Locked On ACC - Daily College Football & Basketball Podcast - REDEMPTION: Is Alabama Ready to CRUSH Florida State or Will Ashton Daniels and ACC Triumph Again?

Starting point is 00:00:00 The ACC had a winning record against the SEC last season. In football, the little old ACC, but here's why it's not going to be easy to do that again in 2026. You are Locked on ACC, your daily podcast on the Atlantic Coast Conference. Part of the Locked on Podcast Network, your team every day. He is Kenton Gibbs. I'm Alex Dono, and on this loaded episode of Locked on ACC, we'll talk about what I think is now a popular proposal for the NCAA to simplify eligibility. Now, on paper, this would simplify it, but as we all know, nothing with college athletics is simple. We'll get into it.

Starting point is 00:00:48 But let's talk about the ACC's non-conference outlook, Kenton for the upcoming 2026 season. And I know Commissioner Jim Phillips really emphasizes, let's schedule the best possible non-conference games, right? Because the in-conference games are not as glamorous as some of the big matchups within the Big Ten and the SEC. So like the ACC really tries to have great non-con schedules. And part of that are a lot of their teams play against Notre Dame every single year. That's a big part of it. But you also have some matchups against the Big Ten and a lot of matchups against the SEC. Now, I know Kent and you and I were pumping our chests last year against those SEC fanboys that the ACC had a winning record against the Southeastern conference.

Starting point is 00:01:33 At first glance, though, before we go over the schedule for next year, do you think the ACC does it again? Are we going to go over 500 against the SEC? I think it's going to be tough. It's doable, but man, it's going to be tough. And the reality of what we're looking at here, we all think we know. We all, you know, on paper before the ball is placed down, we all have an idea of, hey, this team's bringing this back. This team's bringing that back. They should be good.

Starting point is 00:02:03 How many times have we seen teams where we just sit up here as, wait, what happened? Wait, how did this team end up like this? So ultimately, yes, on paper, it'll be tough. But last year was it easy on paper to go above 500 against the SEC? So there's that. But listen, as a guy who covers Miami, you're welcome because Miami went what, three and zero, four and no against the SEC last year. Florida is not on Miami's schedule this year.

Starting point is 00:02:32 That was an automatic win the last couple of years. So there are no SEC teams on Miami's regular schedule. We'll have to see who they possibly match up with in the playoffs. So last year, Miami beat Florida in the regular season, Texas A&M and Ole Miss in the playoffs, but nobody from the SEC on the main schedule this year. But to your point on surprises, I think the ultimate example would be Florida State last year. And I know it was a home game for them last year, but for them coming off at two and and 10 season. And as we came to find out, they weren't very good last year either. But coming off

Starting point is 00:03:07 two and 10 from the year before, in my wildest imagination, I didn't think they were going to beat Alabama. And they really ran a rough shot, like literally ran all over the Crimson Tide in that opening game. And that's one of those featured matchups again for this year, Kenton. And, you know, maybe I'll be wrong about this twice because I have a hard time seeing Florida State doing it again to the Crimson Tide. And this year, the matchup is going to be in Tuscaloosa. It's not week one. It's going to be week three. You're going to get that rematch, Florida State at Alabama. And the early spread for that game, this will obviously change one way or the other before September 19th. But Alabama is currently a 13 and a half point favorite at home against Florida State. That being one of those marquee games. I mean, Kenton,

Starting point is 00:04:01 Ashton Daniels. Do we have any shot of Florida State winning that one? Hey, listen here. Okay. Dono may not like you. He's a Miami guy, but Florida State knows fans. Come on in here. Mike Norvell, come on in the road.

Starting point is 00:04:16 How big of an underdog were you last year? About that, I think. About the same. About two touchdowns. They thought that they were going to walk in dope and walk all over you. And now, at Nick Sabin, field at Bryant

Starting point is 00:04:33 Denny, they think that they're going to do it even though they didn't do it last time. Hey, listen, Florida State, this is your moment. This is your chance to shock the world. Norvelle, if you want your job, if you really want your job,

Starting point is 00:04:49 here's the thing. You can ignore beating Bama once. You can't ignore it twice. You can't ignore it twice. If you get you about a seven-win season with a win over Bama in there, they'll be calling you a Teflon Mike in no time. Give him the contract extension on site. Don't let him leave Tuscaloosa. Here's the thing, and I'm not joking.

Starting point is 00:05:10 When you really think about this, right, if he has seven to eight wins, including a win over Bama next year, how do you get rid of him? How do you? You can say, oh, well, he just hasn't done this and that and eight wins ain't the standard of Florida State. Sure, sure.

Starting point is 00:05:27 I don't disagree with you at all. but you're going to have to pay his buyout, and you're going to have to pay a new coach, and you're going to have to hope that that does not set you back and put you in even deeper in a wilderness state of like, oh, man, we're looking around and what are we going to do here because we just got rid of an eight-win coach. I'm not saying eight-win should be the standard there,

Starting point is 00:05:47 but I'm just saying, y'all were underdogs by this month's last year, Florida State. You did it once. You can do it again. I believe in you. Let's get it done, Norval, and the group. come on. It'll probably be a lost up. By the way, that game will be played on my birthday. So it's like

Starting point is 00:06:05 I mean, some people who are a little cynical might say there'd be no better present for me than Alabama putting up a 50 burger on Florida to stay on my birthday. I would say shame on anyone who would say that. I want to see for the

Starting point is 00:06:21 sake of locked on ACC on my 42nd birthday. I would love to celebrate a Mike Norville contract extension happening that day. let's make this happen Florida State. Let's do this. Do it for Dono. So other other matchups against the SEC, there's a big one, week one, Kenton. And it's going to be in Death Valley. Actually, well, I need to specify because both these teams play at a stadium that they refer to as Tigers that play in Death Valley. Yeah. This one's going to be in LSU's Death Valley,

Starting point is 00:06:54 Clemson going into LSU. And it's like, you know, I'm not going to, completely count Clemson out here, Kenton, and it has a lot to do with LSU, with so many new pieces with Lane Kiffin just having got there. A starting quarterback who Sam Levitt, I'm a big fan of his, but he's coming off a very serious injury, and he's probably not going to be able to practice until maybe even after fall camp starts. Like, he's going to be cutting it pretty close to be fully ready and fully integrated for that game. So it's like LSU obviously will be, and should be favored in that game. Let me see if there's a line for that one yet.

Starting point is 00:07:34 A LSU's an early 10.5 point favorite at home. But I don't know, man. I feel like Dabo's Tigers. Crazier things have happened. I still don't think they're going to have a great year, but I think they can go in there and steal that one in Lane's first game in Baton Rouge. Oh, they absolutely can.

Starting point is 00:07:50 That's absolutely a thing that can happen. And here's the biggest thing for me when I think about what I'm looking at with these two teams. what I can see happening here, Clemson for all of their faults and all of their lack of time and all that, they've got a lot of continuity. They've got a lot of continuity.

Starting point is 00:08:08 And they should have a chip the size of a boulder on their shoulder going in the next year because nobody's considering them a factor in the conference. Like, we're not talking nationally. We're not talking, oh, is Clemson's national relevance still a thing? Because if people are talking about your national relevance in your conference, generally,

Starting point is 00:08:26 people are still going to hold you to a certain regard. But when your relevance in the conference, when your odds to win the conference aren't in the top two, now all of a sudden, we're looking at a very different scenario. So Clemson has a shot. Nobody loves to say, nobody liked us. They all want us to lose more than Davosweeney,

Starting point is 00:08:49 and he'll actually have a case this time. So, you know, there's that. However, that is a very talented LSU. team and lane kiffin who i think that lane kiffin is the greatest example of being born on third base uh that life has ever seen because he's repeatedly he's repeatedly had opportunity after opportunity to fail he got into head coaching or he got into coaching rather because he couldn't beat out some guy on the depth chart and his dad said well you can't leave so he said fine i'll coach i guess instead of continuing to be a backup which is incredibly embarrassing and no more lane kiffin of a story

Starting point is 00:09:25 to no more Lane Kiffin of an origin story of getting in the coaching than that. But with that being said, yeah, Lane Kiffin has seemed to turn a new leaf. And I could see him, you know, leading the Tigers to a win over the Tigers here. I could see LSU, you know, beating Clemson here because they did it last year. And I don't think much of Brian Kelly as a coach. I also don't think much of Lane Kiffin as a coach. But not much of a coach beat him last year. still got fired.

Starting point is 00:09:56 So, yeah. Well, that won't be the only SEC matchup for Clemson this season. And there's a few more of those around the Atlantic Coast Conference. But Miami's matchup against Notre Dame is one of the biggest games this college football season, period. So we have a lot more to get to. We're only getting started on this brand new episode of Locked on ECC. You want to keep it locked. My friends, the NHL playoffs are here where every shift matters, every moment is intense.

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Starting point is 00:11:29 Podcast.com slash everydayer and become an everydayer club member of Locked on ACC, Locked on Wolfpack, Locked on Cains, or any of other other great shows on the network. And you get exclusive ad-free versions of our episodes, exclusive Discord chat access with other listeners and your favorite hosts. And folks, you can give it a shot now, Lockedonpodcast.com slash everydayer to become an everydayer club member today. Thank you so much for making Lockdown ACC your first list. For your next list, and make sure you check out our other shows. Kent and Gibbs and Grayson Boone do a great job. Hosting Locked on Wolfpack, talking all things NC State.

Starting point is 00:12:11 I host Locked on Keynes talking all things Miami. Before we talk about Miami versus Notre Dame, so other ACC versus SEC matchups, Kenton, of course, Louisville plays a couple of those this year. Their normal rivalry game against Kentucky at the end of the year. but Louisville also plays against Ole Miss on September 5th. Now, I give Louisville a good shot against Kentucky in the rivalry game, but against Ole Miss,

Starting point is 00:12:37 Trinidad Chambliss's return this year. They tried to tell him, you can't go to college anymore. He said, I've got a lawyer and I say otherwise. So Chambliss is back. This is going to be a tough game for Louisville to win Kenton, but if they can pull this one off, week one, Louisville will suddenly go from completely under the radar because that's what they usually are,

Starting point is 00:12:56 to national contender immediately, not to mention the fact that this is the game that Jeff Brom usually wins Kenton. He usually wins games like this one. I have a very strong feeling that the NCAA will be vacating this win if it goes to the rebels anyway in a couple of years. Ah, right.

Starting point is 00:13:16 Yeah, now that we're vacating wings for tampering, you're right. Because, yeah, I very strongly believe the NCAA, from what I've heard, is looking into sending those boys back to the shadow round. very serious thing, by the way. That is not like a joke. But with that being said, in terms of the actual on-the-field game here,

Starting point is 00:13:35 I think this is going to be a very interesting game because Golding and company want to stop the run. That's what they want to do more than anything else. They want to stop the run and then let everything else kind of figure itself out and find this place from there. Against the Louisville team whose quarterback has never played meaningful football at the college level, and you have Isaac Brown in that back. I think that's a heck of a strategy.

Starting point is 00:13:59 I think that's a heck of a strategy. This will be a prime time moment where Keen Holtz can show right away. Hey, guys. I know I heard all y'all talking all offseason. Oh, he hasn't played. Oh, he ain't this. He ain't that. Well, how about it?

Starting point is 00:14:14 This is what I've done. You know, so ultimately, I'm very intrigued to see how that game ends up shaping up and playing out here because there will be some very, very interesting storylines development. developing there. And also how good is Ole Miss still after, I mean, Lane Kiffin took half the team with him. He said, hey, if you can play, come on with me. And all of them said, yes, sir, and hopped in the truck and went on down to Baton Rouge. So, you know, it's a, it's a very, very interesting time in Oxford. And I'm very intrigued to see how that goes. On the Louisville front, again, we got to see what that quarterback situation looks like. That's, that's the ultimate question that may be answered as early as we can. one. You know, a sidebar, when we're talking about all these ACC versus SEC matchups,

Starting point is 00:15:03 I'm sure that they're probably trying to make games like this happen, but they've only been in Power 4 for a couple of years. I would love to see SMU be able to schedule some. Wouldn't it be great to watch them go up against the Longhorns or the Aggies in state, right? Just to give you that national game and that barometer. And the reason why I bring that up is you may have seen. You may have seen this going around for the last couple of months, Kenton. The television, the television viewership last season for every team in the ACC. You know, Miami played in the most marquee games. They were on top.

Starting point is 00:15:39 Florida State was second despite being, you know, not good last year. Miami, over 36 million people watched Miami on TV last year. Florida State had like 29 million people. SMU, out of 17 ACCC teams, they were second to last in viewership. They were only above Boston College. Only 5 million in change people watched SMU on TV all last year. Now, listen, teams like Boston College in Wake Forest being on the bottom, I get it. They don't have much football history, at least not much recent history.

Starting point is 00:16:14 Boston College used to be a fun team to watch play football. They've been terrible in recent years, thanks to Bill O'Brien and that administration there. But SMU, Kenton, they were like a playaway from going to the 8th. ACC championship game two straight years and nobody's watching them on TV. We've got to get them some marquee matchups. They do play Notre Dame this year, which will obviously help, but we got to get them in more non-con big games. Dono, I want you to guess what Florida State's total student population is.

Starting point is 00:16:44 Oh, I don't know, 50K. Very close, 46,000. I want you to guess the total of admissions in SMU. I'm going to guess about 10,000. 12,385. I think that pretty much answers your question. Yeah. You know, like, don't get me wrong.

Starting point is 00:17:04 Story program, good program. Very good program. They are up into the right. They're trending in the way. They're in one of the biggest media markets in the country. It probably most people in Dallas are probably Longhorn's fans or Aggies fans or whatever, but they are in a big media market. And I was just about to say how many generations of, you know,

Starting point is 00:17:24 SMU fans were lost because of the death film. How many were like they liked SMU, but then they came back or they never returned after like, oh, well, you know, they're doing this right now. And then after they did come back, they were through long periods of darkness and nothingness and being a conference doormat and whatnot. So I think for SMU, I mean, even their rivalries, right?

Starting point is 00:17:52 Their rivalries are not with the Texas and the Texas A&Ms of the world. Their rivalries are with the other Christian schools or the other religious schools in Texas, which is TCU and Baylor. Yeah, that's right. Other schools with very small student body population. So, you know, I do think the SMU plays great ball.

Starting point is 00:18:14 I just think they're just kind of up against it, a lot like a Wake Forest. Even when Wake Forest was good, it was like, how many people go to that university, you know? on. So it's just kind of hard to go there. And I will say this. If y'all did get on the national stage SMU, don't you do what you did last year out of conference making us look bad in front of all these nice people? You're right. They had a terrible run out of conference. Two touchdown lead over Baylor. Blue it. Blue. Don't you do that in front of it? Don't do it again. Don't do it again if we

Starting point is 00:18:44 put you on the national stage. But yeah, no, I do think SMU deserves a little bit more time than a lot. So, you know, the biggest non-conference game in the ACC, at least. on paper. It's going to happen November 7th when Miami goes to South Bend to take on Notre Dame. You know, Miami got the three-point win at home against Notre Dame, which was actually an upset for Miami at home. Notre Dame was favored in that game last year. I'm sure Notre Dame will be favored in the rematch this year at South Bend. There's no hypothetical odds for that one yet. There's so much football that's going to be played before that. I think each team will play like eight games before they meet. So, you know, you'd imagine.

Starting point is 00:19:23 Notre Dame would probably be favored by anywhere from like two to seven points, you know, before you kick that one off. But, you know, Kenton, that game could obviously potentially decide an undefeated season for whoever wins that game, you know, potential number one or number two overall seed in the college football playoff. And, you know, really for me, big factors, obviously from a Miami side, you know, showing that your offensive line, especially by November, you know, can build really good. with so many new starters and that your defensive line can replace the production that Bain and

Starting point is 00:19:58 Mesedore left behind. You know, for Notre Dame, everyone is, I think, rightfully so, expecting CJ Carr to make a big second year jump after a great freshman season last year. But then maybe the bigger question is, how did they replace Jeremiah Love and Judarian Price in their backfield? Because, you know, CJ's job was a lot easier at quarterback last year, given he had, you know, arguably the two best running backs in the entire country in his backfield last year, it's going to be more of an emphasis on Carr to be the star this year when he doesn't have that kind of a running game. So those are some of the major factors. And of course, the great home field advantage that is Notre Dame Stadium. Yeah, no, I think that that's by

Starting point is 00:20:39 far going to be the biggest game out of the conference of the season. And it will carry a lot of implications with it, right? It'll carry a lot of implications in terms of, you know, who are both of these teams and what kind of what are we expecting from them if they are to make the playoffs if one or both teams are to make the playoffs objectively speaking we have seen teams who have you know wet the bed against playoff teams and still made it and did those teams ever do well in the actual playoffs no no no so it's it's going to be a great litmus test for both of these teams and nobody's going to have the excuse of oh we're breaking in a new quarterback oh we're breaking in the new backs, you know, oh, this person and that.

Starting point is 00:21:22 Don't want to hear it so sad too bad. And I mean that for everybody. I don't care who you are or what's going on. And I think the nickname and moniker for this game is very interesting, considering how Catholicism has taken a route in Southern Florida. You know, I think that's a very interesting name for this game. But I'm very excited to see what shakes out in Southman. Yeah, no doubt.

Starting point is 00:21:47 When we come back, five years of eligibility, that's all you get. Use it however you want it. You're not getting any more, any less than that. Is that the answer? The NCAA seems to think so. You want to keep it locked right here. We're not done yet on this brand new episode of Locked on ECC. Hey, folks, if you've ever opened your bank account and thought, where did all my money go?

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Starting point is 00:23:07 Thank you for making Locked on ACC your first listen. So, all right, Kenton, how do you feel about this? The NCAA, they're considering a major eligibility overhaul, potentially granting athletes five years of competition to be used within a specific time frame starting at high school graduation or from age 19. The proposal aims to standardize eligibility, eliminate most red shirts and waivers, and aligns with recent executive orders to create a five-year window. So basically, instead of haggling over waivers for red shirts, like, you know, you got five years.

Starting point is 00:23:45 You can play four years within five. However you do it, you're not getting a 60 or a seventh year. Whether you're injured or not, you get five years. Is that the answer? I love that, but we all know the lawsuits that are coming. We all know that the Jucco guys are going to say, well, we didn't make money while we played Jucos, so that doesn't count. We all know that somebody's going to say, well, I got hurt. And part of my pay was me playing.

Starting point is 00:24:08 And because I got hurt, I didn't get paid. And therefore, we know. We know it's just going to end up with us back in court. But I do like the NCA doing something. I'm not going to lie to you. I like them doing something, trying something, saying something. to say, hey, this this means something to me. Y'all aren't just going to continue to have eighth year guys

Starting point is 00:24:29 and guys on their sixth school and all that. We've had enough. It is appreciated. It is appreciated. I don't know how well it stands up in court, but I definitely appreciate it. Yeah, I feel like every time I see one of these ideas, and I think it's a good idea,

Starting point is 00:24:44 I start to see these Twitter lawyers who are like, well, here's the next thing that'll happen. They're going to be in court. Their pants are going to get sued off. and that usually tends to be how it goes. So when the Twitter lawyers say that, they're usually not lying. That's usually exactly how it plays out, which I think is why we're wondering if anything else is going to come out of Iowa being forced to vacate wins.

Starting point is 00:25:06 Because Iowa, like they tried to cooperate with the NCAA and they still are being forced to vacate four wins for tampering with, as you noted. Cade McNamara. Like, I mean, if you're like tampering. for like Caden Proctor, then that, you know, at least you're like, hey, the juice might be worth the squeeze on that one. Kate back to bear? Yeah. Yeah.

Starting point is 00:25:31 You know, tempering for a quarterback that kind of forgets the concept of how a forward pass should work sometime. Crazy business. Nasty business if you ask me. But it ain't my money. It ain't my wins being vacated. More power tool. Well, I mean, you'd figure that's not the first player that they tamper.

Starting point is 00:25:52 with because there's no way there's no way kirk ferrance was like you know what we've never done this before but i i think if we're going to bend the rules this is the guy we've got to bend we're going to get outside our body we're going to get outside our body we're going to act totally different for kate macnard you know dono you know that friend that he's a totally normal chill guy all the time but the minute you get about two shots of that good tequila in him he turns into a whole different human being if kate macnamar is your two shots of tequila as a coach you made me it's time it's time stop doing that goal you know kirk ferrace is old enough to retire he's made all the money in the world he likes oh yeah he's good but if you're a younger coach and you thought to yourself you watch kate macdamara's film and

Starting point is 00:26:36 you said yeah that's my hennessy right there i'm gonna get out my body i'm gonna act totally different for kate macd mcdemare go on go on and go start selling that insurance go on to uh enterprise going to Liberty Mutual, you know, go go one of those places. They got a job for you. They got a good sales rep job just for you because coach and nature calling, brother. Yeah, no, they sure do. Yeah, we appreciate everybody making Locked-on ACC your first listen. Make sure to smash that like button and subscribe.

Starting point is 00:27:05 Make sure you join the Everydayer Club to get exclusive content and ad-free versions of our shows. Make sure you follow Kenton at TGIF underscore Kenton. Check him out on Locked on Wolfpack. Check me out on Locked on Cains and follow me at. Alex Dono, and we'll talk to you next time on another episode of Lockdown ACC. We are part of the number one Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day.

Locked On ACC - Daily College Football & Basketball Podcast - REDEMPTION: Is Alabama Ready to CRUSH Florida State or Will Ashton Daniels and ACC Triumph Again?

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