Locked On ACC - Daily College Football & Basketball Podcast - ALERT: Vegas UNDERESTIMATES Miami against Ohio State | Can the Canes Pull off an UPSET?

Episode Date: December 23, 2025

Miami Hurricanes gear up for a New Year’s Eve showdown against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Cotton Bowl. Can Miami’s physical, defensive style disrupt Ohio State’s elite offense and vaunted ru...sh defense, or will the Buckeyes prove they’re the nation’s top team? Jackson Holzer and Kenton Gibbs break down key matchups, highlight Ohio State’s defensive prowess, and debate whether Miami can manufacture offense through turnovers or special teams. The conversation reveals why Vegas might be underestimating Miami and explores the keys both teams need for victory.Duke Blue Devils suffer a historic collapse against Texas Tech, losing a 17-point lead at Madison Square Garden. J.J. Jackson, host of Locked On Blue Devils, joins to analyze Duke’s struggles at the foul line, freshmen performance, and the search for a reliable second scoring option behind Cameron Boozer. Is Duke still a national championship contender, and which ACC rivals pose the greatest threat? Don’t miss this fast-paced breakdown of college football and basketball’s hottest storylines. Everydayer Club  If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub  Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! GametimeToday's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONCOLLEGE for $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply.FanDuelToday's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Football season is around the corner, visit the FanDuel App today and start planning your futures bets now.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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Starting point is 00:00:00 Miami won its first playoff game. They beat Texas A&M. Their reward the Cotton Bowl against the Ohio State buckouts. You are Locked-on ACC, your daily podcast on the Atlantic Coast Conference. Part of the Locked-on Podcast Network, your team every day. Hello, everyone, and welcome in a locked-on ACC. I'm Jackson Holeser, the host of Locked-on Syracuse. That's Kenton Games, the host of Locked-on Wolfpack.
Starting point is 00:00:35 Thank you so much for making Lockdown ACC, your first listen of every single day here on the Lockdown Podcast Network, where it's your team every day. Of course, we're always free and available wherever you get your podcast on the number one, sports podcasting network. And on today's show,
Starting point is 00:00:49 we will assess the Duke Blue Devils basketball season thus far and also their weird collapse against Texas Tech over the weekend. And to do that, we will have on JJ Jackson, the host of Locked on Blue Devils, to provide us some context behind how Duke collapsed and also their season in general. But first, we start off with the team in football that is the only ACC team that is still playing the Miami Hurricanes and an early look ahead to their matchup against the Ohio State Buckeyes. All that and more coming up here on today's edition of Locked-on ACC.
Starting point is 00:01:29 And before we get to everything, this episode is brought to you by Game Time. Download the game time app. Create an account and use code locked on college for 20 hours off. Your first purchase. Miami and Ohio State. New Year's Eve, 7.30 p.m. Eastern Cotton Bowl. And Miami is an underdog. Nine and a half point underdog to be exact over on Fando at the time of this recording,
Starting point is 00:01:55 which is Tuesday, December 23rd at about 1.15 p.m. Eastern. Kenton, what are your early thoughts? about this matchup for Miami? That Miami has a better chance to people are giving them credit for. Miami has a better chance to Vegas is giving them credit for. Miami has a better chance
Starting point is 00:02:12 to the analysts are giving them credit for. There is a world where Miami plays a Miami style of football game, and if that is the case, it's going to be a rough, long day for Ohio State. And I hate to be this old head. I hate because, you know, they already calling me on TikTok all the time.
Starting point is 00:02:31 I don't know who started up to Locked-OWPack Twitter page, but they always say, Uncas is yapping about nothing over there. But I really want to talk about the fact that conferences are too big, and it's apparent by the fact that if you look at Ohio State and how they perform against defenses that were in the top, I want to say fourth in the nation, they had multiple performances that they were just atrocious.
Starting point is 00:02:58 They were just, they weren't bad. They were atrocious. If you look at their schedule, how many really good defenses would you say they played this year, Jackson? Not many. I mean, they played Texas early in the year. That was the first team of the season. Indiana's got a great defense. Right.
Starting point is 00:03:14 And they did not do much against Indiana or Texas. They average 12 points against those two teams, if I do remember correctly. 12 points again, I could be wrong there, but I believe that's the number. So I don't understand why everybody's like, it's a foregone conclusion that Ohio State is just going to bring all. these things that there is no way Miami has any way of making up for. When again, we have seen, we have seen Ohio State play against high quality defenses. And even in some defenses that are barely inside that top third date, broke out eventually down the stretch, but it only came because their offenses weren't pissing the drop.
Starting point is 00:03:54 So realistically, I definitely understand and see a world where Miami not only keeps this game close in covers, but wins this game. Because while everybody's saying, Ohio state's a different beast, they've got talent here, they got talent there, they got talent everywhere. Sure, they got talent everywhere. They also have a wide receivers coach that's leaving. They also have shown
Starting point is 00:04:15 cracks in the armor against defenses that can generate a pass rush before. This is a Ohio state team. They are a quality team. They are a quality team. So I don't want anybody to hear me saying this is, oh, you know, he's a Detroiter. He hates the state of Ohio, of course. Really, I pity
Starting point is 00:04:31 in the state of Ohio and then big old women they got down there. You know what I mean? I feel bad for them more than anything else. But the reality is I recognize Ohio State is being talked about that way for a reason. They do have a Heisman candidate at quarterback. They do have a Heisman candidate at Wide Out. They do have one of the best linebacking courts in the nation. They do have one of the best players in the nation in their secondary and Caleb Downs. And that's just the tip of the iceberg with them.
Starting point is 00:04:55 I respect that. I respect that they're the national champion, defending national champions. And right now, the role. to that trophy goes through Columbus. I'm not denying any of those things. I understand having them as a favorite. But the way people are talking, Miami is a make-a-wish team that just so happened to because somebody on a coaching staff came down with some terminal illness, got lucked into this instead of this is a really good team that plays their style of football at a high level and it's proven to be effective. My early thoughts on this is that I agree Miami is a good team.
Starting point is 00:05:29 there's just one issue. I think that Ohio State is the best team. Ohio State was my preseason pick to win the national championship. And despite them losing to Indiana in the Big Ten championship game, I still, if there is a rematch, would probably pick Ohio State to win in that rematch. It kind of reminds me of way back when when LSU defeated Alabama in Alabama. and then they met again in the national championship game, and Alabama completely whooped LSU in that one.
Starting point is 00:06:05 So Ohio State, I just think, is a different beast. I mean, I'm going to give Miami a puncher's chance and say, look, they can win this game. But Ohio State has the number one overall defense in terms of points allowed in the country. They allow 8.5 points a game. That is barely over a touchdown a game that you get against Ohio State on average. No team has cracked even 20 points against Ohio State.
Starting point is 00:06:33 In fact, the closest a team has gotten to 20 points just so happens to be Illinois at 16. They even held down Fernando Mendoza who won the Heisman trophy to 13 points. They didn't win the game, but that defense is elite. And well, you might say, well, can Miami run the ball on Ohio State? Well, Ohio State has a top five overall rush defense in the nation, allowing just 84 and a half yards a game and 2.83 yards of character. So I look at this matchup and I say, the formula for Miami to beat Texas A&M was to kind of turn it into a rock fight. If Miami gets into a rock fight with Ohio State, I feel like Ohio State is more equipped to do it than Miami because I think Ohio State can out Miami. Miami. That's just my initial takeaways about this matchup. I think for Miami, the biggest key for
Starting point is 00:07:30 them is to limit turnovers. They just can't have them. If you start giving extra possessions to that Ohio state offense, we know all the playmakers. I understand that this Miami defense is also very, very good. We saw that in the college football playoff in round one. But if you give them extra possessions, you give them short fields. Not only is Ohio State going to take advantage and score, but it also makes it that much tougher for Miami's offense to be able to make up those points. Absolutely. Absolutely. And here's the thing. I'm not denying that the beauty that lies within and the greatness that lies within this Ohio State team is they can get it done a lot of different ways. I'm not denying that. I'm not denying that the game, as they dubbed it, has been decided by who's had more rushing yards year after year after year. And this year was no different. I'm not denying that. I'm not sitting up here.
Starting point is 00:08:22 saying, hey, this is not a team that can't get ugly. This is not a team that can't get gritty, get physical, and say, we came to this backyard brawl the same way as you. We're going to fight this thing out in the phonebook. I'm not saying Ohio State cannot do that. And I want to make that clear. They can. I'm saying that is advantage to Miami.
Starting point is 00:08:41 The same way people talked about Ohio State last year after some of the losses they suffered during the regular season and said, oh, yeah, you know, Ohio State can't play this brand of football with this team. this brand of football with that team, and yet you kept looking up, and you kept saying, well, damn, they don't want again. Well, damn, they don't figure it out again. All I'm saying is Miami has to keep it their style of football, and that's going to work in their favor in a massive way.
Starting point is 00:09:06 You don't want to shoot out. You can't keep up. With all due respect to Malacott, Tony, with all due respect to Carson Beck, with all due respect to Mark Fletcher, with all due respect to that offensive line, you cannot keep up if this game becomes a track meat on grass. It'll get ugly for you quickly. However, if you can do what you do, if you can find a way to, you know, keep them where they're, keep them within reach, you will be just fine. You will be where you need to be.
Starting point is 00:09:34 You will have the ball in your hands with a chance to win this football game, in my opinion. If you can just, again, just make it ugly, make it physical, make it a battle of inches. I think Miami has the personnel that that style of game. lend yourself well to a Miami victory. Since I was right about my prognostication about the game ending on a goal line stand, I'm going to make this one right now for this game right here. I think that there's going to be a defensive touchdown. I'm just not sure which team is going to get it.
Starting point is 00:10:08 But I can tell you this much. I think Miami, in order for them to win this game, they're going to need some sort of touchdown on defense. And we can loop in special teams as well because you get a punt return. I mean, that counts the same way. You get a kick return. that counts the same. So Miami is going to have to figure out a way to manufacture offense through their defense
Starting point is 00:10:28 and also through their special teams because no team in the nation so far has shown the ability against Ohio State to move the ball up and down the field. No team has cracked 20 points. They allow about eight points a game. You can't run the football on them. Good luck throwing against their secondary. Their lineback and core is elite. I am much more worried for Miami against this Ohio State defense than I am about Miami's
Starting point is 00:10:55 defense being able to stop or limit Ohio State. So that defense for Miami is going to have to be even stronger and give this offense some points and some opportunities to capitalize. But coming up, here on locked on ACC, we shift gears. We talk some hoops. The Duke Blue Devils stumbled a little bit over the weekend. collapse in the second half against Texas Tech. We will be joined by JJ Jackson, the host of Locked-on Blue Devils.
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Starting point is 00:12:19 Locked on ACCC. I'm Jackson Holes. The host of Locked on Syracuse, Kenton Gibbs, host of Lockedon, Wolfpack. And now we are joined by JJ Jackson, the host of Locked-on Blue Devils. For JJ and the Duke Blue Devils, the season for Duke basketball was all fine and Andy. They were doing really well. Typical Duke, going to be a one-seat in the NCAA tournament, just simulate the regular season. And who knows? We'll talk about it later on here on Locked on ACC, how that could still be the case for Duke, but they will not have an undefeated season because
Starting point is 00:12:54 in Madison Square Garden on Saturday night, the Duke Blue Devils held a 17-point second-half lead against Texas Tech, a good team, but 17-point lead, and somehow Texas Tech storms back and defeats the Duke Blue Devils. So, JJ, let's just open the floor right now. I mean, how did this happen? Yeah, I'm still trying to wrap my head around that as well because I know that we're in the spirit of the college football playoff season.
Starting point is 00:13:24 and it felt like the only 17-point lead people were going to be talking about was Alabama and Oklahoma. And little did we know that it was a 17-point lead for Duke that ultimately ended up being their demise. It's first time in nearly 20 years that Duke has blown a lead this large in a basketball game. And ESPN during the coverage is doing the thing where they're showing that, hey, Duke is on the verge of tying two other schools for five wins
Starting point is 00:13:49 against AP top 25 teams before the calendar turns. unbelievable start to the year. This is what's about to happen, but not so fast. Texas Tech wanted something to say with that with several players in foul trouble. They just went to Christian Anderson, J.T. Toppin, got some buckets going early, and Duke kind of settled a little bit offensively, missed so many free throws in that second half, 12 total for the game for Duke. And yeah, you look up at the end of it, and Texas Tech beats by one. So let me ask you this, right? With this collapse, you talked about it being historic. You talked about it being something that hasn't happened in two decades.
Starting point is 00:14:26 Is this a moment, if we're talking one to one to ten on a panic meter or the worry meter per se, right? Ten being, all right, what is shy doing? One being, we're all fine. This happens. Where would you put the state of this team and, you know, the Duke fan base after this game? Two or three. I mean, there's certainly the extremes out there that want to overreact to everything. But you've got to remember that Duke's already got somebody in press.
Starting point is 00:14:53 of wins this season, you know, the fact that they were able to go on the road to Michigan State went a tough loan like that. They won a last second game against Florida and able to walk away with that one. John Chiron has proven. Look, 2025's coming to a close. And this entire calendar year, he lost all of three basketball games as the head coach leading this Duke team. So a big picture, I think everything is okay. There are still the nuances of this team that they've got to figure out, what are they doing at the wing spot? How can Nick Kamenya and Damesar continue to come along for this team? Against Texas Tech guys, Pat Gangba only took one total shot in the entire game,
Starting point is 00:15:32 which made no sense. Considering the fact J.T. Toppin, Texas Tech's best player picked up his fourth foul very early in the second half. I don't know why that it wasn't more of the opportunity for him in the low post. Isaiah Evans was a little bit under the weather, supposedly in this game. He only took four shots total. So I think there are various things you could point to with this loss in particular, and I am by no means ready to go full panic mode on this.
Starting point is 00:15:58 Well, I don't think you should panic either about Duke, considering what their resume is so far. But there is one area I look at at Duke and say, that could be worrisome. And I wonder if you're with me on this. And it's a big reason why Duke did not be Texas Tech on Saturday, 59% at the foul line. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:16:17 and in the season, 70% overall bottom half of the ACC so far. And we know that free throw shooting come March and April, that could rear its ugly head for any team. It doesn't matter if you're the greatest free throw shooting team or the worst free throw shooting team in Division 1 college basketball, aka was Syracuse about a week ago. JJ, how do you feel overall right now about the free throw shooting? Do you see it getting better as the season unfolds, or do you think that this is just what it is? I mean, I hope that it gets better as the season unfolds.
Starting point is 00:16:53 I hope that these guys can shoot it a little bit more confidently. But yeah, for a team that's towards the top of the nation, their top 15 in the nation and offense. And yet they're sub 200 when it comes to free throw shooting. That just doesn't compute in my brain for a team that's got a whole lot of free throw shooters. And as that Texas Tech game was unfolding, Jackson, I'm watching it and Duke's missing free throws. Texas Tech is slowly getting back into it.
Starting point is 00:17:20 And I'm saying to some friends, you know, hey, this is going to hurt Duke at some point this season. They are going to lose a game because they're not shooting free throws well. Little did I know, I just had to keep watching the game I was currently watching to see that take place. But yeah, it's absolutely problematic. Duke's got a big break until they open up ACC play. Everybody's going through the holiday break right now.
Starting point is 00:17:43 And it is paramount that they just. spend time getting their confidence and stroke back at the free throw line. Because like I said, it's everybody. Cam Boozer missed five free throws in the game against Texas Tech. And I know he's going to have the ball in his hands a whole lot down the stretch. And Kent and I just don't want him to be the guy that's in a presser situation at the free throw line, knowing the struggles that he's out here. So let's talk about the Boozer Twins for a minute here because down the stretch,
Starting point is 00:18:09 when it got really tight, it took one of the Boosier twins hitting the three to make this a one-point game. And then another one of gets to the free throw line, and it just doesn't work out there. All in all, I think everybody would agree. The booze twins as a whole, you would grade him at least an A, B plus so far this season. I think that's fair to say? Absolutely, yeah. So with that being said, do you think that those freshmen can be trusted in those clutch moments to say,
Starting point is 00:18:36 hey, you're going to be the guy, dude. You may be an underclassman. You may be new to this thing, but you've got Duke blood running through your veins. your father was a great here, you're going to be a legacy. This ball is going to be in your hands. Are you comfortable with that? Or is that one of the things that you kind of sit up like, that's going to keep me up at night if we're counting on them in Christiom?
Starting point is 00:18:55 Yeah, Cam in particular. I mean, that corner three that Caden hit, I thought was huge for his confidence because on the offensive end, he certainly hasn't had the workload that his brother has said. Camer Boozer is the leading score in the entire country. We thought it was something in the numbers that Cooper Flagg was putting up last season. Oh my goodness, what Duke has gotten out of Cameron Boozer so far this season, right? And then his brother Caden is coming along as well. But Cam's decision making, I mentioned the game against
Starting point is 00:19:21 Florida earlier. He had the ball late in that game and he made the right decision to swing it over to a wide open, Isaiah Evans, who knocked down the big three-point shot to ultimately give Duke the win. So what we've seen so far is these guys making the right place, but definitely they've got to find some confidence at the free throw line because they're going to get fouled. And you got to be able to go up there and knock them down. The Duke Blue Devils currently sit at 11 and 1 after their loss against Texas Tech. Enough with the collapse against Texas Tech. I'm sure that JJ no longer wants to hear or speak about that Saturday Night Affair anymore.
Starting point is 00:19:58 So coming up, we're just going to talk about Duke's season in general and their outlook on the ACC. And whether or not Duke is going to win the ACC tournament and potentially snap the drought that they have for the NCAA tournament. And we'll talk about that next here on Locked-on ACC. NFL Sundays move fast. One big play and suddenly everything feels different. That's what makes live betting with Fandall so exciting. You're not just watching the game. You're reacting to it in real time.
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Starting point is 00:20:50 So if you want to be right in the middle of the action this season, visit vandal.com and place your NFL live bets all season long. Fandul, the game moves fast, and so can you. Locked on ACC. I'm Jackson Holder, Locked on Syracuse. That's Kenton Gibbs, Locked on Wolfpack. And, of course, we are joined by JJ Jackson, the host of Lockedon, Duke, Blue Devils. Jay, Duke is 11 and 1. Obviously, that is a very good record. How would you assess Duke's season so far?
Starting point is 00:21:24 Really impressive. Again, the resume and the non-conference schedule that they put together. Like John Shire built this thing for them to be tested, knowing good and well that you could have some losses that come along the way. Power conference games for Duke, very first game of the season. They play a team in Texas that made the NCAA tournament a year ago. They've got Sean Miller taking over that program as their head coach from Texas to Kansas to Arkansas, Florida and the ACC SEC SEC challenge, a true road game at Michigan State. This game against Texas Tech. You guys, Duke's not even done in the non-conference with the premier games.
Starting point is 00:22:00 In late February, Duke will play against Michigan, who good and well looks like the very best team in America right now. They'll be playing them in Washington, D.C. So Coach Chiron wanted this team to be tested to figure out exactly what he's. gotten so far. And the fact that all of these tests up until Saturday, they were passing them in the win column, I think is incredible. They've got the frontrunner once again for national player of the year and Cameron Boozer. So easy to overreact to the first loss of the season. But what I'm seeing so far is definitely a team that's going to contend for the ACC title and absolutely will contend for a trip to another final four. Well, that was the expectation
Starting point is 00:22:40 coming into this season. And I think that everybody would agree they're on pace for all of those things. Nobody here or nobody who's in their right mind would say, oh yeah, this Duke team, you can count on them getting out in the round of 32. So with that being said, what would you say this Duke team does not succeed if?
Starting point is 00:22:59 Because we know if they continue on this path, they're going to get at least a majority of the goals. But what are the things that, you know, keep you up as a Duke guy that you're like, if we don't get this together, yes, we're looking great now, but this could come back to bite us against a much stronger ACC than we played in last year. Yeah, John Chard's talked a lot about the closing five for the team
Starting point is 00:23:20 and trying to figure out exactly what the wing spot looks like. Every game has been different, right? And I mentioned the freshman that Duke's got outside of Cambuzer. They've got a couple of a five-star and Nick Kamenian, and Damme Saar, who played at FC Barcelona, just 18 years old, comes over. He's an Italian native. and those at the wing have been kind of slower out the gates this season for Duke. And I think just trying to figure out exactly how the offense flows beyond Cameron Boozer.
Starting point is 00:23:50 The one thing that you could point to is who's that kind of secondary player? Who's that Robin for Duke basketball this season? Caleb Foster is the most experienced player, and he's hit some big shots this year, but there have been other games where he's been a non-factor whatsoever down the stretch. Isaiah Evans has had a really big game winner. against Florida, but against Texas Tech only takes four total shots in the entire game and kind of was an afterthought in that one. So I think that's kind of the big thing that basketball people and, you know, inside
Starting point is 00:24:20 the Duke community are looking at for sure. It's like, who is the true second option for Duke? Is it Pat Gangva on the inside with how efficient he's been around the rim, sharing the basketball and whatnot, but not getting as much volume as some of his teammates? Like, who is it beyond Camboozer? last year at this point, it was becoming really obvious that that con caniple guy was a really good basketball player for Duke beyond Cooper Flag. And so I think that's a big question for the Blue Devils is after Cameron Boozer, who do you turn to? How would you compare this year's team to last year's team?
Starting point is 00:24:57 Yeah, pretty similar in kind of the makeup with a lot of freshmen being asked to carry a good bit of the workload. I would say last year's team shooting-wise was more dynamic than this one. I mentioned Khan Kinple. Cooper Flag had a really slow start from the three-point line to his college career, but once he jumped into the new year, he really took off and ran. Tyrese Proctor was a great three-point shooter for the Blue Devils, so was Cian James. I think this year's team is a little bit more developed interior scoring, right? Molo Watch was only really a lob threat on the inside for Duke a season ago.
Starting point is 00:25:33 Gongba's got crazy good post moves and footwork in his bag and Cameron Boozer is an absolute force down there in the post as well. Defensively, I do think they're kind of step for step. Not as many blocks and rim protection, but man, they get after you defensively. And this year's Duke team, I think, is kind of built to stop a lot of those big scoring runs that other teams have been going on. If there is any team in the ACC that you would say,
Starting point is 00:26:01 this is the competition. this is a team that if we see them in the ACC tournament, not saying you'd be shaking in your boots, but that's a game that you'll be keep your eye on pretty closely, which game or which team would that be? Yeah, well, fortunately, I mean, I guess it's unfortunately for Duke Kenton. Duke got both of them in terms of, you know, the ACC schedule comes out,
Starting point is 00:26:22 and there's one team that you're not playing at all on your schedule, but then there are two teams that you play twice. The two teams that Duke has on their schedule, that they've got to play twice, the Louisville Cardinals, and of course, the North Carolina Tar Heels. And those are the two teams as it stands today that I would be like, man, that is definitely going to be Duke's competition, I think, at the top.
Starting point is 00:26:47 And going into the season, Kent and I was all aboard, the Louisville hype train. I thought with Mike Quill Brown Jr., their young freshman guard and the guys that they got in the transfer portal and key returners coming back, that that would be a tough test. I still think it will be twice this. this season for Duke, but they kind of got humbled a little bit in their game against Tennessee.
Starting point is 00:27:06 I'm a little frightened by North Carolina so far early in the season, which is not fun to say if you're a Duke guy, but what they've got on the interior guys with Caleb Wilson and Henry Vassar playing as well as he is, that's going to be a tough test for sure for that Duke front court. So yeah, it's crazy how the schedule worked out that those, of course, are the two teams that Duke's playing twice this season. And they don't have Miami at all on the schedule. schedule when Jay Lucas takes over in his first year as head coach, not sure how that happened. That's a scheduling flop for sure. But Duke will be tested this season in league play.
Starting point is 00:27:42 If only you had said NC State and Syracuse, maybe we would have invited you back here on locked on ACC. But you just had to throw out North Carolina and Louisville. I mean, yeah, you're being objective. But I mean, come on, Syracuse, NC State. You got to make us feel better about our season. I should have thrown a bone. Exactly. Tell me you scared of Darren Williams putting up 30 on the night and everything going right for NC State. You know, you couldn't give us nothing. He just went straight down the lane on that one.
Starting point is 00:28:13 All right. J.J., I need a quick prediction from you, all right? Just a quick yes or no. Are you ready for it? I'm putting you on spot here. Yeah. Is Duke winning the national championship this year for the first time since 2015? Yes. Yes. Okay. You heard it here first, folks. Jay D.N. This is our sites have been on, how. Our sites have been on six since 2015, and I'm feeling optimistic. I think this is finally the year that Duke's going to be able to get it done and cut down those nets. I think you have good reason to be optimistic, as I see Duke is one of the three or four best teams right now in college basketball, despite what happened on Saturday. JJ, any last thoughts on your Duke Blue Devils? Just excited to see this year kick off.
Starting point is 00:28:55 I mean, John Shire got to 100 wins faster than anybody else in ACC history this past week. Shame on us. You've got the greatest coach of all time and Mike Shoshowski. And the big question, guys, is always who replaces the legend? I got to tell you, Duke replaced it quite well with John Shire off to this great start. So excited for the new year, that's for sure. It's not easy to replace a legend. Obviously for Syracuse, we know that even with North Carolina and Hubert Davis.
Starting point is 00:29:23 It's not easy to replace a legend. But Duke, yeah, they've been fine so far. Now let's see if they can actually win the national championship, which is the expectation for the first time since 2015. That is JJ Jackson, the host of Locked on Duke Blue Devils. I'm Jackson also host of Locked on Syracuse, Tenting Gibbs, host of Locked on Wolfpack. We will be back tomorrow for another edition of Locked on ACC.
Starting point is 00:29:47 Folks, thank you all so much for watching. Thank you all so much for listening. If you like this podcast, be sure to hit that like button. If you really enjoy the podcast, be sure to hit subscribe. Tell all your friends about Locked on ACC, and we'll see you all again soon.

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