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This week’s episode of The Matt Cave Podcast is packed with storylines across Utah sports.

The show opens with a full transfer portal breakdown across Utah State, Utah, and BYU — including why Kalani Sitake’s ability to retain elite talent has been one of the most impressive developments of the offseason. While there are still fair questions about BYU’s defensive coordinator hire, the overall roster retention and portal additions put the Cougars in an outstanding position heading into next season.

From there, the focus shifts to the Holy War on the hardwood, where BYU earns a hard-fought 89–84 win at the Huntsman Center in a rivalry game that lived up to its chaotic reputation. The episode breaks down what BYU did well, what still needs tightening, and why Utah — despite its Big 12 struggles — showed signs of real potential.

The spotlight then moves north to Logan, where Utah State basketball continues to be overlooked nationally. At 14–1, blowing out conference opponents and sharing offensive production, the Aggies look every bit like a Top-25 team and a serious Mountain West title contender.

There’s also a candid look at the Utah Jazz, whose struggles without Lauri Markkanen have turned patience into frustration, followed by an encouraging update on the Utah Mammoth, who have won four of their last five games and are entering a crucial homestand with playoff positioning firmly in sight.

From transfer portal chaos to rivalry intensity to pro teams moving in opposite directions, it’s a full Sunday spelunk into the state of Utah sports.

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The first episode of 2026 is a full-state check-in on Utah sports — and it starts with BYU finally having real options.

Matt breaks down the Cougars’ defensive coordinator search and explains why this hire is different from past cycles, with deep dives on Shaun Nua, Vic So’oto, Gary Andersen, Justin Ena, and why an in-house move would be settling. From there, the focus shifts north to a University of Utah program in flux, examining the coaching exodus to Michigan, the loss of elite offensive line development, roster departures, and the pressure now facing Morgan Scalley.

The episode also tackles the Utah Mammoth’s maddening inconsistency, questioning roster construction, special teams accountability, and whether lingering Coyotes-era holdovers are preventing real progress — while giving a well-earned Olympic shoutout to Clayton Keller. The Utah Jazz’s directionless rebuild comes under fire next, followed by Real Salt Lake’s Ojeda sale, what it means financially, and why the January transfer window complicates attacking upgrades.

Finally, Matt closes with BYU basketball and the AJ Dybantsa show, breaking down elite production, turnover concerns, short rotation warning signs, and why this Cougar trio might be the best in the country.

This episode sets the tone for 2026: less patience, more accountability, and real expectations across Utah sports.

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It’s the final Matt Cave Sunday of the year, so buckle up — because we’re hitting every major Utah team before we head into 2026.

Matt starts things off with bowl season, where Utah State gets a legit coin-flip matchup with Washington State, BYU gets a winnable showdown with Georgia Tech, and Utah walks into Kyle Whittingham’s last-ever game as a 16.5-point favorite in the Las Vegas. Then we jump to college hoops:

• Utah State looks like the class of the Mountain West.
• Utah gears up for Big 12 play with Arizona waiting.
• And BYU heads into conference play behind the 7–9 million dollar man AJ Dybantsa, who just dropped 35.

From there, we go pro: Real Salt Lake is quiet as usual, the Utah Jazz don’t play defense (seriously, not once under 100 allowed all season), and the Utah Mammoth sit just outside the wild card with a positive goal differential… but a real offensive problem.

And to close out 2025: a thank-you message straight from Matt to you.
This year was the hardest Matt has had since starting The Matt Cave — and also the most successful. You showed up, you shared the show, you supported it, and you helped it grow into something that opened doors Matt never thought he’d walk through.

Thank you, Spelunkers.
Enjoy the final episode of the year, and Matt’ll see you in 2026.

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This week’s episode of The Matt Cave Podcast opens with a deep dive into the University of Utah’s oddly worded announcement that Kyle Whittingham is “stepping down” — not retiring — and why the timing of that decision raises real questions. With a $500 million private equity partnership suddenly entering the picture, Matt breaks down why the language matters, why the silence around it is strange, and why the story may not be as simple as it seems.

From there, the show turns to bowl season — and whether it has meant anything for years now. Utah, BYU, and Utah State all earn postseason games, but opt-outs, transfers, and shifting incentives continue to erode what bowl games used to represent. Matt still walks through the matchups, expectations, and transfer portal implications, even while questioning why fans should care at all.

The episode wraps with a full reaction to The Game Awards, which finally felt like an actual awards show again. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 dominates the night for good reason, while the absence of Call of Duty, Destiny 2, and World of Warcraft sends a clear message about the current state of AAA and live-service gaming.

Utah sports, college football, gaming culture, and context — all in one Sunday episode.

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This week on The Matt Cave, Matt's doing a full post-mortem on Championship Weekend…and folks, woof barely covers it. BYU walked into a Texas Tech buzzsaw with a one-legged freshman quarterback and left with a reminder of what a real championship roster looks like. Kalani isn’t going anywhere (and never was), and the Cougars now have their blueprint for the future, whether they like it or not.

Then we move into college basketball, where the Utes are confusing, Utah State is quietly becoming a wagon, and BYU Hoops looks like the most legitimate program in the state. AJ Dybantsa is the real deal, Robert Wright is settling in, and this team could realistically hit the Elite Eight if depth doesn’t betray them.

The Jazz? Yeah…they stink. That’s the segment. (Fine, Matt talks more — but that’s the headline.)

We also dig into the Utah Mammoth, who somehow look like world-beaters one night and a rec-league drop-in squad the next. The power play is statistically the worst in hockey, and nothing seems close to changing. Vanecek even played a great game and still got hung out to dry. This team is testing the limits of Matt's sanity.

And finally — a long-awaited return of Matt’s Game Review Corner, featuring Dispatch. Think Telltale Games meets superhero management meets dating sim meets “hey this is actually really good.” It’s mature, it’s well-acted, it’s choice-driven, and it’s absolutely worth your time (if you’re an adult, or a parent willing to check the content first before handing it to your kid).

It’s a loaded week. Thanks for the best engagement week we’ve ever had! Let’s keep the momentum going!

See you next time when we spelunk back into The Matt Cave.

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In this week’s post-Thanksgiving episode of The Matt Cave, Matt delivers a full therapy session for Utah sports fans. He breaks down Utah State’s collapse in peak Bronco Mendenhall fashion, Utah’s narrow escape against Kansas, and BYU’s early-morning sleepwalk that turned into a dominant win to reach 11–1 heading into Championship Week.

Matt then unloads on the College Football Playoff Committee — calling out the contradictions, the SEC favoritism, and the outright nonsense surrounding strength of record, game control, and why certain teams (looking at you, Notre Dame) stay ranked without earning it.

BYU men’s basketball also gets the spotlight as Matt recaps their tournament win in Orlando — affectionately renamed by him as the Mickey Mouse Chocolate Adventure Invitational. He breaks down why the trio of AJ DeBansa, Richie Saunders, and Rob Wright might be the most dangerous three-man unit in college basketball this year.

To close the show, Matt turns his attention to Utah Mammoth fans. With Logan Cooley injured, Clayton Keller playing through unimaginable personal tragedy, and the team grinding through a brutal schedule, Matt explains why this isn’t the time for panic — it’s the time for perspective.

Utah football, BYU football, Utah State heartbreak, CFP frustration, BYU basketball hype, and a Mammoth reality check all packed into one episode.

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Happy Thanksgiving, Spelunkers! 🦃 This week on The Matt Cave, Utah sports actually had a rare, beautiful moment — everybody won. BYU basketball handled Wisconsin in a revenge spot, Utah State became bowl eligible with a wild second-half turnaround, Utah pulled off a chaotic thriller against Kansas State, and BYU football got carried to victory by an absolutely monstrous performance from LJ Martin.

I break down:

• BYU men’s basketball locking down Wisconsin with shockingly elite defense
• Utah State shocking Fresno and keeping Mountain West title hopes alive
• Utah surviving a back-and-forth Big 12 shootout with a pick-two heard ‘round Rice-Eccles
• BYU football’s run-heavy win behind LJ Martin’s beast-mode stat line
• Why national pundits never give BYU or Utah respect (and why it’s lazy)

It’s a fun one. It’s a nerdy one. And it’s a thankful one.
Wherever you’re celebrating this week, I hope it’s a good one. 🦃❤️

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This week on The Matt Cave, Matt breaks down another eventful weekend in Utah sports, featuring decisive wins, late-season drama, and some much-needed perspective for Mammoth fans.

The episode opens with Utah State’s double-overtime loss to UNLV, a game that perfectly showcased the traditional Bronco Mendenhall script: competitive, gritty, and frustratingly close. With Fresno State and Boise State left, the Aggies still have a narrow path to bowl eligibility, but the margin for error is gone.

From there, Matt dives into Utah’s dominant rushing performance at Baylor, where the Utes powered their way to 380 yards on the ground. Despite offensive limitations, Utah continues to control games physically and remains in the Big 12 title conversation — though their postseason fate now hinges heavily on BYU vs. Cincinnati.

Next up is BYU’s blowout win over TCU, where the Cougars responded to last week’s embarrassment with urgency and emotion. Bear Bachmeier impressed, the defense overwhelmed TCU, and BYU now controls its path to the Big 12 Championship Game. The season comes down to the matchup with Cincinnati.

Matt then shifts to BYU Men’s Basketball and their near-upset of UConn in Boston — a performance that showed this young roster’s resilience and potential. Despite early injuries and cold shooting, the Cougars nearly stunned the defending champions.

The episode closes with the Utah Mammoth, who have hit their first real slump of the season. Matt breaks down why the panic from parts of the fanbase is unwarranted, how schedule imbalance has contributed to recent struggles, and why patience is essential in an 82-game NHL season.

Finally, he gives a quick review of Mega Bonk, a $10 Steam title that earns a full recommendation for its simplicity, humor, and replayability.

Another packed week, another deep spelunk into the world of Utah sports.

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