Let's Talk About the New Big 12 Football Schedule Matrix

Big 12 fans don't like it. Big 12 administrators do. What's the disconnect?
A little different of a video than I normally do, as you can probably tell. Very little editing, very little scripting, just a quick conversation about what the new Big 12 football schedule matrix announced by Brett Yormark a couple weeks back gets right and wrong. Mainly just a K-State fan waxing poetic about a game that really isn't all too important in the grand scheme of college football. But it's important to me, dang it.
Lots of Big 12 fans are displeased with the schedule's lack of guaranteed rivalries for all but four games. Since Farmageddon is one of those games, a newish sort of rivalry between K-State and Iowa State that has been played for over a hundred years, I felt like I could use my platform to yell at a cloud for a little bit and write some fanfiction about the pod scheduling system. I'm reminded of Master Qui-Gon a bit, though: just because I have the ability to speak, doesn't make me intelligent.
But I'm not alone. Oklahoma State and Texas Tech's new game isn't protected. The three eastern schools, West Virginia, Cincinnati, and UCF, don't have any protections to help their travel either.
So what are your thoughts on the new schedule? Good? Bad? Do I and thousands of other Big 12 programs need to get with the program or get out of the way? Let me know in the comments.

[@Nohandleentered]

I think they created the schedule the way they did because they’re still expecting new members and maybe this gives more flexibility to adjust to future members

[@blarsen2775]

Yeah, I didn’t even think about that. Wonder who would be up next for the big 12 ?

[@cameronkohlmann5496]

Oregon State and Washington State? It'd be insane to have a conference with Orlando and Pullman, but it's already insane anyway@@blarsen2775

[@JoshH15351]

@@blarsen2775oregon state and washington st most likely

[@SuperDuperHappyTime]

Okay, but you're gonna redo the schedule anyway.

[@ADizzleMcShizzle]

Memphis 🙏

[@Bravebaker]

I will say as a UCF alum. Beating Cincinnati is a big check mark every year. We have formed a sort-of rivalry as the top schools in the AAC. Even having game day at one matchup.

[@andrew5168]

I vividly remember being at that gameday, that game was amazing!

[@Bravebaker]

@@andrew5168 fr! I was in attendance as well. Loved camping out on memory mall waiting for the big event so proud of our sign. A later-in-life core memory for sure.

[@ADizzleMcShizzle]

as a wvu fan, i was very surprised that wvu/cincy wasn’t protected, it just seems so obvious and easy to do. every team should’ve at least had one rivalry

[@teddyjackson1902]

WVU needs to come back to the east coast with the old Big East/ACC schools.

[@hansgruber4915]

@@teddyjackson1902I completely agree

[@ryanfitzgerald7969]

As a UC fan absolutely agree. I love traveling to WV especially in the fall. I’d like to make a weekend out of it. It’s close and it brings back the old Big East days.

[@JG-hr8rl]

As a Missouri fan I can tell you, fight to keep those rivalries!! I miss seeing the Border war, Cornhuskers, Iowa State and this series we just finished with K State proved the rivalries from the old Big8/12 are still very real. Miss you guys

[@660ryamaha]

As a Texas fan we miss the old big 12

[@JG-hr8rl]

@@660ryamaha Welcome to the SEC, mini reunion

[@philiprobins5488]

@@660ryamaha Texas blew up the Old Big 12 with the LHN. Standby for your come-up'ns in the SEC.

[@sodadrink8363]

As a current UCF student, I can attest that us and Cincy have had bad blood for a while now, it's an underrated rivalry and I was kinda sad when I saw we wouldn't be playing each other yearly

[@owenherndon3794]

Completely agree I don't like Disney community college

[@andrew5168]

@@owenherndon3794 get out of your 2 game losing streak to UCF before that slander lol

[@billj8513]

I don’t get the forced UCF and UofH rivalry? UCF has Cincy and a better fit for the cougars would be Tx Tech. A rivalry has to be organic not forced.

[@TheCdubbleyoo]

@@billj8513 Forced? UCF and UH have been in the same conference for almost 2 decades.

[@loganb.1984]

I’m a PAC12 guy who’s transitioning into a B1G ten guy, and I think your idea is way better. But I’m mainly just happy to see the return of the Holy War, because that’s my favorite non husky game every year.

[@owenherndon3794]

As someone who goes to cinci I definitely wanted West Virginia or UCF to be a rivalry game. The only team we play every year is Miami OH

[@andrew5168]

As a UCF fan I can see considering Cincy a rival, the games are always heated and close, still vividly remember college gameday in 2018 UCF vs Cincy

[@UniteAgainstEvil]

Don't worry, when we join the Big 12, we'll be rivals again ❤

[@Asianmattdog]

As a Nebraska fan who longs for the Big8/BigXII days, rivalries is what made college football. It's sad to see as super conferences rise, the focus is on the size of the market rather than than the size of the fan base. While Rutgers VS Northwestern might draw eyes based on market size, OU VS Nebraska would still draw more eyes even in the bad years. Media members fail to account how much a draw rivalries are, and even though more minor rivalries like Farmageddon exist and are pushed aside, even those can draw numbers, especially amongst the local viewers. I miss the old KSU Nebraska rivalry, despite it being heavily KSU lead and Nebraska dismissed. But as conferences grow bigger, new rivalries will have to be made. Nebraska now sees Iowa as a rival despite getting whipped for nearly 10 years. But CU & Nebraska still has bad blood. The new rivalries will have to be made if college football is to continue to draw numbers, and it's unfortunate that the conferences and media execs fail to recognize that.

[@eyeofhorus99]

I understand that as a Penn State fan. Penn State’s true rivals are Pitt, Syracuse and West Virginia. Penn State has no rival in the Big10 and never will.

[@tylerbrown2700]

Nebraska did beat Iowa last year to deny them of the Big Ten West. That was a hard loss. I feel the game between the two next week will be a tough battle as well. Iowa if they win or lose will probably go to the Citrus Bowl. They might play hard to deny Nebraska of a bowl game and take a rivalry trophy to Iowa City. As far as rivalries, I feel Iowa has the most with Iowa State, Nebraska, Minnesota, and the Badgers. The tough question is who is the biggest rival.

[@jeffccr3620]

This is Ou vs Nebraska weekend and one of the very few games televised nation wide every year Just about everyone else were radio broadcast games

[@HunterWithrow]

As a WVU fan, I hate that we won’t be playing Cincinnati every year. I like the fact of getting to play the western teams more, but like you said, WVU, Cincy, and UCF are on an island, those 3 teams should be playing every year

[@Hund0368]

Why not a 3-6-6 schedule? Three protected rivals, play one home and one away with everyone else in four year

[@itsjustme11]

I was hoping for that too. Guess it just made too much sense.

[@willmccoy13]

I came up with the same pod system you did months ago. Those four groups would have worked pretty well together. I'm not that upset with the actual scheduling model, but I am a little disappointed that Farmageddon won't be annual.

[@erikworthen1164]

As a OSU fan, I am kinda indifferent to the new schedule matrix. With OU leaving, we really don’t have any other schools we hate nearly as much. We dislike Tech but personally it does not feel that much like a rivalry. I think one of the reasons I think the conference went with this schedule scheme is access to Texas. Every school wants a foothold due to the talent and population in the state. One of the issues with OSU’s schedule this year was the only Texas school we play is Houston.

[@LMN22]

Makes sense. When I think of big osu games it's literally just ou or sometimes Texas. I'm gonna miss the bedlam game, always a fun week leading up to it. And as an ou fan I get to watch the game with all my osu friends/family and talk as much crap to each other as possible lol

[@Jackal_McCackle]

Best football channel out there. Especially college football

[@85isaboat53]

You are high matt Mitchell is

[@Jackal_McCackle]

@@85isaboat53 bro, I’m just trying to be nice to my favorite KZbinr. Calm down

[@paxton5941]

Great video man. Loved this style of editing! As a Kansas native and avid KU fan, I didn't realize Farmegeddan was that big of a deal, so that was interesting to hear about. Sad to see all these OG rivalries die out -- besides anything to do with Mizzou, they can leave. Rock Chalk!

[@br8745]

Thats ok Paxton, you can keep dodging us in Football, we get it ;)

[@paxton5941]

The stage was set last year, but Mizzou seemed to have other plans @@br8745 🤷‍♂

[@MrWinner197]

I had this same worry for the big ten seeing as almost every game has a trophy, lol. But as a wisconsin fan I was nervous to see if our rivalries with nebraska iowa and northwestern were going to be protected and it looks like they will protect them for now. But the only one I want to stay forever is wisconsin and Minnesota.

[@Tomk914]

I started watching when you had only 500 subscribers. And wow my friend, your content is truly something us college football fans need. I hope to see more great stuff in the future. Keep up the good work!

[@jaymorgan92227]

As an ASU fan new to the Big I think this makes the best sense even if we do lose things like farmaggedon. That said if they took away the duel in the desert I would riot so I understand the pain

[@larrylane7822]

I clicked indifferent only because as a fan of the sport from deep down south, I don’t know all the less nationally prominent big 12 rivalries but at the same time seeing only 4 permanent games I could tell there was something missing. I personally get why they are doing it like this obviously to integrate and make it one big conference instead of a bunch of smaller P5 programs clumped together with pac 12 schools and then some high performing G5 teams. While it makes sense, I do believe preserving rivalries is a must. The rivalries truly are what separate CFB and the NFL for me. NFL and really most sports in America don’t really have the rivalries like CFB does. As a hockey fan I think back to the late 90s Avalanche Red Wings rivalry, that’s what I love about rivalries the hated and competition, that is something CFB rivalries bring and pro sports no longer do. I prefer for 16 team conferences to use the 3-3-6. 3 OOC, 3 Permanent rivals and 6 conferences matchups. It works perfectly for 16 team conferences because subtract your team and you have 15 others, 3 you play ever year so now 12 teams in which you can play 2 sets of home and homes, either in back to back years or staggered years, but either way you play 4 years at school you play home and away vs every team in every stadium in conference.

[@Jamessmith-xk3fh]

I agree with a 16 team 4 team pod system but I can't decide if I would schedule for example the east pod plays west pod the same two pods the following year in which they just switch who gets the home game or you play one different pod each season. Plus the pod system would be easier to schedule and it would be easier to keep geographic rivals together

[@larrylane7822]

@@Jamessmith-xk3fh I wouldn’t need to be a pod system, you would have 3 permanent rivals but it wouldn’t have to be 4 teams all playing one another say if a team had a rival that wasn’t a rival to the other 2 rivals of said team

[@Dynamic_Fajita]

Liked this style of video! As someone who grew up an indoctrinated WVU fan (and now JMU alum and die hard) I still care about the big 12. The big 12 gave WVU a home after the ACC (inexplicably) took Louisville over us. However, WVU football has been lacking the rivals that mean something and as much fun as the new look big 12 will be, as a wvu fan, it’s still makes it feel like a piece is missing. Wish WVU and cincy would play ever year. Miss opportunity to not have the old big East teams play. Great video and ROLL DUKES, LET US BOWL!!

[@nflisrigged1395]

I'm around Harrisonburg VA Let's go fishing this spring

[@imhappy5266]

Just a quick nitpick as a CSU fan, Rocky Mountain showdown is between Colorado state and CU Boulder, not Utah and CU... good video tho! Understand the mistake

[@lukeontheplains]

I noticed that while I was editing. That was what the whole side note was for. Sucks, too, because I'd like to be as friendly as I can be with Green K-State!

[@imhappy5266]

@@lukeontheplains CSU KSU Solidarity 💜💚

[@Nellyland]

As a BYU fan, I was hoping for Baylor to become a rival. We played them twice before we joined the Big 12 and I felt it was going that direction. But then they weren’t on our schedule this year and the upcoming schedule doesn’t lend itself to the rivalry developing.

[@PWNAGE703]

Haha trying to find a new rival because you know it’s back to yearly ass whoopings by Utah ? 😂

[@kevinzou92]

K-State and ISU have more than 100 years of never interrupted series in FBS (that is the longest), even Covid doesn’t break this record. And now… I’m disappointed as a K-State fan.

[@scarylarryboi3042]

I don’t usually comment on KZbin videos, but imma do it now bc dalukes is a channel that worth it! your videos feed my passion for cfb, and I can’t wait to see you make it big!

[@zlukk18]

ISU fan here, we are all pissed about this, we need to determine what the superior cereal grain is every year

[@godzilla3h]

I think I clicked indifferent. But that's because I'm a WVU fan, I'm glad to have Cincy again and I'm having hope that the schedule matrix is just a placeholder at the moment to either help build new rivalries or that Expansion isn't truly done at the moment. I'm holding out for Pitt, UL and VT joining the Big 12 after the ACC, well goes kaboom thanks to FSU, Clemson, UNC and Duke or UVA.

[@Kieran_JSL]

4:48 As a Utah fan, you’re kinda right about it being forced with CU since it has been uncompetitive for a while, and I’m fine if not being protected. but if Deion stays there there then I could see it becoming more of a “real rivalry” cause he genuinely made me dislike CU for the first time. Also another semi-rivalry I’m excited to see comeback is UofU vs TCU since we both were really competitive in the MW days so it’ll be entertaining to see if that has the some feelings attached.

[@MrTwarner]

One of the problems with the pod system is that the eastern pod feels unintegrated with the rest of the conference. It consists of 3 American teams and a WVU who hasn't been in the Big 12 that much longer. That leaves them more likely to relocate to another conference should the ACC or someone else want to expand. I think they could have preserved a few more rivalries while still having one big conference like Big Ten did.

[@MatthewBoone]

I’m sure it perfectly fine with Yormark and the new Big 12 if WVU, Cincinnati, and UCF leave so they can grab more Central/Mountain schools if they decide to go that route.

[@raulvega9919]

As a Houston fan, I’m indifferent. Our biggest rivals over the past 20 years were Rice, SMU, and Memphis, but we’ve left them behind. We have some historical rivalries with other big 12 Texas schools, most recently, Baylor and Tech but not enough for it to be protected. I think UCF or Cincy vs UH could be a good rivalry if every team needed a protected rivalry. But the worst thing is that there’s not guaranteed close road game like Baylor or TCU every year.

[@GundamGokuTV]

This scheduling feels very NFL. You have the big rivals that people care about. But since no one else is really rivals I think this works and allows Teams to play out of conference rivals if they want

[@gracielynn9623]

I personally think that some of the rivalries that you mentioned might get added in the future. Part of me wonders if this new schedule is simply because the conference believes that they might add more teams, specifically 2-4 of Oregon State/Washington state/Tulane/Memphis/east Carolina/Appalachian State/Louisville/SMU/FAUone of the group of five Alabama schools. Not having a ton of protected games over the next few years means that if they do join it’ll be easier to integrate them into the schedule. I feel like after 2026 when the last of the Conference TV contracts are over and renewed. They might come up with a schedule with more rivalries, since it’ll be about another decade before the next round of realignment.

[@nathanshaw9688]

Poor Tulsa... No one ever thinks of them... Except me, I guess

[@gracielynn9623]

@@nathanshaw9688 I guess it’s probably because that Tulsa isn’t ever really at or near the top in athletics in group of five. Yeah, they bring a lot academically, but academics don’t really mean much anymore in the modern era of money. They would easily be one of the best academic institutions in any power conference, but beyond that they don’t really bring a whole heck of a lot, and the market is pretty small.

[@GodWhyM3]

I understand they want the members to visit each other in four years and create new rivalries/heated games, but it’s gonna be really hard to create something with a gap year between matchups. For example TCU/Colorado was an amazing game this year they won’t play each other until 2025 and many things can change in one year with transfer/coaches leaving etc etc.

[@Tomohasen]

I have nothing really to do with K-State, but I feel your pain on this one. The ACC recently cut Clemson’s annual games against Georgia Tech (88 total meetings) and the Textile Bowl against NC State (91 total meetings). In my opinion, those rivalries are way more important and core to the identity of ACC football than our only preserved annual rivalry game against Florida State (36 total meetings), even if that game is perceived as more important by national TV and media since it has conference championship implications. As a Clemson fan, I’m not sure what I’m really supposed to be watching football for in the future if we aren’t even playing our 2nd and 3rd biggest rivalry games.

[@HoustonH]

I’m a Houston fan so I’m just hoping we’ll have a better year

[@primeconor]

I like your pod system a lot, would be very interested to see more videos about what you would do in college football

[@tigernga218]

I think once you get used to it, you will like this scheduling format. But it was really weird that 4 permanent games were scheduled. They shouldn't have done that. But, maybe they just want to have everyone play each other before the remaining rivalries are assigned.

[@stevec9704]

I hope fans see the negative of having “super conferences” as opposed to how regional conferences, as things have been for the most part, that this will tear apart college sports. Why the NCAA has not stepped up to halt this is beyond me. UCFs rival is USF, WVU is Pitt, Cincy is UK and so on. Fans want this, bowl games were great because schools could play out of conference schools and so on. I really hope the presidents of these schools see the importance of regional conferences and not super conferences or else this will fail miserably.

[@dylanhetzel9432]

I think this is a four year (maybe less) plan. I would expect there to be a at least one protected rivalry for each team but there’s to many teams that don’t have a real rival anymore.

[@kaydencooper619]

As a kstate game all I want is farmageddon to continue to be the longest uninterrupted rivalry in college football

[@jackinblack19]

A pod system seems perfect to me, I think what you drew up makes a ton of sense.

[@paulraich5504]

As a CU alum, the K-State vs Colorado with McCartney and Bill Snyder in the early 90’s were bangers. Anyway I like your pods breakdown. I think you picked the right teams. And frankly, I was surprised WVU, Cincy and UCF didn’t become permanent rivals. The one thing that you didn’t touch upon is that there could be some serious disadvantages of certain away games. For Arizona and ASU games in late September or early October, it’s like 100 degrees at kickoff at 7pm. Conversely if UCF has to travel to cold weather sites in late November. It will be interesting to see how the league manages it.

[@austinmeyer3642]

As an Iowa State fan I’m saddened that Farmageddon is going away. That’s the only rivarly in the big 12 for ISU since Nebraska and Mizzou left. I heard talk that OSU vs ISU was being considered because of the Big 8 history but it never really made geographical sense.

[@noahtepera9776]

I think a system where they’re are 3 guaranteed games every year for each team, then rotate the other 6, Arizona: ASU, Utah, TTU ASU: Arizona, Utah, Colorado Utah: BYU, Arizona, ASU BYU: Utah, Baylor, TCU Colorado: ASU, KU, KState TTU: Arizona, TCU, Houston TCU: BYU, Baylor, TTU Baylor: BYU, TCU, OSU Houston: TTU, Cinci, UCF OSU: Baylor, KU, WVU KU: Colorado, KState, OSU KState: Colorado, KU, Iowa State Iowa State: KState, WVU, UCF Cinci: Houston, WVU, UCF WVU: Cinci, OSU, Iowa State UCF: Houston, Cinci, Iowa State

[@jacobm655]

Would be cool if you did this video for the Big 10's new schedule

[@ColeAdams]

I really like this style of video man. You are very well thought out and I love your perspective on all of this.

[@nickzuehlke5874]

I’ve been wanting some type of video like this!

[@jacobc2046]

I think the Big Ten did a better job by protecting rivalries that the schools wanted without worrying about some teams having more protected rivalries than other. As a Nebraska fan I am glad that Iowa got three rivalry games because it means that we sill get to play them every year, and if they were only allowed one rivalry game we would have been the first one cut due to not having as much history as Minnesota or Wisconsin.

[@davidsorensen2116]

My thought was to exactly copy the NFL scheduling model for the "out of pod" conference games: Play one entire other pod, and then play the members of the other two pods that finished in the same pod position as you (so if you place third in your pod this season, next season you play the other teams that placed third). Doesn't guarantee all teams are playing each other every x number of years; but I'm not sure you really build familiarity with a team playing twice in four years anyway. On the other hand, you can develop a rivalry in other sports (e.g. men's basketball) and then have that transfer over to football so I can see some benefit of a structure where you are guaranteed to meet other teams in the conference regularly.

[@hihello6623]

As an SEC fan who still thoroughly enjoys watching the Big 12, this scheduling matrix makes no sense. It seemed like the Big 12 was openly hostile to rivalry preservation, as the Big 10 and ACC had tougher scheduling problems and kept way more rivalries.

[@ronclark9724]

It's kinda difficult to sustain rivalries when three big schools bolt to the SEC, Texas and Texas A&M as well as Oklahoma. Furthermore the SEC had stolen Arkansas and Missouri as well earlier...

[@williamotting6527]

As a huge Iowa State fan, I am glad to see a Kansas State fan just as upset as I am about Farmageddon not being protected as I am.

[@mateocruz8147]

My favorite idea for pod scheduling is 3 in your pod, and then 2 from each of the other pods, probably rotating through which teams in the other pods yearly. Would still ensure you play every team every other year, and play 1 road game against all every 4 years.

[@crazyboydakota]

This is the most exciting pod setup for the Big 12

[@NC-youtube]

Didn’t think my comment would get into a dalukes video lol. I’m actually a recent Baylor fan who just got into college sports with no knowledge about the Big XII prior to a couple years ago. I feel like not having all those years to appreciate the old-school rivalries combined with the eagerness of the new schools coming over puts me in a different perspective on things, but I definitely get why people aren’t a fan of the new system.

[@CarlaJenkinsTV]

All rivalries old and new should have been protected. For instance, why try to 'save' BYU vs Utah but not Farmaggedon (KU vs KSU)? Especially when Kansas State won the 2022 Big 12 championship. As someone in the Big 10, nobody is cutting the cord on The Game (OSU vs Michigan) so why is the Big 12 pulling the pull on these older rivalries?

[@harrisonpayne50]

As a UF fan, I can empathize. We played Auburn for decades and it just vanished as a rivalry when the SEC changed scheduling. Now we're at risk of losing our rivalries with LSU and Tennessee past next season. Thankfully, Georgia is here to stay and FSU can't go away since they are out of conference (and because of Florida State Law), but it hurts to have to face all these teams I care little to nothing about. I get that it's a tough schedule to keep them all and all that, but I love to hate my rivals. That's part of the beauty of college football.

[@Hskr4life]

I clicked indifferent. I like the scheduling besides Farmageddon being thrown to the curb. So i landed on "Meh".

[@PappysDungeon45]

I’m a WVU fan and I think we have a chance of forming a rivalry with Houston as well. The reason being, Dana Holgerson, our old HC transferred there which has caused lots of tension.

[@lieutenantleroy3533]

Yeah, it really feels like we're witnessing the death of college football as we knew it if you aren't a big ticket team in the old BIG 10 or SEC, any histories or rivalries you had are just going to be tossed away. The new Big 12 in particular seems to really have been screwed over by having their main rivalry partners ripped away.

[@sharendavis9216]

As an iowa state fan, i’ll just say your disappointment on losing Farmaggedon is absolutely felt here in Iowa too. Everyone Iowa State fan i know wants this to be a protected rivalry and its a game that is looked forward to every year. Also, we just had rivalry weekend the other week, where most schools had in state rivalries if not historical rivalries (iowa-Nebraska, Michigan-Ohio State) and who did Kstate end up playing that week? It wasn’t Kansas. Says it all if you ask me.

[@LMN22]

Destroying rivalry is just another nail in the coffin for either the big12 or the commissioners job security

[@mateocruz8147]

I totally agree with all points. As an ASU student/alum (getting my master’s), the “West Pod” would have a ton of beef and drama. Besides the obvious 2 rivalries, ASU/Utah already have a very strong disdain for each other, and ASU vs BYU could easily develop into a rivalry due to their “cultural differences” and the amount of LDS in the Phoenix Valley. Can’t exactly speak for UofA, but I’d imagine similar rivalry could be built up

[@Leodoesthings23]

As Florida fan, I’d be sad if our rivalry game with LSU wasn’t preserved in the future. Feel like every team should have 2-3 teams they play every year, no power 5 school has just one rival.

[@DailySource]

Old rivalries and geographic closeness are super important for college sports, so conference realignment is an unmitigated disaster. Also, most rivalries develop over the course of decades and can’t be forced. So I agree with a lot of what is said in this video.

[@TheBML2]

It’s a shame Texas Tech really got the short end of the stick. No rivals except Baylor and TCU who don’t really see them as a rival. Oklahoma State could be an easy one for them and apparently Arizona due to the old Border Conference.

[@goingglobalstudios]

Keep doing what you’re doing man

[@TMAC803210]

Your proposed pods were my exact predictions also. Doesn’t cut out a Texas-only pod and gives more teams access to games in the state for recruiting. It should’ve been easy…

[@collinthrash4005]

As a Tech fan it’s pain with no rivalry

[@ace12210]

as a Tech fan I personally hate this scheduling no battle for the saddle no BU-TT bowl. I know we won’t have any of our big rivals since ATM and UT are gone but at lease let us keep what we still have

[@BorisJohnson129]

I was frustrated with this in the ACC Model since the Clemson-NC State rivalry and Clemson-Georgia Tech were shafted. The Pod format can’t work in every conference but I can’t be so difficult to give teams more than 1 permanent opponent.

[@jonjanson2]

Interesting video. I am a 26 year Mizzou fan. I remember/ think of Kansas as our biggest rival. I am pro rivalries, so I prefer the pod system.

[@ahrzhule]

As an Arizona fan in my 48th season I always gotta kick outta playing teams we normally didn't play. Miami, Michigan, SMU, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Iowa, Wisconsin, etc. I really don't care. Let's just play whoever and then play in a bowl game. 😁

[@nathanjm000]

These conferences are getting so big that rivalries will be played non conference soon and conferences will have semifinals soon as well

[@chadwaynebradley]

Travel for football really isn't a big deal with only 5 conference away games max; therefore pods aren't really valuable. Having up to 3 "protected rivalries" per school would be best. KSU can protect KU and ISU while OSU can have no protected rivalries. OSU would rather play all teams evenly to get more variety. OSU was tired of playing the same 9 schools every single season.

[@WVUer21]

WVU alumni (what gave it away?) here, and I just don't know what to think. Cincy, UCF, and Houston would make a reasonable pod or whatever. This whole thing is just weird. Basketball is going to be even more bizarre.

[@chrissao_502]

For these 16 team mega conferences, pods > face everyone once at home in a 4 year span > divisions. The Pods keep travel down and keep/create rivalries which are the bread and butter of college sports. The only even slight downside is that you are a player you don't face every team in a 4 year span. Honestly, oh well? I think the rivalries and traveling fans will do far more good than playong everyone once will.

[@augiegirl1]

8:14 So essentially, Ohio State & Michigan will be playing 2 weeks in a row for the foreseeable future (their regular game at the end of the season, then again in the championship game), at least until someone else manages to improve enough to break into the top 2.

[@shapedstones]

I'm a huge duck fan living in SoCar. Pac12 fan too... unfortunately... I'm enjoying all your videos

[@xlmacro8754]

I will always prefer the pod system. This schedule format definitely makes it easier for the further revolving door of realignment though.

[@CB-so8xd]

You could give every team 3 unique protected rivalries (not pods) and play each other team every other year. It would balance geography and rivalries with creating new match ups and trying to create familiarity. Ex. Cincy plays ISU, WVU and UCF every year. That leaves 12 teams. Play half of the rest of the conference and alternate the teams on a rolling basis home and away over 4 years. The flexibility compared to pods is more obvious when you list out potential matchups: BYU - Utah, ASU, TCU Utah - BYU, Col, ASU UA- ASU, TTU, Col ASU - BYU, Utah, UA Col - Utah, UA, KSU KSU - Col, KU, ISU KU - KSU, ISU, OSU ISU - KSU, KU, UC UC - ISU, WVU, UCF WVU - UC, UCF, UH UCF - UC, UH, WVU UH - TTU, UCF, WVU BU - TCU, TTU, OSU TTU - UA, UH, BU TCU - BYU, OSU, BU OSU - KU, TCU, BU

[@TheCdubbleyoo]

UH is less than an hour from NASA (one of my R/TV instructors was involved with the development of VR training systems, I think) and UCF (which probably should have kept the name "Florida Tech") does a lot with NASA in Florida. Yes, Purdue has the Studen-Analog Training Program, but that doesn't make PU Space U. I think it was when UCF did their space-themed uniforms that I thought about there being a space-themed rivalry between UH and UCF. I think UH may simply not have been so focused on rivalries since the move to the Big East/AAC where the major conference rug was pulled out from under them with the CFP. UH has specifically wanted Big12 membership for a while. With that done, maybe a rivalry comes out. The schools that I think will really end up being UH rivals are OSU and TTU, as those were to first Big 12 schools to play them and TTU was the first of the old SWC schools to not just play them, but regularly schedule them. It was wins against these schools that really marked the resurgence of UH football.

[@braydonphilpot9141]

As a Utah fan you’re not wrong but I can tell you it’s not “all love and respect” between Colorado and Utah. As much as we dominated against them in the Pac-12 we still don’t like them. The sad thing is since Colorado has been bad it’s been kinda of failed experiment reigniting the old 50’s rumble in the rockies vibe to the game. I mean yeah I don’t necessarily hate them as much as BYU because our two schools have more history together, but the rivarly was definitely there imo and starting to spark. I’m hoping that in the Big 12 Colorado will be able to get a little better and we can have better games. Anyways, enjoyed your video! Very well done and I’m very excited for the Big 12 next year! So many great schools and fanbases who are dedicated which I can’t say for every PAC school for the last few years.

[@alexcampbell4574]

Hey Dalukes, another great video man. Even though it was stylistically more chill, you still delivered great information and insight. I do like the pods that you created, and I agree that rivalry makes this sport great. I think repetition is needed in the schedule, and without it, these matchups might just feel like another game. I agree with some that eastern pod does give WVU the short end of the stick, so maybe they get an extra protected rival with someone from the old big 12, but I think the central pod is so rich in matchups. I am excited for the new conference, but I do hope that heated rivalries can be generated.

[@LHG9983]

Speaking of rivals and WVU. I’d say the game that could potentially be a rivalry matchup would be Texas Tech. The battle for the John Denver trophy as he had ties to both schools and Lubbock is basically just a more western version of West Virginia anyway. The WVU-Tech games have always had bad blood and have always been played hard. It would make for an interesting game for sure if a trophy was involved

[@jamesk8083]

Oklahoma State fan here, I'm happy that we have all these new teams, but only for the survival of the conference. I view it as I like playing schools that are geographically and academically similar (so ag schools like TAMU and Kstate and crosstown rivals like OU). It just sucks because as a big 8 team, we will have no rivals. How does the territorial cup get protected but one of the founding members of the big 8 doesn't get any protected rivalries? Personally I will miss playing ISU and KSU the most (aside obviously from no more Bedlam). If you are a student who really wanted to go to the away games, maybe you get to go to like 3 or 4 a year now? Because no one is driving from Stilly to Florida, or Provo, etc.

[@cationichat6886]

Concerning Texas Tech and Houston as a tech fan I think I can speak to the fact that we don’t really see Houston as a rival. We just don’t believe they are good enough to be in the big 12. If we don’t blow them out by 2 or more touchdowns then it’s a bit of a disappointment.

[@UltimateRareAncientGearGolem]

As a Longhorn and Dallas fan, NFC East rivalries are up there with college rivalries tbh. I guess it helps in the NFC Easts case that they have help that division together better than most of the old ones and it's been so back and forth between all 4 the last 20 years or so. Like sure I think the Red River Shootout is a bigger rivalry than those but given the NFC Easts history their are some serious hate between those 4, I'd argue the AFC North games are also up there pretty high.

[@tmcobb04]

I enjoy the fact there are no divisions however as a WVU fan and BIGXII fan in general, the fact there are only 4 protected rivalries is ridiculous. There's no reason WVU shouldn't play Cincy every year if not UCF as well. Iowa St/Kansas St should be protected along with OSU/Texas Tech. I would also like to see the Space rivalry and maybe even a few others

[@anthonymcarthur6504]

The Rocky Mountain Show down is Colorado-Colorado Sate. Not Colorado-Utah

[@TanToucan4ging]

Pod system is superior. 3 guaranteed rivalries. Then alternate the other 12 opponents each year so that way every 2 years you have the opportunity to see them play.

[@ChrisBakerauthor]

I doubt many WVU people consider Cincinnati a big rival. We haven't had that many games with them, and we even had agreements in which more games were played in Morgantown than Cincinnati. At my age, I still wish WVU was playing Virginia Tech, Pitt, Penn State, Syracuse, Boston College, and Maryland.

[@griffinhays2053]

I think the 3 in 4 years thing is being underestimated a bit, like it sucks that Farmageddon is getting interrupted and all but that's still seeing a whole lot of that other team. But as a Georgia fan, I can't imagine just not playing Auburn one year, so I get it.

[@HughJass-id8iq]

I almost like our pod system. But it seems incredibly unfair to Houston for them to not be in a pod with any of the other Texas Schools.

[@TheCincyBass6]

As a cincy fan, a lot of us HATE UCF with a passion, mainly since we were both good in the AAC. I'd like to see that protected, and maybe see a nickname? we both have strong engineering departments so something with that? Edit: If we're bringing up space, Neil Armstrong taught at UC.

[@MirasomeRailfan]

Big 12 shall set up every team having 1 or 2 protected rivalries like other conferences like the future Big Ten, idk if theirs still time to redo it

[@rangersking6699]

Or as the revivalry is officially called..*checks notes*.. the bluebonnet battle???

[@lukeontheplains]

Yeah, I looked it up to see if I was calling it the right thing. It's official name is "Bluebonnet Battle" but all the TCU/Baylor fans hate it haha. It's the Revivalry.

[@rangersking6699]

@@lukeontheplains oh I know(SMU fan) I was ragging on the schools for going through with the rename

[@andrewalden8364]

WVU grad and fan here. Cincy and WVU aren’t really Big East rivals. They didn’t play long enough. Also, Ames is actually just a shade closer than Orlando. Attendance numbers for WVU continue to decline not just because of their recent record, but also because outside of Texas and OU the rest of the teams are just meh. If there was a chance for WVU to join the ACC they would bolt in a second because of real rivalries. However, the ACC has made it clear they want nothing to do with WVU.

[@philliprobinson-muhammad2034]

My question is with the top two 4 teams of the pac 10 coming to the big 10 what happens to the rivalry games that each of the top names had with notre dame. And how will they be affected since they are still not part of a conference when it comes to football.

[@charleslonestar]

As a Longhorn, I'm sure y'all don't want to hear from me, but i like your pods much better than the Matrix. I do wonder if pods are even a good idea (divisions obviously sucked). I think the failure of the Big XII started when they killed Nebraska- Oklahoma. My preference for a 16 team league is for each team to have 3 annual games or protected rivalries, then alternate half of the other 12 every year.

[@evanrozsa]

Your videos are fantastic, I'm excited to watch this one. Horns Up, though! 🤘

[@lukeontheplains]

I went to the Texas game a while ago, and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by how welcoming the Horn fans were. I was expecting the opposite. Might have been because I was in a group, but they were far nicer than Sooner fans were last year.

[@evanrozsa]

​@lukeontheplains I have had a positive experience with the vast, vast majority of opposing schools' fans - LSU, OU, Alabama, etc. Usually, it's just someone who got too drunk when you run into problems. I definitely agree that some fanbases are better than others though, haha!

[@jacobwilliams7135]

I’m an Oklahoma State fan and I voted indifferent to the schedule. That’s because I don’t actively like or dislike. If anything I sort of lean to liking it.

[@sullenmaximus8455]

They could have done 3 protected rivalries for each team, and still allowed every team to play each other twice in the 4 year span. Not the same as pods because each team doesn't have to share the same 3 rivalries with each other. It would have been glorious, but no.... we get this weird configuration.....

[@Saturdayz_In_The_Fall]

If they want to avoid tie breaker scenarios, they need to bring back divisions. But that would require thinking.