Oklahoma State and West Virginia square off in Morgantown for what could be the Big 12 Game of the Week. With Mike Hawkins and Drew Mestemaker both making waves at quarterback, the matchup promises high stakes and playoff implications. Could the winner of this clash surge into the College Football Playoff discussion, or will early season stumbles—like Oklahoma State’s loss to Tulsa—haunt their chances?

Jake Hatch, Cody Stovall, Parker Ainsworth, Derek Johnson, and Kevin Borba break down major storylines including Coach Prime’s struggles at Colorado, hot seats for Dave Aranda and Deion Sanders, and which Big 12 teams are real contenders. Key topics: Kansas State’s dominance in the trenches, TCU-UCF’s quarterback situation, conference rankings, and why national attention seems fixated on the SEC. Who will capture the spotlight as the Big 12 race heats up?

00:00 Big 12 Game of the Week
Major preview and discussion on Oklahoma State vs. West Virginia; quarterback matchup, stakes for the Big 12, and fan atmosphere.
09:08 Colorado Turmoil & Baylor Clash
Analysis of player issues and instability at Colorado, Baylor matchup, coaching hot seats, and implications for both programs.
21:18 Underrated Big 12 Showdowns
Examining K-State vs. Cincinnati, TCU vs. UCF, and other conference games; legitimacy of undefeated teams and key storylines.

Become an everydayer! Subscribe to the Everydayer or All-Access tier of Locked On Coogs for even MORE Coogs! https://lockedoncoogs.supercast.com/

Be sure to follow and subscribe to Locked On Coogs to hear the latest on all things Houston Cougars, wherever you get your podcasts!

Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!

KALSHI
For a limited time, Download Kalshi and use code Locked On to get $25 when you trade $25. Kalshi. Trade what’s next.

SupplyHouse
Visit https://SupplyHouse.com/TM to learn more about becoming a Trade Master. Use promo code S H 5 College for five percent off your first order.
SupplyHouse. Real people. Real service.

Odoo
Great organizations win because operations matter. And that’s why you should get Odoo. Try for free today at https://Odoo.com/lockedon.

Square
Get up to $200 off Square hardware when you sign up at https://square.com/go/COLLEGE ! #squarepod

LARINECO
Give Larine a try. Right now, Larine Co is offering our listeners up to 50% off at https://BUYLARINE.com/LOCKEDONCOLLEGE.

5-Hour ENERGY
Bring on the sweetness with Cotton Candy 5-hour ENERGY®️ shots—available online now at https:/5hourENERGY.com or on Amazon.

Gametime
Today's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply.

FanDuel
Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. It’s time to put your knowledge to the test with College Football Pick’Em from FanDuel. Download the FanDuel app and play College Football Pick'Em for free. Only on FanDuel. Join all the action at https://FANDUEL.COM

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

College Football Playoff Committee’s bold new metric could leave the Big 12 on the outside looking in. Could Houston Cougars and BYU miss out despite standout seasons under the revised strength of schedule criteria?

The conversation focused on how the Playoff Committee’s shift to evaluating the difficulty of conference opponents played—especially within expanded conferences like the Big 12, Big Ten, and SEC—may stack the deck for powerhouse conferences. Several points were raised, including the impact of preseason AP rankings, ranked wins, and how the new metric could limit multi-bid opportunities for the Big 12 and ACC. The discussion explored the potential for teams like Texas Tech and BYU to be edged out by three-loss Big Ten heavyweights and questioned whether this system is creating a closed loop benefiting SEC and Big Ten programs. With playoff spots and major conference payouts at stake, is a 24-team playoff the only fair solution for Houston and its rivals?

00:00 College Football Playoff Metrics Change
Discussion of the new College Football Playoff Committee metric evaluating conference strength of schedule and its impact.
05:57 Big 12 and Playoff Implications
Examination of how the new metric could disadvantage Big 12 teams and conference realignment effects.
12:03 Playoff Structure, Fairness, and Conference Separation
Debate on the need for playoff expansion, the cyclical advantage for SEC and Big Ten, and the increasing separation between conferences.Become an everydayer! Subscribe to the Everydayer or All-Access tier of Locked On Coogs for even MORE Coogs! https://lockedoncoogs.supercast.com/

Be sure to follow and subscribe to Locked On Coogs to hear the latest on all things Houston Cougars, wherever you get your podcasts!

Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!

KALSHI
For a limited time, Download Kalshi and use code Locked On to get $25 when you trade $25. Kalshi. Trade what’s next.

SupplyHouse
Visit https://SupplyHouse.com/TM to learn more about becoming a Trade Master. Use promo code S H 5 College for five percent off your first order.
SupplyHouse. Real people. Real service.

Odoo
Great organizations win because operations matter. And that’s why you should get Odoo. Try for free today at https://Odoo.com/lockedon.

Square
Get up to $200 off Square hardware when you sign up at https://square.com/go/COLLEGE ! #squarepod

LARINECO
Give Larine a try. Right now, Larine Co is offering our listeners up to 50% off at https://BUYLARINE.com/LOCKEDONCOLLEGE.

5-Hour ENERGY
Bring on the sweetness with Cotton Candy 5-hour ENERGY®️ shots—available online now at https:/5hourENERGY.com or on Amazon.

Gametime
Today's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply.

FanDuel
Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. It’s time to put your knowledge to the test with College Football Pick’Em from FanDuel. Download the FanDuel app and play College Football Pick'Em for free. Only on FanDuel. Join all the action at https://FANDUEL.COM

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Controversy erupts as On3 and Rivals launch a pay-for-recruiting-profile service, sparking heated debate about fairness and access in college football recruiting. With $500 now unlocking a scouting evaluation, is the future of discovering talent shifting toward those who can afford it, or will true standouts like Jalen Mayo still rise regardless of paywalls and profiles?

The conversation focused on Houston Cougars’ recruiting strategy under Willie Fritz and Wes Fritz, exploring how these changes impact their efforts to keep elite talent from Houston and Louisiana. A key theme that emerged was the growing influence of pay-to-play models in high school sports, from AAU tournaments to digital highlight reels. The discussion explored whether increased financial barriers threaten the merit-based discovery of players and raised questions about which athletes really benefit from these evolving systems. Will the next recruiting domino continue this trend—and at what cost to the sport?

00:00 — Recruiting Profiles for Sale
Discussion on On3 and Rivals allowing recruits to buy profile evaluations, including details on pricing, intent, and industry reactions.
04:03 — Impact on College Recruiting
Analysis of how pay-for-profile services affect athletes at different levels, implications for access, and effects on schools like Houston.
08:45 — Access, Equity, and Future Trends
Exploration of who benefits from paid recruiting services, issues of accessibility, parallels with AAU and club sports, and concerns about the direction of recruiting.

Become an everydayer! Subscribe to the Everydayer or All-Access tier of Locked On Coogs for even MORE Coogs! https://lockedoncoogs.supercast.com/

Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!

KALSHI
For a limited time, Download Kalshi and use code Locked On to get $25 when you trade $25. Kalshi. Trade what’s next.

SupplyHouse
Visit https://SupplyHouse.com/TM to learn more about becoming a Trade Master. Use promo code S H 5 College for five percent off your first order.
SupplyHouse. Real people. Real service.

Odoo
Great organizations win because operations matter. And that’s why you should get Odoo. Try for free today at https://Odoo.com/lockedon.

Square
Get up to $200 off Square hardware when you sign up at https://square.com/go/COLLEGE ! #squarepod

LARINECO
Give Larine a try. Right now, Larine Co is offering our listeners up to 50% off at https://BUYLARINE.com/LOCKEDONCOLLEGE.

5-Hour ENERGY
Bring on the sweetness with Cotton Candy 5-hour ENERGY®️ shots—available online now at https:/5hourENERGY.com or on Amazon.

Gametime
Today's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply.

FanDuel
Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. It’s time to put your knowledge to the test with College Football Pick’Em from FanDuel. Download the FanDuel app and play College Football Pick'Em for free. Only on FanDuel. Join all the action at https://FANDUEL.COM

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.