Locked On ACC - Daily College Football & Basketball Podcast - BOMBSHELL: ACC Schedule on STEROIDS | Five TOP 25 Matchups ROCK Week One - Can Underdogs SURVIVE?

Starting point is 00:00:00 You want to talk strength of schedule. The ACC schedule is on steroids in week one, a conference record five non-conference games against AP top 25 opponents. You are Locked-on ACC, your daily podcast on the Atlantic Coast Conference. Part of the Locked-on Podcast Network, your team every day. Shout out to the Everydayers and thank you so much for making Locked on ACC your first listen. We're available free wherever you get your podcast. We're free on YouTube.

Starting point is 00:00:36 We're part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. He is Kenton Gibbs, former NC State defensive linemen and co-host of Lockdown Wolfpack. I am Alex Dono, host of Lockdown Cains. On this episode, we'll go through our week one game picks. 16 ACC teams in action, 16 different games, all non-con this weekend. A game that we haven't devoted enough time to yet. Virginia Tech taking on South Carolina in Atlanta. I've got to take that Hokies fans are not going to like too much about that game.

Starting point is 00:01:09 But Kenton Gibbs, it is a historic ACC weekend coming up. And listen, I like the approach. I like the way that it's shaping up week one, being aggressive with big time non-conference games because Saturday into Sunday into Monday, you've got five matchups. And some of the ACC teams are highly ranked as well. You have five matchups against top 25 AP teams. Yeah, this is going to be one heck of a time in terms of you talk about what matters for the future. You talk about what matters for brand perception.

Starting point is 00:01:43 I have said all along, you know how to solve all these problems. You know how to get rid of all of the doubts and if-ins or buts about your conference. Lace them up, get on that field, put the damn ball down and be the bigger, faster, more violent team. That's how you do it. That's how you do it. And obviously, there are other things that go into that. obviously I've been very, very strong on, hey, we need a commission that's going to talk more. But you know what?

Starting point is 00:02:09 Phillips could do all the talking in the world. He could be the world's greatest showman a la, what is it, Hugh Jackman. He could be the world's greatest showman. But you know what the problem would be if we did not put a product on the field to back it up? Well, guess what? Guess what? Our top dogs, TDE, got the chance to back it up. We have the premier brand in the ACC, Clemson.

Starting point is 00:02:33 with the chance to back it up against LSU. We've got your boys, Dono, Miami, with a chance to back it up against one of the most storied college, one of the most storied athletic programs in America in Notre Dame. We've got so many good teams. Virginia Tech, can you restore yourself to prominence? We know the Beamer ball ain't going to be on your sideline this game, but damn it, let's see what you can do.

Starting point is 00:02:58 There is a ton, a ton of different teams here that have the opportunities to go out there and play very quality teams. I didn't even mention all of them, and I've still gotten in a good amount of, hey, these are teams where the ACC is going to have a chance to establish yourself as a preeminent college football brand. You know, a game that I'm looking at the spread, and this is going to be Sunday afternoon. It's at a neutral site, Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. one of those ranked matchups, unranked Virginia Tech of the ACC is going to be taking on 13th ranked South Carolina.

Starting point is 00:03:39 I hate to say this, Kenton, I hope I'm wrong. I hope you have a different take on it because I don't want this to be like the gang up on Virginia Tech episode. But I'm looking at South Carolina only favored by seven and a half in this game where you've got Lenora Sellers, who is so hard to stop, it's so hard to tackle, you know, star running back transfer phase on gets cleared. He gets his waiver. On the Virginia Tech side, you know, I know there is a reason, Kenton, why most people have their head coach, Brent Pry, like on the top of the list of ACC coaches on the hot seat this year. This is probably not a game that people expect Virginia Tech to win. They lost so many.

Starting point is 00:04:19 Now, they have Kyron drones still, but they lost so many important players, either to the transfer portal or the NFL. They're replacing their entire offensive line. I look at this. And I'm saying this is a game South Carolina probably wins by two touchdowns or more. Am I wrong on this one to think it's odd that South Carolina is only favored by seven and a half points? Here's the thing. I do see a world where Virginia Tech gets blown out in this one. I don't think we live in that world. And let me tell you why.

Starting point is 00:04:47 Okay. Pressure does one of two things. It either burst pipes or it creates diamonds. I'm not sure which of those South Carolina is. to me, this game is much more about who I think South Carolina is than who I think Virginia Tech is. Because Virginia Tech, nobody expects anything of you. Everybody's looking at this line saying, oh, hammer,

Starting point is 00:05:12 do you need to go put money right now on the game card? You know, they just got a deal in their apparel with Nike 2. They're feeling good. They're feeling great. It's time for them to go show and prove. It's time for them to go do all of these things. Well, the problem with that, the problem with the expectations, the problem with the belief that sellers is going to be a first round pick

Starting point is 00:05:34 and maybe even the first player taken off the board this year. The problem with, hey, you all need to contend in the SEC this year versus, hey, your coach might not be here at the end of the year, is one of those teams has pressure. One of those teams has no expectations. Go out there free, go out there and lose, go out there and have a ball. Go out there and just do your deal. A lot of people say, well, pressure only happens when you don't feel prepared for a moment.

Starting point is 00:06:01 One thing that creates that lack of preparation is not just whether or not you practice hard. It's not just whether or not you work hard in the offseason. It's have you been in this type of moment before? Have you been in a situation where people have expected this type of stuff from you before? Because you can work super hard. You can show up and do everything you can to say, oh, I got confidence in how I train. But it's a different thing when the rest of the world is now looking at you saying, And last year, if South Carolina drops a game or two that they shouldn't have, everybody's like,

Starting point is 00:06:30 it's okay. It's South Carolina. That generally happens. This year, people are saying, well, what's going on? Is Beamer not the guy? It sellers are a fraud. Is Stewart going to be doing more gunshot things that are going to get them 15-yard penalties? What's happening?

Starting point is 00:06:46 I mean, you mentioned Shane Beamer, the head coach of South Carolina, of course, son of Frank Beamer, legendary Virginia Tech head coach. So I don't know. Maybe he'll be able. He'll tighten up with all the extra emotion that he has going up against his boyhood, his boyhood favorite tea. I don't know. And a lot of times when I let Kenton make his case,

Starting point is 00:07:06 sometimes he does talk me off the ledge, but I'm still feeling South Carolina. I mean, here's the thing. Here's the thing. I'm never going to tell you a lie about something I don't feel just to be contrary to you here. No, I know. And I, a thousand percent think that there is a world where South Carolina runs away with this game. I just happen to believe I've got a weird feeling that Virginia Tech is going to play one of

Starting point is 00:07:30 their best games of the season here and at minimum keep this thing close. I'm not sure if they win, but I think they keep it within a possession maybe, maybe too. Now, but speaking of like sentiment and vibes, and again, I know that's not why you guys are here on Locked on ACC, but I'm looking at the other big Sunday game, Miami hosting Notre Dame. And obviously I have rooting interests in Miami. I'll tell you something. and Kenton that's making me a little bit worried. A few weeks ago, I kept seeing different publications. Most everybody was picking Notre Dame, you know, who are favorite in the game,

Starting point is 00:08:05 minus two and a half at Miami. But I've started to notice something over the last couple days. Like a lot of like the big talking heads are throwing their picks in for Miami now. It's making me a little nervous. Like I was watching Josh Pate, who's now with On Three Sports. He picked Miami on his show. show yesterday. The one that really got me rattled, though, was Rick Newheisel. Now, I'm sure you're aware of who Rick New Heisle is, but you may not be aware that this dude,

Starting point is 00:08:36 for the last 24 years, has hated Miami because he was coaching the Washington Huskies team that traveled to South Florida in 2001, and Larry Coker's Hurricanes beat them 65 to 7. Like, I think they put the third and fourth stringers in, but they never called off the dogs. It's like they completely humiliated New Heisel. Haven't heard this guy in 24 years. Rick Newheisel has not had one nice thing to say about Miami, but he's taking Carson Beck's experience over C.J. Cars inexperience, and he's picked the Hurricanes to win.

Starting point is 00:09:09 Kenton, I'll be honest, I preferred it when I thought everyone was going to be picking against Miami in this game. Instead, all of a sudden, like 70% of the experts are coming out for the hurricanes. That makes me very scared. Well, I'll tell you this. But this is similar to what I was talking about in the last stanza there in terms of how are you prepared to be in this moment? How are you prepared to be in a different situation? And the reality is we are looking at, you talk about quarterback experience difference, who's ready for a moment and who's not? This is a slow Tuesday for Carson Beck in terms of the big games that he's played in. For Carr, and listen, with all due respect, I know the school, high school he went to, Celine up in Michigan. We, we play. played them when I was back at Cass Tech. Oh, yeah. Yeah, good program way out in the boonies.

Starting point is 00:09:57 They produce a pretty good football players. I'm going to tell you, he's never experienced anything like this. He's never experienced anything like this. You know what I mean? This is a whole other level than what he has ever experienced. So I can understand why people would have their hesitations there. And again, I'm only picking against Miami because I think that Notre Dame secondary is another level. I truly think that, you know, you're bringing back almost all your coordinators and almost all your players that were meaningful last year and whatnot in that secondary except Xavier Watts, of course.

Starting point is 00:10:32 But you're bringing back a ton. They're bringing back a ton. And I'm saying, you know, you are more experienced that quarterback. You will have a guy that's less likely to be rattled in that moment. But I don't care how unrattled or unfazed you are. At some point in time, you've got to find a receiver or a tight end that's going to be open. and that's going to be a tall order against this Notre Dame secondary. Yeah, I mean, I'm going with Miami to win a close one and a big part of that.

Starting point is 00:11:01 It does have something to do with Carson Beck's experience. That's not the whole thing, though, for me. And Beck, by the way, this will be his eighth time in his career going up against a top 10 opponent. He's five and two in those situations so far. So like you said, he's experienced all of this. I expect Miami to have more success running the ball than a lot of people realize. I think Miami's defensive line measures up very well against Notre Dame's defensive line. They only have two guys in their rotation over 300 pounds, and one of them is just at 302.

Starting point is 00:11:34 I think Miami's offensive line is going to do a little bit more damage than people think. And Miami's trio of running backs is going to get off a little bit. Like, I'm not expecting Notre Dame to play poorly by any stretch. I think it's going to be probably a three-point game, knock them out. drag them out. But I think that there are things I look at in Miami's favor, but all these experts coming out to the Cains is scaring me a little bit. But we got 14 other matchups happening this weekend.

Starting point is 00:11:58 Let's go through some game picks when we come back. You want to keep it locked right here. Kenton Gibbs from Lockdown Wolfpack, Alex Dono from Locked on Cains, and we're only getting started on this brand new episode of Lockdown ACC. Hey, Locked on ACC fans, are you still paying full price for gas? Stop leaving money behind. get real cash back every time you fill up with the free upside app. Simply download the free upside app in the App Store or Google Play right now

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Starting point is 00:14:25 So I'm not betting against the number NC State minus 13 and a half. How do you feel about covering that knowing this is a team that I think NC State's going to win the game? But by two touchdowns or more, Kent, and knowing this is a team for what it's worth, beat you guys in a bowl game. Well, I think that's exactly why they're going to cover. This game is not just a regular game. Coach Dorn is, for the most part, not a super passionate, fiery guy publicly.

Starting point is 00:14:53 He's not that type of guy. I was part of his first recruiting class. I have seen how he conducts himself in public in general. He's not a super fiery, you know, rah-rah guy 24-7. He has said more intense things about this game against ECU than he has virtually any other opponent. he's ever had in his over a decade nearing a decade and a half tenure, except, of course, the University of North Carolina, who is, you know, that's biggest rival archimicist territory. So with that being said, this game is personal.

Starting point is 00:15:27 It's on a different level. T's are crossed. Eyes are dotted. This is a game where that line moved, Donnell, less than three days ago. It was at 11.5. Oh, I didn't know that. have. And then all of a sudden there's potential speculation that ECU's offensive coordinator could be suspended for this game and that line jumps up. Two points. Now, Donna, you know the

Starting point is 00:15:54 betting more than I do. Normally with news like that, you just see more juice on the line. Two points, a couple of days before the game is like, what's happening over in Greenville, which is where ECU is located? So I think NC State covers this one handily, because it's, again, you've got a team that is walking in, unsure of some things, and you've got another team walking in. By the way, only bringing back two of their starters defensively as well. So you've got a team in NC State that is motivated, that is pissed off, that is hungry, and that really wants to send a message in this one. I think they cover fairly easy. You talked me into this one. You couldn't talk me into Virginia Tech plus seven and a half.

Starting point is 00:16:35 You walked me in to NC State minus 13 and a half. I'm locking that in. Oh, man. Now, I know, Another one, I'm actually relieved about this. Well, you talk about lines moving, Kenton. So we mentioned, I think just yesterday, Duke was favored by, I think, 34, 34 and a half against Elon. That's moved up to minus 37. So, and again, you know my rule, right? When you got an underdog of 30 or more points, I usually bet on the dog.

Starting point is 00:17:05 So I'm locking in Elon plus 37. I think Duke's going to win fairly easily. I just don't think they're going to win by more than five touchdowns per se. So obviously there's not a whole lot of, I think Duke is 8-0-1 all time in history against Elon. It's not a whole lot of suspense for this matchup, but it does give Duke fans an opportunity to see the start of year two of Mani Diaz and how much better that defense, which is pretty darn good last year it can get. And of course, Darien Mensa at quarterback behind center for the first time. So I'm definitely going to take a look at that tonight.

Starting point is 00:17:37 You heard it here first, folks. line mover Alex Dono. When he's ready to put some action down on it, Vegas is paying attention. Vegas is fading me, though. If anything, the line should have gotten smaller. You're right. You're right.

Starting point is 00:17:51 You're right. You're right. I'm sorry. So you heard it here first. Whatever you're locked on ACC, go the opposite direction. Exactly. Vegas is ready. Vegas hates Alex Donno.

Starting point is 00:18:00 And they're probably right. But in all seriousness, Dono, I'm with you, man. 40 points. a darn near 40 point line. What is it? It's 37. 37.

Starting point is 00:18:13 37 points. You're really counting on Manny Diaz running it up. You're really counting on him saying, hey, keep it going all night long. We got a beef against Elon for some reason. Because more likely than not, he's probably going to call the dogs off and say, all right, that's enough. That's enough. Let's go ahead and reel it back in. And they could be up 50 at that point.

Starting point is 00:18:36 But if Elon scores, two, two, two, two. touchdowns when they're up 50. Let's do some quick math on that, Donnell. 50 minus 14 is what? 36. 36, which means you don't cover, which means you get a backdoor bad beat because Elon is, their coach is saying, just play for pride, man. Just do something right. Let's just put some good stuff on type. Okay. And meanwhile, Mandy Diaz and Duke are like, all right, boys, pack it in. Let's not get anybody hurt. We're up 50 points. Next thing you know, you're looking up. What? They were just up 43. Yeah, that's too hot. Too hot. All right. So a Friday night game, Kenton, I think I'm going to stay away from this one. I think Georgia Tech absolutely can win in Boulder. But I'd like that number to be minus two and a half or minus three. Georgia Tech is favored by four and a half points. So I'm probably just going to sit this one out, watch the game and enjoy it because I just don't know enough about what to expect from Caden Salt. quarterback in Colorado.

Starting point is 00:19:40 Obviously, we know more of what to expect, you know, with the Haines's at Georgia Tech, which is why I think Georgia Tech's going to win the game. But again, at four and a half, I'm just going to sit this one out, watch, and enjoy on Friday night. These are two of my favorite coaches and not just all the college football and all the sports period. Coach Prime and what he is and what he's done and what he's represented. Fantastic. Fantastic. Coach Key and everything that he has bought to Georgia.

Starting point is 00:20:08 Tech. Fantastic. I mean, it makes me want to lose my clean rate thinking about how how excellent he has been as a representative of Georgia Tech. And that's kind of the flag bearer to say, hey, we're going to turn this program around. Former assistant who gets the interim title that then gets the full-time title with an amazing ending to a season of the likes of which hadn't been seen since Paul Johnson was around in Atlanta. And it, it, it, either way this game goes, it couldn't hurt my heart because I'm going to see a team that I want to see win a lot of ball games this year win. But in this one, I'm double excited because I want to get to come on air and say, I told everybody that Georgia Tech and the rambling wreck were going to be running, gunning, and doing whatever they want to Colorado.

Starting point is 00:20:59 I'm sorry they don't have it in the trenches to stop that massive run game that Georgia Tech is coming with. There's going to be Haynes King. There's going to be Jamal Haynes. There's going to be haines everywhere like it's a boxer ad or something. This is not going to go well for Colorado. And it's just they're too lightened behind. They just don't have it in the trenches to hunker down. And I think that Georgia Tech wins this one.

Starting point is 00:21:24 And they cover firmly. Now, another couple games I want your take on winners and covers before we do our official picks for a couple of the other biggest games of the weekend. Cal is at Oregon State, you know, former Pac-12 rivalry. Oregon State is favored by a point and a half at home. I think that that's about right, that being basically a pick-ham game. I mean, I guess the ACC Homer in me wants to lean to Cal, but I don't know what to make of this one. Who do you think comes out on top?

Starting point is 00:21:57 You know, I've been looking at this for quite some time, and I've been going back and forth because I'm saying to myself, Oregon State is in constant flux, replacing a lot of guys, figure out what's going on, still haven't even really gotten over the loss of Aden Childs and company from a year ago. And then I say, but is Cal in a better place? Don't get me wrong. Seeing them at ACC Media Day, seeing Wilcox and seeing Rivera and all them at ACC Media Days, it helped. But I'm not sure that I look at them and I say they're in a much better place with all that they had to replace when they had to replace it at the end of the day.

Starting point is 00:22:33 Donno, I'm just like you. I hope that they get it done. I would hope. I'm not sure if they will. This game is the ultimate pick-em. If you are listening to my voice, do not bet on this game. But if I had to, if the Martians had the beam pointed at Earth, saying, hey, you pick the right one and y'all get to live, I'd have to go with the beavers. All right. So another one of the five ranked matchups, Syracuse, unranked, against Tennessee.

Starting point is 00:23:00 This is going to be another neutral site game in Atlanta. Atlanta's hosting a bunch of football games this weekend. Syracuse against 24th ranked Tennessee. Now, I am going Syracuse to cover the 13 and a half. I'm going to have Tennessee winning the game by a touchdown or less. So to me, I look at this as Fran Brown is going to show that this team has a lot of toughness and can overcome some of the losses from last year. You know, I like Steve Angelli as their quarterback.

Starting point is 00:23:30 Like I'm almost tempted to call him an experience quarterback. He's not. He's got one start. but a lot of reps as Notre Dame's backup for the last couple of years, more experienced than Ricky Collins, who we beat out in their competition. So I'm going to go Syracuse to keep it close to cover but not to win. What about you?

Starting point is 00:23:46 Are you taking Q's outright? I've said this all week. And then the words that I saw him from Barnyard, I won't back down. Syracuse is going to win this football game. You heard it here first. Syracuse is going to win this game. I think the Fran Brown is that high above hypo as a coach.

Starting point is 00:24:07 Don't get me wrong. Tennessee has a much more talented team in terms of it on paper, right? Yeah. I think that Tennessee is dealing with a lot of things in-house that are starting to seep their way out that people are not realizing. Nico wasn't the only one that left that was a starter from last year. Why? What's going on there? What's happening there?

Starting point is 00:24:31 And of course, when you talk about Tennessee, you're always going to talk about that bonds and the fact that they change like hockey shifts. And I think that they still have that type of talent. I really do. However, you don't replace a James Pierce one for one. I thought that he was the type of guy. If his hips got a little smoother and he put on about 15, 20 pounds, I thought he was going to be a number one overall pick. Granted, Tennessee fans got mad at me for saying he's a top 10 guy and he ended up going 27.

Starting point is 00:24:58 How'd that work out. But, you know, I think that Fran Brown and company, get it done in this one. I think Adjellie's experience shons. I think Fran Brown's coaching a defensive mind shines against the scheme that is very very gimmicky, to say the least. So I think Syracuse wins

Starting point is 00:25:15 this one. All right. When we come back, we'll go on record with our predictions for Florida State hosting Alabama and Clemson hosting LSU. Plus, is there a solution for the ACC that does not involve nine conference games? You want to keep it locked right here. We're not

Starting point is 00:25:31 done yet on this brand new episode of Locked on ACC. Folks, I'm not done with game time. College football is back. I couldn't be more excited. The tailgates, the rivalries, the energy in the stands. There's just nothing like it. But let's be real. Actually getting tickets can feel like more of a battle than the game itself. Endless cues, hidden fees. Prices jumping at checkout. You don't get that with game time. And guys, you're getting the best features and the best prices. I'm looking at games. You know, in my area in South Florida, Miami hosting Notre Dame for under $200 available now on the GameTime app. You're not going to find deals or features like that.

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Starting point is 00:27:13 Thanks so much for helping us out. All right, Kenton, you know, we've done deep dives this week already on, you know, the biggest games of Miami hosting Notre Dame, Clemson hosting LSU and Florida state hosting Alabama. But let's get official picks for those latter two. I have Clemson winning and, I think, covering as well against LSU. It is a four and a half point spread. Again, I'd probably prefer that to be two and a half for three.

Starting point is 00:27:45 But I feel good that Clemson, based on some of the matchups, especially Clemson's defensive line against a virtually all new LSU offensive line, I'm going to go with the Tigers from South Carolina to win by a touchdown. I got a bold prediction, Donald. The tigers are going to roll in Death Valley. There you go. No, but in all seriousness, I think, you know, LSU is not ready for this matchup. They're not.

Starting point is 00:28:12 They don't have the horses in the stable. This game is going to get ugly. I, even if they bump this line up to 10, I would still feel comfortable taking Clemson. Nine and a half, I still feel comfortable taking Clemson. The reality for this game for me is very, very simple. You are looking at an LSU team that doesn't have holes comparatively, right? Like, when we talk about Miami, Notre Dame, those are holes comparatively in terms of how good other parts of their game are.

Starting point is 00:28:39 You know, you say, oh, man, that's not as good as this part. LSU has legitimate holes that make you wonder, like, is this a top two team? That secondary is a legit. What's going on back there? What's happening? How do you kind of deal with that? That offensive line, how are these guys going to gel and mesh? Words are hard for me today.

Starting point is 00:29:03 How is this offensive line going to gel and mesh in game one? As much as we talk about what it's like to have a quarterback transfer in game one, it's also not easy to have an offensive line doing that as well, to have a bunch of guys who, again, just have not played at a high volume together in this situation. but defensively, I think Clemson is just too good, too much in that front seven. I think this one is, yeah, this is not going to be a great one in America, particularly Southeast America, it's going to be introduced to some guy that played up in Purdue

Starting point is 00:29:36 by the last name of health or something along those lines. And I don't think LSU is going to like him very much. All right. So we're in agreement there. Now, maybe we're in agreement for this one as well. Now, I have Alabama not only beating Florida State, but I've got them covering the 13 and a half. This is to me as a bad timing to face an opponent like this for an FSU team trying to bounce back from 2 and 10. Costalanos has said way too much leading up to this matchup.

Starting point is 00:30:07 I've got Bama probably winning by, you know, let's say, 21 points. There's not a single game this week that I would be happier to be wrong about, not a single one. even with Colorado and Georgia Tech where I'm like, hey, either team that wins, more power to you, I'm excited for you. I'm going to tell you this much. Granny's going to be having a good time with this one. I'm for sure going to get a call after the game saying, how about my tie, grandson?

Starting point is 00:30:33 I already see it coming because the tide are going to roll in this one. I mean, again, I hope that I'm wrong. I sincerely, I sincerely, as a, I wouldn't need to say I'm the number one member of the Costalano's fan club because he says you're the only one on this show. He says things made it tough for me, Donald. He says things made tough. But I'm still on the bandwagon saying, you know what? He could do a little something.

Starting point is 00:30:58 So I'm hoping he proves me wrong here. But I don't really see a path to Florida State for winning or covering in this game. You know, late last week, we talked about the talks that the ACC, you know, athletic directors and, you know, university presidents and commissioner are having about adding a ninth conference game. Every other power four now has that. SEC is doing it. Big 12 and Big 10 already had it. But the problem, there's a big mathematical problem for the ACC because with the number of teams,

Starting point is 00:31:30 17 football members, it's not mathematically possible for all of them to play nine conference opponents. So some of the alternatives are pretty wacky, like having games against Notre Dame, who's not a football member of the conference and doesn't play an even distribution of the ACC teams, counting that as a conference game. I think it's kind of ridiculous. It's like a slap in the face to say they refuse to, not only do they refuse to join as a football member

Starting point is 00:31:57 and help us out financially, but now we also need to count them as a conference game. I think it's an absolute slap in the face. Now, I heard something, this is not necessarily his idea, but this is something that they're talking about. Miami Athletic Director Dan Radicovich mentioned earlier this week that an alternative there would be you stay at eight conference games, but you require all of your members to schedule at least two power four opponents non-conference. So you play 10 power four

Starting point is 00:32:26 games per year. I mean, Kenton doesn't that accomplish the goal of increasing competition, create increasing television value to make sure you've got 10 power four games on your schedule. I think that that basically accomplishes the same goal without the weird Notre Dame thing, which I'm not in favor of. Yeah, I would much rather be in favor of that. We're talking about how exciting it is for the ACC to be playing these big games this weekend. Let's keep that. Let's keep that.

Starting point is 00:32:56 We don't need to do this weird. Oh, Notre Dame, we're going to give more concessions and make you even more important to our conference while you wait outside. Listen, the ACC is in a very clear, unrequited love situation with Notre Dame football. Okay. We are, we are Urkel and the, the Notre Dame football program is Lord. All right. We are Roger and Notre Dame football is Tia and Tamara on sister sister. You know what I mean? They are Tony Soprano and the ACC is the Gumad, the girlfriend, who doesn't get, you know, he doesn't get the benefits that the white gets.

Starting point is 00:33:34 Exactly. We're just sitting here begging, please, and every time we hear, go home, Roger. every time. That's what we do. So let's just say, hey, schedule two power four games. That way you keep the revenue up. You keep eyeballs on the sport. And if we're going to be stuck with ESPN, you at least end up in a situation

Starting point is 00:33:56 where they're potentially incentivized to play your games. You're incentivized to say, you know what? Which game are we more likely to put on TV? Miami versus Mahary Medical College. or Miami versus Florida. Miami versus Houston. Miami versus, you know,

Starting point is 00:34:22 whoever in that vein, Michigan. They're playing, I think a season or two from now, they're playing Utah out of conference. Exactly. That's something that you would be motivated to see and put on TV. So I think it helps the conference. It helps our viewership as a whole. It helps the brand.

Starting point is 00:34:38 It helps sell your program. the players by saying if you want to play on the biggest stages, the SEC's going to tell you. The big team is going to tell you, oh, yeah, we got the most viewers. Well, you turn on your TV during week one. Who was on TV? Who was on TV? You turn on your TV during week two. Who was on TV?

Starting point is 00:34:58 Who was headlining everywhere? While they were playing the Island of Misfit Toys Community College, while they were looking for southeastern Delta Valley Midwestern state, we went out and found Oregon. That's who we played in week one. We went out and found the Buckeyes. That's who we played in week one. So I think that it's a situation where you can't go wrong by saying we want to take on Premier brands from Premier conferences. Well said. Well, we appreciate everyone making Lockdowne ACC your first list. Make sure you smash the like button and subscribe, subscribe on YouTube, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, wherever you get your pods. Check Kenton

Starting point is 00:35:37 out at Lockedon Wolfpack. I'm sure they'll have full coverage after a big dub on Thursday night against ECU. Check me out on Lockdown Canes at Alex Dono on X. Kenton is on X at TGAF underscore Kenton. And we'll talk to you next time on another episode of Lockdown ACC. We are part of the awesome Lockdown Podcast Network. Your team every day.

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