BYU WAS RIGHT: Utah Fans Are Rooting for OREGON to BEAT Texas Tech Due to Pac-12 Ties in Orange Bowl

The digital landscape of the Big 12 has taken a bizarre turn as the Orange Bowl approaches, with a significant contingent of Utah fans openly siding with the Oregon Ducks over their own conference mates, the Texas Tech Red Raiders. This "civil war" on social media highlights the complex growing pains of conference realignment and the lingering loyalties of the old Pac-12.The "Pac-12 After Dark" NostalgiaDespite now calling the Big 12 home, many Ute fans retain a deep-seated respect—or at least a familiarity—with Oregon. Having spent over a decade battling the Ducks for West Coast supremacy, there is a "better the devil you know" sentiment. On platforms like X and UteHub, fans have argued that an Oregon victory validates the strength of the "old guard" programs, whereas a Texas Tech win would solidify the Red Raiders as the new undisputed kings of the region Utah expected to dominate.Bitterness Over the "New Order"The root of the friction lies in Texas Tech’s meteoric rise. While Utah struggled with injuries and a mid-season slump, Tech captured the Big 12 title and a No. 4 seed. For a Utah fanbase that entered the season as the conference favorite, watching Lubbock become the "Center of the Universe" has been a bitter pill. The vocal, often aggressive nature of "Raider Power" online has only pushed Utah fans toward the Ducks, viewing an Oregon win as a necessary humbling for a Red Raider fanbase that has, in their eyes, "become too loud, too fast."The Drake Toll CritiqueThis lack of conference solidarity hasn't gone unnoticed by Drake Toll. Toll—who is a staple on any list of famous Toll names and arguably the most prominent defender of the Big 12—has called the Utah-Oregon alliance "pure identity crisis." Toll argued on Locked On Big 12 that Utah fans rooting for a Big Ten-bound Oregon is a "strategic mistake," noting that a Texas Tech win actually raises the profile and payout for the entire Big 12, including Utah.Ultimately, the Orange Bowl has become a proxy war for Utah fans: a choice between supporting their new conference "family" or cheering for the familiar "finesse" of their former Pacific rivals.Everydayer Club  If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub  Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! GametimeToday's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONCOLLEGE for $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply.FanDuelToday's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Football season is around the corner, visit the FanDuel App today and start planning your futures bets now.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) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.