Through eviction and record-breaking triumphs, Jag Bains battled for 100 days inside the Big Brother 25 house, ultimately leaving the reality competition show $750,000 richer. So, how did he win season 25?
Jag, a 25-year-old truck company owner from Omak, Washington, entered the abode on day 1 fueled with the desire to become the first-ever Sikh Big Brother champion. Standing in his way were 16 other houseguests with their own dream of host Julien Chen Moonves announcing them as the CBS flagship series’ newest champion.
There was a lot of pre-season hype encircling Jag from the Big Brother community. He appeared like a triple threat — social, strategic, and physical — who could either dominate the game, or succumb to an early ousting by not managing his threat level.
Jag linked up with several of the younger contestants to start the game, including season 25’s first Head of Household, Reilly Smedley, as well as Matt Klotz, and Blue Kim. With Reilly at the helm, the “Family Style” alliance assembled on week 1, which included the four aforementioned names, as well as Cameron Hardin, Jared Fields, America Lopez, and Cory Wurtenberger.
However, week 2 spelled the end of Reilly’s game. Hisam Goueli, the frontman of the “Professors” alliance, targeted Reilly and never eased up. But, before Reilly was unanimously voted out when she sat beside Cameron on eviction night, Jag returned from the “Nether Region.”
Jared earned the opportunity to save one of his houseguests from the threat of eviction and he chose Jag.
Regardless, Jag had his first interaction with the eviction chair in week 3. After Felicia Cannon — another member of the Professors — ascended the Head of Household throne, Jag was nominated alongside Cameron. Jag went on to win his first competition of the season by capturing the Power of Veto, which worked well for Felicia’s plan as she was targeting Hisam via a backstabbing backdoor.
Jag pulled himself away from the guillotine and Hisam was nominated in his stead. And by the end of the week, Hisam followed Reilly out the door.
Cameron then won the key for the private suite. Although they were linked through the Family Style alliance early on, Cameron nominated Jag and Blue after his trust for them disintegrated and he and his buddy, Red Utley, formed “Legend 25” with Matt, Felicia, Cirie Fields, Izzy Gleicher, Mecole Hayes, and Bowie Jane Ball.
After losing the Veto competition, Jag received 10 votes for eviction on day 30. If that was a normal night of Big Brother, Jag’s chapter on the reality competition show would’ve closed. But, lucky for Jag, Matt had secretly won the “Power of Invincibility” advantage, which allowed him the opportunity to nullify a player’s demise.
Matt chose to save Jag. So, before Jag was served his walking papers, Julie revealed that his eviction notice had been terminated.
Well, little did his competitors know, Jag was about to fully embrace his second chance by going on a historic run that netted him the season’s trophy and grand prize.
Jag holds the record for most competition and Power of Veto wins in Big Brother US history while realizing his dream
Well, Jag’s new lease on life didn’t begin with a bang. During week 5, Jared nominated him to sit beside Red after Cameron donned the golden Veto necklace. Red was eventually blindsided with eight votes while Jag caught two (from Bowie Jane and Cameron).
Day 37 marked the second straight eviction night Jag starred in. He was a nominee in three of the five weeks which was fueled by his inability to trust the right people with the right information.
But, remarkably, that was the last time Jag found himself on the chopping block.
Cameron notched his second Head of Household in week 6, and he avenged Red by nominating Felicia and Izzy. In a plan streamlined by America and Cory, the house flipped on Izzy, and the professional flutist was ousted from the game.
The house’s power structure had another reshuffling the next week when Cameron and Jared fell in the season’s first double eviction. Like the man he was charged with evicting in week 4, Cameron found a way to extend his game’s life in week 8 by winning the zombie battle-back series against Jared.
With Jared and Izzy out of the house and Cameron aligning himself with Jag and Matt as “The Fugitives,” Jag found himself in the best position he had been in for weeks. Week 9 featured Cameron winning his third Head of Household, which led to Mecole’s time in the house coming to a close.
Week 10 is when Jag’s game truly ramped up. Cameron had firmly established himself as the biggest competition threat in the house — a position Jag took over once Cameron exited the house for the final time in week 11 courtesy of Bowie Jane’s Head of Household reign.
Jag was all in on tossing out Cameron and the Fugitive alliance in favor of working closely with Bowie Jane and Matt. And just like he had in week 7, Jag won the Veto competition that directly led to Cameron’s eviction.
With Cameron off the board and Jag, Bowie Jane, and Matt’s trio alliance in full swing, Jag began his Big Brother competition domination, and “The Mafia” started eliminating players one after the other. In week 11, Jag won both the invisible Head of Household and Power of Veto, and Cory joined Cameron in the Jury house.
Because of the invisibility twist, Jag was eligible to compete in the next Head of Household competition — which he won. Although they started the game as each other’s closest allies, Jag took a direct shot a Blue and didn’t miss after also nabbing the Veto. Blue’s exit marked the start of the second double eviction, and after Bowie Jane won Head of Household and Matt secured the Veto, America was voted out.
Week 13 began with Matt following up his Veto victory by moving into the private suite. At this point in the game, all who stood in front of The Mafia’s final three campaign was Cirie and Felicia — the season’s two oldest houseguests.
However, Jag knew Matt was close with Cirie, and he worked his magic to convince the 27-year-old Deaflympics gold medalist to nominate Cirie beside Felicia. Jag then went on to win the Power Veto while also secretly making a secret final two deal with Bowie Jane.
Safe from eviction, Jag and Bowie Jane cut Cirie. What followed was a Bowie Jane Head of Household and Jag Power of Veto win, and with the sole eviction vote, Jag chose to stay loyal to Matt and eliminate Felicia.
Jag’s Mafia crew were the only players remaining on day 96. And with Bowie Jane and Matt both pledging to take him to the final two, Jag’s odds of winning were at an all-time high. Matt won the first part of the three-part final Head of Household, and Jag beat Bowie Jane in part two, setting up a showdown with his “Minutemen” ally on finale night. The two duked it out on day 100 during the live episode, and Jag broke the Big Brother US record for most competition wins in a single season by defeating Matt in a tiebreaker.
Faced with the toughest decision of his reality show career, Jag picked Matt — the man who saved him in week 4 — over Bowie Jane. She walked out the front door and rounded out the Jury.
As they were the last two houseguests remaining, Jag and Matt addressed the seven evictees. The two fielded the Jury’s questions with Jag having the clear edge over Matt in terms of answers.
Jag passionately owned his backstabbing and betraying with well-rehearsed and direct responses. On the other end, Matt’s answers left a lot to be desired, and he leaned more into his partnership with Jag instead of explaining the moves he made independent of his other Minuteman.
On the other end, Jag sold that he was the mastermind of the duo — and the Jury awarded that. Jag received five votes to win from the Jury (Felicia and Cirie voted for Matt), and he became the first-ever Sikh Big Brother winner.
As mentioned, Jag’s 10 competition wins are the most a player has garnered in a single season of Big Brother’s U.S. version. Further, Jag set the record for most Power of Veto victories. Jag snagged seven necklaces, dethroning Big Brother legend Janelle Pierzina and Big Brother 24’s Michael Bruner, who both won six in a season.
Jag’s also the only player to be evicted and win the same season — the cherry on top of his storied Big Brother 25 triumph.
