🔥 ACC Showdown: Franklin Hired, UVA Climbs, and ACC Title Scenarios! 🔥

The Virtual Tailgate crew dives into a wild week of ACC football! After a humorous (and awkward) discussion about public restrooms, the guys get serious about the gridiron.

Andrew kicks off the "Game Balls" by praising the entire Virginia defense after their dominant performance against Duke, which was responsible for a 34-7 win. David counters by spotlighting UVA tailback Jamari Taylor, who had 133 yards and two touchdowns , and leads the ACC in rushing yards (over 900) and touchdowns (13). Jarred gives his game ball to Georgia Tech's Haynes King for putting the offense on his back with 423 total yards in their narrow 36-34 victory over Boston College. Finally, Geoff awards a special teams ball to Clemson kicker Nolan Hower for his perfect night, which was critical in the upset win over Louisville.

The crew reacts to the news that Virginia Tech has hired former Penn State coach James Franklin as their new leader for 2026. David calls it a "home run hire" , while Andrew calls it "ludicrous crap". This leads into the ACC Power Rankings, where the Virginia Cavaliers jump to number one for the first time

Finally, the hosts break down the week's biggest matchups:

• Pitt vs. Georgia Tech: David predicts a high-scoring game and encourages listeners to "Take the over". Georgia Tech controls their own destiny for the ACC title game , and Jarred believes the home field advantage will help them cover the spread.

• Louisville vs. SMU: The guys are split on this one. Jarred and David pick the Mustangs due to Louisville's recent sloppy play and "culture problem". Geoff and Andrew lean toward the Cardinals, with Geoff citing SMU's "abysmal" secondary as the difference.

• Duke vs. North Carolina: Everyone predicts a Duke victory, with David suggesting the Tar Heels are "just kind of waiting for this season to end". This opens a debate on whether Bill Belichick should return to the NFL after his disastrous college season.

• Miami vs. Virginia Tech: Despite the great coach hire, Jarred believes the Hokies are "checked out" for the year. Andrew and David, however, think the Hurricanes are prone to being sloppy in cold weather , and the Hokies will keep the 15.5-point spread close as players audition for James Franklin's resurgent program.

Plus, the hosts place their quickfire bets for the remaining ACC games!

00:00 – Intro & Geoff’s Manifesto on Public Restroom Confidence

03:30 – Game Balls: UVA Defense & Jamari Taylor

05:57 – Game Balls: Haynes King & Nolan Hower

08:22 – Breaking News: Virginia Tech Hires James Franklin

12:04 – Power Rankings: The Cavaliers take the #1 Spot

17:30 – The Betting Audit (Red Ink Everywhere)

19:14 – Preview: Georgia Tech vs. Pitt

25:00 – Preview: Louisville vs. SMU

30:54 – Preview: Duke vs. UNC (The Belichick Experiment Fails)

39:35 – Preview: Miami vs. Virginia Tech

45:45 – Quickfire Bets & Sign-off

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Recorded: November 12, 2025 Note: This episode is being posted late for archival completeness. Please enjoy these "predictions" for games that have definitely already happened.

In this episode of The Virtual Tailgate, the guys try to recover from a rough week of betting that has left Jared hypothetically checking into debtor's prison with "two broken kneecaps."

We kick things off with Players of the Week, celebrating Cal’s quarterback (whose name Andrew struggles to pronounce) and SMU's Isaiah Smith, while Jared hands a collective game ball to the entire Wake Forest defense for shutting down UVA. The crew then breaks down the Power Rankings, where "dropping a deuce" takes on a double meaning for Louisville and Virginia.

Later, the hosts preview the Week 12 slate with some... unique analysis. Andrew unveils his "Trough Theory"—suggesting UVA can only beat Duke if the team participates in a very specific, unhygienic pre-game ritual. David and Geoff debate whether Pitt can upset a surging Notre Dame team, leading to a heated argument about the Irish's playoff privileges and whether UConn deserves more respect. Finally, the guys wrap up with Quickfire Bets, including a bold call for a Virginia Tech upset over FSU.

00:00 Intro: Road Trips, Poverty, and Confidence

03:08 Players of the Week: Cal's QB & The Wake Forest Defense

07:08 ACC Power Rankings: The "Bottom Three" Shuffle

10:16 The Betting Board: Jared’s Debtor’s Prison

11:16 Game Preview: Duke vs. UVA (The Trough Theory)

18:12 Game Preview: Miami vs. NC State

22:48 Game Preview: Pitt vs. Notre Dame

28:56 Quickfire Bets: FSU, UNC, and Louisville Upset Picks

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The crew (minus Geoff) is back to digest a wild week in the ACC. David and Andrew celebrate Duke's shocking upset of Clemson in Death Valley, handing out game balls to QB Darien Mensah for his 361-yard, 4-TD day and WR Samir Higgins, who caught the game-winning 2-point conversion and ran back a 100-yard kickoff.

Then, Jarred unveils the new Power Rankings, which sparks immediate chaos when Andrew and David celebrate the new #1 team: the Virginia Cavaliers. The guys try to "make sense" of the controversial ranking, given UVA's non-conference loss.

Before previews, David delivers the bad news from the betting segment: everyone "crap the bed" last week , especially Jarred, who managed to lose over $700. Finally, the hosts look ahead to the next slate of games, debating a bizarre 16.5-point spread for Florida State at Clemson , David's "Lock of the Week" on Cal at Louisville , and whether the new "Cavalier Overlords" can cover the spread against Wake Forest.

0:06 Introduction to the Season

0:50 Players of the Week

4:03 Power Rankings Revealed

4:16 ACC Analysis

7:54 Picks and Bets Update

9:54 Florida State vs. Clemson Preview

16:55 Key Matchups of the Week

22:24 Wake Forest vs. Virginia Prediction

27:38 Quickfire Bets and Wrap-Up

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