Fact or Fiction: What a 3-Peat Would Mean, Big XII vs. Pac-12, Texas Tech Darkhorse Status

In today’s Fact or Fiction, I look at three big recent topics in college football and decide whether the statement is indeed FACT or if it’s FICTION.

1. Kirby Smart can surpass Nick Saban as best coach in CFB with a third title.

Farrell’s take: FACT

Saban is the GOAT. It will take Kirby at least five more national titles to take that from him. That’s not the debate. The debate is about who is the best college football coach now. Even with back-to-back national titles, a case can be made for Saban because of his amazing success at Alabama and having lost in the title game as recently as 2021. But with a third in a row, Kirby takes the current title to me.

Dec 4, 2021; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart greets Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban before the SEC championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

2. The Big 12 will be left standing as the PAC 12 crumbles.

Farrell’s take: FACT

When I look at the two conferences, the first thing I think is that a merger is needed. But egos will get in the way of that, so each conference will try to survive. And as the Big 12 has four strong additions coming in, the PAC 12 is losing LA and can’t get a decent TV deal. Now we’re talking about talks with streaming services for the PAC 12 that could go into the summer, and that continues to leave the conference vulnerable. The Big 12 will eventually target Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah, and we all know the Big Ten can tap Oregon and Washington (as well as Cal and Stanford) on the shoulder anytime.

Oct 26, 2022; San Francisco, CA, USA; Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff during Pac-12 Media Day at Pac-12 Network Studios.

3. Texas Tech will be the TCU of the Big 12 next season.

Farrell’s take: FACT

I’m not saying they will make the playoff or play for the national title, but I think they will emerge as a national surprise out of the Big 12. Joey McGuire’s recruiting prowess in state has already provided dividends, and he has a sneaky deep roster. They had the fourth-best scoring offense in the conference last year and second only to Oklahoma in yards per game. The defense needs to cut down on points given up a bit, but he’ll have a deeper group this year despite the loss of Tyree Wilson, and if he can find a consistent QB, watch out. They lost some games early as they were finding themselves but handled Oklahoma and Ole Miss down the stretch and gave TCU all they could handle.