Open For Business: a Big 12 Podcast w/ John Kurtz

John Kurtz

Open for Business with John Kurtz delivers college football and college basketball news from a Big 12 perspective. We cover every Big 12 school—Arizona, Arizona State, Baylor, BYU, Cincinnati, Colorado, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas Tech, UCF, Utah, and West Virginia. From Saturdays in the fall to March Madness, no program gets left out. You’ll hear in-depth discussion on Big 12 football, basketball, and recruiting—along with how the league stacks up against the SEC and Big Ten. We cover conference realignment, NIL, TV deals, playoff battles, and national storylines like Deion Sanders and Colorado that impact the Big 12. If you want college football and college basketball news from a Big 12 perspective, this is your podcast.

  1. 3D AGO

    Texas Tech May Get Sorsby Back? New Report on What Cincinnati Knew

    Brendan Sorsby’s NCAA gambling investigation may not be as simple as it looked a few days ago. After reports that Texas Tech could back Sorsby in a legal fight if the NCAA rules him permanently ineligible, there may now be a better chance he plays than many originally thought. On tonight’s live show, we’re breaking down the latest on Sorsby’s case, the involvement of prominent sports lawyer Jeffrey Kessler, and whether this could become another major legal challenge to NCAA power. We’ll also dig into the latest reporting on what Cincinnati knew, what it didn’t know, and whether the Bearcats could face NCAA scrutiny of their own. Plus, we’ll talk about Brett Yormark’s new private capital deal for the Big 12, why the RedBird partnership may matter more than the headline dollar figures, and how the Big Ten’s massive revenue numbers are changing the future of college sports. Topics include Brendan Sorsby, Texas Tech football, Cincinnati football, NCAA gambling rules, Big 12 private capital, RedBird Capital, Brett Yormark, Big Ten revenue, SEC revenue, and the future of college football. Get “Open For Business” a Big 12 newsletter sending the key headlines, interviews, and my analysis straight to your inbox. No more college football news through an SEC/Big Ten lens. If you're a Big 12 fan (or just curious), sign up below! https://bit.ly/OFBNewsletter

    1h 5m

  2. 6D AGO

    Texas Tech May Sue the NCAA; Cincinnati Could Get Hammered Too Over Sorsby

    Texas Tech may be headed for a legal fight with the NCAA over Brendan Sorsby, and Cincinnati could be facing serious questions of its own after reports that it knew about Sorsby’s gambling situation before last season. On tonight’s live show, I’ll break down whether Texas Tech could challenge the NCAA, whether a “ghost transfer” QB is realistic, and how much trouble Cincinnati could be in if this Sorsby situation keeps escalating. We’ll also dig into the Big 12’s new private capital deal with RedBird and Weatherford Capital, including how much debt schools can take on, why the league says there is no ownership stake involved, and whether this is actually a smart move for the Big 12’s future media strategy. Plus, why does the Big 12 keep creating its own problems? Between Texas Tech’s Sorsby situation, BYU losing Parker Kingston, major coaching turnover, and playoff perception issues, the league has plenty to prove heading into next season. We’ll also talk Jerome Tang returning to Baylor, what it means for K-State fans, and why I’m not sure this is the move Baylor actually needs right now. Get “Open For Business” a Big 12 newsletter sending the key headlines, interviews, and my analysis straight to your inbox. No more college football news through an SEC/Big Ten lens. If you're a Big 12 fan (or just curious), sign up below! https://bit.ly/OFBNewsletter 🎙️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! 😍 https://streamyard.com/pal/d/6321527093067776

    55 min

  3. APR 29

    WOAH: Cincinnati Knew About Brendan Sorsby’s Gambling a Year Ago; Did They Turn Him In Out of Spite?

    Brendan Sorsby’s gambling investigation just took a major turn, and now Cincinnati may have serious questions to answer. According to USA Today, Cincinnati was alerted before the 2025 season that Sorsby had been gambling, then still allowed him to play. Now Sorsby is at Texas Tech, Cincinnati is suing him over his departure, and the NCAA could be looking at more than just the quarterback. In this video, I break down the latest reporting on Sorsby, why Cincinnati’s role in this scandal could matter, what the NCAA may do next, and why the sports gambling culture around college football makes this entire story even more complicated. Get “Open For Business” a Big 12 newsletter sending the key headlines, interviews, and my analysis straight to your inbox. No more college football news through an SEC/Big Ten lens. If you're a Big 12 fan (or just curious), sign up below! https://bit.ly/OFBNewsletter

    11 min

  4. APR 28

    Brendan Sorsby Gambling Scandal Rocks the Big 12; Tech's Season Turned Upside Down

    Brendan Sorsby is entering treatment for a gambling addiction while the NCAA investigates thousands of online bets, including reported bets on Indiana while he was on the Hoosiers roster. That raises major eligibility questions and could end his Texas Tech career before it ever really begins. In this video, I break down what we know about the Sorsby gambling investigation, why the Hunter Dekkers precedent matters, what Texas Tech may do next at quarterback with Will Hammond and Kirk Francis, and how this changes the Big 12 race. Texas Tech entered the season as one of the league’s clear favorites, but without Sorsby, the door may be wide open for BYU, Houston, Arizona, TCU, Oklahoma State and the rest of the Big 12. Get “Open For Business” a Big 12 newsletter sending the key headlines, interviews, and my analysis straight to your inbox. No more college football news through an SEC/Big Ten lens. If you're a Big 12 fan (or just curious), sign up below! https://bit.ly/OFBNewsletter

    11 min

  5. APR 27

    Major Realignment Dominoes About to Fall? Big 12 Has Inside Track on ACC Drama

    College football realignment may be ready to heat back up, and the Big 12 could have a new window into the ACC drama. With Miami reportedly searching for a new athletic director and Brett Yormark’s brother Michael Yormark connected to the job, the Big 12 may suddenly have a fascinating new tie to one of the most important brands in the ACC. We’ll talk about what that could mean for Miami, the Big 12, Brett Yormark, and the next round of realignment. Plus, the Big 12 had a record-setting NFL Draft, Cody Campbell’s push to amend the Sports Broadcasting Act just got some major validation, and we’ll look at whether Kyle Whittingham can actually succeed at Michigan after leaving Utah. Get ‘Open For Business’ a Big 12 newsletter sending the key headlines, interviews, and my analysis straight to your inbox. No more college football news through an SEC/Big Ten lens. If you're a Big 12 fan (or just curious), sign up below! https://bit.ly/OFBNewsletter 🎙️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! 😍 https://streamyard.com/pal/d/6321527093067776

    1h 1m

  6. APR 24

    Kirk Herbstreit is STILL Trying to Kill the Big 12; Even After Big 12 Outshines the SEC on Draft Night

    Kirk Herbstreit is still trying to kill the Big 12, and his latest ESPN comments after the NFL Draft are only adding fuel to the fire. In this video, I break down why the Big 12’s first round was a huge statement, how the conference stacked up with the SEC, and why ESPN still seems reluctant to give the league its due. The Big 12 finished with six first-round NFL Draft picks, including three in the top 10, and had a night that challenged the usual SEC-dominated narrative. I also react to Herbstreit leaving the Big 12 out of a key conversation on ESPN, explain why that matters, and what it says about the way the conference is viewed heading into 2026. If you’re a Big 12 fan frustrated with ESPN bias, conference disrespect, and the constant SEC-first narrative, this is the video for you. Get ‘Open For Business’ a Big 12 newsletter sending the key headlines, interviews, and my analysis straight to your inbox. No more college football news through an SEC/Big Ten lens. If you're a Big 12 fan (or just curious), sign up below! https://bit.ly/OFBNewsletter For more national college football coverage, subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/@OFBcollegefootball #Big12 #KirkHerbstreit #ESPN #NFLDraft #CollegeFootball #SEC

    10 min

  7. APR 23

    ESPN Back to HATING the Big 12; But Loving BYU? WILD New Rankings Just Dropped

    ESPN dropped its new post-spring college football rankings, and once again the Big 12 feels stuck in the same old spot: respected just enough to stay relevant, but not enough to get the full benefit of the doubt. In tonight’s live show, we break down whether ESPN is really back to hating the Big 12, why Texas Tech may still be getting held back, why BYU might be getting more national respect than expected, and why Arizona State could have the highest upside in the entire league. We also dive into what ESPN’s rankings could mean for the College Football Playoff race, whether Oklahoma State is quietly becoming the new money power in the Big 12, and who should actually go No. 1 overall in a hypothetical Big 12 player draft. If you’re tired of college football being covered through an SEC and Big Ten lens, this is the show for you. Get ‘Open For Business’ a Big 12 newsletter sending the key headlines, interviews, and my analysis straight to your inbox. No more college football news through an SEC/Big Ten lens. If you're a Big 12 fan (or just curious), sign up below! https://bit.ly/OFBNewsletter Check out my national college football channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@OFBcollegefootball #Big12 #CollegeFootball #ESPN #TexasTech #BYU #ArizonaState #OklahomaState #CollegeFootballPlayoff 🎙️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! 😍 https://streamyard.com/pal/d/6321527093067776

    49 min

  8. APR 20

    Texas Tech Calls Out the Big 12: Is the Big 12 Holding Texas Tech Back?

    Is the Big 12 holding Texas Tech back? Cody Campbell's fight with Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark took the Big 12 by storm this month.  Texas Tech is one of the biggest storylines in the Big 12 right now, and Rob Breaux joined me to explain why Red Raider fans feel like the rest of the conference still does not fully respect what Tech has become. We discuss Texas Tech’s rising power, the frustration over Big 12 TV decisions, whether the league is putting Tech in the best position, and why so many people around the conference seem uncomfortable with Texas Tech’s rise. We also dive into whether Texas Tech is built to stay on top of the Big 12, how much better the conference could be this season, what Joey McGuire has built in Lubbock, and why Tech may be leaning into more of a villain role as the money and expectations keep rising. Get ‘Open For Business’ a Big 12 newsletter sending the key headlines, interviews, and my analysis straight to your inbox. No more college football news through an SEC/Big Ten lens. If you're a Big 12 fan (or just curious), sign up below! https://bit.ly/OFBNewsletter For more national college football coverage, subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/@OFBcollegefootball Chapters 00:00 Intro 00:57 Where Texas Tech stands with the Big 12 01:17 Why Texas Tech feels capped by the Big 12 02:26 The “new money” feel around Texas Tech 03:56 Friday night games and Big 12 TV frustrations 05:14 Fan base vs. real-life Texas Tech perspective 06:02 Is the real frustration with the rest of the league? 07:53 Is Brett Yormark helping Big 12 football enough? 08:25 Why Tech fans feel isolated 09:16 Texas Tech vs. everybody else 10:20 Respect, resentment and social media backlash 11:29 Why Tech fans feel overlooked 13:14 Should the Big 12 be thanking Texas Tech? 14:21 Reconciliation with the rest of the league 15:04 SEC talk, villain role and NIL leadership 17:00 Was Friday night actually best for the Big 12? 17:51 What can calm the Texas Tech tension? 19:36 How quickly Joey McGuire changed everything 21:13 Does Texas Tech need to change its tone? 22:26 Can the Big 12 get two playoff teams? 23:09 Will Texas Tech be as good this year? 27:28 Could Texas Tech handle a $100 million roster? 28:44 Where to find Rob Breaux #Big12 #TexasTech #CollegeFootball #JoeyMcGuire #BrettYormark #RobBreaux #TexasTechFootball #OpenForBusiness

    22 min
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5
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

Open for Business with John Kurtz delivers college football and college basketball news from a Big 12 perspective. We cover every Big 12 school—Arizona, Arizona State, Baylor, BYU, Cincinnati, Colorado, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas Tech, UCF, Utah, and West Virginia. From Saturdays in the fall to March Madness, no program gets left out. You’ll hear in-depth discussion on Big 12 football, basketball, and recruiting—along with how the league stacks up against the SEC and Big Ten. We cover conference realignment, NIL, TV deals, playoff battles, and national storylines like Deion Sanders and Colorado that impact the Big 12. If you want college football and college basketball news from a Big 12 perspective, this is your podcast.

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