All Episodes

October 29, 2025 • 12 mins
Ben Criddle talks BYU sports every weekday from 2 to 6 pm.

Today's Co-Hosts: Ben Criddle (@criddlebenjamin)

Subscribe to the Cougar Sports with Ben Criddle podcast:
Apple Podcasts:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-sports-with-ben-criddle/id99676
Mark as Played
Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Stats.

Speaker 2 (00:02):
Let's talk about stats.

Speaker 3 (00:03):
Ban Credal and his team of former players and insiders
give you the latest stats, data and analytics that are
trending in the world of Cougar Sports.

Speaker 1 (00:14):
Stats.

Speaker 3 (00:14):
Welcome back Cougar Sports one O three nine ninety eight
point three, ESPN the Fan. I'm that turtle broadcasting from
our Banterwealth Studios Banterwealth dot Com.

Speaker 1 (00:22):
Get on a free Q and.

Speaker 3 (00:23):
A no obligation to invest QNA with our tax more
Wealth Advisors Certify Financial Planners nfl PA Certified Financial Planners
Today you'll obtain some gems in that no pressure, no
obligation to invest q and A with Blaine Anderson and
his team, and I guarantee you're gonna walk away with
a few gems, especially as we get towards the end
of the year when you're looking to save money on taxes,

(00:45):
when you're an accredited investor and you have to pay
too much to Uncle Sam, let us agent, let us
support you, and let us band together and help you
build your wealth sustainable and stable solutions for your financial future.

Speaker 1 (00:56):
It is time to talk about stats.

Speaker 3 (00:58):
And who better to talk about financial stats as well
as college football stats then the one the only Blaine Anderson,
NFLPA Certified Financial Planner.

Speaker 1 (01:05):
Blaine, how the heck are you, buddy?

Speaker 4 (01:08):
I'm doing great. This is always a highlight for me
each week. It's a pleasure to join you, guys.

Speaker 3 (01:12):
I want to talk about some college football viewership stats
thus far this season for BYU. So I'm going to
give you the data and then i want to get
your reaction to it. Let's start off with you know,
we kind of we feel like BYU is a is
a good brand, a national brand and international brand.

Speaker 1 (01:31):
The viewership over.

Speaker 3 (01:33):
The last decade plus led the Big twelve to buy
into BYU's brand. Obviously, they were the first acquisition after
Texas and Oklahoma left and the you know, Bob bowlsby
ended up making a great decision because BYU has been
a brand that the Big twelve and Brett or Mark
have been able to monetize and do a really good

(01:55):
job of monetizing.

Speaker 1 (01:56):
So let's take a look at the data.

Speaker 3 (01:57):
Now that boy has been in the league for about
two years, right, two and a half years now. Starting
off the season BYU versus Stanford. This was a ten
twenty two pm kickoff Eastern Time. They were on ESPN
they attracted one point two one million viewers.

Speaker 1 (02:13):
Pretty solid numbers. They're not too shabby.

Speaker 3 (02:17):
The next game that they were featured in I believe
this was the BYU East Carolina game six hundred and
twenty three thousand on ESPN two, seven thirty five pm
Eastern kickoff. So six hundred and twenty three thousand, not bad,
you know, not too shabby. Uh, nothing to maybe write

(02:38):
home about though. By versus Colorado has been the most
highly viewed game, actually second ies viewed game for BYU
BYU Colorado on ESPN. It's a late night kick, but
you got prime there. Ten to fifteen pm kickoff Eastern okay,
two point four to six million on the mothership ESPN.
West Virginia BYU ten thirty pm Eastern kickoff on ESPN.

Speaker 1 (03:03):
One point four to one million viewers.

Speaker 3 (03:06):
Okay, BYU versus Arizona, eight pm Eastern time kickoff on
ESPN two eight hundred and sixty eight thousand, So just
to hair under one million viewers per the Nielsen ratings.
Then okay, as we're getting in later, will use getting
some momentum here, right, winning some football games they're ranked

(03:27):
you wonder, okay, if there're gonna be a correlation here.
Let's look at the Holy War on Fox Okay BYU
versus Utah eight pm kickoff Eastern Time, one point nine
to seven million. Some people were like, oh, man, I
thought it'd be more than that, right, I thought it'd
be more than not.

Speaker 1 (03:43):
Everyone's familiar with.

Speaker 3 (03:44):
The grand juror and greatness of the Holy War, but
they may not know now, but they about to find out,
hopefully in the years to come. And then the most
recent Okay on Fox Okay BYU Iowa State, This was
a pretty gosh dang good viewership.

Speaker 1 (04:05):
Now it was.

Speaker 3 (04:07):
It was one thirty pm Mountain time kick three thirty
Eastern times, so it was maybe a better time slot
by versus Iowa State.

Speaker 1 (04:15):
Viewership two point six million.

Speaker 3 (04:18):
So I give you all those numbers and want to
get your reaction and let's talk about this.

Speaker 2 (04:25):
Yeah, it is interesting. I like the breakdown.

Speaker 4 (04:27):
It's it's cool to get a feel for what's happening,
especially outside of Utah. It sounds like in Colorado would
have been our number one game, no Iowa State in Colorado,
and then the Holy War number three as far as viewership,
which leads me to believe that yes, this Holy war
is important to us inside the bubble, you might say,

(04:48):
here in the Rocky Mountain West, but we've still got
ways to go on to being more readily recognized outside
of the country. But to me, by you be considered
a buy stock, meaning I feel like there's some upside
with these numbers. I'm kind of surprised I would have
guessed Utah number one, but to know that they're number three,

(05:11):
and it sounds like we've got a lot of room
to continue to grow in viewership and hopefully increase the
national brand.

Speaker 2 (05:16):
So lots of upside with the Coodes.

Speaker 4 (05:19):
It sounds like from a national level, and especially with
these viewership numbers.

Speaker 3 (05:22):
There's no doubt that they're fulfilling a role for the
late night slots for Fox and ESPN, but you give
them a more prestigious slot in the midday in the
early afternoon, and they're pulling some really good numbers. They're
pulling some solid numbers right now now he's at Ole,

(05:44):
Miss Georgia. No, that was a really good number, right
That was a three thirty six pm kickoff for Eastern Time,
nine point seven nine million on ABC.

Speaker 1 (05:56):
But it begs the question, right, So like we were
talking about this.

Speaker 3 (05:59):
Pat Okay of ESPN stated on his show, we should
have been at the Holy War. Okay, we should have
been Week eight at the Holy.

Speaker 1 (06:12):
War in Provo.

Speaker 3 (06:15):
And you know, Fox Big New Kickoff showed up. He
was great for them. We know it wasn't the priority
game on the ABC or ESPN because he was on Fox.

Speaker 1 (06:25):
Uh.

Speaker 3 (06:25):
But Pat McAfee trying to convince the ESPN executives to
take their talents Game Day talent talents to Provo.

Speaker 1 (06:35):
I thought that was interesting. You know, why would he
do that? Do you think.

Speaker 4 (06:41):
He seems to be a proponent for the Kougs based
on what I hear him say in some of the
interviews he's done with Kyle van Oi. I like hearing
what he has to say about BYU. And it's probably
going to take a couple of playoff wins for us
to start getting to that next tier. But it sounds
like we're starting to make some noise. I think it's
to hear that from Pat McAfee.

Speaker 3 (07:01):
Yeah, you getting some love from some national pundits. That
doesn't hurt. Let's transition over some financial stats here. We're
getting into the final stretch of the year, A lot
of people, especially high income professionals, you know, business owners,
entrepreneurs are thinking about those last minute ways to reduce
taxes before December thirty. First, playing for your accredited investors,

(07:22):
what kinds of tax smart wealth opportunities and strategies should
they be looking at right now?

Speaker 4 (07:30):
Yeah, we're definitely in the fourth quarter of the game
and of the year, and we like to be looking
out the windshield and so making some proactive steps on
behalf of clients.

Speaker 2 (07:40):
Just today I was meeting with some clients.

Speaker 4 (07:42):
We were talking about the required minimum distributions and how
we can do that through charitable contributions and it doesn't
count against their standard deduction, so that gives them some utility,
but also a tax smart wealth play. We also look
at some of our taxed managed accounts, how we can
maximize those for the year that helps get deductions against

(08:05):
their active income, especially for business owners. And then we
use a number of tax smart wealth strategies and investments
that might involve real estate and bonus appreciation, or might
involve fee simple land programs that are helpful in giving
large donations, or even oil and gas programs. Things like

(08:27):
this are helpful for accredited investors to be made aware of.
It doesn't mean that everyone's going to work, but as
an accredited investor, you want to be working with someone
that's bringing to you tax advantaged accredited investments for consideration.
And this is the time of year, it's the fourth quarter,
and we're looking to get a victory to get a dub.

Speaker 3 (08:47):
Yeah, I like that, And look, we in order to
get dubs, you need a playbook, right And I know
you guys have some really good services at Batterwealth, but
do you have like a playbook for our listeners that
they can add says in order to engage in these
tax more wealth advantage strategies.

Speaker 2 (09:07):
Absolutely, and this is something that we do for clients.

Speaker 4 (09:09):
But that we've thought and put together something that we'd
like to extend to ESPN the fan listeners. And it
is a twenty twenty five bander tax smart playbook. It
will include case studies, it will include some questions that
listeners can ask themselves to see if it would apply.
But the idea is what are some of your blind spots,

(09:31):
What are some of the tax advantaged or tax smart
wealth strategies that you can be considering. And so this
is a twenty twenty five band or Tax playbook. It
includes tax and investment strategies, things for consideration, and most.

Speaker 2 (09:45):
Importantly, I really like the case studies.

Speaker 4 (09:47):
These are real life personal situations, things that we've done
with clients and on behalf of clients, and then we
even share some of those outcomes. That way, listeners and
people that review the playbook can go into it with
a strategy, with a plan, and as the old saying goes,
failing to plan is planning to fail.

Speaker 2 (10:06):
And so this is a way we can eliminate that.

Speaker 4 (10:08):
Let's have a plan, Let's have a playbook, and listeners
can go to our website at Banderwealth dot com and
request through the contact us page a copy of the
Bander twenty twenty five tex Smart Wealth Playbook.

Speaker 2 (10:20):
We're happy to share it.

Speaker 3 (10:22):
Love it, Vanderwilth, Banterwealth dot com. Let them know we
sense you. They're going to take care of you know,
IF's answer butts about it, that's let's talk about stats.
Statement with Blaine Anderson, NFLPA Certified Financial Planner representing Banterwelth.

Speaker 2 (10:33):
Thanks so much, Blaine, Thanks guys, enjoy the rest of
your week. We shall.

Speaker 3 (10:37):
We appreciate him joining us, Ronald, give me your thoughts
on the uh these data sets that I gave you
on viewership? What stands out to you? What games? What's
your your your commentary to some of these numbers.

Speaker 5 (10:50):
Yeah, I'm not surprised, Ben, I think by your first
comment of why the viewership numbers for the you know
fans call it the Holy War and not where it
should be yet. I mean, look, I told you this
Bratt like, I'm from Big ten Country. I didn't know
anything outside of that, Ben until I got to BYU.
Brad's down there, you know, being from Georgia and Pennsylvania.

(11:10):
So I'm not surprised that that didn't I do agree
with Pat McAfee they miss an opportunity to expand that.
Any time, Ben, you want an opportunity to expand a
brand or get people more notoriety, you have to do
it on the big Boy network. So ESPN did miss
an opportunity there. In my opinion, I think they missed
out on that. But I'm not surprised that the BYU
and Iowa State got that many views. Iowa State been

(11:32):
the fan base travels. That was Bo's toughest road tests. Look,
we're gonna play us. We're gonna play. We played a
sound clip excuse me, earlier in the show regarding you know,
Gus Johnson saying that BA you picked up probably his
most important win on the road against the Cyclones. So
I'm not surprised.

Speaker 1 (11:49):
By that at all.

Speaker 5 (11:50):
BYU has always been known to give viewership in that
late time slot, and to think it had been I
looked at the games after Texas Tech and boy you
were to beat them when they come back home to TCU,
It's looking like BAU is probably going to be in
that night game slot. It's either them or Arizona State
based on demographic. They're an easy eight fifteen kickoff slot
to put them in, so people stay up late watching

(12:14):
in that regard, So I'm not surprised that BYU got
two point six million viewership with Iowa State, so it's
something good. But BYU is an easy pull for late
night kicks in even a primetime game, so they're gonna
continue to have views because you got Cougar fans stand up.
I'm texting people on the East Coast been like it's
one thirty and they're still watching the game. So BYU
always bringing viewership and the big twelve knows that ESPN

(12:36):
knows that Fox knows that. So if they can put
them in a la kickoff time slot, if they can
put them later, they're still going to do it because
they'll bring the most views.

Speaker 1 (12:44):
Let's take a brief time out. We'll be back though.

Speaker 3 (12:47):
You're listening to Cougar Sports on your one oh three
nine ninety eight point three ESPN dial.
Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

On Purpose with Jay Shetty

On Purpose with Jay Shetty

I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!

The Joe Rogan Experience

The Joe Rogan Experience

The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.

Stuff You Should Know

Stuff You Should Know

If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.