Big 12 Notebook: WWE’s Big E, Colorado’s Coach Prime among highlights of Day 2

Published 4:35 pm Wednesday, July 9, 2025

By brandonogden

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FRISCO — Big 12 Football Media Days concluded on Wednesday at the Ford Center.

TCU, Houston, Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma State, Utah and West Virginia were the teams in attendance on Wednesday.

WWE AND BIG 12

WWE and the Big 12 Conference announced an expansion to their multi-faceted partnership that will see Friday Night SmackDown broadcast from Big 12 markets on the eve of four conference football games throughout the 2025 season.

Those will be Friday, Aug. 22 SmackDown at 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland (Iowa State vs. Kansas State on Saturday, Aug 23), Friday, Oct. 3 SmackDown at Heritage Bank Center in Cincinnati, Ohio (Iowa State at Cincinnati on Saturday, Oct. 4), Friday, Oct. 24 SmackDown at Mullet Arena in Tempe, Arizona (Houston at Arizona State on Saturday, October 25) and Friday, Oct. 31 SmackDown at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah (Cincinnati at Utah on Saturday, Nov. 1).

WWE superstar Big E (Ettore Ewen) was in attendance at Big 12 Media Days on Wednesday.



“We’re in four different markets the day before Big 12 games for SmackDown, and there are just so many of us in WWE who love college football,” Big E said. “I played at Iowa. Roman Reigns played at Georgia Tech. So many of us have a real fervor for college football as well.  And it’s so interesting now in this new era of revenue share and NIL, just the amount of different partnerships that can occur. This is an unconventional one, but I think it makes a lot of sense.

“Honestly, getting to do so many things in the college football space, I meet so many college football fans who are wrestling fans as well. So I think there’s some real synergy there and just as a huge college football diehard, I’m really excited to be a part of this partnership.”

Big E was asked who will win the Big 12 this year.

“What I love is the Big 12 feels like a coin flip every single year,” Big E said. “Having Arizona State picked dead last last season and then having this incredible year, winning the Big 12 and going on the nearly beat Texas in the playoffs. That’s what I love about the Big 12 is you really never know who’s going to win. It’s a ton of fun.

“A pick for the Big 12. It is very difficult. Last year, ASU was picked dead last. I would’ve had Utah. I had Oklahoma State up there. It’s hard to say. I might go ASU to repeat.”

Who would win a Big 12 mascot battle royal?

“BYU’s Cougar mascot is so incredibly athletic,” Big E said. “I think we’re going there, Cosmo the Cougar.”

COACH PRIME

As always, all eyes were on Colorado head coach Deion Sanders.

Some highlights from Sanders’ press conference:

—     When asked about Texas Tech in the transfer portal: “Yeah, Joey got some money. Joey, where you at, baby? Spending that money. I love it. I love it. Once upon a time, you guys were talking junk about me going in that portal. Now when everybody going to the portal, it’s okay. It’s cool when they do it, but it’s a problem when I do it. Ain’t that a rap song? First of all, let’s get this straight. I love me some Joey McGuire. One of the best coaches in our conference. I’ve seen him excel from high school all the way to where he is now and he’s a winner and I absolutely love it. And you know I love him because he’s a man of standard. We played there last year and we were getting bombarded by them tortillas. We were getting bombarded by that and Joey grabbed the microphone and told them to stop throwing at us or there’s going to be some consequences. And I love that. And I love Joey. Joey, I know you’re out there, baby. I love you, man. I appreciate you. Can you send a few of those dollars to us so we can get some of those players too.”

—     On this season’s expectations: “We want to win. We want to win at all costs. We want to be in that championship game. Not here at The Star, but over in that other big house that Jerry’s built. That’s what we want to do and that’s what we’re gearing up for. That’s all we playing for. We play to win. We don’t just play to compete.”

COLORADO QUARTERBACKS

Colorado brought both quarterbacks — Kaidon Salter and Julian Lewis — to Big 12 Media Days.

“We brought both up because I don’t know which one’s going to start,” Sanders said.

Salter was 18 of 25 for 257 yards and four touchdowns in a 45-0 win over the Tyler Legacy Red Raiders in the second round of the 2020 playoffs when he was at Cedar Hill, which went on to lose to Katy in the Class 6A Division II championship.

Salter, a 2024 Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award finalist, goes to Colorado by way of Liberty. During his four seasons as a Flame, he totaled 5,887 passing yards and 56 touchdowns to go along with 2,063 rushing yards and 21 rushing touchdowns.

Lewis is a four-star freshman.

“Yeah, as long as they’re doing their jobs and we’re winning, we definitely want to continue to develop JuJu, but Kaidon is unbelievable,” Sanders said. “Kaidon is off the chain. He’s been there, done that. He can get the job done. I wouldn’t have brought him here if I didn’t trust him. But JuJu is coming on ‘round the mountain when he comes. And I love him. I love what he brings to the table. I don’t know how it’s going to play out as long as it plays out. We can’t lose either way with either of those two.”

MIKE GUNDY IS IN THE GAME

With the release of the EA Sports College Football 26 video game, real college football head coaches are in this year’s game unlike last year’s version.

“I have not played the game, but I think it’s pretty cool that somebody put me in a video game,” Oklahoma State head football coach Mike Gundy said. “Somebody showed me the picture just recently, and they gave me a great hairdo — like I have really good hair. I mean, that’s like permanent hair forever, but I’m good with it. I wish my royalties off it were as much as the players’, but it should be fun.”

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