First and 16 Podcast - Big 12 College Football and College Basketball

Big 12 DOMINATES NBA Draft + Eligibility Changes

The NBA Draft was a very good couple of night for the Big 12 conference as they led the nation in the number of picks. The conference also broke their previous record of 12 picks overall from 2022, suggesting that despite revenue disparity with the SEC and Big 10, the Big 12 is still on top. In the episode we also go over the NCAA eligibility rule allowing players to play five seasons over a five year period. What will this do to recruiting though? Find out on today's show!

NBA Draft Preview: AJ Dybansta or Darryn Peterson as Number 1 Pick? Big 12 will Dominate Draft Night

The NBA Draft is tonight, and while we don't know a lot, we know two things: AJ Dybansta and Darryn Peterson will be the two top overall picks, and the Big 12 will dominate in pick selections. This episode will also go into my prediction for who will be first selected and why, as well as how the Big 12 could get four Top 10 picks.

Texas Tech Going Independent?! How it Could Actually Happen

The biggest story in college football isn't coming from the SEC or Big Ten—it's happening in the Big 12. In this episode of First and 16, Adam Gibby breaks down the escalating legal battle between Texas Tech and the Big 12 over the Brendan Sorsby eligibility controversy. What started as a gambling suspension case has evolved into a much larger fight over NCAA authority, injunctions, conference power, and the future of college athletics. Could Texas Tech actually consider leaving the Big 12 and becoming an independent program? What would that mean for the Red Raiders, the conference, College Football Playoff access, television revenue, scheduling, and future realignment? Adam explains why this case is about much more than gambling, how injunctions could reshape college sports, why the Big 12 is pushing back so aggressively, and what happens if Texas Tech decides to go its own way. Topics Covered: * Texas Tech vs Big 12 lawsuit explained * Brendan Sorsby eligibility controversy * NCAA authority and legal challenges * College football injunctions and precedent * Texas Tech independence rumors * Big 12 conference realignment implications * College Football Playoff impact * SEC and Big Ten expansion possibilities * Revenue and scheduling concerns * Future of college athletics governance Is Texas Tech standing up for athlete rights—or threatening the future structure of college sports? Let's break it all down.

Way-Too-Early College Football Top 25 Rankings for 2026 | BYU, Texas Tech & TCU Early Favorites

Is it finally time for a way-too-early Top 25? On this episode of First and 16, Adam Gibby builds his own preseason college football Top 25 from scratch—and it's nothing like the polls you'll see from ESPN, CBS, or the AP voters. From Indiana claiming the No. 1 spot to BYU cracking the Top 10 and Texas Tech landing inside the Top 10 as well, these rankings challenge the conventional wisdom surrounding the 2026 college football season. Adam breaks down why programs like Miami, Notre Dame, Oregon, Georgia, Oklahoma, Houston, and SMU deserve more respect, while traditional powers such as Alabama, Penn State, LSU, and Tennessee may be getting too much preseason hype. Topics include: * Way-too-early 2026 College Football Top 25 * Why Indiana is ranked No. 1 * BYU's College Football Playoff potential * Texas Tech's rise as a Big 12 contender * Houston as a dark-horse CFP candidate * Big 12 vs SEC bias in preseason rankings * Notre Dame's favorable path * Miami's championship ceiling * Which Group of Six teams could crash the CFP race * Teams just missing the Top 25 Do you agree with these rankings? Which teams are too high, too low, or completely missing? Drop your Top 25 in the comments and join the debate. Subscribe to First and 16 for year-round Big 12 football coverage, College Football Playoff discussions, rankings, recruiting news, conference realignment updates, and more.

NCAA is DEAD: Brendan Sorsby Granted Eligibility

The NCAA has spent years losing power through NIL lawsuits, transfer portal battles, antitrust rulings, and challenges from state governments. But the latest ruling involving Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Storesby may be the clearest sign yet that NCAA enforcement is effectively dead. After a Texas judge granted an injunction allowing Storesby to remain eligible despite NCAA penalties related to gambling violations, a major question now hangs over college sports: If the NCAA cannot enforce one of the most fundamental rules in sports, what rules can it actually enforce? In this episode of First & 16, Adam Gibby breaks down why the Storesby decision could be a turning point for college football, how courts are increasingly overriding NCAA authority, and why the future of governance in college athletics may be headed toward complete chaos.