in NIL disputes requiring arbitration. Yormark said: 'You want people not to run away from a situation but to run to a situation. He ran here, and he's very passionate to make a difference and to course correct what's been going on in the industry.' Skepticism about enforcement Deloitte's 'NIL Go' program and LBI Software will track NIL deals and revenue-sharing contracts, and the commissioners shot down skepticism about the ability of those tools to enforce terms of the settlement. SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said football and basketball coaches he spoke with in February were unanimous in wanting regulation. 'They have the responsibility to make what they asked for work,' he said. Congressional action NCAA President Charlie Baker has been pushing Congress for a limited antitrust exemption that would protect college sports from another series of lawsuits, and the commissioners want a uniform federal NIL law that would supersede wide-ranging state laws. 'We're not going to have Final Fours and College Football Playoffs and College World Series with 50 different standards,' Sankey said, 'so that's a starting point.' Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti said the willingness of administrators to modernize the college athletics model should prompt federal lawmakers to move on codifying the settlement. Sankey's meeting with Trump Sankey confirmed a Yahoo Sports report that he and Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua played golf with President Donald Trump on Sunday. Sankey said he appreciates Trump's interest in college sports and that it was helpful to share perspectives on the path forward. Trump reportedly considered a presidential commission on college sports earlier this year. Sankey declined to disclose details of their talks. 'I think those are best left for the moment on the golf course,' he said. ___ AP college sports: recommended in this topic
Yahoo
30 minutes ago
- Yahoo
College sports commissioners laud $2.8B antitrust settlement, call for Congress to act
FILE - The NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis is seen on March 12, 2020. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File) Conference commissioners lauded a judge's approval of a $2.8 billion antitrust lawsuit settlement as a means for bringing stability and fairness to an out-of-control college athletics industry but acknowledged there would be growing pains in implementing its terms. In a 30-minute virtual news conference Monday, commissioners of the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and SEC renewed their call for congressional action to supplement and even codify the settlement and emphasized that cooperation at every level of college sports would be necessary to make it work. Advertisement They said it was too early to address how violators of rules surrounding revenue sharing and name, image and likeness agreements would be punished and noted newly hired College Sports Commission CEO Bryan Seeley would play a major role in determining penalties. The new era of college athletics has arrived after U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken gave final approval Friday night to what's known as House vs. NCAA. Beginning July 1, each school can share up to about $20.5 million with their athletes and third-party NIL deals worth $600 or more will be analyzed to make sure they pay appropriate 'market value' for the services being provided by athletes. Some of the topics addressed Monday: Binding conferences to terms Advertisement The conferences drafted a document that would bind institutions to enforcement policies even if their state laws are contradictory. It would require schools to waive their right to pursue legal challenges against the CSC. It also would exempt the commission from lawsuits from member schools over enforcement decisions, instead offering arbitration as the main settlement option. Consequences for not signing the agreement would include risking the loss of league membership and participation against other teams from the Power Four conferences. Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark said the document remains a work in progress but that he's gotten no pushback from his schools. 'I look to get that executed here in short order,' he said, "and know it will be very necessary for all the conferences to execute as well.' Advertisement Directives on revenue sharing There has been no directive given to individual schools on how to determine the allocation of revenue-sharing payments, commissioners said. It's widely acknowledged that athletes in football and basketball are expected to receive the majority of the money. 'I know for all five of us no one is forgetting about their Olympic sports and continuing to make sure we've invested a high level for all of our sports,' ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips said. College Sports Commission CEO The commissioners said Seeley, as Major League Baseball executive vice president of legal and operations, was uniquely qualified to lead the CSC, which is charged with making sure schools adhere to the rules. Advertisement 'Culture doesn't change overnight," Seeley told The Athletic over the weekend. "I don't expect that to happen overnight, but I do think that the schools that have signed on to the settlement want rules and want rules to be enforced. Otherwise they wouldn't have signed on to the settlement. I think student-athletes want a different system. So I think there is a desire for rules enforcement. There's a desire for transparency.' Sankey said Seeley is well-versed in areas of implementation, development and adjustment of rules and in NIL disputes requiring arbitration. Yormark said: 'You want people not to run away from a situation but to run to a situation. He ran here, and he's very passionate to make a difference and to course correct what's been going on in the industry.' Skepticism about enforcement Advertisement Deloitte's 'NIL Go' program and LBI Software will track NIL deals and revenue-sharing contracts, and the commissioners shot down skepticism about the ability of those tools to enforce terms of the settlement. SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said football and basketball coaches he spoke with in February were unanimous in wanting regulation. 'They have the responsibility to make what they asked for work,' he said. Congressional action NCAA President Charlie Baker has been pushing Congress for a limited antitrust exemption that would protect college sports from another series of lawsuits, and the commissioners want a uniform federal NIL law that would supersede wide-ranging state laws. Advertisement 'We're not going to have Final Fours and College Football Playoffs and College World Series with 50 different standards,' Sankey said, 'so that's a starting point.' Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti said the willingness of administrators to modernize the college athletics model should prompt federal lawmakers to move on codifying the settlement. Sankey's meeting with Trump Sankey confirmed a Yahoo Sports report that he and Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua played golf with President Donald Trump on Sunday. Sankey said he appreciates Trump's interest in college sports and that it was helpful to share perspectives on the path forward. Trump reportedly considered a presidential commission on college sports earlier this year. Sankey declined to disclose details of their talks. 'I think those are best left for the moment on the golf course,' he said. ___ AP college sports:


USA Today
7 hours ago
- USA Today
Predicting the Big 12's top wide receivers for the 2025 season
Predicting the Big 12's top wide receivers for the 2025 season While the Big 12 lost several top wide receivers to the NFL, 2025 could still be a tremendous year for pass catchers in the conference. The Big 12 was dominated by NFL-caliber talent last season, with Arizona's Tetairoa McMillan and Colorado's Travis Hunter leading the charge. However, of the conference's top ten receivers from last season, seven are now in the NFL. That turnover opens the door for a new wave of familiar faces and new playmakers to emerge and seize the spotlight in 2025. Despite losing top receivers, the conference is still returning top quarterbacks. Signal callers such as TCU's Josh Hoover and Iowa State's Rocco Becht will be looking for new targets in 2025, leaving ample opportunities for new No. 1 receivers across the Big 12. In addition to the exodus of elite wideouts, the Big 12 also saw many of its top running backs head to the NFL, which could shift offenses even more toward the passing game. With only a few proven bell-cow backs, several teams could lean more heavily on the play of their quarterbacks and receiver corps to move the chains. Some schools reshaped their wide receiver room through the transfer portal, but some schools are banking on underclassmen from last year to step up. With the 2025 season getting closer each day, here are our predictions for the Big 12's receiving leaders. If you're interested in the passing or rushing leaders, we've got you covered with our breakdown of the conference's top projected quarterbacks and top running backs as well. 10. Sincere Brown, Colorado Buffaloes The Buffs hit the transfer portal heavy for wide receivers after losing Travis Hunter, Jimmy Horn Jr., Will Sheppard and LaJohntay Wester. As a four-star transfer, Brown had a breakout season at Campbell, hauling in 61 receptions, 1,028 yards, and 12 touchdowns. If Brown can replicate his success at Campbell, he should be an immediate playmaker for Colorado. While the Pokes might not have the best year in 2025, Stribling should still find success. The 6-foot-2 wide out tallied 882 yards on 52 receptions in 2024. With his size and speed, he will be a reliable target regardless of how Oklahoma State performs this season. 8. Chase Roberts, BYU Cougars Roberts was the standout player for the Cougars last year and should see increased production in 2025. He averaged 16.4 yards per reception in 2024 while racking up 854 yards on 52 receptions. If BYU has another stellar year, Roberts should be a key to that success. 7. Josh Cameron, Baylor Bears Baylor should have a big year in 2025, and a big part of that will be a big season from one of their pass catchers. Baylor is returning quarterback Sawyer Robertson's top receiver from last season in Josh Cameron. The 6-foot-1 wide out racked up 754 yards, but should have more production this season if he takes another step forward. 6. Caleb Douglas, Texas Tech Red Raiders Texas Tech lost their top receiver, Josh Kelly, but they are replacing him with a player of the same caliber. The 6-foot-4 Douglas caught 60 passes for 877 yards, being the No. 2 wide receiver behind Kelly. That is elite production for a No. 2 receiver. Now, as quarterback Behren Morton's No. 1 option, Douglas should have major success in 2025. 5. Jayce Brown, Kansas State Wildcats Kansas State is full of speedsters, and Brown is undoubtedly one of them. The 6-foot wide out averaged 17.5 yards per reception in 2024 and should have success for the Big 12 title-contending Wildcats in 2025. If quarterback Avery Johnson makes the jump, Brown should have even more success as the No. 1 target. 4. Joseph Williams, Colorado Buffaloes The Buffs have a steep task of replacing Travis Hunter, and Williams is the guy for the Job. Last season with Tulsa, Williams brought in 30 receptions for 588 yards, good for 19.6 yards per catch. He should make a big jump from his freshman season at Tulsa to his sophomore year at Colorado. 3. Chase Sowell, Iowa State Cyclones The Cyclones lost both of their top wide receivers to the NFL. The solution? Bring in one of the top transfer recruits in the nation. Sowell tallied 678 yards on just 34 receptions, good for a gaudy 19.9 yards per reception. His 6-foot-4 frame should fit in nicely with the Iowa State offense and be the top pass catcher for quarterback Rocco Becht. 2. Jordan Dwyer, TCU Horned Frogs TCU also lost its top receiver, but may have upgraded with the four-star transfer. With Idaho, Dwyer was a workhorse, hauling in 78 receptions for 1,192 yards. With TCU returning talented quarterback Josh Hoover, he should have similar production to what he had with the Vandals. There is no doubt that Tyson can be the Big 12's best receiver in 2025. With running back Cam Skattebo in the NFL but quarterback Sam Leavitt returning for the Sun Devils, Tyson is set up for a productive season. In 2024, he tallied 1,101 yards on 75 receptions and could receive even more opportunities in 2025. Contact/Follow us@BuffaloesWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Colorado news, notes and opinions.