Locked On ACC - Daily College Football & Basketball Podcast - 14 Team CFP Playoff Shorts ACC

Episode Date: March 5, 2024

In this episode, Candace and Kenton discuss the 14 team playoff model that leaves the ACC in tier 2 conferences Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

All right. Hey, friends. It's about that time again. We're talking a little team playoff. We're talking to state of the ACC. We've got some hoops updates. Who's going to ultimately win the regular season title. All of that here on today's episode of Locked on ACC. You are Locked on ACC. Your daily podcast on the Atlantic Coast Conference. Part of the Locked on Podcast Network, your team every day. What's going on everybody? Welcome to today's edition of Lockdown ACC. I'm your host, Candish Cooper, joined by Kinty Gibbs of Lockstone Wolf Pett. each and every day. You find us wherever you listen to podcasts. Make sure you download, subscribe. We are almost 2,000, 2,000 subs. We would love to get there before the months in, and we know that you can help us do that. This episode is brought to you by Nissan. Are you the kind of driver that likes to push things a little further? Even wonder what adventure could be around the next corner. Take the Nissan Rogue, Nissan Pathfinder,

or Nissan Armada, and go find your next big adventure. Check them all out today at nisson. to Gibbs here as we're talking through some college football, we know that there is plenty going on around that bend. NFL Combine just happened. There are current players who are trying to figure out which way is up in terms of the season and what can they be playing for when it's all said and done. As well as state of ACC play, as we all know, things are rolling with the FSU versus then ACC. People are trying to figure out if they're going to stick around, stick beside it. So we'll tap into all of that here on today's show. Kenton, how we feel in today?

Oh, I feel great. I feel great because there is, you know, it's been much too long since we've graced these airways and, and obviously, the folks misses. You know, we got to bring them this good, good that they've been getting out of the ACC from us. And so we're back. We're back. And we're going to keep coming back time after time after time again. A thousand percent. All right. As we move into things, we know that the ACC is definitely fighting for its life. But there could have been some sort of consolation as we

talked through this new team playoff thing that was presented to the group. I would love to continue to go over just what the details are around this potential. Not only 12 team, but now 14 team playoff scenario. Yeah, for sure. So the way that this thing was pitched was that there would be 11 guaranteed seeds and three at large bids. Now, the 11 would go as follows. Three to the SEC, three to the big team, two to the, or actually, let me see. say like this, three meaning the champion and next two highest rank out of the Big Ten and SEC,

the champion and the next highest rank out of the ACC and the Big 12, and the highest ranking group of five team plus three at large teams. So that is, you know, in essence what they're saying would be the configuration of the new playoff in terms of if it were to expand to 14, which many people are seen as not so much of a if it expands to 14. It's more of a win. And, you know, that's the proposed layout of it. At this point, though, I'm sitting here saying to myself, just let everybody play. You know, you lose five games short.

You could still have yourself a chance to participate in a championship series. Like, you know, let's just let everybody get a participation trophy. That's a little insane. Five losses is too many. But I do think that we're inevitably headed towards the same situation that the FCS have has, where I believe it's about 40-some odd teams or something along those lines. Don't quote me on that. I'm probably wrong there. But the FCS has a good amount of teams in their playoff.

And I want to let people know this. Increasing the amount of teams may not increase the parity. But it's not about solely increasing the parity. It's also about giving everybody a shot so nobody can't complain, right? We don't have UCF claiming a national title that they didn't win if we let them go against a fully loaded LSU, Auburn, whoever it happened to be. We don't have the same situations that we're looking at in terms of a lot of group of five teams who, you know, the goal is not just to win games, but they have to win their games by 35.

points per game in order to get in. And for the ACC in particular, I think that this is a raw deal because when's the last time the third best team in the Big Ten was better than or even close to the second best team in ACC? 100% agree there. But when's the last time the winner of the Big Ten has been something of snuff besides Michigan? I mean, listen, I've been saying for a long time. Ryan Day runs a soft program up there at Columbus with all due respect.

With all due respect, him coming at Lou Holtz was the ultimate sign. You're talking to an 80-year-old, brother. You're talking to a man who was around when the actual Gipper was around. You know, when Notre Dame said, win one for the Gipper. The Gipper was alive when Lou Holtz was coaching football. You understand? Shout out. Shout out.

Just do your dip. Win the football game. That's all you got to do. But in all seriousness, you know, and Carla, don't jump us. I know you up there in Ohio's day. and you have big day country, but that's the reality of what we're looking at here. I don't think that it's fair or right to say,

hey, we're going to have a built-in situation where we are guaranteed more biz than you all, despite the teams that are coming into the conference, because let's just be honest. Texas's resurgence has been good to see. There were many years where Texas was in Texas. Oklahoma, without Lincoln Riley, looks very human.

That was one of the worst divorces of all time in terms of both sides getting worse, rather, with Oklahoma and Lincoln Riley. And so where are we getting this information that regardless of what happens, the SEC will have three of the best 15 teams in the country. Regardless of what happens, the Big Ten will have three of the best 15. Where? Because coaches can't seem to get out of Oregon fast enough. Every coach to go to Oregon is looking for that next time.

I'll tell you what, they are the good luck chuck of coaching. As soon as somebody land there, all right, so where we're going next? boys. Hey, just signed a contract in Oregon. The ink can't even dry yet, but where are we going next? Same thing can be said for USC, UCLA, you know, and that's, you know, no disrespect to Stephen Foster who just took over as head coach at UCLA. But again, I don't see any of these programs, UW looking to replace a coach as well, where you're saying, hey, these conferences are so good. They're going to be so far above the Big 12 in the ACC, it doesn't make sense to dole out the playoff bids by saying, hey, just get the best teams in there.

Now, my personal, and I'm going to pass through you after this, I know I spoke, talked way too much here, but my personal opinion is it should be every champion that's inside the RPI top 35 needs to get a bid. I don't care what conference you're from. I don't care if you're from the Sunbelt. I don't care if you're from the Mac. I don't care if you're from the America. If you have an RPI inside the top 35, you get to go.

and you're a champion. Now, if you are outside of 35, you get replaced within that large bid, and we rock out like that. That would be my personal opinion, so that everybody gets a shot. No undefeated would ever be left out by that, you know, by that cause and metric.

Because, again, if you're a conference champion, you go, oh, and undefeated overrides RPI. So if you schedule soft and you and the American, good for you, but you're going to get exposed. You're going to get some real cop here. Coming up real soon. Well, I think also one thing to note is that the turnover for the ACC hasn't been that great, right? Syracuse gets a new coach.

You got Boston College against a new coach, but your top dogs aren't really turning things over. So when it comes to just who's going to be the best of the best, Clemson is going to be a good team. Fours a state is going to be a good team, right? Like we don't have to automatically throw away. Louisville is going to be a good team. You don't have to throw away the ACC's chances or tell us that they don't deserve as many bids as these other ones. But I will say it makes it feel like the jig is really up

when you're automatically going to give certain conferences, rights to or, you know, bids of making championship runs. So I think that's the part where I'm just having a hard time. Like what made them automatic qualifiers with the most qualifications? Yeah, I agree. I agree. And again, I don't like the idea of making those teams de facto above the other. I'm a big believer, earn it.

I don't care what's on the front of your jersey, what's on the back of your jersey. I don't care what passes on your jersey. You earn your right to be in that playoff. You earn it. It's not an invitational. At least, you know, everybody outside of Florida State

believes it's not an invitational. But very seriously, it's not an invitational. This is a, you need to earn your way in, period. It shouldn't be a situation where, well, I'm the third best team in this conference. I ain't won Diddley Squad. I wasn't even in the conference championship. game but I do my ticket was punched soon as I finished third absolutely not yeah a hundred percent

agreed there let's take a quick break and then talk through some say at the acc play are you the kind of driver that likes to push things further ever wonder what adventure could be around the corner our friends at nisson have a lineup of SUVs with capability to take your adventure to the next level the nissom pathfinder has room up to eight an expansive cargo capacity in advance available four-by-four capabilities with 284 horsepower up to 6,000 pounds of towing. When adventure calls, the Pathfinder is there to answer. Take the Nissan Road, Nissan Pathfinder, or Nissan Armada, and go find your next big adventure. Shop NissanUSA.com.

So we're talking through the state of the ACC from the football lens. And, you know, as we're mentioning Florida State going through their season long, summer long, will they be, will they not be a part of our league? and it's all said and done. Just the state of the ACC to where people are even questioning if you should be in a power five, automatic get three, get two,

get one sort of big situation. Have we finally come to grips with who are just an inferior conference? Or should we give a big middle finger? Let me, not one middle finger. Not two middle fingers. Tell your friend get involved so you can put up three middle fingers to this idea. Again,

I want to know what metric we're using to determine who's the best. We talked last year about the ACC's record against the SEC, and everybody told us, well, that's not the best against the best. So do that then. Do that. Guess what? Next year and the years beyond that, if y'all feel so confident that, hey, we are heading shoulders above the ACC, start scheduling home and homes.

Do it. Let's do it. Word for word, bar, bar. You see a team just won a conference championship? Hey, buddy, it's Kirby. How you doing, man? I just want to talk to you. Hey, this Coach DeBoar.

How are you doing? Coach Norvelle, you just won yourself an ACC championship. I want you to give you the opportunity, I want you to give you the opportunity to show everybody you belong. Come talk to. You know what I mean? You feel like the ACC is not playing the game well enough. Because I think at this point, it's like maybe the Big Ten and the SEC are heading

and children, but financially, sure, you could talk, make that argument and have those things. But when it comes to just not only the national landscape, but how we're sort of maneuvering from a scheduling standpoint, like, what is the missing piece for the ACC that seems to have us so far behind? I mean, I think it is just Jim Phillips having those conversations, being visible, being in those rooms. if you have a winning record versus a conference and you are on the same level as that conference in terms of like Power 5, Group 5, whatever the case we'll be, which now we're looking at Power 4, whatever, you're on the same level of that conference.

There should be no way that people are like, oh, you're not even in the same league. You're not playing the same bargain. There should be no way. But because Jim Phillips does not do his job as the ambassador in his thing, that's what it is. And a lot of people say, were too critical at Jim Phillips. And I do agree that the coaches also need to do their part

in pushing this thing forward. But guess what? Guess what? If you're the commissioner, go ahead and commission. This is your time. You got to do make something shake, my brother in Christ. That's all we ask. I completely agree there. I think beyond just that in terms of trying to make ultra-level competitiveness, it's just like, no, let's game the system. Let the system win for us. Like I understand wanting to have the most competitive regular schedule, but I also understand trying to get our names, the conversations when it's towards the end of the season. We've got to play dirty.

We got to play to win. We've got to win. And winning matters in the end. You know, we should not have an undefeated team questioning themselves or not being able to participate in national championship or college football playoffs or standards. Like that was the metric that let me know that we're no longer on the same playing field. But how we get back or figure out how to stay in.

in cahoots with those, you know, sort of criteria is really what's bugging me. We need to figure that out fast. Yeah, for sure. So, and the thing that I would a thousand percent agree with you on is if your team wins out, there shouldn't be any argument, any conversation, anything like that. And again, I think it's a lot about sometimes we need to do a better job. And this is on the fans here.

Come together and rally behind one another, right? I get it. Listen, I hate the Dirty Foot Club as much as the next person, right? They call themselves the Tar Heels. That's what their name is. I call it a Dirty Foot because that's what the Tar Hill is. But that's neither here nor there. If there was a situation where they are about to go to the playoff,

and it's either they go to the playoff or Ole Miss goes to the playoff, you know, at minimum, I'm going to shut the hell up, at minimum. dare I say you cheer for them. Dare I say. All right, now, let's not push it. Let's not push it. Dirty foot club is actually insane. Well, they put a dirty foot on the side of the helmet.

I remember when I played, there was a chrome helmet with a blue dirty foot. It was weird. But that's the game that you got. Was that the run back game? That's not, that's either here. Well, I didn't play in that game, but you know what. The reality is this. The reality is this.

You have to get behind each other like that. because I remember when the Florida State thing was happening, there were too many ACC fan bases that were like, you all don't deserve to be there. Baby. He is real over here, but ain't that what a rivalry is for? Do you think Ohio State fans were cheering for Michigan? But listen, and with all due respect,

I need everybody to understand this, okay? Because Candace and I have had this argument off air plenty of times. With all due respect, none of our rivalries are that story. With all due respect, with all due respect. So with that in my- That stupid shit. Sorry. Sorry. I want somebody to show me where the rivalry stretches as deep,

as long, has as many impactful games. And again, I'm talking on the gridiron. I'm talking on the gridiron. Because if we're talking basketball, if we're talking all sports, the Battle of the Blues, we're about the importance of that this year coming up. So I'm not going to disrespect you like that. I'm not going to disrespect D and K, all those guys.

I ain't going to do that. They're going to do that. But with that in mind, when it comes to football, back each other up. Cain's fans, I know, I know it was hard. I know at minimum, just zip it. Just let them cook until the selection is over. You know? And the same thing should be the favor should be returned if it's Florida State and, you know, another team. Florida State, I know you want out, but you're still here for now, okay? You're still here for now. even if the marriage ain't happy, y'all got to go to the kids and events together. We love each other so much. I love. Hard enough, right?

I agree. But I also think that, you know, at the end of the rivalries are what they are. We can only do so much. You can only love on, cheer on, or support so much. We got to get to the dance before we can even get to that sort of state. So I think that's where we sort of figured things out. But as we look towards, you know, talking about basketball. Let's wrap up this football one in a nice little bow. I truly believe that there's a 14-team play-out.

There's still, it's only going to be two ACC teams that find their way in the tournament. And that's scary. I mean, it sounds good in theory, but I think that it should be left completely open for best teams get in, period. Best teams get in. One, consider the best, because if you don't consider our conference to be the best, then you're damn sure not going to rally around. But that's why I say the ACC needs to do callouts and make it public. Make it public. If you call the school up and they don't want to, and this is where the coaches come in at. Dabo, if you calling up Georgia and Kirby and he not picking up the phone, make it public. There are ACC media days when they say, how do you go forward without using the portal?

You know, I don't know much about using the portal, but I know about using the phone. I call Kirby Smart to get a game and he ain't one of the players. I don't know what's going on down there in Athens, but that's what it. And granted, I'm using that as an example because Clemson and Georgia are, in fact, playing next year. So that's what I'm doing there. But that's what all these coaches should do. All of them. All of them.

Dorn. Pick up the phone. Yeah, Hypo. He don't want to smoke. We called him. We told him you'd come to Raleigh. We could come to the Rocky Top. We can do a little home at home, get everybody paid in this thing.

He don't want to beat. He don't want to be. Coach Fran. Hey, I called them boys down there in Vanderbilt. They said, we are at baseball school, brother. We don't want nothing to do with the grid eye. That's what he told me. That's what he told me.

So, you know, make it very clear that you want, and let's say this, it's not just the SEC. Call up the Big Ten, too, because that's where you can really get some wins in. Call up Wisconsin. A Michigan team that's getting a new coach, an Alabama team that's getting a new coach. This might be the year that we won't lose. We won't bam. And this is what I'm saying, even beyond the top of the top. Hello, Norville, call up Ryan Day.

Give them a call. Everybody should be called up, James Franklin. Everybody. Everybody should be, hey, Zim up, Jimmy. How you doing, man? How you doing? We want to come up there to Happy Valley. Y'all do a whiteout?

I know y'all love the whiteouts up there. Come on. Come on with it. You know, all I'm saying is coaches need to make it publicly known. We want to play the best in the ACC. And that way, there's no if-ands or much about it. Because if you lose, if you get the doors blown off you, like everybody outside of the ACC and the Big 12 nationally,

think you will, then guess what? You have no leg to stand on the complaint. But if you win, uh-oh, hold on, oh, what Cal Williams say? They got all the resources. They got all the material. But put us on the line. I bet it don't make a difference, boy, boy. And on that note, let's talk about our friends at Fandle, who are trying to get you in on some good betting action. Get buckets with your first bet on Fandle, America's number on sportsbook, because right now, new customers get $150 in bonus bets with a winning $5 bet. That's $150 if your bet wins. Quick bets, a live saving game parlay's exclusive props,

bet on all your favorite NBA players and teams. Just visit fanduel.com slash locked on and shoot your shot. Van Duel is the official partner, sportsbook partner of the NBA. Kenton Gibbs and I landing this plane here talking through some more ACCC conversations, and we would be remiss if we'd be remiss if we'd, did not mention that college basketball is near its end. The women have the regular season on lock. They are getting ready for ACC tournament play.

The men, however, have a couple more left. And boy, oh boy, did we not have a doozy to start this Monday? Duke, NC State, senior night did not quite go how the Wolfpack thought. However, you know, conversations I'm sure need to be had about the prolonging of pizza's tenure. Duke gained their mind right to potentially be regular season champs and all the things in between. You know, I don't want to talk about NC State.

I want to talk about the resilience, the bravery, the courage of one Kyle Flip Filip Filipowski coming back from a, you know, they said that his knee and his ankle was falling off the bone like when Turkey Leggut hold that leg upside down in Houston. They said that's how bad he was after that corks storm. Look at it. Back all right. What a man. What a man. What a mighty good man. They got there in Durham.

He found a will and away. He found a wheel away some Scotts tape, some cat guts. They put that leg back together quick, didn't that? Because after that court storm and they said that they trampled his leg. I thought his season was Capooie. Hello. Cahooey. But here he goes. He's back and bawling. In the words of Bryce and Tiller, he's back and he's better. And so, well, you know, sorry, this isn't a side, but I have to say it. You know, it was Fugazi when they decided to play him during the Louisville game. No, no, no. I was like, not the next game because you could have said that one.

You definitely could have set up there. You can't have any. No, I'm saying. Of all games, you decide that your need was a miracle you wanted to get another run. The Louisville game, if you wanted to test your lie a little longer, you definitely shouldn't have played the Louisville game because there was no way that you were going to lose. that one. So you finesse the bug and that's all right. But we're some court sort of it. Is that not crazy? Yeah, it was extremely crazy. But, you know, when the team rallies around a captain

who shows such guts, such hutspah, hello, you know, such want to, such stick-toiveness. That's the type of thing, you know, and I'll tell you what, I'll tell you what, this upcoming battle of the blues, that's what this thing is about. And this is why I, I said no story rivalry in football. Because when it comes to that here, hardwood, there's nothing like the Battle of the Blues especially. If Armando gets the business from a bootleg, Philipowski.

Come on now. All right, listen, I know we're joking about Kyle. He got to walk back to Ramsville. That boy is perfectly, that boy is perfectly fine. He is healthy as a horse. Let's stop playing, okay? Healthy as a horse is great. Go ahead.

I'm just saying, Kyle is, hello, Carl, colleague ain't nothing wrong with that young man but anyway uh yeah this battle of the blues is going be an exciting one because we are gearing up for what is likely going to be if you well actually not i think about it even if unc loses to notre dame that game will still decide the acc champion the uh the battle of the blues decides the acc regular season champion regardless of what happens against notre dame so this is this is what i mean by one of the most story robberies in all of sports, especially college sports. When you talk hardwood rivalries,

there aren't many more that reach this level. Actually, I'd say there is another that reaches the level in terms of basketball. And so, you know, as much as we talk about Jimmy and what he is and ain't doing, he did something with this scheduling and said, ah, we're going to put them

on the last, last game with a year for the A's season. You know? Well, make some of shit. Little dazzle. A little dazzle. Little dad. Last game. But no, I 100% agree. I think that there's a great slot of games happening on Tuesday. We're going to talk about all of those next week on next episode. So make sure you check that out then. I think for NC State,

though, just to round out because it was the Monday game. Do we keep Keith around? Or is it time to go? Grace and Boone and I have come up with a slogan that apparently Booke Corrigan don't agree with us on. No dance, no chance. No dance, no chance. Did Boone respond to y'all? on twitter he didn't he didn't he didn't i think i think boo said it don't matter if they dance he's still going to get a chance i know i know i know that you know very powerful people really do listen to your show like not even trying to be funny so i was actually being serious in the same did he slide near dm's like all right chill out well well listen i can tell you this okay we have had different administrators of what that slide that be is until us cool out

boo ain't been one of them okay and um again you You know, I admire his resilience and stay in the course with some coaches because there was a point in time where many people wanted to get rid of the door and he stayed the course. Look what's going on now. What's going on? No, just kidding. We ain't got the same thing going on with kids. I mean, and the words, never mind. We're not going to go there.

Long story short, ain't nothing going on in there, okay? Ain't nothing going on on on on that hardwood. Ain't nothing going on, you know, in the PNC. Let's wrap this up. Let's wrap this up. I honestly, unfortunately, agree there. It's been a nice ride. I love the ice cream after wins, but it doesn't seem to be working.

And there are key wins that he needed to get in order to make this sort of relevant. Especially, you had the excuse of the Roy's and the Coach K. Era, but it was really sort of what is he going to do once both of them retire? And the answer still is not much. And so that's where I say, okay, maybe he's not the guy. Maybe he needs a young whipp or snapper. Who knows what you need to kind of change this thing around? But NC State is a good historic program.

And trying to get back to that, I think is what the next coach will do. On Tuesday, we will see Notre Dame face off against North Carolina. Virginia Tech will play Louisville. Syracuse will play Clemson. Georgia Tech will play Wake Forest and Florida State will play Pitt. So if you have not got a chance to read the docket, those are some great games happening. As some of those teams are definitely on the cusp pit being one of them. lake force being another clemson and syracuse definitely buying for chances so i think those are big

wins that each of those you know schools mentioned certainly need to have as we're gearing up for the ac c tournament the auto bid is feeling more and more crucial for some of our programs the ncdbillate tournament is feeling more and more unlikely for some and that's sad because we know how good our conference is but apparently we just swallow each other up well uh that's a yeah that's that's my god this way can't be chill with men because it's just no i didn't okay whatever whatever anyway what i was what i was going to say was that's a very apt description of what's happened here and and how the national media looks at us because now people are saying that wait for us piss down their leg late and it's like they've lost to some good teams you know oh well

if they pissed down their leg then that means the pit also isn't good and it's like come on let's stop this. Let's stop this justifying the teams are bad because, again, y'all need to start gaming the system like the Big 12, though. Play the island of Misfit Toys University, beat them by 25 and then keep it pushing. 100% agree. All right, guys, make sure you come back tomorrow as we go over and recap the game is mentioned here on today's show, and then we'll have some more football updates for you. You'll maybe talk a little combine who stood out for us that we've been known we're stars that you should keep an eye out if you want to see them on your NFL team.

For Canis Cooper and Kenton Gibbs, until next time.