Locked On ACC - Daily College Football & Basketball Podcast - LEGITIMACY: Miami Hurricanes UPSET Texas A&M | ACC Gets RESPECT

Episode Date: December 22, 2025

Miami Hurricanes silence College Station as Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor power a defining playoff win over Texas A&M—does this legitimize the ACC on the national stage? Jackson Holzer and Kenton Gibbs spotlight Miami’s dominant defensive line, game-sealing goal line stand, and the tactical edge displayed in a hard-fought victory. The hosts debate ACC team credibility, upcoming challenges against Ohio State, and the underdog narrative Miami now embraces.North Carolina Tar Heels make waves with the controversial hiring of Bobby Petrino as offensive coordinator under Bill Belichick. What does this eccentric coaching move mean for recruiting and program stability? Holzer and Gibbs question UNC’s direction, discuss Petrino’s rocky off-field history, and consider the broader impact on ACC football. Stay tuned for sharp analysis of playoff implications, conference reputation, and the looming ACC-Big Ten clash. 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.

The Miami Hurricanes are moving on. 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 Holes or the host of Locked on Syracuse. That's Tenting Gibbs, the host of Locked on Wolfpack. And thank you so much for making Locked on ACC, your first listen of every single day here on the Locked on podcast network.

Of course, it's always your team every day. We're free and available wherever you get your podcast here on the number one sports podcasting network. And on today's show, the North Carolina Tar Heels have a new offensive coordinator, Bobby Petrino. What could possibly go wrong with that coaching staff? Plus, the Miami Hurricanes took down Texas A&M this past Saturday. What this means for ACC legitimacy.

we'll talk about later on in the show, but first and foremost, how Miami technically, because it wasn't that much of a shocker, but technically upset Texas A&M. All that and more coming up here on today's edition of Locked-on ACC. And before we get to everything, this episode is brought to you by Fandul. If you want to be right in the middle of the action this season, visit Fandul.com and place your NFL live bets all season long. The Miami Hurricanes go into Texas A&M. they win by a final store of 10-3.

And if you were paying attention, ladies and gentlemen, on ACC squad or on the Friday edition here of this show, I correctly, I got to give myself a pat on the back here, correctly predicted that Miami would win with a goal line stand. Now, I didn't get the final store right, but I got the goal line stand part right. So I'm happy. And I think we're all happy for the conference

that Miami was able to pull out a victory. But Kenton, what are your first impressions? from this game. Well, you know, I was just told that there was no way that a lowly ACC team could go on the road. And that's the other part of this thing. I was told that the, the ACC mind cannot comprehend the horrors that abound because apparently taking a trip to every SEC state, or not every, but any SEC stadium, is the equivalent of being a young child out in Derry, Maine every 27 years. Apparently it's that horrifying of an ordeal for folks to do that.

And then on top of that, I was told that, you know, if your game is being physical in the ACC, it won't translate to a real physical team. You know, Mr. Trey Zoom said, oh, yeah, that kid is, he's no, you know, that Ruby Bang guy, he's not much of a threat to look at. We ain't seen the Zoom get beat on that bad. since Microsoft thought it could compete with the iPod. And yet, we come back and see a game in which Miami overcame all those things, apparently.

Apparently, having to travel to college station and all their weird little chance didn't really do much for Texas A&. Apparently, all of this belief about who they are as a team, about how physically they are as a team, didn't really do much for Elko and the boys. Apparently, all the very clear and apparent disrespect of Miami's defensive line and of their physicality in nature didn't really do much for the Aggies. Who to thunk it? Who to thunk it?

Oh, that's right. Me and you would have thought it. Because both of us picked Miami to win an ugly rock fight, which it was, which it was. And like you said, Jackson, you picked it in the English. exact fashion with a goal line stand, but ultimately, I mean, you have to tip your cap to these two bookings. Mesidor, a pressure on half of the passing attempt. It was more than half. More than half. Good God. And then Bain with not one, not two, but three sacks and a black

field goal and additional TFLs on top of that. In the playoff game, I think he might have been a threat that they might have should have been worried about just a little bit. I think so. All in all, hell of a showing for Miami. And not only does this bring legitimacy to Miami, but like you talked about, it does bring legitimacy to the conference because at the end of the day, this was your keen SEC. I know this is not the SEC champion,

but I'm saying this team had they beat Texas, was going to that SEC championship game. That's it. ran through the conference. Eleven wins. Eleven. Ran through the conference. And Miami beats them

on their home turn. We don't got to play the if and butt game. If it was on a neutral side. Well, if this player was healthy, if that player was healthy, well, if this happened, if that happened, ifs was fifths, we'd all be drunk. But we're sitting here sober,

looking at a world where Miami walks away with a win in the, the most Miami fashion possible. Way to go Keynes. Way to go to the U. Great job of putting on for the ACC. They did exactly what they had to do to win this game. Carson Beck, no interceptions.

Bain and Mesidor did their thing, which is eat Marcel Reed alive. And overall, just completely shut down Texas A&M's rushing attack in general and their offense in general. They got a few big plays, like a field goal block from 22 yards out. You know, that doesn't normally happen, but you get it in this type of game. You need some of those plays to win sometimes, especially on the road. You ran the football effectively.

Mark Fletcher picked the perfect time to have his first career 50-yard run. On the final drive of the game for Miami, first play, 56 yards. Talk about setting a tone and then Malachi Tony, making the big. big play running across the field, turning the corner, showing off the wheels, get into that pylon for that touchdown, take a 10-3 lead. I don't know about you. I knew after that touchdown that A&M wasn't going to score. Oh, of course. They couldn't store the whole game long and now all of a sudden they're going to go down the field, which they did. They did. But a goal line stand in the end for the Miami Hurricanes. They advanced the Cotton Bowl on New Year's Eve, where they will take on

number two, Ohio State, which we will talk more about tomorrow and what Miami can do to potentially win that game, how it's going to be a lot tougher. But as far as, you know, our thoughts going into this game, we both predicted that Miami was going to win. And we both said, look, Texas A&M is a respectable opponent. They're on their home field. 11 and 1 is nothing to sneeze at. They do have that win against Notre Dame, which I know they're not in the college football

playoff, but we can all agree, is a very good team. So they're not like a team that should be taken lightly. But this was a game for Miami where I felt, and we felt in general, they could win. They could absolutely win this game. Because Miami, this entire season has shown that they can play with nearly every team in the country. It's just what has been disappointing, not anymore because it doesn't matter anymore, was that they would lose to what we would perceive as inferior competition. Miami stepped up and did what they had to do to win this game against Texas A&M in a rock fight.

It doesn't matter about the style points anymore because you're in the college football playoff. And like I said, they will take on number two Ohio State on New Year's Eve. Kenton, any last thoughts on this game before we move on to how this impacts the ACC in general? My biggest thought in this game is that if you would have listened to the SEC talking heads before this game took place, there was no way Texas A&M was going to move. Oh, they're pissed off. Oh, Marcel Reed's had a week to work on that ankle and they're going to get going. Oh, you know, one of the best past blocking offensive lines in the nation, you know,

there's no way that Miami does what they do and gets their best guys percolating. Now everybody all of a sudden is concerned about Ruben Bain's arm length. And so, you know, it starts with the scouts and then it gets to the analyst. And now everybody's saying, oh, yeah, he don't struggle with Zoom. well, it didn't work out very well for him, did it? No. Long story short, I'm going to say I already see the exact same things happening in next week's game. I already see.

No, no, no, no. I'm not saying I see the same outcome. I'm not saying that. I'm saying I see people saying the same things in terms of Miami's got no shout. This game, Ohio State's going to take them out to the woods shit. They've got no chance to stop. and all these weapons at all these places. And I'm sitting here thinking to myself,

is this not a 10-win, power four team that just went on the road in the vaunted SEC? Oh, 110,000 people and just won a game? And we're doing this again. Oh, they can't win again. This is the most underdog I've ever seen Miami rightfully be. The underdog narrative is crafting itself in a way that it rightfully has never been available. for Miami like it is right now with people acting like they're the they're a make a wish team that got into the playoffs no no this is a team that earned it this is a team that earned it and

earned advancing they didn't get lucky they didn't you know it wasn't some catastrophe where marcel reed tripped on a helmet and hit his face the wrong way it was out for the game no no no they earned it against texas n m's best so ultimately i see many of the same there is popping up for this week already. And in the words of Ruben Bay, God bless the boys. I want to see a place of football. I will save most of my thoughts on Miami, Ohio State for tomorrow's episode here on Locked on ACC, but I will say this one thing right here.

I viewed the Texas A&M matchup for Miami as a 50-50 toss-up. Against Ohio State, I do not view it as 50-50. I think Ohio State is a better team. And it's going to take a combination of Miami playing their best game combined with Ohio State not playing their best in order for Miami to pull off an upset. Am I saying they have no chance? Absolutely not. These are two very good teams. They deserve to be here.

But Ohio State, I think, is a much different animal than Texas A&M. But we'll talk about that more on tomorrow's edition of Locked on ACC. Now, coming up, how Miami's win impact. ACC legitimacy. 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 Fandu's so exciting. You're not just watching the game. You're reacting to it in real time. And with Fandu, you can place bets as the action unfolds, every drive, every momentum swing, every highlight moment. Live betting is best when the game starts to shift. A receiver may get hot. A defense tightens up or the

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So if you want to be right in the middle of the action this season, visit vandul.com and place your NFL live bets all season long. Bandwool, the game moves fast, and so can you. Locked on ACC. I'm Jackson Holes. I'm the host of Locked on Syracuse. That's Tenting Gibbs post of Lockedon Wolfpack. once again, the Miami Hurricanes on Saturday afternoon go into Texas A&M College Station,

and they take them down by a final store of 10-3. We talked about this game in general. We gave a brief recap for you all, ladies and gentlemen, but now let's relate it back to the ACC. So, Kenton, how do you think that this win for Miami impacts ACC legitimacy? In a fair and just world, people now look at SMU and Louisville in a different light. In a fair and just world, people now look at the ACC and say, well, wait a minute, now. We sat here and pretended like they did not have any worthy teams.

Like everybody in their mama was terrible there. And yet we've seen Miami now go in and beat one of the SEC's best. So in reality, if we're carrying this same kind of energy that we have for, oh, this team beat this team and therefore this says this and not about the conference, well, it's very clear to me a 10 and 2 team beating an 11 and 1 team and a supposedly better conference, that's got to say something. That's got to say something to the realm and the effect of, hey, this team, despite what you would think of them, despite, oh, they played this team close and they played that team close and yada, yada, yada, so and so forth in the fifth.

That's fine. That's all good and dandy. But what you believe does not align with what happens when these teams line it up, which is what I've always said. If you give ACC teams the chance that just line it up and play against these other conferences, they'll show you. they'll show you. And ultimately, that's what Miami did. They went out and they showed it.

So I believe that it should absolutely help the ACC's legitimacy and their view in terms of in the rest of the country. I think also a little side note here from the ACC for a moment, but it relates to the ACC. Jeff Brom at Louisville. You know, you mentioned how maybe Louisville and SMU, maybe they deserve a little bit more respect because they're the teams that actually beat Miami in the regular season.

Jeff Brom, Michigan, maybe just maybe Miami winning this game could have a slight impact with that because now Michigan and other teams are mainly it's Michigan right now looking for a head coach. Could look at Jeff Brom a little bit differently because they're sitting and you're saying, wait, you took that Louisville team and you beat the Miami Hurricanes on the road during the regular season. Strengthens his case makes that extension that much more pricey if Louisville were to want to keep him. And hopefully for the sake of the conference, Louisville can obviously. keep one of their own in Jeff Brom. But in general, you're right. The ACC kind of needed this, especially when their own conference champion wasn't deemed worthy enough for the college football

playoff. And you and I both agreed that that was the correct decision by the committee. I mean, you're not taking an eight and five Duke team into the college football playoff. It's just not happening. But you needed the ACC at some point to step up and win a game. Last year, they had two teams go to the college football playoff, SMU and Clemson, and they couldn't get the job done. And this year with Miami, it's like, okay, Texas A&M, out of all the teams I look at in the SEC, this is the one that is most beatable. I strongly disagree. Really?

I strongly disagree. You think they match up better against like a Georgia? No, no. Of all the teams that were available for them to play, because remember, the SEC got in five teams, five teams. you can't tell me that an Alabama team that lost to Florida State, you're like, oh, no, no, no, no, there's no way. I don't think Miami's, no, I don't think Texas, I don't think Alabama's world beaters.

I'm just saying I'll take Alabama over Texas A&M. See, I never had as much respect for Texas A&M as other people may have had. I thought that Texas A&M this season was more of an overachiever team where I looked at the field and all the SEC teams in it, And I said, that's the most beatable of all the teams that are there. I'm not sitting here saying Alabama is a role beater. I'm saying I would take Alabama over Texas A&M head to head. Oklahoma as well?

That's a toss-up. That's what I'm saying. Oklahoma's defense, I think, would also smother. I think it would be very similar. Oklahoma's defense would smother Texas A&M. That's what I'm saying. I believe that there were multiple matchups of teams out of the SEC that I think they would do just fine with.

And quiet as kept, I don't think that people, I think that people are more fearful of Ole Miss than they should be. I think people are a lot more fearful of Ole Miss than they should be, especially when you're seeing a virtual mass exodus of your offensive coaching staff. And yeah, I know people are going to say, well, a lot of them came back. Maybe they got one foot in the door, one foot out. They're not fully focused on where their feet are. So I think there were multiple teams that Miami could have beaten out of the SEC.

but, but what we always say on this show, just win your games. And that's what Miami did. I don't have a job. Yes, I do. Y'all got a sweet greens drink over. Just win your games. Always, I mean, and at the end of the day, that's what we were,

at the end of the day, we could say who would be a better or worse matchup? What we can't say with 100% certainty, Texas A&M Miami matchup, Miami wins. But proceed with your point. It didn't mean. Absolutely. also with Ole Miss, I think it's very tough to gauge them because they play, yeah, they won their playoff game. They were at home and they played Tulane. Who they already beat. Whose coach is not there for next year. Like that's, that was the coach's last name.

John Summer was going to be in Florida next year. So I don't know how to engage O Miss after their round one win, but you credit them for winning. Absolutely. So you know what? Miami doesn't have to worry about Ole Miss right now. They got to worry about Ohio State. But this was good for the conference. They needed a team in the conference to show that they can actually win a college football playoff game. And it does give you at least a little bit of hope that Miami could take the mantle of the team that everyone in the ACC looks up to.

Because that is what we have been saying for the last couple of weeks here. This is something that we both agree on with the ACC, which is that they are missing that team at the top, that we can crown every year and say that's the team to beat. That's the team that can go play anyone in the country and win. So if you have one team that can do that and you have a team in the ACC that can maybe knock off that team, well, the perception of the conference in general goes up just a little bit more

because you have Louisville who beat him. You have SMU who beat them and you look at those teams and you say, oh, maybe those teams are actually better than what we thought about them. or if you played Miami close in the regular season, maybe you're better than what we thought you actually were. So Miami, I still think they need to prove more in the college football playoff in order for it to fully come full circle where the ACC can finally crown a team, aka maybe you can beat Ohio State on New Year's Eve.

But it's a good first step that the ACC finally gets a win in the new expanded playoff. Kenton, any last thoughts on ACC legitimacy? I mean, again, in a real fair and just way, this should legitimize ACC very meaningfully. This should. Because what we are seeing is multiple teams that were ranked that were ranked wins for Texas NM. Either you have to admit that Texas NM was not as good of a team as Miami this season, or you have to admit that a lot of teams in the SEC were illegitimately ranked, which gave them

more ranked wins, which gave them more of a boost in terms of the committee and the resume and the metrics. One or the other has to be true. You cannot live in a world where it both exists. Well, all of those ranked teams in the SEC were properly ranked and they're a better team than Miami. Like, okay, well, what do you, how did they lose the game then? How did they lose the game despite having all of this better resume and their better team?

you know so ultimately I really and truly look at this and say you have to now start to look at their schedules a little bit and start to go through it with a five two comments like oh well wait a minute wait a minute now this is this is something we may need to be a little bit more honest with ourselves about totally agree to some extent I don't think the ACC did themselves a lot of favors this year in terms of quality of teams but Miami and getting the win they proved that they can hang with the majority of teams now in college football. They are one of eight remaining, and they have a shot at winning a national championship this year, which would be quite the story if the Miami Hurricanes, who barely got in the college football playoff, actually win a national

title this year. And hey, feel free to leave your comments in the comments section below, ladies and gentlemen, do you think that Miami is a legitimate national title contender? Now, coming up, Bobby Batrino is the next offensive coordinator of North Carolina. Carolina. And I'll tell you this, folks, nothing could possibly go wrong. There's nothing like college football season, tailgates, pack stadiums, and being right there in the middle of it all. I mean, the atmosphere, the college station, obviously it was amazing. Too bad Miami had to spoil it. The energy, the bands, the moments you remember forever, but actually getting tickets, well, that part is pretty frustrating. There's long cues,

logins, prices jumping at checkout. And that's why game time gives the advantage back to fans. It's the easiest way to unlock amazing college football tickets and experiences in just a few taps. Knowing prices include all fees up front makes the whole process stress-free. Take the guesswork out of buying college football tickets with game time, download the game time app, create an account and use code locked on college for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Again, that's code Locked on College, L-O-C-K-E-O-N-C-O-L-E-G-E for $20 hours off, download the game time app today. The next offensive coordinator of North Carolina, this broke earlier today, Monday,

December 22nd. Bill Belichick decides to get Bobby Petrino. Kenton, I'm sure you have a lot of thoughts about this given that you are a co-host of Locked-on Wolfpack. So the floor is yours. I'm so excited. for them in Chapel Hill, you know. I mean, Bobby Petrino, what an illustrious career he's had so far.

When you think of Bobby Petrino, you think of a guy who just coaches football the right way. You know, you think of a guy who everything that he's done has just been by the book, above the board, the right way, you know. And by the way, if life were a motorcycle, Bobby Petrino will want to ride. that thing to the fullest. By the way, don't Google Bobby Patrino motorcycle regardless of what you do. No, but in all seriousness, I do think that Mike Petrino is actually a good pickup with football

as an offensive coordinator. The only problem is it's 2025. How do you sell your son, how do you sell people how do you sell people on their son becoming a better man while playing for a 73-year-old

coach that has a 24-year-old girlfriend and an offensive coordinator, who quite literally, to say that his affair with a college student crashed and burned in a literal sense happened to him is absolutely astounding. A lot of people think that I say these things because like, oh, I don't like UNC and all that.

Listen, I don't like UNC, but I'm also able to talk about this school and things like that with some sort of objectivity. And objectively, I think this hurts your recruiting pretty badly. I don't know how you go sit on. I mean, and maybe I'm crazy. Maybe it doesn't matter. And I know firsthand, lots of coaches have lots of skeletons. Everybody else's skeletons ain't been on ESPN ticker. Hey, coach da-da-da-da-da-da-da. I don't know. Maybe I'm crazy. Jackson, would it matter to you at all? Some of the off-field shenanigans Petrino has gotten into

if you were sending your boy off to play college football, would it matter to you or would you more so say, hey, he's just there for the check, he's there to get to the NFL, that's what we're here for. All the rest is all the rest. I think when you're living in a world where you have so many different options,

if you are that talented enough to where North Carolina is offering you a scholarship to play football, that I don't know if I would be comfortable. I don't know. Like I, I wouldn't sit here and automatically, you know, rule the stool out. North Carolina is that great education. Absolutely.

You got to throw that out there. Great education. Absolutely. Hey, my son or daughter, if they decided to go to North Carolina, I mean, I did good, I was a good parent. I did a good job because great school, right? But you have so many different options around the country. If you're good enough to be recruited by North Carolina,

chances are you're good enough to be recruited by NC State. You might be good enough to be recruited by Clemson. You might be good enough to be recruited at other schools as well. Who knows? So I don't know if I'd be comfortable with the coaching staff led by Bill Belichick and Bobby Petrino. And I just, I look at North Carolina and it's the same thing over the past year and a half with them.

It's just they are weird and bizarre. Like I don't. I don't, I don't, I don't, I don't see the vision. It's like, are, are we sure this is, am I crazy? Like, feel free to, like, I know I'm nuts. So feel free to comment in the comment section below, if you're with me on this.

Like, I just look at North Carolina from afar and I'm just like, I don't see the vision here. Yeah. I don't, I don't really understand it. I, I guess I'm open-minded. It could work. I understand they're also not high, hiring Bobby Petrino to be the head coach.

So that's a little bit different. But for what it's worth, when he took over Arkansas, I understand some weird scenario being interim head coach. He went 0 in seven. And I think his last head coaching stint when he was with Louisville, he was two and eight in his final season, which was a long time ago. I just, I don't really see the vision.

I guess Bill Belichick sees something. Yeah. again, I just, I, we're all sitting here wondering, like, how does this work out? How does this work out? Where are we going here? And this is no, this is not to say that people don't deserve second chances. This is not to say that people can't get redemption out of these things. But redemption normally comes with winning on top of it.

Yeah. And there hasn't been a ton of, I've told people all the time. At the end of the day, college football, college basketball, NFL, NBA, NHF, You name the sport, you name the league. Nobody really cares that much if you're winning. The thing that blows my mind about this by Petrino higher, where is the winning? Where is the winning? His last record as a head coach when he was a full-time head coach at Missouri State was five and six.

Where is the winning? So, you know, more powerful. I hope everything. And I mean this very genuinely. I really do hope that there is no. scandal and that things do go well because we can't talk about ACC legitimacy in the last seven days, say, ha ha, I hope you do terribly UNZ. I hope that when they're not playing NC State, they do just fine.

I really do. But this is, this just reeks of desperation. This is just reeks of I'm at the bar at 158 a.m. They cut the lights on. I got to get somebody before I leave. And this is like, is that ever, is that ever a good choice? Are you telling me there were no other offensive coordinators that you could have hired that could have maybe been a better? Like, I don't know all the names off the top of my head, but think about the amount of schools and the amount of levels of football around the country.

You couldn't find someone else other than Bobby Petrino? With Bill Belichick's Rolodex as well, you, the amount of guys who you have coached that are interested in coaching or that are climbing up the coaching ranks that you can say, I know that guy is a player. let's see how he is as a coach. This is what you pop out with. This is, yikes. I know, I know that, I know that Boston College is not firing Bill O'Brien this soft season.

Like, that's not happening. They would have already done it by now. I don't know if they would fire him if they have a terrible year next year. But it seems like he's the missing guy. It seems like if he becomes available, Bill Belichick's going to hire him. Oh, a thousand percent.

A thousand percent. Oh, yeah. It's going to be. Belichick, Betrino, Bill O'Brien with Mike Lombardi as the GM. Like, this is just, are we college? Are we NFL? I don't know what we are. Are we high school at this point?

I don't know what we are. I say we as if we're North Carolina, but we are most definitely not North Carolina. I don't want to necessarily be associated with them. And I'm a Syracuse guy. No, sir. No, NC State guy. Definitely don't want to be associated with those.

guys. I wore a light blue shirt quite some time because of those guys. I'm actually wearing a light blue shirt. It's the irony. Look at you. Look at me. Go Tar Hills. At best, you got, oh, you can call it Miami green, but it's really for Cass Tech. That's why I wear this color green a lot, you know. Looks like Michigan State green from here. Again, Cass Tech number one second and up, baby. We ain't got to go to those causes of the Big Ten and whatnot. You know what I mean? We play the best ball in the country on second half, but we ain't got to go there right now. All right. Well, Kenton. I guess any last thoughts on this? You know, I really don't have too many.

I very seriously want North Carolina to be a serious program at some point in time. It just feels like they're committed to not being that right now. It really does. It feels like this is an intentional effort to be unsurious, which is surprising coming from Bill Belichick. Oh, it's totally surprising. Like Bill Belichick, when he was in the NFL, was ruthless and he was well respect. He was the most respected. he might have been the most most respected person in the national football league.

Yeah. Like the entirety of the league. If I ran a poll and said, who is the most respected person? Pick a job, player, coach, executive. You want to pick someone in the commissioner office. You want to pick the commissioner himself. Who's the most respected person? I think the winner of that poll would be Bill Belichick.

And the way he ran the New England Patriots. Right. And it's like now, it's not even just no Tom Brady. It's everything else as well. Where it's just I don't really see the vision, but maybe North Carolina can prove us all wrong and have a great year in 2026. And that would be great for the ACC, not necessarily good for NC State. But it would be great for the ACC in general.

So we're rooting for them. We want them to be right, but I just, I don't see the vision. folks coming up on locked on ACC in the near future tomorrow we will look ahead to Miami's matchup on New Year's Eve with Ohio State Plus I don't know if you caught this over the weekend but the Duke Blue Devils lost their first game of the season in Madison Square Garden to Texas Tech good team but hobbled in foul trouble and down by a bajillion points in the second half and so we'll try to to make sense of it tomorrow dukes collapse against texas tech so that's what's coming up on locked on

acc in the near future folks thank you all so much for watching thank you all so much for listening you like this podcast be sure to hit that like button if you really enjoy this podcast be sure to hit subscribe to all your friends by locked on acc and we'll see you all again soon