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Unexpected title match: Wake Forest, Pitt square off in ACC

Unexpected title match: Wake Forest, Pitt square off in ACC
um, like I've said before, I think it's all those individual accolades are very team oriented. Um, you know, starting with the guys in front, moving on out and I play with a lot of great players next to me and in the huddle. So, um, it's grateful. Great for all the hard work that they put in as well. Jenny was a tough decision. How often have you thought? Thank goodness I made the right decision. Yeah. I mean, I told you guys when I made the decision, whether if I decided to leave or decided to come back, I was gonna go all in on it and kind of just go forward. Uh, you know, definitely made the right decision. Happy I made the decision. And you know, I've been having a blast this last season. You talked about? Yeah, I mean, it's really, you know, it's everything we've worked for is right in front of us. And uh, you know, I'm really excited to have one more chance at the championship game. And uh, I know we've all been working hard for and we've all been looking forward to it. But you know, there's a couple of days left of prep and it'll be ready to go. Is it much different in the locker room and somebody this week, are you watching more video because it's such a big game. What's your approach? Yeah, I mean, it's, I've been, we've been preaching. I mean, back to, we had our first sec game, we've been telling you guys it's seven championships and now, you know, we're in another championship, we have won against NBA, so we're kind of familiar with the feeling obviously you're going down to charlotte and you're on the road technically, uh, you know, and it is a, it's a big game, it's a different game at the same time. It's just, we know we're going out there and playing football. So, um, you know, we want to be as prepared as we can be and then just get a little loose on saturday. We spend more time with you this week. Yeah. I mean, it's just, you know, obviously, you know, the sense of urgency is up communication and we want to make sure we're on the same page on every play and every guy knows what we need them to do, uh, in order to execute a high level can, uh, you were earlier this week. Can you confirm that? And how are you feeling now? Yeah, I'm feeling a lot better now. This is a couple of days. Um, you know, not feeling great. Just something that's been going around, but I definitely feel a lot better now. Uh, you know, so I'll be good to go first for saturday. Okay. When you were making the decision to come back, he talked about team goals, did you some players said individual goals for themselves. Did you have any at all? Do you have anything that you can not do that statistically just performance wise. I like this, that or the other. Yeah. I mean, I want to, I want to be the best, that's, that's just, that's always been my goal since I was young and um, it's something that, you know, you continue to work for. There's always someone out there working just as hard or harder than you. So, you know, we kind of set set those goals for yourself and shave some. Um, but you know, I think all, like I've said before, all the, all the individual accolades come to the best team and you see how many guys we have on that and all those, all those different teams throughout the A. C. C. And we're in the championship game. That doesn't happen by accident. So, um, I've said those guys all year so I'm excited for everybody and proud of, you know, all the work that we put in a lot of good quarterbacks in this league when you face some of, how about some of the other guys go, do you, I know you're not playing them but you're not on defense. But do you sit there and do you look at them and think, man, I need to kind of bring that guys over there, I got to be even better. Well, you just know that, you know, you've got to raise the bar for your level of performance and you know, that you can't slip up and uh, every series matters. You know, you can't take a series off, You have to go out there and put points up on the board because you know, they're gonna be on the other side trying to do the same. So I just think the, you know, the expectation for every driver is gonna score a touchdown and you know, it has to be that way from start to finish because they're gonna put points as well, Kenny week has given up points this year, but they've also a number of sacks and turnover you see from their defense have challenge. Yeah, I mean they're optimistic. They make plays, like you said, the gap for the quarterback. Um, I like to play a lot of press man. It's gonna be one on one battle. So we have to win on one on ones. Um, expect them to bring some pressure. You know, if they, if they adjust, we'll adjust and we'll go off that. But like you said, I mean definitely a really talented defense at all three levels. The glove talk about it, you mentioned it just how big of a game that says, you kind of don't want to think ahead. But if you kind of thought about what that moment could be like if you guys bring home this is, yeah, I mean haven't, you know, you never really think about that moment leading up into the games. It's just, you know, you just have to do whatever you kind of get the win and then that feeling after, it is a great feeling. Um, we've all been there before, having a coastal twice now and you know, having a second chance at the championship. So really the focus is on just getting it done when you see yourself on video. What things are you doing better this year, Maybe you weren't doing as soon as last year? Yeah, I think I'm just a step faster mentally getting through my progressions, reading defenses, um, you know, especially post nap. Um, I have a pretty good understanding, free snap it, but I've improved post snap of reading triangles and seeing seeing, you know, three guys moving at one time and just kind of feeling things out. Um, so it's just kind of a step ahead mentally. Yeah. There's not gonna be a lot of games being played at 8:00 on Saturday night. It will be a showcase for both you guys at the lake. Is, it may be important to show people that the league is more than just pops up. I mean, I haven't, I haven't thought of that. I feel like we've, we've shown that already. Um, you know, if not obviously people will see it, you know, come saturday part of the whole national attention, like all that kind of stuff. Part of it is, you know, guys like brady Quinn and matt liner talking up. It's kind of surreal in that, in that sense of hearing things from those guys who got to grow up washing. Yeah, those are, those are the two guys that, you know, I was going back to, you know, when I was like nine years old, The brady Quinn matt Leinart, Reggie Bush. Those games are the games that I remember, You know, growing up watching, you know, my first college football memories were those games. And uh, Reggie Bush won the Heisman. So it definitely is surreal to have those guys, you know, pulling for you to win. The Heisman are pushing your name out there and it means a lot and uh, just come a long way for sure. Mm hmm, mm hmm.
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Unexpected title match: Wake Forest, Pitt square off in ACC
Two surprising programs with high-powered offenses will square off Saturday night when No. 17 Pittsburgh meets 18th-ranked Wake Forest in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game.It's the first time since 2014 that Clemson, with its recognizable sea of orange, won't be playing for the title after the Tigers dominated the ACC football landscape the past six seasons."It's going to be really weird not seeing orange in the championship, right?" said Eric Mac Lain, a college football analyst for the ACC Network. "Or the garnet and gold (of Florida State) - two colors we've been very accustomed to seeing on at least the Atlantic side for quite some time now."Pitt was selected to finish fourth in the Coastal division in the ACC's preseason polls. Wake Forest was picked to finish fifth in the Atlantic."Clemson's been dominant, and they're still dominant," Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said. "... They're going to be a force to be reckoned with every year. But Pitt, we hope, is the same way. Wake Forest, the same way. Virginia, the same way. Everyone's got a chance. That's the beautiful thing."Both teams reached the title game behind strong quarterback play, which could lead to a shootout.The Demon Deacons rank third in the country in scoring offense at 42.9 points per game, while the Panthers are fourth (42.8). Both teams also rank in the top 15 nationally in total offense, passing offense and touchdown passes.The over-under for the game is listed at 72 1/2 points, according to Fan Duel Sportsbook.Pitt is led by quarterback Kenny Pickett, who has thrown 40 touchdown passes this season.He needs two more to break the conference record set by Clemson's Deshaun Watson in 2016. A projected top 10 pick in next year's NFL draft, Pickett's 79 career TD passes are tied with Dan Marino for the most in school history.Sam Hartman spearheads Wake Forest's attack.The sophomore has thrown for 3,711 yards and 34 touchdowns to lead a team with plenty of experience and loaded with "super seniors." Hartman is the first ACC quarterback since Louisville's Lamar Jackson in 2016 to have at least 30 TDs passing and 10 TDs rushing in a season."When we went into the season, I said this to the staff, 'We've been really good. We've been consistent. We've been to five consecutive bowls.' But we didn't ever have that one breakout season," said Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson, who recently signed a long-term contract extension. "I don't want to put pressure on us. But I really believed that if we were going to have that breakout year, this year's our best opportunity."It will be a missed opportunity for the ACC because whoever wins won't advance to the College Football Playoff as Clemson has done for the last six seasons. This year marks the first time the ACC won't send a representative to the four-team tournament.RECEIVER PLAYWhile the quarterbacks attract most of the attention, much of their success has come thanks to the play at receiver for both teams.Pitt's Jordan Addison leads the country with 17 TD grabs, one shy of the ACC record held by Clemson's DeAndre Hopkins. Addison ranks sixth in FBS with 112.8 yards receiving per game.For the Demon Deacons, third-year sophomore A.T. Perry is tied for second in FBS with 13 TDs and 22nd in yards receiving per game (92.7). There's also Jaquarii Roberson (eight TD grabs), who joins with Perry in representing Wake Forest's latest successes when it comes to developing receivers capable of making tough, contested catches.THIRD-DOWN BATTLESThird-down conversions will be a key area to watch in this one when it comes to Wake Forest's offense against Pittsburgh's defense.The Demon Deacons are tied for sixth in the Bowl Subdivision ranks by converting 50% of third-down chances, while the Panthers are seventh in FBS by holding opponents to a 31.3% conversion rate.The Panthers are also second in FBS with 46 sacks, with Pitt linebacker Phil Campbell III pointing to the defense's "Delta" package as a way to get after quarterbacks.DEACS' DEFENSEWake Forest's defense has had its share of struggles since the start of October, notably surrendering 56 points in a shootout win at Army and giving up 58 and 48 points in losses to North Carolina and Clemson, respectively.But Wake Forest is coming off a 41-10 win at Boston College that clinched the Atlantic Division title that included holding the Eagles to 182 yards, the fewest allowed by the Demon Deacons all year."We showed what we're capable of," linebacker Luke Masterson said. "And it's all about just repeating that and improving on the stuff that we did last weekend."RELIABLE KICKERWake Forest coach Dave Clawson has to feel pretty good if this game comes down to a Demon Deacons field goal attempt. Kicker Nick Sciba has made 89.3% (75-of-84) of his field goal attempts during his career, the third-best mark for any kicker in NCAA history with a minimum of 50 attempts.CLOSE GAME?The last four ACC title games have been major blowouts with Clemson crushing Notre Dame (34-10), Virginia (62-17), Pitt (42-10) and Miami (38-3). But with no dominant team in the conference, oddsmakers are expecting this game to be much closer. Pitt is listed as a 2 1/2-point favorite, according to Fan Duel Sportsbook.___AP Sports Writers Aaron Beard and Will Graves contributed to this report.

Two surprising programs with high-powered offenses will square off Saturday night when No. 17 Pittsburgh meets 18th-ranked Wake Forest in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game.

It's the first time since 2014 that Clemson, with its recognizable sea of orange, won't be playing for the title after the Tigers dominated the ACC football landscape the past six seasons.

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"It's going to be really weird not seeing orange in the championship, right?" said Eric Mac Lain, a college football analyst for the ACC Network. "Or the garnet and gold (of Florida State) - two colors we've been very accustomed to seeing on at least the Atlantic side for quite some time now."

Pitt was selected to finish fourth in the Coastal division in the ACC's preseason polls. Wake Forest was picked to finish fifth in the Atlantic.

"Clemson's been dominant, and they're still dominant," Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said. "... They're going to be a force to be reckoned with every year. But Pitt, we hope, is the same way. Wake Forest, the same way. Virginia, the same way. Everyone's got a chance. That's the beautiful thing."

Both teams reached the title game behind strong quarterback play, which could lead to a shootout.

The Demon Deacons rank third in the country in scoring offense at 42.9 points per game, while the Panthers are fourth (42.8). Both teams also rank in the top 15 nationally in total offense, passing offense and touchdown passes.

The over-under for the game is listed at 72 1/2 points, according to Fan Duel Sportsbook.

Pitt is led by quarterback Kenny Pickett, who has thrown 40 touchdown passes this season.

He needs two more to break the conference record set by Clemson's Deshaun Watson in 2016. A projected top 10 pick in next year's NFL draft, Pickett's 79 career TD passes are tied with Dan Marino for the most in school history.

Sam Hartman spearheads Wake Forest's attack.

The sophomore has thrown for 3,711 yards and 34 touchdowns to lead a team with plenty of experience and loaded with "super seniors." Hartman is the first ACC quarterback since Louisville's Lamar Jackson in 2016 to have at least 30 TDs passing and 10 TDs rushing in a season.

"When we went into the season, I said this to the staff, 'We've been really good. We've been consistent. We've been to five consecutive bowls.' But we didn't ever have that one breakout season," said Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson, who recently signed a long-term contract extension. "I don't want to put pressure on us. But I really believed that if we were going to have that breakout year, this year's our best opportunity."

It will be a missed opportunity for the ACC because whoever wins won't advance to the College Football Playoff as Clemson has done for the last six seasons. This year marks the first time the ACC won't send a representative to the four-team tournament.

RECEIVER PLAY

While the quarterbacks attract most of the attention, much of their success has come thanks to the play at receiver for both teams.

Pitt's Jordan Addison leads the country with 17 TD grabs, one shy of the ACC record held by Clemson's DeAndre Hopkins. Addison ranks sixth in FBS with 112.8 yards receiving per game.

For the Demon Deacons, third-year sophomore A.T. Perry is tied for second in FBS with 13 TDs and 22nd in yards receiving per game (92.7). There's also Jaquarii Roberson (eight TD grabs), who joins with Perry in representing Wake Forest's latest successes when it comes to developing receivers capable of making tough, contested catches.

THIRD-DOWN BATTLES

Third-down conversions will be a key area to watch in this one when it comes to Wake Forest's offense against Pittsburgh's defense.

The Demon Deacons are tied for sixth in the Bowl Subdivision ranks by converting 50% of third-down chances, while the Panthers are seventh in FBS by holding opponents to a 31.3% conversion rate.

The Panthers are also second in FBS with 46 sacks, with Pitt linebacker Phil Campbell III pointing to the defense's "Delta" package as a way to get after quarterbacks.

DEACS' DEFENSE

Wake Forest's defense has had its share of struggles since the start of October, notably surrendering 56 points in a shootout win at Army and giving up 58 and 48 points in losses to North Carolina and Clemson, respectively.

But Wake Forest is coming off a 41-10 win at Boston College that clinched the Atlantic Division title that included holding the Eagles to 182 yards, the fewest allowed by the Demon Deacons all year.

"We showed what we're capable of," linebacker Luke Masterson said. "And it's all about just repeating that and improving on the stuff that we did last weekend."

RELIABLE KICKER

Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson has to feel pretty good if this game comes down to a Demon Deacons field goal attempt. Kicker Nick Sciba has made 89.3% (75-of-84) of his field goal attempts during his career, the third-best mark for any kicker in NCAA history with a minimum of 50 attempts.

CLOSE GAME?

The last four ACC title games have been major blowouts with Clemson crushing Notre Dame (34-10), Virginia (62-17), Pitt (42-10) and Miami (38-3). But with no dominant team in the conference, oddsmakers are expecting this game to be much closer. Pitt is listed as a 2 1/2-point favorite, according to Fan Duel Sportsbook.

___

AP Sports Writers Aaron Beard and Will Graves contributed to this report.