Locked On ACC - Daily College Football & Basketball Podcast - ACC Week One Predictions, Clemson Upset Alert? - ACC Squad

Episode Date: August 29, 2024

Welcome to the inaugural episode of ACC Squad, your ultimate roundtable podcast for all things Atlantic Coast Conference! Hosted by Alex Donno from Locked On ACC, this week’s episode dives deep into the season preview for ACC schools, featuring expert insights and predictions from the top Locked On hosts. Join us as we break down the key matchups, highlight standout players, and discuss what to expect from each team this season. Whether you're rooting for the Boston College Eagles, Clemson Tigers, Duke Blue Devils, Florida State Seminoles, Louisville Cardinals, Miami Hurricanes, NC State Wolfpack, North Carolina Tar Heels, Syracuse Orange, California Golden Bears, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Pittsburgh Panthers, SMU Mustangs, Stanford Cardinal, Virginia Cavaliers, Virginia Tech Hokies, or Wake Forest Demon Deacons, this episode has you covered! In This Episode: Boston College Eagles Clemson Tigers Duke Blue Devils Florida State Seminoles Louisville Cardinals Miami Hurricanes NC State Wolfpack North Carolina Tar Heels Syracuse Orange California Golden Bears Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Pittsburgh Panthers SMU Mustangs Stanford Cardinal Virginia Cavaliers Virginia Tech Hokies Wake Forest Demon Deacons Don’t miss out on all the action! Hit that subscribe button and ring the bell to stay updated with the latest episodes of ACC Squad. Share your thoughts in the comments and let us know which team you’re rooting for this season! #ACCSquad #ACCFootball #LockedOnACC #CollegeFootballPreview #ACC2024 #FootballPredictions #BostonCollegeEagles #ClemsonTigers #DukeBlueDevils #FloridaStateSeminoles #LouisvilleCardinals #MiamiHurricanes #NCStateWolfpack #NorthCarolinaTarHeels #SyracuseOrange #CaliforniaGoldenBears #GeorgiaTechYellowJackets #PittsburghPanthers #SMUMustangs #StanfordCardinal #VirginiaCavaliers #VirginiaTechHokies #WakeForestDemonDeacons Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Can Clemson upset the number one team in the country and put the ACC back on the map? It's time to get the squad together. You are locked on ACC, your daily podcast on the Atlantic Coast Conference. Part of the Locked on podcast network, your team every day. Welcome to the ACC squad. Sit back, grab your favorite beverage and join us as we get you ready for another wild week across the ACC. We already had a wild week zero. I don't know what else is to come in week one. I am Alex Dono from Locked on Caines. We got Brian Smith from Lockedon Seminels.

I know he's having a busy week already. Kenton Gibbs and Grayson Boone from Locked on Wolfpack, Jackson Holzer from Locked on Syracuse is here. And Brian, I'm going to let you simmer here for a second because we're going to get to Florida State against Boston College this weekend after, of course, Florida State 0 and 1 after fallout of Georgia Tech in Dublin. But Kenton, I want to start with you on the opportunity. that the Clemson Tigers have this weekend.

It's not a conference game, but it's arguably the biggest game on the schedule. Week one, when the 14th ranked Tigers take on the top ranked Georgia Bulldogs, Aflack kickoff in Atlanta, and Georgia, two touchdown favorites, essentially, 13 and a half-point favorites in this one, Kenton. What do the tigers have to do to keep this thing close,

give themselves a chance to win this thing? You know, everybody keeps talking about, oh, the Tigers need to put the ACC on their back. They need to put the ACC. The Tigers need to put the Tigers on their damn back in this one. Let me tell you something. Forget everybody else in ACC. This is about Clemson's national relevance.

Point blank, period. If this game is not close, you have no excuse, you have no reasoning. You're bringing back the head coach. You're bringing back the quarterback. You're bringing back the offensive coordinator. Three things in continuity that a lot of teams in college football cannot say. I don't think that anybody else is on this spot. podcast right now's team can say that. Syracuse has a new head coach. Wolfpack have a new

quarterback. The nose have a new quarterback. What are we going to do here? Same thing for Miami with Cam Ward. So if Clemson goes out there and gets whipped on, that's going to be a problem. But in terms of what can they do, the thing is this. It's going to be this simple. Let Garrett cook. You have to let Garrett Riley cook up his offense. You didn't bring him here to run Clemson's offense, Davo. If that was the case, you could have got any idiot who plays college football 25 to do it. Because they already have the offense, just mash the buttons and let it rock. You need to let him be himself.

Let him be a guy that can find a way to out-scheme Georgia because you're not going to out-athlete, Georgia. I highly doubt that you're going to out-physical Georgia up front. You need to out-scheme him. And that means letting Gary go and not putting reins on him and saying, you've got to do things in the Clemson Way. Because as we've seen, the Clemson Way is declining in this new world of college football. Well, I want folks to know before we continue, we're going to be getting the squad together every single week.

And on this episode, we are going to give our predictions for all the big and even the not-so-big games involving ACC teams this weekend, because you have a mixed bag of both, right? we're going to talk about the conference now being, I think, wide open with Florida State off doing 0-and-1 start and showing some weaknesses, I thought in that opening game. We'll get more into that. But, you know, Jackson, this is, again, an opportunity for the Clemson Tigers this weekend. I was saying on our most recent episode of Lockdown ACC with Kenton that I really think Clemson is going to have to win the turnover margin, probably at at least a plus two clip in order to win this football game. what else has to happen for Clemson to get it done. Alex, how much do you believe in Kate Klubnik?

Very little. All right, then they don't have much of a chance. In your world, they have not much of a chance. If you are going to beat a team like Georgia, all right, number one team in the country, you need a special, special performance from your quarterback, period. End of story. I know that Georgia's got better athletes,

but Clemson is a top 15 team in the country. They're led by Davos Sweeney. They've won a couple of national championships. I don't want to hear about the athlete excuse. I don't want to hear it because Clemson has athletes. It comes down to Kay Klubnik. Is he going to take a jump or is he not? I guess we're going to find out.

Grayson, any faith that Clubnik, I mean, to hit, I'll say one thing, stability, right, heading into another full season as Clemson's starting quarterback. Does he make that jump this year? I do think you are going to see at least an incremental jump. because the sentiment is a lot of times that first year quarterbacks in a new system with the new offensive coordinator, sometimes you'll see struggle. So Garrett Riley, being the offensive wizard that he is, I think a second year with Klobnik will provide a lot of benefit.

But Dono, I echo what you said. I too am not a big believer in Kade Klobnik. He's certainly going to have his work cut out for him against his Georgia defense. I think Phil Mafa is going to have a really tough time picking up those hard-nosed yards against this Georgia defense. Clemson's air attack that is going to be relying very heavily on some relative. younger, inexperienced wide receivers, that does not sound like a recipe for success against the Bulldog. So I too, I'm looking at this game. I'm not having a whole lot of fade for the Tigers,

but, you know, like you mentioned, that turnover margin, if they do have a chance, they're going to have to eliminate their own mistakes and then force some upon Georgia. You know, Brian Smith, we're going to be talking later on in the show about how the conference could be now wide open. And again, this may not be a conference game, but if the Clemsman and tigers can pull this off, they're really going to become the darling to win the ACC this year. They are now the betting favorites again to win the ACC after Florida State falling. But do you give the Tigers a chance this Saturday? I give them about 20 percent.

I think Georgia's depth and a position that Kenton used to play will be the key. Their depth at defensive line, being able to rotate. That's why they win every year. Why would you go against that? And as everybody else has said, I would. I was a guy that saw Kate Klubnick play in high school. I was super high on him. I saw him mad that he hasn't kind of taken off.

I like my picks to be right. But he's got to prove something because he was really, really bad in clutch moments last year. The Miami game he screwed up. He had the waited forever on that play where Kaelin DeLoch hit him, got the strip sack fumble for the Knowles. Too many plays where he mentally made a mistake. He's got to flip that around. They can get in the fourth quarter and at seven points.

First game of the year, teams are going to make errors. They have a chance. this is the week you want to get them. It's the first game. This is the best chance to beat Georgia. I think they'll end up being 13. It's 13 and a half. That's a lot.

I would take the points, but I don't, I'm not picking them to beat Georgia. Well, I'll stick with you, Brian, as we'll shift over to Florida State, who they're going hot and heavy with ACC matchups early in the year, right? They play Georgia Tech in Dublin. They're going to be hosting Boston College. Now, you talk about big spreads.

I'm looking at 15 and a half Florida. state favored against BC. So I was actually surprised. I thought more money would come in on Boston College after what happened to Florida State last week. But it seems like the betters are doubling down and assuming FSU is going to bounce back. However, Boston College played Florida State really close at BC last year. And Thomas Castellanos gives a lot of teams problems.

He gave Florida State some problems last season, Brian. They apparently have not watched my various diatribes after that lackwester effort in Dublin Highland I have multiple. If you want to check it out, locked on Seminoles. If you like complaining, I'm your guy. So look, they couldn't stop the run. They didn't tackle well. They took four run gap fits. They didn't contain one of the most athletic players, not only in the ACC, but in college football. And on top of everything else, they still had a chance because they did tie it up. The last drive, everybody knew what Georgia Tech was going to do, and they punched them in the mouth and went down the field, some basic runs

and passes and kick the game winning field. Besides that, it's going fantastic. So I don't understand the 15 and a half points. Like, seriously, why? You tell me. And Kenton, like the 15 and a half points is the sticking point for me. I'm going to be betting Boston College plus 15 and a half. I think Florida State's probably going to win the football game outright,

but I think it's going to be close. What do you think it's going to happen, KG? Love me some time with Scotia. I love it. I adore him. I think that that man single-handedly carried them to not only a bowl game, but to even some wins beyond like, hey, this is, I don't know if they lose to, or actually, no, no, let me not say I don't know.

I know for a fact they lose to Northern Illinois much worse than they actually did if they don't put Castellanos in that game. With that in mind, Bill O'Brien's your head coach. I don't know. You know, of all of the coaches, if somebody were to give me a coaching power ranking in terms of least to most faith in the ACC, Bill O'Brien would be at or very near the bottom. I do not trust anything about him. At the professional level, he was a disaster. He was an absolute catastrophe.

And I say to myself, these are college players, so he should be better. And he did a pretty good job at Penn State way back when. But in the words of Andre 3000, you only funky as your last. cut and his last cuts have stunk they stink stank stunk so with that in mind i think that that is a huge spread i think that a boston college team that should be improved got some big time pass catch for casiano because let's just be honest those wide receivers last year even if they were uh even if the dbs were wives that they hated and they went to court they couldn't get no separation so i'm sitting here saying to myself they should be improved and an improved team against a team the team to see

teams that have fallen off a cliff. This game should be one where you would see Boston College winning, but I can't trust Bill O'Brien. I think that they cover the spread. I think plus 15 and a half they cover. I don't think they win the game. All right. So you don't trust Bill O'Brien. I want to go to Jackson next from Locked on Syracuse because you don't trust Castellanos as much as I think the rest of us do. No, I don't. I saw him in the dome last year. He wasn't very good. I mean, he's an athletic guy, but he can't really throw. And I think this is a better trap. I think that Florida State, yeah, they didn't play well at all.

They're not as bad as what is being made out to be, right? This is a better's trap. Not only they're going to win, I think they're going to spank Boston College. I think they're just going to spank them. They're just going to like, let the doubters away for a week. When I went on my podcast and I talked about how the ACC is wide open, all right? You can check it out locked on Syracuse.

I wasn't talking about how Florida State is going to struggle against Boston College. I was talking about the remainder of their schedule maybe being a problem. Not Boston College. I think they're going to handle business. I'm not too worried about this one. Brian, have a little. Grayson, I'll give you the last word on this one. Do you think BC can keep it close or even pull off the upset?

No, I'm going to follow Jackson again here. I think Florida State comes out angry because they have to. I see them as pretty much down on the mat. They have essentially zero margin for air to left inside the ACC conference already taking a loss. So I think they're going to come out fired up because they really have no choice at this point. And I think they're going to handle business by a comfortable margin. Well, when we come back, I do want to dive into Miami at Florida. I like how even though the players on both sides have been nothing but respectful,

it's been a little bit different with the fans. There's been a lot of back and forth in that rivalry. Miami's going to be at the swamp this Saturday at 3.30 p.m. and then I also want to get into it. And a couple of you guys have already mentioned it. The ACC, it feels wide open right now. We'll get more into that and so much more when we return. You want to keep it locked right here.

We got the squad together on the locked on podcast network. And I already know you're keeping it locked to five-hour energy. I usually hit the wall after lunch. If you do as well, trust me, you're not alone. In fact, research shows that more than 70% of us hit that out. afternoon wall. So let a five-hour energy shot help you leap over the wall instead of crashing into it with zero sugar and a convenient portable size. It's the perfect pick-me-up for getting stuff done. The Five-Hour Energy website is awesome and it's got flavors galore like watermelon, tropical burst, grape, berry, and so much more. There's a flavor for everyone. Try them all. They're all really good. On a side note, you even have the option to build your own 12-pack or 24-pack. You choose the flavors and it's delivered right to your door. Five-hour energy is the brand, hard. working people like you and me have trusted for over 20 years. You go to 5hourenergy.com.

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Make sure for your next listen, you support all of our shows around the Atlantic Coast Conference. I host Locked on Cains. Kenton and Grayson host Locked on Wolfpack. Brian host Locked on Seminoles. His shows have been very interesting already this week. Jackson does an awesome job on Locked on Syracuse. You know, guys, I look at the game coming up Saturday, Miami heading to the swamp to play Florida. Hurricanes are two and a half point. favorites on the road. They are ranked number 19. Florida is unranked. However, I am respectful of that particular stadium. The Florida Gators, in fact, have won 33 consecutive home openers at the swamp. Now, a lot of those have been against FCS and non-power five teams. They don't always open up against

ranked opposition, but it's been a very, very long time since they've dropped an opening game. I think 1989 was the last time they dropped one there. So that's going to be something for Miami to deal with. You also have the question of a lot of new faces on the hurricane side. Florida has more continuity. But a lot of those players went five and seven last year. They have bolstered certain areas of their team, though. You know, Grayson, I'll start with you on this one.

Miami is favored heading into this game. There's a lot of reasons why the hurricanes should win. But Miami's been unpredictable, as we all know in recent years. and first game of the season, as Brian Smith well knows, first game of the season can often be unpredictable. I think this game's going to be absolute chaos. I think there's going to be a lot of nonsense, a lot of tomfoolery. To be honest with you, I don't really have a good read on this.

Of course, the urgency is going to have to be there for Miami. They have all these new toys. The heat is already kind of on Mario Cristobal. Can they get it done this year? I would lean Miami in this one. I think just on paper, they have a lot more talent than Florida does. but Florida has some, they got some questions to answer themselves. I'm interested to see what Graham Merck's will look like this season.

I've seen Brandon Olson from Lockdown Gators and doing some chirping with you, Dono. I think this will be a really fun watch. I would lean Miami if I had to pick one, but I also see a world where the Gators could play to their advantage in the swamp. Yeah, I've been text messaging Brandon Olson from Locked on Gators all week, just talking trash. But the crazy thing is, like every time I watch Locked on Gators, he's talking about how terrible his team is and yet he's got Florida by a million this week. It's crazy. Brian, I'd love,

I'd love your take. You know, you and I, we talk a lot about Miami and what they've done at the line of scrimmage. You know, you have Ruben Bain, of course, at defensive end, but even if Florida gives Bain extra attention, Miami also has Akeem Mesidor, who's probably been the standout player throughout training camp. They added Tyler Barron, who's faced Florida before he used to play at Tennessee, Elijah Alston from Marshall was a very good pass rusher in the group of five. Do you think Miami is going to have the edge in the trenches? I think not only will they have the edge in the trenches, I actually asked Brandon Olson a little bit ago,

how's the pass blocking going to go when Montreal is probably not going to play at running back. They don't have any experience at running back, so they got to worry about that if you keep a running back in. And if you let somebody else come in, you got a tight-in blocking. It's one less guy in the pass routes. I think they're going to struggle with the past game at points because Miami's front seven, Kiko Malagoa had seven and a half sacks last year. Him and Bain were the top guys.

They have guys from everywhere. And I personally think that'll be the biggest reason that Miami has an edge. They're just better in their front seven and consistently so, in my opinion, than what UF is. Jackson, what do you think about how this is going to play out Saturday? I think it's very similar to what Grayson is saying right now. So Syracuse is also playing at 3.30 in this one. So I'm going to have a split screen going on. I'm just going to be eating popcorn.

All right. I think there is going to be a lot of nonsense. I'm not going to be. How many times are we going to say, what was that call? Right. This is going to be one of those games with the referees. There's going to be a few fumbles where the ball is bouncing around everywhere. We have no idea what's going on.

And there's going to be 90,000 streaming Florida fans. I think Miami is the better team on paper, but only a two and a half point point spread. Florida at home, that's a tasty line right there. I'm not here to give betting advice here, but that's tasty. I'm just here to give bad betting advice is usually my role. Kent and kids. I am one of the historic all-time bettors in my head.

But as soon as I hit that betting button, I can't hit a single bet from my life. But in my head, I always win. Kenton Gibbs, I'll give you the last word, Miami at Florida. You know, I've got tomfoolery, I've got nonsense, I've got fumbles, I've got turnovers, I've got the reps, but one team's got damn war. Then what are we doing here? I'm sorry to tell you, Ruben Hurricane Bain is better than anything, any single player

that the Florida Gators offense can bring to block him. Players were leaving that Florida program. there was an exodus from that Florida program that people seem to have forgotten. I don't know. Like, don't get me wrong. I get it. Gainesville is different.

The swamp hits different. Lots of folks show up. They get loud. They get rowdy, all that good stuff. No one were in the damn helmet. None of them are going to get out there in chip block as a door. None of them are going to get out there at Block Kiko. I am sorry to tell you, games are one in the trenches.

And sometimes on paper, we look at you when we say, you're supposed to be really good and you lie to us. Brian Smith and his boys know all about that. But I'll tell you what, if we come on this show Monday saying Dono's boys lie too, I would be shocked and appalled because Florida right now, their coach, he might be on the squad next year. Don't worry about it, Billy Napier.

We got a good landing spot for you at Lockstone. You know, I don't think you're going to make it through November with all those games y'all got. But you can come on here right with us, Billy. I got you. Scared money don't make no money. And lock on ACC, go have more than some scared money. So guys, with what happened to Florida State against Georgia Tech last week, I think a lot of folks are re-evaluating how they handicap the conference. And I was actually one of those. I was not the only one, but I was one of those when we did our preseason roundtable last week who actually predicted Florida State to be an ACC champ. They're not mathematically out of that, of course, but they're hopeful.

their hope took a hit last weekend. In fact, Florida State no longer the betting favorites to win the ACC. Clemson has now taken the top spot with Miami coming after that. Florida State and NC State are actually tied, according to Fandual with the third or the fourth, I should say, best odds to win the ACC. So on the whole reevaluation thing, I mean, Brian, is it a knee jerk or a prisoner of the moment take to kind of slot Florida State out of that ACC championship position? or do you think the conference is so wide open,

someone else is going to take that crown? Well, right now I certainly wouldn't pick them to win it, but there have been a lot of teams that stunk in week one that went on to do something great. Just as an example, Miami's first national title, if I remember, their first game of the year that year, they got annihilated by 4 to 28 to 3, then won the national title.

That's right. So it's weird how things like that happen in college football. They are teenagers, a lot of these kids, et cetera. But at the same time, the ACC we thought was going to be kind of open this year to a certain degree. There was three or four teams most people thought would be up there. But now, let's be really honest, Georgia Tech was the more physical team against Florida State. You at least got to give them a shot to be in the conversation. Louisville, NC State, Clemson, Miami, there's a lot of different teams. I'm sure Jackson

will tell you Syracuse too, but I'm not going that book. So it's a possibility that we could have two or three teams going into the last weekend at minimum that have a chance at the title. I mean, Jackson, I know he called you out, but if this thing's wide open, why not Syracuse? I mean, why not, right? I mean, at the end of the day, no, I'm not picking them to make the conference championship game, but it is, there is a pathway for another team to sneak in there because Florida State was one of the two consensus favorites to win the conference. It was Florida State and Clemson. Now, I'm assuming Clemson's going to lose, so both teams are going to be 0-1, but even then Clemson's not losing the conference game.

It's open. It's certainly open for another team out there because Florida State's schedule is not easy. That was a game that they really had to win to remain like a favorite within the conference. Like they didn't even have to win impressively. If that game goes to overtime, Florida State kicks a winning field goal, they win 27, 24, whatever, they're all forgiven. It really doesn't matter. But they lost that game in the conference.

And with their other games on that schedule, if they start losing, if they lose two more conference games, are they going to make the conference championship game at that point? It opens the door for someone else. No. You don't think they don't leave you more? Oh, no. If they lose two more, they're not making the conference championship. Well, there you go. So that by that, by default, it doesn't mean Florida State's a bad team. It just simply means, well, someone had a better conference record. They're going on the conference championship game. The conference is open. that's fair now kenton uh i think you you picked nc state to win the acc so this probably doesn't change your prediction how seeing florida state go down what is oh you know you muted yourself

whatever you're saying is so profound we have no what a shock what a twist the big nose lobby is coming for me they're trying to shut me off because they know they can't get me in the courts to do it but no in all seriousness um i didn't believe in florida state to begin with i never believed in that team. I thought that they were going to be good enough. I thought they were going to be excellent up front. Let me not even front and pretend like I didn't think that that was going to be a thing. But when the team's strength is then flipped on its head and looks like their Achilles Hill against a team who their Achilles Hill was supposed to be big and exploitable for you, it was supposed to be right for the picking and you could not do any of the picking, I am disappointed. I am down on you

and I am rightfully down on you. At least with SMU struggling against Nevada, they struggled in a way in which we predicted they would struggle. Everybody knew coming in, SMU's offensive line, there are some question marks. SMU's running game, there are some question marks. How do they solve these things? I know they got a couple of former canes in the backfield,

but nobody expected them to be a dynamic rushing team this season. So them struggling to run the ball against Nevada, disappointing, not super surprising. I said, and Donno said, we did this show before we saw Florida State lose, the ACC is as wide open as it's been in years. Because even to start the season, when's the last time we had three real contenders to start the season in the ACC?

When's the last time? And really, this year, this year, I would say that there were about four to five teams before anything kicked off. I said that there were four to five teams that could win it. My mind still hasn't changed about that. If anything, I might say Georgia Tech might not have been a flu. they might not, that game might not have been a fluke because Haynes King is not known for what he does with his legs, despite the fact that he was a part of Georgia Tech's ACC leading rushing game last year. I don't think people look at him for that.

They look at him because he can fling it around the yard at a high clip. So if anything, this didn't close off the ACC premier or say, oh, well, no, I think it's a two horse race between Clemson and Miami. Because I guarantee you, at least two of three teams are walking out of this, this. first weekend, oh or three. It is possible that all three do. It's possible. I'm not saying likely, but it's possible that all the favorites walk out on oh and one. So what are we really doing here in terms of is the ACU. You damn right. The ACC is open for business. They got the hot light on if it's crispy green because everybody want to come get a feast because it's wild open. Well, Grayson, I'll give you the last word. Yeah, I mean, I was shocked that the fashion in which

Florida State lost, I did not expect them to give them. bullied around by Georgia Tech. I thought it'd be close. In fact, I actually took Georgia Tech to cover to spread, but I would not have picked them to win this game. But this absolutely opens up many possibilities for other teams in the ACC. I'll go ahead and I'll give you the nod with NC State. We talked about this yesterday on Locked on Wolfpack. A team like NC State should be licking their chops seeing Florida State go down this early in the season because in my mind, Florida State can really only afford maybe one more loss in the conference because I think once you hit that two lost line, you're playing with fire at that point because I believe

more than likely the two that will get into the ACC championship will probably be undefeated or maybe seven and one. And I think that other teams are going to be either seven and one, maybe six and two. So for NC State now, that turns up to heat a little bit more. I look at that game that we've got to go down to Clemson in late September. I think the stakes got raised a little bit higher for the Wolfpack in that one because the winner of that one will probably be in the driver's seat for the eighth. ACC in my mind. And then you still have Miami and Louisville and possibly even Virginia Tech. I've seen some folks high on the Hokies this season. That opens up the door for other teams to

possibly sneak in there once December rolls around. So the ACC is going to be a lot of fun this season. I think there's multiple possibilities for some ACC chaos. Well, as far as how week one is going to go, we're going to be back with some picks. Don't go anywhere. We're not done yet. Keep it locked right here to the squad. And I already know you're keeping it locked to Fanduel. Guys, this is the moment we've been waiting for. Football is back. And yeah, you've heard us talk a lot about Fandual to America's number one sports book. We have something a little bit different for you now.

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avoid meat, or simply eat well-balanced. head to factormeals.com slash locked on college 50 and use code locked on college 50 to get 50% off your first box plus 20% off your next month. That's code locked on college 50 at factormeals.com slash locked on college 50 to get 50% off your first box plus 20% off your next month while your subscription is active. We are the squad here on this special edition of locked on ACC streaming. everywhere you get your podcast and available free on YouTube as well. All right. So, folks, a game we haven't talked about, let's go rapid fire with some of these predictions.

North Carolina is visiting Minnesota and UNC are two-point favorites on the road at a Big Ten opponent. Now, I guess my big question for this game is, I don't know who North Carolina's quarterback is this year. I don't know why, Brian, but I'm tempted to pick Minnesota at home. This game scares me either direction. I don't ever trust Minnesota. And to my knowledge, there's not one, not two, but three different quarterbacks that could be in play at Carolina. Last I knew. Those are not good things to look at.

I do know, however, the North Carolina has a future pro at running back. So I'm going to take the Tar Heals to win the game. He's really, him just really good. If you have not seen the young man play, he is the real deal. I'll lean on him as I assure that Carolina Tar Heels. do he's going to go for over 100 against the gofers kenton do you co-sign or you think the golden gophers get it done you know the dirty foot club as i like to call them is a group that i never root for okay if somebody told me can if they win a national championship you know you'll get a million

dollars i still might root for the asteroid if they got to the playoff i'm not going to lie to you but with that being said if you're asking me who i think wins this game p j fleg is another coach come on to the squad next year after they let you go up there in minnesota come on come on listen they're not they're tired of row on the boat in the state of the thousand lakes but trust me we got plenty of room for your oars here on locked on acc okay we're trying to recruit all the coaches that are soon to be fired and p j fleck is one of them come on down the lockdown aces the tariff get it done in this graceon what about you i think brian really said all you need to say about this one This game scares me from a betting aspect.

Really, I don't have a good read on either squad. But as the kids like to say, this is a good old fashioned mid-all. However, I think UNC has the best player on the field, and that's Amarian Hampton. So I, too, we're going to lean with the dirty foot club on this one. Yeah, Jackson, is Amari and Hampton going to run the Tar Heels to week one glory? Well, I think he's going to run wild, but not necessary to glory. I'm going to pick Minnesota. Why not go with the whole underdog?

It's chaos. I don't know what's going to happen. So when in doubt, let's just pick the home team and let's see what happens. Yeah, I'm totally with you on that. All right, so let me ask the panel here. And anyone can speak up, is anyone picking Clemson to win outright? I'm not talking about the 13 and a half point spread. Are any of you picking Clemson to straight up beat Georgia this week?

Speak now or forever. Hold your piece. Nope. My piece is held. The piece is very much held. It's held near and dear, if you will. I think Davo Sweeney's going to clip this and played in the last. locker room. It ain't

going to matter. He should. I was about that. He can clip us. He can cleave. Harvey, he could clip Lee Corso. He can clip the Gobler, Fox. Everybody, nobody in their right bond is going to pick that team. Tyler from Spartanburg. Exactly. You know, oh, did you see? You just bet it. Yeah.

I was going to say they no longer are taking live callers on the coaches show. So you can never have another Tyler from Spartanburg moment, which I think Clemson's going to go five and seven this year because of this. And look how they responded to the time of his Spartan Bird moment. If I was him, I'd want drunk people calling us losers every week. Call in and tell us we're losers because apparently that's what we need

to galvanize the squad. But, you know, this squad knows what best. And we know Clemson has no chance. All right. So we already talked about this game, but let's get the predictions. Jackson, I'll start with you. Miami favored by two and a half at the swamp. You take in the canes or you take in the gaiters? It actually pains me that I'm going to pick Miami in this one. Because I really don't trust Miami. I never do. I never trust Miami. But Cam Ward, I think he's going to be able to overcome the elements and I just think he's too good. I think Miami's going to win this game. It's going to break my heart too. Well, let's see if we can get a clean sweep. Grayson, are you going with the good guys? You're going with the Gators. I do not trust Miami, but I do trust that they have more talent that Florida does.

I'm going to Keynes. Kenton. Give me the team that has Cam Ward at quarterback. That's as simple as this game comes down to for me again hurricane bane is going to be on that quarterback's hot like a ferret on the first day on season it ain't going to go well for him give me the case Brian I'm right there with kenton I think that Ruben Hurricane bane is the difference Miami wins a close game I feel like I should pick Florida just to mix it up but I'm probably I'm thinking about changing my pick now I don't someone's got to pick Florida here this is a close game how are we all in agreement on this Well, just to let the fans know, he says, she said the fans said, is out, stumped the squad is in. So we will have picks from everybody in today's episode and some guests that we didn't get on today's episode.

And you're not only competing against me and Donald. You'll be competing against all of these very talented friends of ours on Locked on ACC in the squad today. So trust me, it's going to be exciting. Fans, get your voting in. It closes Wednesday. All right. So other games that are represented here, by people on the panel.

We've got NC State, 33-point favorites against Western Carolina, and Syracuse are 17-5-point favorites against Ohio. Anyone want to pick it upset in either of those? I think the Bobcats will come close for a while. I think the Bobcats cover. Yeah, I think the Bobcats cover. But they're not going to be. That's a big spread, yeah.

I think the Bobcats cover. I like Syracuse a lot. Wow. First time head coach ever, though. First time head coach, not just for. first time head coach in the power file. First time head coach. Yeah, that's true.

Like, I think that, you know, we kind of underestimate how difficult that jump is. And don't get me wrong, Fran has done an excellent job of building out that team in the fourth, an excellent job. There's nothing short of that. I don't believe in Kyle McCourt. He got to show me something. He got to prove me wrong. And on top of that first time head coach as well, I'm leaning towards Ohio covering,

possibly even pulling off the upset, but I'm going to take Syracuse. Okay, so I got to let Jackson get a word in on that. Yeah, I don't think Ohio has much of a chance. Their quarterback has thrown 40 career passes his entire life, all right? I don't think they have much of a shot. I think Syracuse is going to win. I think they're going to come out hot. Not only do I think they're going to win, I think they're going to win by, let's say, 30 plus.

Okay. I think if you want to, for the Kyle McCord doubters out there, this isn't really the game for you. I would say the game for you is going to be in week two when they play Georgia Tech. Now, Brian, your quarterback didn't really, that wasn't a very good performance from him. Let's see how Kyle McCourt does against that Georgia Tech defense. That will do it. That will do it for this edition of the squad. We're going to reconvene every single week throughout the season for Brian Smith, Kent and Gibbs, Jackson, Hulzer, Grayson Boone.

I am Alex Dono. We will talk to you guys next time right here on the Lockdown Podcast Network. See ya.