Drake Toll Predicts BYU, West Virginia to Dominate Big 12 Because He's... An Idiot? | Big 12 Squad

If you are looking for predictability in college football, the Big 12 is not the place to find it. Entering the 2026 season, the conference stands as the undisputed king of chaos, offering an exceptional degree of parity that makes week-to-week outcomes nearly impossible to forecast. While defending champion Texas Tech sits at the top of the preseason odds as a clear frontrunner, the rest of the conference resembles a massive, tightly packed accordion. Programs like BYU, Utah, Houston, and TCU are separated by razor-thin margins, meaning the line between hosting a conference championship game and sliding into the middle tier comes down to a few lucky bounces or health breaks. Several factors fuel this relentless parity: The Transfer Portal Equalizer: Roster turnover is wild. Programs that struggled immensely a year ago can completely reinvent themselves overnight by hitting the portal hard, neutralizing historical talent gaps. Coaching and Scheme Depth: The conference is saturated with tactical innovators and veteran staffs capable of exploiting structural weaknesses on any given Saturday. The Elimination of Easy Outs: Unlike leagues with heavy bottom-feeder divisions, the expanded Big 12 features a gauntlet where tier-two and tier-three programs routinely ambush playoff hopefuls on the road. Ultimately, expect a thrilling, bloodbath of a conference schedule where a half-dozen teams control their destiny into November. No lead feels safe, no Saturday is a guaranteed win, and the road to the College Football Playoff will inevitably be defined by absolute chaos. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! KALSHIFor a limited time, Download the Kalshi app and use code [LOCKEDON] to get $10 when you trade $10. . IndeedListeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at http://Indeed.com/podcast. WayfairPatio season is here and these deals won’t last! Head to https://wayfair.com right now to get your outdoor space ready for way less. Wayfair. Every style. Every home. LARINECOGive Larine a try. Right now, Larine Co is offering our listeners up to 50% off at https://BUYLARINE.com/LOCKEDONCOLLEGE. OdooGreat organizations win because operations matter. And that’s why you should get Odoo. Try for free today at https://Odoo.com/lockedon. 5-Hour ENERGYBring on the sweetness with Cotton Candy 5-hour ENERGY®️ shots—available online now at https:/5hourENERGY.com or on Amazon. GametimeToday's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONfor $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply. FanDuelToday's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Join all the action at https://FANDUEL.COMto play Daily Dingers and make your free pick on who’s hitting a homer this MLB season. 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) Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms… 🎧 https://link.chtbl.com/LOBig12?sid=Yo... Locked On College Conferences, HBCU, Basketball & More 🎧 https://linktr.ee/LockedOnCollege Follow on Twitter:   / drakectoll   Follow the show on Twitter:   / lobig12