Hello, Welcome to this Week in the Atlantic host conference the podcasts for All
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Wonderful, wonderful, Welcome to this Week in the ACC. This is the
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related on this site. Yeah, this is Matthew. You can follow me
on Twitter at ASD, Underscore Hockey Smash. You can follow Jeff on Twitter
at at Talking ECC sports. This week we have a great return guest in
Brent Blevins. Brent, welcome back to the All Sports Discussion ACC podcast.
Tell us about yourself friend Matthew Jeff. Always great to see you guys be
on the air with you. Just for a background, I am a native
Virginia. I grew up in Southwest Virginia, about forty five minutes from Blacksburg,
Virginia. So I went to Virginia Tech. I have three degrees from
there, both during the Big East ACC years, and so I have been
following ACC sports for quite a long time. And so it's you know,
so it's always just a pleasure to be with you all. You all have
such great robust discussions, and you know, I really appreciate the chance to
be with you all today. Thank you for joining us, Brent. So
let's get right through the week that was in ACC football. Who was the
most disappointing team in ACC football Week five? And who was the most impressive
team? The four is your? Well, you know, it seems that
Pittsburgh is trying to make a case every week of how they are one of
the bontod teams of the conference. And I think they finally conclusively proved that
point last night. But all that being said, I mean, I think
the pretty obvious answer here is Georgia Tech. I yesterday I was fourteen nothing.
You know, midway through the first quarter, I kind of, you
know, in truth, I stopped paying attention and I you know, I
saw a score in the third quarter and it was thirty one fourteen, and
I thought I had you know, I thought I had you re versus scores.
But you know, obviously I didn't. You know, Georgia Tech was
coming off, you know, a solid win you know against wake Forest nothing
uh nothing, I mean they should, you know, good win for the
program. You know, it kind of shows that things were turning in the
right direction. But you know, to give up thirty eight consecutive points to
a one in three team in the MAC, which, with all due respect,
I don't think anyone was necessarily talking about Bowling Green being a MAC favorite,
uh, you know, and I mean frankly, I mean the final
score, you know, with like kind of cutting in and out on at
there, Brett Brent, Oh, sorry, sorry about that. But you
know, to give up thirty eight straight points, uh, you know to
a one and three MAC team is just you know, it's tough, and
you know, I'm glad Georgia Tech a couple of final scores to uh you
know, kind of make things look a little bit better than they were,
but uh, just a bad loss for Georgia Tech. And uh, you
know, obviously I know they're building their program, but very very disappointing.
How would your most impressed? Yeah, I got a follow up on this,
Brent. Yeah, the Georgia Tech fan and me, you know,
watch this game and it was a it was a complete debacle of a loss.
I mean, there was no other way to describe it. And it
was every bit as bad as some of Jeff Collins's worst losses at at Georgia
Tech. The concerning part I would say for Georgia Tech is typically when it
happened under Collins, the team's his teams fell behind early and just got blown
out. Like you said, you know, they took a fourteen zero lead,
and I thought they were gonna on their way to win the game by
thirty or forty points, and they just simply stopped playing. It was like
a switch went off and the defense couldn't make a play, the offense couldn't
sustain a drive. I think Bowling Green held the ball for something like forty
two minutes, and it's one of the most bizarre things I've I've seen from
from even from Georgia Tech as bad as they've been the last few years,
because it was just, like I said, like a switch went off,
and you know, it's it's all. It's clearly too early to say,
you know anything about Brent Key's job status. It's it's far too early for
that, and no one's even suggesting that. But I think you can look
at a game like that and say, hey, is this a red flag?
You know, just not having his team focused and especially some of the
comments from the players. There were several players that came out and said,
hey, we didn't respect them, we didn't focus hard. You haven't been
to a bowl game since twenty eighteen. There's not a single team on your
entire schedule that you should be overlooking at at all. And I mean that
falls on Brent Key. You know, at least I would say he did
something today that shows some self awareness. That he did demote the previous defensive
coordinator Thacker. I think his first name is Andy Thacker. I remember,
right, yeah, Andy Thacker and promoted experienced defensive coordinator Kevin Cher this week,
And that right there says at least there's some self awareness that something was
truly broke and not letting it kind of fester and say, let's see what
you know, can this be fixed over time? I mean, it was
like, hey, this is something that we just can't even you know,
let go another week. It probably is going to take Georgia Tech out of
any chance of a bowl game in my opinion considering their schedule, But a
fresh pair of eyes on that defense is certainly not a bad thing. And
it was good of Key, I think, to recognize that something was completely
broken there. But hey, yeah, I think you said it all too
when you when you went over the disappointing team of the week. I was
frankly speechless by the end of the game after what I saw. I understand,
I understand completely, Jeff. I'm gonna ask you one follow up on
disappointing teams, Brent, and then we'll go to the impressive team. Should
I have expected more from Brennan Armstrong this week at NC State because I expected
a better offensive performance from NC State than I did against Louisville. He just
doesn't look comfortable, which you know, surprising given that he's you know,
you're you know, reunited, uh, you know with this former offensive coordinator
I am, you know, it's it's really interesting. I mean between him
and you know, Phil Jurkovic, you have these two guys who, you
know, maybe not outstayd had had you know, success previously through schools.
You know, they go to another conference school for their fifth year, and
it's just, you know, it's not clicking, it's not working. I'm
not really sure. I mean, Brendan Armstrong just doesn't look comfortable at all.
I I you know, we're five games in at this point, so
yeah, I mean, maybe something changes. But and you know, Louisville's
defense is not I mean, you know, I mean they're not gangbusters,
but they're but they're solid, so I I you know, I was not
expecting them to get shut out in the second half of the other night,
to be sure. So it's really you know, I'm very curious if they're
going to get that ship righted and Raleigh or not. I actually think that
Virginia Tech has a chance to beat NC State. I agree. I feel
weird saying that because I didn't have that pegged at the beginning of the year,
and because a lot of us had Brennan Armstrong maybe as that third team
all acc I mean, actually we were actually that high that high on him
and it may be a lot a lot different than we expect. Brent,
who's your most impressive ACC team of the way, Well, I am going
to I'm going to go with Clemson. They've for some for reasons unclear to
me, they've never had an easy time with Syracuse, especially you know and
the you know now JMA Wireless Stone. But they went up, they took
care of business. I mean, they kind of you know, they took
an early lead and they never relented. You know, the defense looked phenomenal,
Like they looked as aggressive as I have seen and you know, at
least a couple of years. So I you know, I think you have
to give credit. I mean, you know, Kate Kubman looked he I
think that's probably one of the best games he's had, you know, since
he's been a starter. So you know, I mean I think probably the
jury is still out on where Syracuse fits in the ACC. But again,
you have to give Clemson credit. You know, I would give an honorable
mention to Louisville Day. It was They're not going to gain style points for
you know, their win and Raleigh, but they took care of business.
Uh, you know, they fell behind at the half. You know,
they were able to put together enough in the second half. I mean they
smothered you know, Brendan Armstrong as we were just discussing, so you know,
you know, kudos to those two teams. I think those two teams
really showed up and you know, really uh, you know, really met
expectations. Very good, Brent, very good analysis, Jeff, You're up
all right, Thank you, Matthew. Brent. Which what ACC football game
are you looking forward to the most in Week six? This is a I
think this is a pretty easy one for me. I would say it has
to be Louisville and Notre Dame. I mean, I guess it's not you
know, technically an ACC game, but you know, for all intents and
purposes, it is Louisville's five. And oh, I mean they finally cracked
the top twenty five. I thought maybe they should have been a week before.
But Louisville has shown a lot of potential. I think we've all sort
of known that, you know, maybe under the center field years that Louisville
wasn't quite meeting expectations. It feels like they are now, you know,
with obviously Jeff Brohm, the hometown boy. And you know Jack Plumbers,
you know, throws the ball pretty well, does have a few turn a
few interceptions. But uh, you know, given how competitively do play Notre
Dame last night, and you know, Frankly had a good chance. Uh
you know, if they'd maybe made a couple of first half you know,
field goals and whatnot. I can see Louisville pulling this off. I mean
I wouldn't. I mean, I wouldn't go sports to predict that that will
happen. But I will not be at all surprised if Louisville can pull that
game out. So, you know, primetime in Louisville, it's going to
be a sell out. You know, it's kind of good to see the
stadium starting to fill up there. I am really intrigued to see that game.
And I don't know about you guys, now, very good, very
good there, Brent Brand, Which ACC team could be on upset alert in
week six if they are looking ahead to a game on our schedule or otherwise
just sleepwalking on the field. Well, I'm going to be only sort of
half facetious when I ask if William and Bear William and Mary Buva if it
would be an upset, but I'll leave that alone. And I had actually
thought about thought about BC, but then I saw that Army is the favorite
in that game. So but I think the pretty obvious choice here is NC
State and Marshall. Marshall is a very capable team. They're undefeated, they're
well coached, you know therese. I mean, offensively, they can run
the ball, you know, not the best throwing team, but you know,
they're opportunistic there. I mean their defense it's pretty you know, pretty
solid, not spectacular, but solid. I mean, if we you know,
if we see another game worth you know, multiple turnovers you know from
you know, Brandan Armstrong or other parts of you know, other parts of
the offense, I can absolutely see Marshall going in the rally and winning.
That to me is I mean it would you know, it would be an
upset, but I think it is absolutely in the realm of possibility. Okay,
let's step out of the ACC for a bit here, Brent. Which
National FBS game are you looking forward to in week six? And we're wide
open with this question. This can be a Power five, non Power five
matchup. You can even have a have an FCS matchup and then give us
your winner of that game. So there are a couple of games in Texas
that I think are worth following next week. I mean, you have if
the Red River shootout that's going to be I mean, I don't know how
long it's been since both teams, I mean, it's been several years since
both teams have gone in undefeated. I mean, Oklahoma seems to have,
you know, righted the ship after last year, after the transition year.
It seems like maybe you know, Texas is now at the point where you
know, the hype is real, and so I am very curious to see
that. I would expect Texas to win, maybe by a touchdown, but
you know, but regardless, it's just really interesting. And of course this
is the last iteration of that game is a big twelve before it's an SEC
game. Next year at three thirty, you do have an SEC game.
You have Alabama going into College Station to play A and M. A and
M of course is always one of those teams that you're never quite sure what
you're going to get under Jimbo, and certainly the offense, uh, you
know, with Bobby Petrino's you know, that sort of relationship is sort of
a work in progress, but given where, given where Alabama is right now,
I think I think A and M has a very good chance of pulling
the upset. So I uh, you know, I'm going to go on
a limb here, and I think A and M. A and M beats
Bama in College station. So again, two games back to back, both
you know, two or three hour drive of each other. So definitely there'll
should be some good football next Saturday afternoon. All right, I like it,
Matthew. You got a comment you want to add. I am low
key looking forward to Fresno State and Wyoming. That game is gonna be on
Fox. Oh nice, Yeah, I like that game. Yes, and
it's gonna be in where Wyoming in, you know, a very high elevation.
You're gonna see a Wyoming team that plays just like NDSU does North Dakota
State. I know you guys watched him. A hardcore offensive line up front,
Jeff Tedford's going to be trying to pass it all over the field.
But I don't know how well it's I mean, it's quite an experience to
go from like Fresno in the valley to like Laramie and expect to play football
and I see that they're favored by six up there. I think Fresno State's
favored by six up in the games in Lara Mary, and Wyoming has already.
I mean I went through their schedule. I mean, Wyoming's had whyom
We's had a pretty tough schedule this year. I mean, they beat Texas
Tech in overtime. They they they played Texas pretty well for a half.
They beat Appalachian State, They've beat him New Mexico. I mean, I
actually think that Wyoming has a chance to possibly guys to be that group of
five team that gets into some sort of major ball. I mean, that's
how high I am on Wyoming and how because they play such a they play
such a ball control sort of style that it's gonna be it's gonna be fun
to watch. It's gonna be fun to watch it because, like, you
know exactly what Craig Ball wants to do. He wants to run the ball
and smash you and smash you and smash you, and then they'll throw in
a play action pass and catch you have guard And that's totally what he does.
And the fact that that game is on Fox for the whole country to
watch, I think will be. I will enjoy watching every second of that
game. B do you think, Brent, you know, my I I
think that's I think that's a great, great call. I mean, Fresno
State looked pretty good going into West Slafiata. I mean they took care of
for due of course, I did see some of that Texas Wyoming game.
I mean Wyoming was very physical with Texas. I mean I think it was
ten ten at one point if I'm not mistaken, right in the third quarter,
they I mean they they matched up well with with you know, Texas.
They really looked the part. I you know, I'm glad you called
that game out because it's You're right, it's one of those sort of low
key matchups that I mean, it's actually going to be quality football and a
little bit of a contrast and styles too. But I'm glad you called that
one out. Matth Jeff, You're up brand all right, Matthew. As
we continue on here with the podcast, Brent, you know, we're not
far off from the halfway point of the college football season. Unbelievable. It
feels like it just started last week. But in your estimation, which is
which ACC team has underperformed and who has overperformed so far, and which ACC
coach should be feeling some you know heat there on his seat already at this
point in the season. Well, the underperforming team, I think pretty I
think we're I'm guessing we're all being agreement that it's got to be picked.
I mean they're one and four. They just seemed to be regressing each week.
I'm kind of confused. I mean going into uh, you know,
last night's game with through Virginia Tech, I mean they seemed to be pretty
solid defensively, and I mean they looked I mean, you know, they
got shredded. For lack of a better word, you know, we I
think I mentioned, you know, we mentioned earlier in the podcasts about you
know, Phil Djurkovic. You know, it's just it doesn't I mean,
he's barely you know, he's I think he's completing you know, half his
passes. I mean, it just it, you know, it just looks
very you know, very uh you know, it's not fluid. So I'm
you know, kind of you know, concerned there. And obviously they had
a change in offensive corners. Frank Signetti, that's that that does not look
like a great fit so far. There's always time to change, and obviously,
you know, they had you know, obviously they had a great running
game last year, which is not carried over. So a lot of different
factors there. But Pitt is pretty you know, I think Pitt has been
pretty disappointed, mean, particularly given sort of the consistency that they had built
up and you know, probably the previous five or six years. You know,
I've obviously won an ACC title, but you know, they were always
competing like they were sort of a solid eight win team. And I mean,
this team looks like it's going to be a three win team at best.
But I'd also have to give an honorable mention NC State. I mean,
they've just not looked apart at all. I mean, again, you
talk about actually a team very similar to PIT in a lot of ways,
and yeah, well, I mean if they had been a coastal team rather
than a lack team his last few years, you know, they probably would
have been, you know, playing against some ACC title games perhaps, but
you know, they'd sort of developed that sort of eight win you know,
sort of baseline, I guess you would say, and and they obviously still
could but they have looked pretty I mean, they looked pretty underwhelming to me
so far. I mean they you know, they really struggled against a pretty
bad Yukon team. I mean, they weren't all that competitive against Notre Dame.
I mean they beat VMI, which you know, of course, I
mean they needed a last second field goal, you know, to beat you
know, UVA, and you know again the game, you know, Friday
night against Louisville, they just don't looked apart. I mean, you know
there's time I mean, and I mean it'd still be a surprise they don't
make a Bowl game. But you know, I mean I think there were
people sort of thinking that they were going to be sort of a sleeper team
the ACC and a look very far from that right now. You know what
what you know in terms of who is overperformed, and I think you know,
we mentioned Louisville earlier, I think you've got to give them a lot
of credit there. Uh, Jeff Brohm is you know, I mean,
obviously he's someone the alumni have been pining for for a while, and you
know he's delivered to date. You know, I mean, we'll see,
you know, even if they don't beat Notre Dame this year, I mean,
they're still I mean they you know, this week, they'll they would
still be five and one and a very you know, a very good,
you know, very good spot. You know, they've got a pretty good
schedule, you know, setting up a down the line. So you have
to give a lot of credit to Jeff Brahm just you know, sort of
the you know how he's reinvigorated that program. And I think it's you know,
I think all of us in ACC are really you know, we should
all be happy that Louisville is you know, seems to be turning the tide
here. You know, it's better for the ACC when you know, of
course, you know, we always talk about Florida State and Miami and Clemson,
but when programs like Louisville are it's selling, it's you know, it's
it's good for the conference. You know when we think about, you know,
what ACC coach should be feeling, you know, the hot seat.
Uh, I mean, I you know, he hates to say it,
but I mean Jeff Hafley's just you know, I mean, there's not that
they don't don't seem to be able to turn the corner. Uh. Two
years ago, it really seemed like, okay, well, you know they're
I mean, they're never going to be a great recruiting program or anything,
but he definitely seemed to have some pieces in place. You know, you
had say Flowers, you know, you had your Covic and you know,
I mean, I know they've dealt with some injuries, and you know,
they've had some issues on the offensive line, which has always been sort of
BC's called in card. But you know, we're we're you know, we're
in year four now, and it just it just doesn't feel like it's really
it's working out. We will, we will, you know, you know,
things can always change, but I think he has to, you know,
he has to feel concerned right now about his job security of anyone acc
So you know, those are kind of my hot takes and all those questions,
and I'm certainly curious what you all think too. I guess I'll ask
you to follow up, Brent. I mean, should Tony Elliott be feeling
some heat to have for this year? Do you think at UVA? Because
I really don't see it getting a whole lot better for the Who's this year.
I think they may actually be a worse posis position than Virginia. Oh,
they absolutely are. I mean, I mean, I I I they
are absolutely worst positioned. You know. I think something hopefully we can talk
about for them the podcast, you know, the sort of the state of
the two schools in the Commonwealth. But they just don't seem to have a
lot of talent. I mean, I'll give them. You know, they've
played a couple of competitive games recently, you know against you know, NC
State and you know, I mean BC. I mean they had a lad
and they blew it. Which but again, I mean, you know,
I don't know that these are again in the same thing against JMU, So
I mean they've had some opportunities for for wins. But I mean when you
look at what as you know, like where where the program was. I
mean Bronco Mendenhall didn't leave a you know, an elite you know, a
elite, but like the program was not in terrible shape. I mean they
were, you know, they were you know, they're going to bowl games
and they were generally competitive. They weren't getting blown out, and there seems
to have been a regression and I and you know, frankly, I mean,
the talents just not there. I mean, they have a quarterback who
could you know, potentially morph into something. But I mean, I you
know, you just don't see a lot of talent at the skill positions and
that I mean, that has to be a concern. And I I mean,
I just can't imagine that anything will happen this year where he would be
let go. But I would I would expect he would be expected to make
you know, several staff changes. If you know, things kind of trip,
you know, keep going the way they are. It's just it's kind
of sad to see. I'm with you, Sarah, I'm with you.
All right, Well, here we go, it's open microphone time. Brandon
doors your Well, yeah, thanks. I mean I think that's you know,
the last question is kind of a segue into kind of where you know
something I want to talk about again. I'm a native Virginia and I went
to Virginia Tech. But you know, despite my you know, allegiance,
uh to the Hokies, you know, you do want to see UVA do
well and you know, and uh, you know again, but you know
that's you know, kind of a struggle right now. Virginia Tech, you
know, had a good win last night, but you know, I don't
think you can necessarily, you know, I think at the end of the
season. You're not going to look back at, you know, beating pit
at home on a you know, a night game on a Saturday and think
that that was you know, a program defining win necessarily either, but nonetheless,
you know glad that you know things have gone you know, well,
that being said, you know, Virginia Tech goes to Florida State this weekend
and are currently a twenty five and a half point favorite. I'm not sure
that will that seems pretty high to me. But nonetheless, I mean I
think it's kind of indicative of you know, the state of the program.
And so you know, as I think about you know, Matthew, I
know you and I have had this, you of these discussions before, but
it's just it's very unfortunate. We were talking earlier about how it's good for
you know, a program like Louisville to sort of rise, you know,
you'll raise up the perception of the ACC. But you know, I mean
Tech is very important in that I mean, you know, sort of a
traditional you know, you know, eighteen years of nineteen seasons of you know,
pretty high level football and you know, to have kind of seemed like
the lack of progress is predispiriting, not not only for Tech, but for
UVA as well. And you know, one of you know, one of
the concerns that I look at as you know, when I look at recruiting
rankings, and of course, you know, there are a million caveats to
those. I mean, Wake Wake wins you know, consistently without being too
high, and you know, so forth, and you know, and there
are many other examples, but it has to be a concern when the Virginia
Tech is currently forty first and you know UVa's in the seventies, you know,
and in certainly this error of the transfer portal. You know, you
can, you know, you can try to plug gaps and you know,
try to build death that way, but it's you know, you can't,
you can't candel that. I mean, it's kind of like trying to be
a pro franchise and just try to sign free agents for everything. You know,
if you can't can't, if you don't draft, well, you know,
it's just not going to be sustainable for long term. So I do
hope to see, you know, both programs really start to raise their recruiting
profiles. But you know, but but it is a concern, you know,
here we are, you know, early October, and you know,
that's kind of where things stand. It's not to say that there aren't great
players, you know, potentially coming in for both programs, but it does
give you know, it does give me a lot of pause. And you
know, it's kind of to your point about Tony Elliott Matthew and about you
know, Brent Prye too, is you know, setting aside the question of
do you have enough talent? Is are you doing enough with that talent?
Are you maximizing what you have? I don't know that I can you know,
clearly say yes to for either program. And in a way that's almost
like the bigger concern for you know, the way these programs are trending.
You know, I mean, it's a long season, but you know,
you know, you don't see many wins on UVa's schedule. Tech probably has
a few more opportunities, but getting to a bowl game at this point it's
going to be a challenge. So I think both programs, you know,
after the season, are going to have to do a lot of soul searching.
And I'm really curious and I think, you know, it's unfortunate for
both both programs. You know, you have Mike Elko at Duke, who
is just I mean, you know last year, I mean they immediately took
a step up, and I mean there's a state it right now, and
it's unfortunate when you have a program of Duke's resources that you know presumably should
not be doing as well that just seems to be really taking off. So
again, I hope to see some movement in the Commonwealth, but you know,
feel I feel just a bit of pessimism right now. I'm gonna ask
you a follow up, Brent, because I have a questions. I have
serious questions about this. I've I mean, I'll be fair here. I
have fair here a little bit. I mean, I understand at times coaches
have to make decisions. They see things in pack practices that we don't as
fans see on the football field. But it seems to me that Kiron Drones
has just been a far superior quarterback for Virginia Tech over the last several weeks.
He brings a dimension to the game that Well has ever had in terms
of his a his running ability, and it seems to be that he's more
decisive at times with his reads and he'll just I mean he will make a
decision to throw it. He won't hesitate. And I think that he gives
Virginia Tech the best best chance to win, partly because the offensive line isn't
as strong as it should should be. I mean, it was pretty it
looked pretty good yesterday. I'll have to give them a little credit. And
they got the ball ball out pretty quick, pretty quick yesterday. When they
had to pass or when they had to run, they made some you know
something, A lot of a lot of times they made quick, made quick
decisions. But I actually think that he gives Virginia Tech the best chance to
win. And I wonder in my mind if he had gotten more more reps,
like perhaps in that old Dominion game, if they had won, if
they had would have had a better chance to win at Rukers, if they
would have had a better chance to win at Marshall. Because I think he
is a better player than than than than Wells the four as years. Brent,
Yeah, I mean I don't think I don't know anyone who can make
that argument. I mean based on in game on field performance. Uh,
you're right, I mean we don't necessarily see what happens in practice or what
happens in the film room or whatever. But I think the results speak for
themselves. You know, he definitely, I mean, there's no question he
gives Tech the best chance to win a game. I mean just simply by
the fact that he can took the ball and run. That you know,
adds something that you know, frankly, we didn't have before. And I
mean, you know, you know, for you know, for various reasons,
we just don't have the strongest running game right now. So it's an
added dimension. So yeah, I think it does sort of invite questions.
You know, it's sort of reminiscent of you know, justin Fuente, you
know, waiting till you know, we got blown out by Duke at home
to you know, roll out Hendon Hooker and you know kind of how that
you know, how that dynamic played out. You know, they're so those
are the kind of personnel, you know, decisions that sort of do raise
questions about, Okay, you know, if who are you know, who
are who are the best players on the roster and you know, are we
putting them in a position to succeed? And you know, and again,
I you know, I think you know, Drones has given us such a
better chance to win. But you know, I I I also don't want
to overstate I I I would still you know, I would still definitely encourage,
you know, the Virginia Tech coaching staff to keep an eye on the
transfer portal and keep you know, for the all season because you know,
you know, competition is you know, is good and it does. Yeah,
I think you're spot on that it does sort of raise some questions.
Very good, Very good. I'll be very quick at my open microphone here.
I'm actually really disappointed that I didn't get to watch Washington and Arizona yesterday.
I've I've I'm I'm. I'm a very big fan of Michael Paenix junior,
who plays quarterback for the University of Washington. And I'm surprised that they
could never actually even get a streaming deal. And I'm talking about the PAC
twelve here getting a streaming deal with Xfinity nationwide. It didn't have to be
a linear channel at all. All they would have had to do was negotiated
a streaming channel and they can't even get that, and so nobody got to
see a Heisman Trophy canon yesterday. And that's a very distressing, probably probably
for the PAC twelve and the college football fan in general, because the PAC
twelve is having the best, probably one of the best years that they're you
know, Jef and I have talked about this enter prior podcast, but the
PAC twelve is having one of the best years is a football conference that they've
ever had, and no nobody's able to see perhaps a quarter of their games,
and that that that turned out to be a pretty good one yesterday with
Arizona improving and their defense getting better. But but they the Huskies found a
way to get it done on the road. And now Oregon and Washington are
going to be playing each other after a bye week in Seattle. Both teams
will be undefeated. On the fourteenth, certainly will be one that I have
my eye on for national games that week. Jeff, you're up open microphone.
All right, thank you, Matthew. I want to hit my my
open mic on what's going on with with Notre Dame and I posted this on
the block today and they have won thirty straight regular season games against acc opponents.
This reign of terror needs to come to an end. I mean,
it's not a good look for the conference for uh, you know, with
all the games there have been gained certainly in the last two years for the
ACC, but this is kind of an anchor of the conference. In the
conference with Notre Dame just you know, going out week after week playing ACC
teams, whether they're ranked, not ranked, whether Notre Dame is ranked,
unranked, favorite, underdog. They haven't lost a game to an ACC team
in the regular season since two thousand and seventeen. Yeah, it's that's that's
kind of frustrating. And Duke, Duke had an opportunity and for everything Mike
Elko has done outstanding at Duke and he's been out standing. He's been just
an absolutely unbelievable coach for Duke. He's already being talked about over a number
of open coaching positions. And we'll just have to kind of monitor on that.
I was, you know, on fourth and sixteen in that game,
Duke had an opportunity to close out Notre Dame and Sam Hartman had so much
room he basically jogged to the first down. It was one of the first
times on that drive that Duke sat back in a prevent ran only thrushed only
three players, and you're just left to wonder, why do you go away
from what got you to that point, which was such an unbelievable defensive performance
by Duke on that final drive, that final play you backed off, and
you know, not saying that if you would have been as aggressive it you
had been the majority of that drive, that it would have you know,
not resulted in Sam Hartman finding a way to get that first down. It
still could have happened. But in my opinion, you want to go with
what got you there, with how you were so disruptive during that entire game,
especially on the defensive side of the ball, and so do I mean
Notre Dame just found another way to beat an ACC team. Louisville, they
get their opportunity that Brent mentioned earlier prime time in Louisville ABC seven thirty.
It's going to be one of those environments that you know, like like you
said, Brent, when Louisville is good, I mean, they can really
bring one of those environments that looks as good as as most any in the
ACC. I think we all remember the two thousand and sixteen season when Lamar
Jackson, you know, kind of took college football by storm. I mean,
Louisville was front and center, and they'll have their opportunity to take down
the Irish on Saturday. The other games that Notre Dame has against ACC opponents
this year, our pit, we've talked about PIT. I think they're just
a shell of what they've been the last couple of years. Wake Forest probably
still a bowl team, but they've got, you know, a ton of
issues on that team, struggle with their offensive line, a little bit of
issues on the defensive side. I don't think, you know, in any
way they're really equipped to take down Notre Dame. So it's really going to
come down to Louisville and then a game later in November when when a Notre
Dame goes to Clemson, you knows, as the two times that I think
there's an opportunity for Notre Dame to lose to an ACC team in a regular
season. And and like Brent said, with the improvement of Kate Klubnick,
I mean he is really coming along as as Clemson quarterback. I mean you
can just see him, you know, improving each each week, more confident
in what he's doing. He's stepping up in the pocket, his reads are
better, he's more accurate. You know, he still doesn't have elite speed
to work with at wide receiver, you know, but he's scanning the field
better, taking off when he needs to. Uh. You know, if
you're a Clemson van, you're feeling pretty optimistic because their trajectory of Clebnick is
definitely moving in the right direction. And we'll see if if Clemson or Louisville
can be the team to knock off Notre Dame in a regular season, because
it's getting kind of irritating to watch. Actually, I had no idea,
it had been that long. I had no idea, And well, I
know, you know the win before that twenty seventeen one, No Bran I
was there in South Bend, that's right, must I'm sure that was a
heck of an environment. We'll just say, you know, and not to
you know, go down a rabbit hole. But it's just sort of interesting
to think about the sort of alternate history. I mean, Virginia Tech had
a very good chance to beat Notre Dame in twenty twenty one, and they
ended up losing you know, sort of a lay field goal after having you
know, a touchdown lead, and you know, it's really interesting to think
about the alternate history if you know, Virginia Tech and one and justin Flente,
had you know, stuck around for another year, but definitely a conversation
for another two. Definitely definitely, Brent, thank you so much for joining
us on the All Sports Discussion ACC podcast. We love Devn you come on
the show anytime you want to. I'm back. We'd love to have you
come on again. Guys. It's always a pleasure to be with you.
Thank you for the invitation. I love just hearing the conversation about the ACC
every week and it's you know, you know, you all do such a
great job, so again, really appreciate the opportunity to be with all.
Right, have a great week, guys. Take care, take care.