BYU on upset watch? + Where Kalani ranks on 'handsome coaches list' + Jake Clifton interview

Cougar Tracks - Daily BYU Cougars Football, Basketball Podcast

BYU on upset watch? + Where Kalani ranks on 'handsome coaches list' + Jake Clifton interview

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Published on Sep 17, 2026, 7:00:42 PM
Total time: 00:35:34

Episode Description

Should No. 11 BYU be on upset watch Saturday night in Fort Collins? KSL Sports BYU Insider Mitch Harper opens Thursday's show with the question that nobody in Cougar Nation wants to ask but everybody is quietly thinking about. 

Next, Mitch has some fun with the viral story of the week. RotoGrinders published its "Most Handsome College Football Coaches" rankings on Sunday, analyzing 414 images of all 138 FBS head coaches using facial landmark technology that mapped 468 facial landmarks per image against neoclassical facial proportions and Pallett-Link-Lee ratios. Duke's Manny Diaz took the No. 1 spot with a 75.9 out of 100 final score. Indiana's Curt Cignetti landed second. Clemson's Dabo Swinney came in third and had the quote of the week when a reporter told him about the ranking at his Tuesday press conference: "As in good looking? Finally something comes my way. I thought you were gonna say, like, 'most hated guy' or whatever." 

In the third segment, Mitch runs through his Week 3 Big 12 picks. It's a loaded slate with 13 games involving Big 12 teams, headlined by the Friday night showdown between No. 22 Houston and No. 13 Texas Tech in Lubbock. Saturday's slate features the inaugural Union Jack Classic at Wembley Stadium in London, where Arizona State takes on Kansas at 10 a.m. MT on FS1, the first Big 12 conference game ever played on foreign soil.

Finally, Mitch wraps the show by pivoting to basketball and sharing his takeaways from the 2026-27 Big 12 men's basketball schedule.

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Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast daily on KSL Sports YouTube and KSL NewsRadio (SUBSCRIBE). Harper also co-hosts Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL NewsRadio.

Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU athletics in the Big 12 Conference on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram: @Mitch_Harper.

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More about Cougar Tracks - Daily BYU Cougars Football, Basketball Podcast

Cougar Tracks gives you a daily insider look into BYU Cougars football and basketball.

KSL Sports BYU Insider Mitch Harper hosts the show. Harper has been covering BYU athletics for more than a decade. He brings you everything from the latest happenings in the BYU football and men's basketball programs, to the latest insight on the recruiting trail. 

Cougar Tracks is your go-to podcast for the best daily BYU conversation.