The Matt Cave

The Voice for all things Utah sports, Matt gives you his unedited and unbridled opinion on the current events around the state. Sprinkled in are video game reviews and talk about important national sports stories. Listen now and become a spelunker today!

The Matt Cave is a sports podcast hosted by Matt Smith, with 326 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Matt Smith hosts The Matt Cave, a sports show with 326 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

• 

  The Matt Cave

  2026 BYU Football Preview: 11-1, Big 12 Title & College Football Playoff?

  Aug 16, 202630 min

  Send us Fan Mail BYU football enters the 2026 season with expectations unlike anything the program has seen in years and Matt believes the Cougars have a legitimate path to an 11-1 record, another Big 12 Championship Game appearance and a spot in the College Football Playoff. In this 2026 BYU Football Preview, Matt breaks down what the Cougars lost from last season, why the roster has enough continuity to remain near the top of the Big 12, and which position groups could determine how far this team goes. The wide receiver room gets plenty of attention, including Jojo Phillips and Legend Glasker, while the completely rebuilt special teams unit emerges as one of the biggest concerns. Matt also looks at Bear Bachmeier's development, LJ Martin's importance to the offense, the talented tight end room featuring Walker Lyons and Roger Saleapaga, and the defensive players who could make a major impact. The 2026 schedule gets a full breakdown as well, including Arizona, TCU, Notre Dame, UCF, Arizona State and Utah. Matt explains why Notre Dame will be the defining game of the regular season and why BYU could realistically enter the Big 12 Championship Game at 11-1. The episode also includes a prediction that could be far more controversial than any win-loss projection: Matt believes the relationship between Brian Santiago and Kalani Sitake could lead to Sitake leaving BYU after the 2026 season. The final prediction? BYU goes 11-1, returns to the Big 12 Championship Game and reaches the College Football Playoff. The 2026 season is about to get very interesting. Follow The Matt Cave Podcast on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube for more Utah sports coverage, including BYU, Utah, Utah State, the Utah Mammoth, Real Salt Lake and the Utah Jazz. Support the show

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  The Matt Cave

  Real Salt Lake’s Zavier Gozo Transfer Changes Everything | Matt Cave Podcast

  Aug 9, 202625 min

  Send us Fan Mail Matt returns to the Matt Cave Podcast with another collection of Utah sports thoughts, covering Real Salt Lake, Zavier Gozo’s move to Crystal Palace, Cosmo the Cougar’s induction into the Mascot Hall of Fame, and the upcoming college football season. Real Salt Lake responded to Zavier Gozo’s record-setting move to Crystal Palace with a dominant 4–0 victory over Atlante in the Leagues Cup. Matt breaks down what Gozo’s transfer means for RSL and why developing young players and selling them to bigger European clubs could be the path forward for a smaller MLS market. Matt also looks at why Real Salt Lake needs to treat player development and major transfers as victories of their own, particularly with young players such as Diego Luna, Sergi Solans and Morgan Guilavogui potentially following Gozo toward bigger opportunities. The episode also celebrates Cosmo the Cougar being inducted into the 2026 Mascot Hall of Fame alongside mascots including Mrs. Met and Goldie. Finally, Matt dives into ESPN’s choices for Utah and BYU college football archrivals, including the case for Max Hall, the old Bowl Alliance controversy involving BYU, and several freshmen who could make an immediate impact for Utah and BYU this season. Topics include: • Real Salt Lake 4–0 Atlante • Zavier Gozo’s move to Crystal Palace • Real Salt Lake’s youth development strategy • Diego Luna and the future of RSL • Cosmo the Cougar and the Mascot Hall of Fame • Utah Utes football • BYU football • Max Hall and the Holy War • The Bowl Alliance and the College Football Playoff • Utah and BYU freshmen to watch The Matt Cave Podcast covers Utah sports, including Real Salt Lake, Utah football, BYU football, the Utah Mammoth and the Utah Jazz, with Matt offering his perspective from inside the Utah sports landscape. Support the show

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  The Matt Cave

  MLB Lockout Is Coming After Dodgers' Tarik Skubal Trade | Utah Sports Weekly

  Aug 2, 202621 min

  Send us Fan Mail This week, Matt takes a look around the Utah sports landscape before diving into what could become Major League Baseball's biggest problem in years. Real Salt Lake continues to slide down the Western Conference standings after another disappointing result, while the Utah Royals remain one of the surprise stories of the NWSL despite a recent dip in form. Matt also gives credit to the Utah Talons after winning another professional softball championship. The biggest discussion centers around Major League Baseball after the Dodgers acquired Tarik Skubal. Matt explains why the trade isn't actually Los Angeles' fault, why MLB owners are creating an unsustainable competitive balance, and why another labor stoppage feels almost inevitable. The episode also wraps up with thoughts on EA Sports College Football and why modern sports games continue to frustrate players. If you enjoy thoughtful Utah sports coverage every week, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share the show. Support the show

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  The Matt Cave

  Utah Mammoth Sign John Marino to 8-Year Extension | RSL Struggles & Jazz Playoff Expectations

  Jul 26, 202628 min

  Send us Fan Mail Matt is back with another episode of The Matt Cave Podcast, covering three major Utah sports storylines. Real Salt Lake has stumbled out of the post-World Cup break after losses to LAFC and the Portland Timbers. Matt breaks down RSL's offensive struggles, the impact of red cards and injuries, the team's position in the Western Conference, and whether a continued slide could eventually force the club to consider selling major assets such as Diego Luna or Moïse Bombito. The Utah Mammoth have made another major long-term commitment by signing defenseman John Marino to an eight-year, $54 million extension. Matt explains why the deal could be a smart piece of business for Utah, why the Mammoth's long-term player retention is a major change from the organization's Arizona Coyotes past, and what the roster could look like heading into next season. Matt also takes a closer look at the Mammoth's biggest remaining roster questions, including the third defensive pairing, the crowded forward group, TJ Gignac's potential role, the futures of Michael Carcone and Kailer Yamamoto, and why Matt strongly disagrees with the decision to re-sign Barrett Hayton. Finally, the Utah Jazz are no longer trying to lose. After years of tanking, the Jazz have entered a new phase, and Matt explains why he believes Utah could be much better than many national analysts expect. The episode also examines the Jazz's playoff chances, the impact of Darryn Peterson, Keyonte George, Isaiah Collier, and the changing Western Conference. Topics covered: • Real Salt Lake's struggles after the World Cup break • RSL's playoff position and potential transfer decisions • John Marino's eight-year Utah Mammoth extension • The Mammoth's defensive and forward depth • Barrett Hayton's place on the roster • Utah's changing player recruitment and retention • Why the Utah Jazz could make the playoffs • Darryn Peterson, Keyonte George, and Isaiah Collier • Why Summer League results should not be overanalyzed Matt covers Utah sports, the Utah Mammoth, Real Salt Lake, and the Utah Jazz every week on The Matt Cave Podcast. Listen, follow, rate, review, and share the podcast with someone who loves Utah sports. Support the show

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  The Matt Cave

  Can Utah Land an MLB Team? | Real Salt Lake Returns | Utah Royals Update

  Jul 19, 202628 min

  Send us Fan Mail This week on The Matt Cave Podcast , Matt shifts the focus to soccer and baseball during a quieter stretch on Utah's sports calendar. The episode breaks down the Utah Royals' recent struggles following the international break, why there's still plenty of reason for optimism, and what they'll need to do to stay near the top of the NWSL standings. Matt also previews Real Salt Lake's return to MLS play, discusses Diego Luna's future, transfer rumors surrounding several RSL stars, and why the second half of the season could define the club. To close the show, Matt dives into Major League Baseball expansion, the looming labor negotiations between MLB owners and players, and how a potential lockout could delay Utah's dream of landing an MLB franchise. If you love Utah sports, you'll find thoughtful analysis every week from a local perspective. Follow The Matt Cave Podcast on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more Utah sports content. Support the show

  ListenShow Notes

Recent guests on The Matt Cave. Study who booked and why before you pitch.

Based on semantic analysis of episode topics and host coverage, this show is a strong guest fit for executives in:

Industry fit is computed by PitchCentric using vector embeddings of the show's episode catalog.