Locked On ACC - Daily College Football & Basketball Podcast - ACC SQUAD - What Analysts Say About the ACC Championship Game

Episode Date: December 4, 2025

ACC faces a College Football Playoff doomsday scenario as Duke battles Virginia for the conference championship. Can Virginia secure a spot for the league, or will Duke’s upset spark debate about the ACC’s status among Power conferences? The discussion shifts to predictions for Duke vs. Virginia, evaluating Darian Mensah’s quarterback performance, defensive weaknesses, and championship stakes. The hosts also analyze the ACC’s surprising dominance in the ACC-SEC basketball challenge, spotlighting Syracuse’s gritty upset of Tennessee and North Carolina’s win at Kentucky. Is the ACC finally poised for national respect? Get expert insights on football chaos, playoff implications, and the basketball resurgence that could reshape conference reputation. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If the ACC wants any sort of representation in the college football playoff, the Duke Blue Devils are going to have to take one on the chin, and Virginia's got to win this championship on Saturday. You're talking ball with the ACC squad. From Florida State to North Carolina, from Syracuse to Miami, and from NC State to California, it's the local experts of the Locked-on Podcast Network, bringing you scoops, breakdowns,

and the most comprehensive preview of the upcoming ACC weekend. Hang on, it could get loud, it could get heated, and it will definitely be fun. Squad up, you're part of the ACC Squad. Hey there, what's up? Happy Thursday. Welcome into the ACC Squad show, all part of the Locked-on Podcast Network. Now, the number one, the number one sports podcast network. There is in the entirety of this globe that we call Earth.

It's great to be together. We got a great quartet today. Jackson Holzer from Locked on Syracuse. Kenton Gibbs from Locked on Wolfpack and JJ Jackson from locked on Blue Devils. I'm Isaac Shade from locked on tar heels. So we got some triangle and we brought in the dude from New York as well. Going to be a great show today. A lot of fun.

Here's where we're headed. And we want to thank you every dayers for joining us as we do so. We got to talk about the potential doomsday scenario that might befall our fair conference on Saturday. Then we'll actually preview the championship game between Duke and Virginia. match from back on November 15th. And then finally, we'll wrap up by talking about the ACC SEC SEC challenge, which at least on night one, the ACC showed themselves to be much better this year. Thank goodness. My word. Boys, here it is. Let me lay it out and then we'll unpack this potential doomsday scenario. We've got Virginia. We've got Duke Saturday in the championship game.

If Virginia wins, we should be good. If Duke wins this championship game, guaranteed to be behind four of the other conference champions, SEC Big Ten, Big 12, and whoever wins the American, because they're both ranked already, and then assuming that JMU wins the Sunbelt, that would put Duke as the ACC champ at best sixth. And then there's also the assumption that Miami is not going to be able

to vault all the way up to that 10th spot in the CFP rankings, which would be that final at-large bid. Boys, are we looking at a doomsday situation here? Who wants to buy the first round? Let me jump in at this. I mean, I thought for a moment, I would get a chance to celebrate Duke actually being in the ACC title. And immediately, it's, wait, what if they win? And I'm like, let's play this game first, excited to be here type vibes with Duke football after losing to Virginia a few weeks ago, a chance to avenge the loss, all the things. And now it's just pressure mounting to not win this game so the ACC can benefit from this. where is the fun in that for Duke?

We haven't won the ACC and football since 1989, fellas. Yeah, the, I'm sorry, JJ. I mean, we got to congratulate Duke. I mean, you went six and two in the conference. I mean, congratulations. But at the end of the day, yeah, we need you to lose. We need you to really, really, like, I don't care if it's a one point loss, a two point, you know, 10 point. We need Duke to lose because the ACC is quite literally one game.

away from being the most unsurious power conference out there so much so that if Duke were to win the conference and there's going to be no ACC teams in the college football playoff, you can no longer consider the ACC a power conference in football. It would become the power three, which would really be power two plus big 12 and the group of six. And the ACC would be right there in the group of six because how could we sit here and say we are better than the American or we are better than the Sunbelt if we can't get a team in the college football playout. If our conference champion is a 7 and 5 team in the regular season. Oh, by the way, the other representative is Virginia, who's 6 and 2 in the conference. Oh, wait, they're really

six and three in the conference, but one of those games doesn't count. This is just ridiculous right now. This football conference this year, it's kind of like basketball last year, where can we just like wipe it away from our memory and pretend it never happened. No. No, we shouldn't. This is not an ACC football problem. This is a committee problem. We are sitting here arguing amongst ourselves about whether or not the ACC is good

or whether or not we're a group of six team or a power four team here because the committee has decided, well, you know what? So what that the head to head means that Miami is. the better team when them and Notre Dame lined it up. Well, Notre Dame has better losses. One of them is too many. This is the type of stuff. This is the type of stuff.

Donnell gave me this fact recently, and I could not believe it. 13 times since the playoffs have started, have we seen two teams with a head-to-head game be bumping up against each other, head-to-head same record bumping up. against each other each and every one of the 12 before this one before this one the team that won the head to head was ranked in front every single time except this one so it's not an acc problem now the acc problem is our tiebreaker because duke not beating any of the other two lost teams

and still getting in is a problem the fact that duke gets in and benefits from the conference records of their opponents, even though the opponents that are pushing their opponent conference record up the most, they lost to both of them. That is abysmal. That is foolish. That is on the ACC. But the idea that we have no teams that are worthy is foolishness. Because both of those eight-win teams in Louisville and SMU that are all so terrible, both of those teams have better wins than SEC teams that were ranked all year long. All year long. We had an SEC team be ranked this year without beating a single team in the power forward with a winning record. So this is not an ACC problem as Jackson would like to posit it.

This is a committee problem. I don't have sympathy for teams on the bubble. I think two things can be true here. I do think that Miami should be ahead of Notre Dame. They beat them head to head. I don't care where it was played. They beat them. They have identical records.

They should be ahead of Notre Dame. They are the better team. but I don't have sympathy for teams that are on the bubble because at the end of the day, when you put yourself in a position where you're in the bubble, you could get screwed. And it goes both ways. We saw last year in basketball, March Madness with North Carolina, they were squarely on the bubble. We did not know if they were going to make March Madness or not. They made it.

And it benefited the ACC. They made it. And you know what I said here? I said, you know, good for Carolina. They got in. But quite frankly, when you're on the bubble. I don't have sympathy for teams that don't get in. Because you can win more games and not put yourself in the conversation as to whether or not,

you know, we should be a team that gets in or we shouldn't get in, whatever the case may be. You know, Miami had ample opportunity, ample opportunity this season. All they had to do was beat one of Louisville or SMU. We're not having this conversation. They're playing for an ACC championship. they are squarely in the college football playoff. Instead, they lost. They lost twice.

And so even though, again, two things can be true. They should be ahead of Notre Dame. The committee is at fault for this, and it sucks that the committee is doing this. At the end of the day, the committee is run by human beings. Human beings are going to make mistakes. You know what? Maybe don't put yourself in position to have human beings make mistakes and instead win more games. and we're not having this conversation.

Period. No sympathy for Miami. Your fault. Win more games next time. You cannot use the just win your game justification when two teams have the same amount of wins, Jackson. We are not asking for a seven win Miami to get in. We're asking for a 10 and 2 Miami. And this is my problem.

This is my biggest problem with so many ACC fans. Because SEC fans, it could be the. the worst team. It could be a biggest rival. They bed together when it's time for one of them to get dropped off or get added in. We are looking at all of these coincidences that only happened to the ACC. There was only one Power 4 conference that has had an undefeated team not make the playoff since the playoffs started. Guess which conference that was, Jackson? And now we're looking at another coincidence where every single Power 4 team that's been next to somebody that they've had ahead to head with has been ahead, except the ACC. And you're going to sit here and suggest

when your game. The committee already showed it's not enough. It's not enough to just win your game. And people like you will keep saying, well, just do more when we've already seen. Undefeated ain't enough in ACC. That was a 14 playoff. And Miami got screwed. And you know what? They're on the bubble. They're on the bubble. I have, I don't care if it's an ACC team, an SEC team. I was saying this about BAMO last year, too, when they could get in the playoff or not. It doesn't matter to me.

I don't care about the conference or the team. All I care about is you are on the bubble. That's your problem. Okay, you're on the bubble and you're allowing these decision makers to make decisions. That's your problem. You could have done more. All Miami had to do was beat one of Louisville or SMU. We're not having this conversation.

But here we are. And they're not even playing for an ACC title, which by the way, might be a group of six. now. So no sympathy for them. It's their problem. When more game, last year they went 10 and two in the regular season. They didn't make the college football playoff. They went 10 and two again this year. They're not going to make the college football playoff. Go 11 and 1. I'm never. And guess what? I'm never opposed to a three lost team, a team that lost a quarter of their games sitting out. Even Miami last year, was I beating the table? Miami needs to be it. Miami needs to be it. I said there should be a

conversation, but I'm okay with Miami being out because the resume did not justify. This is common sense. And we're meeting common sense with, don't be on the bubble. That's all you got to do. Just don't be on the bubble, everybody. Everybody go undefeated and you'll be okay. Texas, no, Oregon, no, Ole Miss, no, Texas, and I'm not. But again, but again, we are seeing things that the rules only apply to the ACC

in these situations. and the answer is don't be on the bubble. We are seeing Jordan Travis losing your quarterback means that you're not, you drop at least one spot. Well, how many damn spots is a head coach and the offensive coordinator for? Asking for everybody that's looking at Ole Miss right now. How much is that worth? Oh, oh, it's worth nothing because they're not in the ACC.

That is my problem. Everybody's rules that pull teams up or down only apply to the ACC. And your answer is, don't be on the bubble, guys. Don't be on the bubble. That's the solution. And JJ, I want to know why is Alabama getting off the hook here when one of their losses is to a under 500 FSU team? At least these two losses where Miami are to Louisville by three points and at SMU by sit. Like how does Alabama get a pass here?

Yeah, it doesn't make much sense because at some point brand recognition, you would think Miami's got to mean something in the football world. But with what Alabama has been able to do, clearly they're getting the benefit. of that. Yeah, it's kind of bogus that Miami has ended up in this position. I'm passionate about this as well, maybe not quite to the level that my guy, KG is here. But when Miami does want ahead to head football game over Notre Dame, that's clearly got to count for something. And here's the other thing, too, even if they, even if they went up one ahead of, like if Notre Dame was 12, Miami would still be 11 and still would need to get up one spot above BYU or Alabama or somebody to have an at large status. And so like I think that's

the problem here. And as you look ahead to championship weekend, who's going to like what two teams are going to lose and fall beneath Miami. And then you get into the whole argument for, well, should you really fall after you lose in a championship game? No. I can I say no. And so it's kind of like we're locked in here and Miami's not going to go anywhere. Boys, any other things on this before we ultimately get to the, to the break? Alabama's dead in a pass because they won at Georgia. That's the, they have the most impressive win over all the other 10 and two teams. And so if you look at, yes, their loss also to Florida State was awful,

but they're getting the pass because they have the most impressive win out of anyone, which is winning at Georgia. Miami's best win was a home game against Notre Dame. Sure, which is a great win. Bama has the best. Bama has Notre Dame beat. Bama has Miami beat as well. Bama is playing in the SEC championship game.

To me, it's not really a conversation with Alabama. It's more about Notre Dame and Miami. And again, I think that Miami got screwed and they should be ahead of Notre Dame simply because they beat Notre Dame, but I'm not going to repeat myself. You all already know what I think about it. All right, boys, we need to actually talk about this championship game because it all might be a moot point if Virginia ultimately wins.

So that's where we're going to go next. Virginia, Duke, Saturday night on ABC and Charlotte. We'll get to that coming up here in just a second. Right after I tell you about R of frames, the holidays, you guys, they're officially here, which means gift hunting season, is on and if you want something meaningful and personal and guaranteed to get a reaction aura frames is the gift that delivers every single time it's not just something you wrap it's a way to share memories because aura isn't your average picture frame you can preload this frame

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Here we go. We got to get ready for this football game that we've got coming up on Saturday night. Duke versus number 17, Virginia, 8 p.m. Eastern on ABC at Bank of America Stadium there in Charlotte, Virginia favored by just three and a half at Fandle, which seems interesting to me, given that Virginia back on November 15th, doubled up Duke, and it wasn't even really quite that close. JJ, I want to come to you as one of the combatants in this game. As you look at it, as you started to prepare for it, What in your mind are one or two of the biggest storylines in this game? Yeah, I mean, again, for both of these teams, how historic it is that it's Duke and Virginia playing for an ACC championship in football.

We've seen some run-ins in the last decade plus on the hardwood and the basketball side of things with these teams. But what we're seeing on the football field with Duke and Virginia is certainly noteworthy. For Duke, a chance to just avenge their worst performance in conference play this season at home. Virginia came into Wallace Wade Stadium, had a 31 to 3 lead over the Blue Devils at the start of the fourth quarter before Duke was able to get a few touchdowns there in the fourth to pretty up the score a little bit. It was one of the least productive outings for Darian Minza at the quarterback spot. I think it starts and ends there with how well he performs and kind of this matchup going up against Virginia. up. So, Kenton, as you think about this thing and you look back to these teams that played just a couple weeks ago here, right. How hard is it or Virginia? You know, you often talk about like in basketball.

If you play a team twice in the regular season and then play them again in the conference tournament, how hard is it in football when you already know each other really well? Is this harder on the team that won it last time or is it harder on Duke of like, oh, crap, we got shellac. What do we do now? It's much harder on Virginia, and it's not particularly close. Let me explain to you why. A lot of people say it's hard to beat the team twice and all that, but I think it goes a little bit. It goes into the idea of this.

You did it and it worked last time. So now they're developing counters for what worked for you. What do you develop counters for? This was not, the score to this game made it look closer than it was. This was not a game that you looked at at most of it and was like, oh yeah, Duke's got a shot in this one. So I say that to say, Duke is in a position where they're like, okay, we've taken your best shot. We know what your best punch feels like, as opposed to Virginia, who, I mean, I would have to agree with JJ.

I had not seen Darian Minster in that passing game be as off kilter as they were against Virginia all season long. So ultimately, you look at that aspect of it. And I'd hate to say it, but geographically, geographically, Duke fans got to travel about two hours to get from Durham, to Charlotte. And from Charlottesville to Charlotte is about, what, four and a half or some along those lines. So it's, there are multiple factors here that work in Duke's favor.

The only problem is I just think this is Virginia's year. I think this is just Virginia's year to get it done. But I do think that Duke has, I mean, all of the things are working for them, but it seems like the universe is finally paying Tony Elliott some kindness for everything that he's been through since his first dead head coach at UVA. Jackson, I know for Syracuse, they played Duke.

They didn't face Virginia this year. It was the beginning of the end, if we're being honest for the orange this season. What did you take away from that game? And what are you looking forward to on Saturday? Well, aside from the Syracuse stuff, I think that Duke's offense is going to bounce back. I think they're going to be better this game against Virginia than they were a few weeks ago. my question about Duke, and it doesn't really apply to Syracuse because Syracuse's offense was pretty pathetic.

Walk on for a freshman. That's putting it kindly. I am being very nice. Can Duke stop anybody? That's what I want to know. Can Duke stop anyone? Because if they can't stop anyone, then they're going to have to try to win this game like they did against Clemson, 46, 45. Because I'm looking at Duke right now and the amount of points that they have led up since October 18th, by the way.

That was the last time I believe, wait, never mind. The last time that Duke allowed less than 30 points, not counting a game against North Carolina, they allowed 25 in. And North Carolina's offense is pretty pathetic. I mean, their point totals they've allowed, 45 to Clemson, 37 a Yukon, 34 to Virginia, 25 to North Carolina, and 32 to wait fours. Like, is this team going to stop anyone?

They're currently barely inside the top 100 nationally and points allowed per game. They are 111th and yours allowed per game. So what's Duke's game plan here to stop Virginia? What is it? I want to know myself, Jackson, because the defense has not been great, to your point, there have been several injuries on that side of the ball

that have impacted Duke down the stretch, particularly in the linebacker position. It started two weeks into the season when Nick Morris gets injured and he's been out for the rest of the year. But it starts at the front with VJ. Anthony and Wesley Williams. Can they get after Chandler Morris and make his life difficult, then trust on the back end of the secondary

to get the job done and perform. Because if the defense isn't stopping anybody and if you get the offense that you saw against Virginia the first time around, then Duke's got no shot in this. The problem in that game, offensively speaking, was the inaccuracies of Darian Mintsa,

which we did not see throughout the course of the year. Interestingly enough, in ACC play, Darian Minsa was never intercepted. He took care of the football. There were a few fumbles that he had an ACC play, but his interceptions all happened to non-conference play, and that's, you know, the earlier conversation we had about the losses piling up and Duke not being in the CFP position that they are.

But for the most part, he's taken care of the football. ACC defenses haven't been able to stop him at all. It's been him stopping himself by not hitting receivers in open spots and that sort of thing. So, yeah, definite key to the game, figure out of what. to get some form of spark defensively and hope that Dary and Mentsa is firing on all cylinders, because if he is, it's been proven no one in this conference is stopping him in this offense. I think we need to give Virginia's defense a little love and respect here. I really and truly do because first half of the season, they did not,

and this is a very interesting fact here, despite playing of multiple teams that are on the bottom of the ACC in terms of, of overall, they did not hold a single, not one, power 14, under 20 points. NC State, they allow 35, Stanford, they allow 20. Florida State, they allowed 38. Louisville, they allowed 27. And then you look at the second half of the season. And if you use that 20 as your bar, they only allow 20 or more to Washington State and Cal.

North Carolina, they allowed 16 points. Way Forest, even in a loss, allowed 16. against Duke, 17, against Virginia Tech, seven. So their defense has done an absolutely fantastic job coming on in this second half of the season. This was Dary Minster's worst performance in the ACC, but it wasn't 100% just Duke having some misses where it's like, oh, man, what's going on here? You know, Virginia has also ramped up the intensity massively from where they started to season. All right, boys, we need to make predictions on this football game, which, by the way,

If you remember back in August our show, our ACC squad show right before the season started and we made predictions about who would be playing in this game. It was all sorts of Miami's and Clemsons and Louisville's Florida. I think we might have even gotten to Florida State in there. No. Here we sit, Virginia and Duke, as everybody anticipated, right? Well, that's exactly what I said in the preseason. Go back and check the tape. Unless you doctored it in some.

sort of AI way. Jackson, there ain't no chance, a snowball's chance, and you know where that that's the reality of this thing. Jackson, while you're on it, make a prediction. Three and a half points spread in favor of the cabs. That's a great line because I'm picking Virginia 35-31.

Just barely. Kent and Gibbs. I've got Virginia winning this game and I've got to win another one handily. Something tells me, and I hope I'm wrong, but something tells me this ends up being a very big ref show in Virginia's favor. Again, I hope I'm wrong.

I hope that this does not happen. I sincerely do. I really do. But something tells me ACC Dooms Day will not happen. I've got Virginia in this one 27 to 17. All right. Let me make my prediction next so that JJ can get the last word. I'm also going to go.

Apologies, JJ, with Virginia on the win here. I'm going 3524, a couple positions. session win there for the calves to, as Kenton said, avoid the potential doomsday scenario. Because let's be honest, James Madison ain't losing Detroit. That's a 23 and a half point game right there. JJ Jackson, you get the final word on predictions, my guy. Well, I'm the optimist. And I promise that I'm going to be picking Duke football to win this game and win their first ACC title since 1989. And I think they'll win it pretty comfortably. Let me go 4127 in favor of Duke. I think they're going to.

to show up. I think they're going to be so motivated that they're getting this opportunity to make a statement. The defense is hearing these comments that we're making. And then they're going to be scoreboard watching to see what the scenario looks like. Guys like Isaac said, we're Troy Trojans fans in Durham, North Carolina. And then what about the Mountain West? I mean, we got to keep our eyes. Is it possible an 11 and 2 UNLV team would get in over Duke? I think we got to be Boise State. Broncos fans to knock off UNLV. I mean, I'm going for all the chaos. I'm going for a scenario in which Duke can win the ACC and try to claim the spot in the

college football playoff. There you have it, fellas. I don't. Honestly, I'm here for the chaos. I would love it. You know, if Duke wins the conference and somehow, you know, JMU decides to trip over itself and lose to Troy, sure. That's great.

That's good for the ACC. I don't think that's going to happen, though. That's probably not a good idea, which is what Kenton said. about, you know, ACC officiating. Maybe we let it slide for this game and we just, you know, nudge it for Virginia a little bit. You know, JJ's just getting dumped on. Just dumped on.

50-50 call goes to Virginia. Okay, well, we'll call all the obvious, but 50-50 to Virginia. You know, I think this is a game where we're not going to get an inside look into the replay center there at ACC head go, right? They're not going to show us the inner work games. Do you want integrity or do you want the money? You pick ACC. It's your call here.

Oh, my goodness. All right. The question is going to be. Go ahead. Go ahead. Oh, you're good. I was going to close it up. All right.

All right. All I was going to say there. You got it, man. My delay is too bad. My internet is pulling a dot pitch. You're good, brother. Rock out. ACC SEC Challenge is going on.

We're recording this on Wednesday just before the games tip off. But we do have Tuesday's results. And the ACC, has already tripled their win total from last year. We'll talk about that coming up to wrap the show in just a second. Right after I'd tell you about Fandle, you guys, NFL Sundays move fast. One big play and suddenly everything feels different. That's what makes live betting with Fandul so exciting.

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Player props update as a player gets hot. You can bet net touchdown scores, drive results, totals, and more to keep you locked into every snap, every drive, every possibility. We're about to talk ACC basketball. How about some regular season champion odds? JJ's blue doubles lead the way at plus 120, followed by Dalton Pence, is Louisville Cardinals at plus 180, Clemson, North Carolina, tied for third at plus 1,200,

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other is Tuesday night. The ACC won six of the nine matchups, including multiple underdogs winning. Jackson Holzers, Syracuse Orange, was probably the biggest one of the night for the ACC knocking off Tennessee there. So Jackson, let's start with you. What is, what, like, Syracuse showed some of this during Feast Week. How did it all culminate in beating the on Tuesday night. They mucked it up. That's what they did. It was a very, if you watch that game, it was not the prettiest work of basketball

here. There were a lot of turnovers on either side, a lot of missed shots. Quite frankly, it was a very clunky game. But Syracuse just kind of hung around. In fact, they at one point in the second half, they were really the first team to go on a run. they were the first team that got up, you know, eight, nine points. Because throughout that game, it was trading a basket here, trading a basket there.

You thought that might be a momentum up. Nope, you turned it over. We're going to go the other end and we're going to miss the layup and we're going to miss the line. Here's the foul. Oh, by the way, both teams, I mean, Tennessee might have gotten Syracuse's free throwitis. Both teams could not make a free throw in this game either. It was, it was an ugly game. but at the same time, it kind of plays into Syracuse's identity.

The way I look at Syracuse right now and how they have played through eight games is they kind of built a team sort of how Houston likes to play, which coincidentally was the team they took to overtime out in Vegas. They're not going to be the prettiest of teams. Their half-court offense oftentimes is going to look stagnant, but they're going to be ferocious on defense. They're going to cause turnovers. And so aside from one half against Iowa State, which we don't talk about, it allows them to be competitive against teams where you would think they have more talent in.

And Tennessee, in my opinion, does have more talent in Syracuse. But you're on your home floor. You play great defense. The crowd gets involved. You're the first team that goes on a run. William Kyle at the end of the game actually hits a free throw. And next thing you know, it's so ugly. It went in.

It doesn't matter. It went in. the next thing you know, you got yourself a nice victory. You can put that non-conference win in your back pocket. And you can say to the world that the ACC is a much stronger conference than it was a year ago, which benefits everyone because now every team has an opportunity to get big wins when conference play happens. A couple other big ACC underdogs that got wins on Tuesday night. Miami just blitzed Ole Miss.

My goodness. They were up like 21 at one point, North Carolina. line of goes and wins at Rupp Arena, an ugly offensive game where Kentucky went through a 10 minute stretch without a field goal, crazy, crazy stuff. But JJ, Duke at home against the reigning national champions. What was nearly the national championship game last year, we'll just leave that there. Duke, like had this game nearly lost it, but Isaiah Evans comes through. Yeah, Showtime Slim, hit him with the signature celebration when he knocked it down with the under 20 seconds left to play.

You mentioned it, Isaac. Duke had a 15-point lead in the first half, was doing everything possible to control that game. The size of Florida overwhelmed Duke for a little bit until Malik Brown came in, along with Cameron Boozer and Patrick Gongba. First time this season, John Chiron Chiron, has played all three bigs together to match the size of Florida. And then Cameron Boozer, man, 29 points as a freshman, did everything to help Will. this Duke team to a victory. And then, yeah, the three-point shot to win at the end.

What an impressive win. Back-to-back wins for Duke in the ACCCCC Challenge. Just Duke and Clemson were the only teams to get wins last year for the conference. So I'm thrilled to already see us having tripled the win total from a year ago. And obviously all of you listening and watching this, you know how the finals play out what happened on Wednesday night. If the ACC was able to get two or three wins to either tie or win this thing. We don't know it as we, listen to or watch it in real time. But here's the frustrating thing for me, fellas. As I was prepping for the ACC SEC SEC challenge and KG, I want to come to you with this.

In the ACC preseason poll, the top eight ACC teams were Duke, Louisville, North Carolina, NC State, Virginia, SMU, Clemson, and Miami. Other than Duke, the other top eight or the other seven of the top eight ACC teams were all on the road in this event. how does that happen to our conference? And so you look at that, KG, obviously, NC State on the road, down on the plains at Auburn, a game that JJ went to, I guess, as everybody listens to or watches that. KG, what do you make of that in terms of the ACC trying to win this event when their top teams are all on the road?

Well, who puts this thing on every year? What station? What, can somebody help you out here? It rotates every year. This is a rotation. Yes, P. Oh, okay. I was just making sure.

I was just making sure. But either way, you kind of a slice it. And so all of these teams, so it was a majority home games for the ACC last year when all of these teams were terrible. The ACC. Is that what I'm here? It didn't matter.

I know, but I'm saying. It was all, it was all game. But see, see, this is, Jackson, this is my problem with you. Nothing ever matters, regardless of how we could tie every ACC team's left end. behind their back. We could talk, we could sit here and say, Dary Williams, it's illegal to dribble with your left hand. Now, and you would say, NC State should have just won the game. I don't know

what your problem is. We kick bulls around for breathing wrong. So what? Duke should have just won the game. Kaya and Anthony, we don't like his dad. We're going to pick him out. Win the game. There are objective things happening that are not okay. All of the ACC being on the road when we finally have legitimate coaches is not okay. That should not be a thing. At minimum, we should say, all right, let's go through and each one home away, home away, home away. That way, you can't make a complaint about, oh, well, we've got our one match up against their six or anything like that. No, no, we match you up by levels and we get each one. This year, y'all one gets home. next year, y'all get the odds at home.

That's how it should be, Jackson. That would make sense. But I get it, Jackson. They could play us with five players only, just win the game. Hey, look. Let me put a thorn in. North Carolina go on the road and win. They did, but North Carolina was at home.

North Carolina was at home each of the last two years. So they don't just straight flip flopping. Carolina hosted Tennessee, hosted Alabama. I thought they flip flop every year. I'm not going to lie to you. So that's a mistake. You know what? At the end of the day, look, North Carolina was on the road going to Kentucky.

What did they do? They backdoored their way into a victory. Okay, they won. Miami, weren't they top eight preseason poll? Yeah. What did they do at Ole Miss? Spanked them. Thank you.

Are you not allowed to win games on the road? Isn't that what good teams are supposed to do? Are you supposed to beat teams that are on the road? This is good for the ACC. We're going to sit here and now complain about how the schedule is made. I can't sit here and complain about the committee and complain about ESPN and how they do the scheduling all the time. At the end of the day, can we just focus on who's winning, who's losing, why are they winning, why are they losing? And talk about that stuff instead of, well, you know, before the season, they said, you know, the preseason top eight teams, they got to go on the road.

and that they're trying to screw over the ACC. Well, guess what? They tried to screw over the ACC on Wednesday. It didn't freaking work because North Carolina went on the road. They won and got an impressive victory. You can go check out Locked up Kentucky. They're all panicking over there in Kentucky. It's hilarious right now what's going on there.

Miami, which is a brand new team, brand new coach, go into Ole Miss and absolutely spanked them. Syracuse was at home against a team that should have probably beat them and said, you know what? We're going to get ourselves a signature win early in the season. We don't care that we're playing Tennessee for the third year in a row. Third year in a row, we're playing Tennessee. Guess what?

Who cares? And the JMA Wireless Dome had nothing to do with that. Who cares? Who cares? Go ahead and beat them anyway. What difference does it make? Just win the game. Win.

I'm tired of the excuses here about the conference and trying to screw us over. Like, win. Look, at the end of the day, yeah, you got to win games. I've heard that somewhere before. JJ, here's the truth. What did Todd Golden say after this game? How many points better than Duke do you have to be to win at Cameron? 10.

He said, you know, the whistles go in Florida's direction or in Duke's direction at home on the floor there. But, yeah, Duke got the win. That's all like Jackson. I see a win at the end of the day. I see a win. It's a win. Keep crying. Like, keep crying, keep celebrating, whatever.

Did you win? did you lose? Was it the restful? I don't, it doesn't matter. And that's good. Look, the, the wins are massive. And, and ultimately, too, here's the other thing for me. I just want, as if the ACC wins this event, which again, as we record, we don't know. I want the praise for the ACC to be as loud as the hate was last year. And I know the, the margin of victory or whatever isn't going to be as big. But like, we just can't continue to like, oh, well, here's why this happened to the SEC. Like, that's what's going to infatio. Like that's what's going to infuriate me with it all is like just if the ACC is better,

can we just admit that the ACC is better? That's all I need to hear from national media. You know what? And guess what? If on Wednesday night, we're recording this before the games actually start, if the ACC ends up winning this challenge, you'll hear me next week say the ACC is better this year. They won the challenge.

I don't care about home road splits. They won the challenge. They are the better conference this year. So when we're comparing resumes come March and I hope that they do this, guess what? you know what the ac c was a better conference yeah yeah absolutely i'm not going to be complaining about a little an ac c team until an acc team is on the bubble and they get put out for an cc team that they're better than then you know what jackson's going to tell us all just beyond the game even if you beat the team he's just going to say win for games that'll be

my dad last night asked me what if syracuse is on the bubble this year and I said to him, if Syracuse is on the bubble this year and they don't make it, I will say the same thing. I will say, you know what? Syracuse, you did it to yourself. You could have just won against Houston in overtime. If you beat Houston in overtime, you're not going to be on the bubble. He should have won that game.

Yeah, you probably should have won that game. You would have been nice to have that in your back pocket, so I don't want to hear about the bubble. Don't be on the bubble. All right. It's clear and obvious. The ACC is definitely better this year. How much better?

that still remains to be seen. Really good stuff. It's been great to be together. I love all the back and forth. And I think our new mantra of the show is hashtag just win games. Let it stamp forever more. For Jackson Holtzor from Lockedon, Syracuse, Kenton Gibbs from Lockdown Wolfpack, JJ Jackson from Lockedon Blue Devils, I'm Isaac Shade, the host of Lockdown, Tar Heels.

Thank you all so much for being here with us on Lockdown ACC Squad Show, making it your first listen or watch of the day. and also want to thank all of you for making the Lockdown Network the number one sports podcast network there is. We cannot tell you how much that means to all of us that all of you come hang out with us. It's incredible, and we do not take that for granted. Well, you guys will be back with you again next week.

We'll obviously have all the breakdowns from the ACC championship game. We will know if the ACC has a team in the CFP or not. Lots to come on that, I'm sure. Make plans to be back with us then. We'll have more basketball and all sorts of great. stuff but for now ac c squad show we out peace