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Speaker 1: But right now, we're going to talk matchups. We're going to talk ACC football. But we're also going to talk about those first playoff standings, rankings not being kind to Wake Forest and.
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Speaker 2: Therefore the ACC.
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Speaker 1: Taylor Tannenbaum, ACC Network, the hostess with the mostess, is with us to talk all things ACC right now.
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Speaker 2: Taylor, what's going on? How you doing?
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Speaker 3: Always great to be with you, friends. I'm good. I'm putting my final touches on my packing because we are heading to Syracuse, New York. So that's a drive from my stomping grounds here in Connecticut.
00:00:37
Speaker 1: That's an intriguing game with the way Syracuse has played the last two weeks. Clemson finally got offense going last week.
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Speaker 2: That's kind of interesting, that game. It's not snowing there yet, is it?
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Speaker 3: No, but it's rainy and cold, so you know it could potentially happen. It could snow because we're rolling into town naturally. It is somewhat intriguing, you guys, because... Clemson, for one, is not fully out of the ACC championship race by any stretch because of the way things have been going in the league, and they looked competent offensively last week. I'm not going to say it was their greatest performance, but you did have Tate Reynolds looking like a more mature quarterback in his sixth start and running the offense a little bit better. And then you have a Syracuse team that's confident, right? They've won two straight, and there's this little bromance between Fran Brown and Davos Sweeney over the years from a few years ago and Syracuse knocked off Miami in that regular season finale, which ultimately sent Clemson to the ACC championship game and then the college football playoff. And last year, Syracuse going to Death Valley and beating Clemson there. That's when they lost their quarterback, Stephen Jelly, to that Achilles injury. And both have been very complimentary of each other. So a pivotal point, it feels like, for both programs. For Syracuse, it's about bowl eligibility at this point. And for Clemson, it's how are you going to close out this season that did not start or has looked the way that we thought it would.
00:02:02
Speaker 4: Syracuse, such a different team, and the numbers bear out too, Mac and Taylor, with Angele versus without them. So it makes a much more difficult matchup for Clemson tomorrow. ACC Network, check out Taylor and the gang. all their coverage there. Taylor, we know here and you know from what you do day in, day out, how good Wake Forest is. But it's not shocking to us that maybe nationally and committee-wise they were disrespected. It doesn't mean it's not annoying, but it's not shocking to us. What's your take on Wake Forest in the initial playoff rankings based on their level of dominance lately that they came in at No.
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Speaker 2: 16?
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Speaker 3: I'm really disappointed. Again, like you just
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said, I'm not shocked, but I'm really disappointed if you've watched football at all. And even if you look at their record, their only loss is quite literally to the number one team in the country. You would recognize that that's a top 10 team. My biggest thing is, look, I'm not going to blow it out of proportion, despite what my mind is telling me after release of week one, okay? Because... they do still have quote unquote opportunity ahead of them, which is simply just winning out and continuing to play the way they are at the level they are. But my biggest issue is the disparity and the lack of clarity from the committee. It's obvious they're valuing wins and ranked wins. And that's why the SEC has as many teams in there as they do. And as many in the top 12 as they do, despite several of them having two losses. But it's, To me, why is Wake 16 in, like, say, Indiana is four, or even a Notre Dame at 11? None of those have a ranked win on their schedule. The metrics essentially align Indiana and Wake Forest. The eye test would tell you Wake Forest is playing, especially in the last month, significantly better than Indiana. And credit where credit is due, the Hoosiers are the reigning national champions, but that was last year. This is this year. So to me, it's not necessarily I'm going to complain about where Wake is ranked. I don't think they're 16. I think they should be a top 10, at least 12 team. But to me, it's the disparity and the lack of clarity from the committee in why. And to me, when you boil it down, the only reason would be is because, quote unquote, they play in the ACC, which is a perceived lesser conference. When we're also in the same breath, having the same conversation. that there's more parody in the country than ever before, but this league's not getting that benefit of the doubt. Instead, the league is just not good when it could just be that everyone is beating up on each other, like other leagues. So that's my, my short spiel. I have the numbers to back it up, but hopefully they can continue to win. We'll see what the status is of their quarterback, Gio Lopez, because he did definitely injure that knee last game. So we'll continue to monitor that.
00:04:49
Speaker 2: Luckily, they have the Mary Mac game.
00:04:51
Speaker 1: No disrespect to Mary Mac, but I'm just being real, Mary Mac. I'm being real on this one. But luckily, they have that game, but they got SMU next week. SMU's got Virginia Tech tonight in an important one. I want to follow up on what you're saying, Taylor. The thing that gets me, and I do acknowledge that the way their rankings shape up, they don't have the ranked win rate. But the thing that stinks is it seems to be apparent that they're going to have to win the ACC outright to get in, right? Like they don't have a chance of playing Miami down to the wire, blowing everybody else out and get in.
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Speaker 2: And I hate that for Deke fans.
00:05:32
Speaker 3: Me too. And that's sort of what they're signifying. Now, I will say there are a ton of teams in front of them that will inevitably beat up on each other, but because the committee is so evidently valuing you know, your strength of schedule and who you beat, those are all going to be ranked wins in the SEC because they're putting the SEC in all of these ranked positions and not valuing anything this league has done. So yeah, that is disappointing. And again, you just kind of have to go out there and take care of your business and let everything catch fire around you, which is subject to happen. And I will say, you know, like, The rest of the league in the ACC does have to carry its water. Like, you know, that game next week against SMU was slated to be a ranked win, and then SMU goes and loses to Syracuse. And while Syracuse is on a hotter streak, when you're at the top of the league, you have to carry that water. And unfortunately, you saw like a Virginia Tech lose to a Cal or else that could have potentially been a ranked game on Friday. And you have a Louisville team whose only three losses– are by three points each. And, oh, by the way, one of them is to a top-ten team in Ole Miss, but we're not going to acknowledge that, apparently.
00:06:39
Speaker 1: The State loss is the one with Louisville-Taylor where it's like, come on, you're not helping the Con. As much as I personally wanted State to win, it's like, come on.
00:06:47
Speaker 3: You can't lose to NC State because that's a ranked win that falls off of Wake's schedule. You know, it's all tied together. But go out, take care of your business, and hope that the rest of the country cannibalizes itself.
00:06:58
Speaker 4: And, Taylor, the team at the top right now, Miami, has been teetering a little bit in some of these games, and that was with Malachi, Tony. Now we find out he's out for a while here. How worried are you, not just about the Notre Dame game? Of course, that's tough with or without Tony. But the stretch run, how can Miami survive this without Tony here for the next four, five, six weeks?
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Speaker 3: Run the damn ball. I will say, obviously Malachi Tony is the engine that makes this offense go, but don't forget they have a Heisman Trophy candidate at quarterback in Darian Mensah, and that just didn't pop up overnight because he got a good receiver. This has been a strong sample size from Tulane to Duke to now at Miami. And the thing is, Malachi Tony eats up so much of the catches that other people haven't had to step up. This is your chance to go shine. He has his Robin to his Batman from Duke and Cooper barking, who has really yet to break out. You've seen flashes, but they have a rapport that was built two years ago. And then you have a young guy in Galen Upshaw. You do have an elite tight end and Elijah Lofton. So it's just incumbent on other people to find, to finally step up and fill that void that Malachi Tony is going to leave. And you have a stable of backs. You have Mark Fletcher. You have
JV and Mallory who has really come into his own as a Shannon Dawson, the offensive coordinator, is going to call a great game like he always does. It's not like they're without weapons. I'm more concerned defensively, you guys, honestly. You know, the offense is going to do its thing. I do think it will score points, even though Notre Dame's defense is quite literally the best in the country. The defense has to... to pull its weight. Like, they can't just be allowing 30-plus points per game if they are going to survive this stretch run without a Malachi Tony.
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Speaker 2: Yeah, no doubt.
00:08:48
Speaker 1: That pass defense, you saw it last week. They made Billy Edwards look like Drake May last week.
00:08:54
Speaker 2: So, yeah. And the Florida State game, too.
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Speaker 3: So.
00:08:57
Speaker 1: It's a huge game. I hate it that Tony's not playing. It's such a showcase game. It does suck. I do wonder how the committee, not to go back to the committee, Taylor, and get on that fun topic again, but I'm wondering if they were to lose without Tony, but they then lost to Wake in the ACC title game, would they get a bit of a break and definitely be in the field because the loss was to Notre Dame without Malachi Tony?
00:09:29
Speaker 3: If you're going to tell me that you are going to keep out Miami after watching them an entirety of the season and full well knowing that he is capable of returning for a playoff and leave them out, then abolish the committee. Respectfully. But Miami, too, has to win the rest of its regular season games if by chance something goes wrong at Notre Dame. You have to acknowledge that they have other elite players on this team, including at quarterback. But it's incumbent on Miami to just not even allow the committee to be in this conversation. Yeah.
00:09:59
Speaker 1: No, I'm with you on that. I, and, and, and you're running the damn ball comment. Like I do kind of wonder, not that like Mensa, like to your point is really good. But I do wonder, no names run defense is damn good. But do they say, Mark Fletcher, this game's on you. We've given you the ball 30 times. I wonder if they try and then ball control it and keep Carr off the field and protect your defense. I wonder if they try that.
00:10:23
Speaker 3: You know, I think it's definitely going to be part of the game plan. And I think Mark Fletcher is going to say, I want the ball on my shoulders. He did it in the playoff last year. He is more than capable of carrying a load and then some. And I think as a senior leader and Malachi, Tony is one of his closest, dearest friends. You're going to see that this weekend. I think they're going to have added motivation, which is not necessarily what you want. Now credit to Notre Dame. They are an elite football team. They too are dealing with some, some valuable injuries.
00:10:51
Speaker 4: If the committee even thought about leaving Miami out, I think that Michael Irvin would go get the RV that he gave to Mama
Fletcher and drive it into the offices of the committee. He'd knock all their hats off that rack. I'm terrified how that man would react to this. All their hats would fall off that rack, Boney.
00:11:08
Speaker 1: He really might.
00:11:09
Speaker 3: You're so right about that. But man, if a Miami team gets left out of a 12-team playoff by potentially losing a close one to Notre Dame and falling short in a championship game that a lot of three-loss SEC teams aren't even going to be playing in, oh, by the way, then you're not putting the 12 best teams in the country in the playoff. And you're doing the fans a disservice.
00:11:27
Speaker 1: This text is hilarious. 704 number says, Mac, what are you doing to poor Taylor? You're bringing up hypotheticals that are getting her even more angry. Please don't do this.
00:11:34
Speaker 3: Oh, yeah.
00:11:36
Speaker 2: Listen, I promised myself I.
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Speaker 3: Wouldn't get riled up. I promised myself, but I can't do it, you guys. I am who I am.
00:11:42
Speaker 1: But that's why we love you is like you are just passionate.
00:11:46
Speaker 2: You have opinions. You know what I mean?
00:11:47
Speaker 1: You've got opinions. You back it up with facts. It's not like you're just throwing crazy stuff out like our text line does.
00:11:53
Speaker 2: You got facts, baby. I like it.
00:11:55
Speaker 3: Only sometimes, you know. Head over to my Twitter for the real facts because I'll drop numbers on there.
00:12:01
Speaker 2: What do you think?
00:12:02
Speaker 1: Before we let you go, we've got to ask you about Duke-NC State, a big game here in our neck of the woods. Duke has, and Bone has reminded State fans of this over the last three years.
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Speaker 2: Just numbers.
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Speaker 1: I just have the numbers, Taylor. I can't deny it. Double-digit wins each of the last three years for Duke over State. Do you think that continues? What are your thoughts on this one?
00:12:25
Speaker 3: I remember sidelining that 23 game in Durham. That was not good.
00:12:33
Speaker 2: That was a real bad one for State.
00:12:36
Speaker 3: That was not good at all. I think Duke has the best running back and one of the best players in the country. By the way, they just launched... Nate Shepard's Heisman campaign, too, and rightfully so. His numbers are off the charts. I don't know that NC State for four quarters can sustain trying to figure out how to stop Nate Shepard. That's just what this game boils down to, I think. It will be great for NC State to get Duke Scott back, if they do, because they need a run game. It's... You know, they want to compete in this one, I think, to be sustainable and not just leave it up to C.J. Bailey and this passing game against a really, really, really good Duke defense. So those are some things to monitor, but trying to stop Nate Shepard is something people haven't been able to do. If they can do it on the ground, great, but he's going to kill you in the pass game.
00:13:27
Speaker 2: That's true.
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Speaker 3: He's more scrimmage yards than anybody else in the country, 18 of them.
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Speaker 1: He's got 972 rush yards and 14 rush TDs. 31 catches for 302 receiving yards and four receiving TDs. He has to be a Heisman finalist, doesn't he? And I don't have confidence that the voters will do that, but doesn't he have to be a finalist, y'all, if he keeps this up?
00:13:51
Speaker 2: Absolutely does.
00:13:53
Speaker 3: I think numerically, yes, absolutely. The good news is Duke does play Miami next week, and Duke does play Wake Forest. So he's going to have chances to show not just the ACC we're watching, but the country who he really is against a legitimate... contender for a college football playoff.
00:14:10
Speaker 2: Good point.
00:14:10
Speaker 4: And he has those numbers, and he wasn't healthy for about three weeks here. If he was actually healthy... Yeah, no, that's a great point, too, man.
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Speaker 2: Y'all are all over it, man.
00:14:19
Speaker 1: I feel like we're all vibing right now on the same page.
00:14:24
Speaker 2: We do need to shout out Taylor.
00:14:26
Speaker 1: She has added, like, a 14th job at ESPN or, you know, with ESPN, the ACC Network. You now are going to be doing for ESPN... coverage of the women's TGL golf.
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Speaker 2: Is this true?
00:14:41
Speaker 3: It is true. It starts on Sunday. It's the inaugural season of WTGL. They're heading into year three of TGL. So they wanted to get the ladies involved in rightfully so. And, uh, there are some incredible names, uh, from the LPGA that are coming over to play in this, including headline by Michelle Lee West. Everybody knows her. Um, and, And I'm excited to dive into an aspect of sports that I'm not normally dabbling in, which is golf. But it's so different. And I hope people will tune in. Our first match is Sunday at 3 o'clock on ESPN. And I know a lot of people will be watching NFL. But if you want a little change of pace and to see some of these incredible ladies do their thing. um, lock in and then we'll, we'll see what I bring to the table because this is a fun, exciting learning experience for all of us because it's never been done before. So let's get it.
00:15:31
Speaker 4: So Sunday's your day off. You said, I'll just throw another job on the table. Who needs days off?
00:15:35
Speaker 3: Who needs a day off? We'll sleep in June.
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Speaker 1: All right, Taylor, you rock. Congratulations on that and all your success. Um, uh, thanks for coming on. We appreciate it.
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Speaker 3: You guys are the absolute best anytime, and I hopefully will see you soon.