“Stepping Down” Isn’t Retiring, Bowl Season Apathy, and a Rare Win for the VGAs

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.