ACC Nation

Here it is, week 1 of ACC football and there are some enormous matchups coming your way. Will and Jim run down the schedule and make their picks. As always there are some random thoughts tossed in for good measure as well. See if you agree with their selections. The official start to the conference season began in Week 0 (shouldn't that be 1?) with Stanford traveling to Hawai'i where they dropped a frustrating game that hopefully won't be an indicator for the rest of the Cardinal schedule. ACC Football Be sure to listen, like and subscribe to ACC Nation podcast, check out our streaming radio and watch content on YouTube. Be sure to hook up with us on social media. You'll find your favorite platform at the top of our homepage. Have a safe Labor Day Weekend and enjoy the games.

When you have the likes of Jim Brown, Donovan McNabb, Larry Csonka, Floyd Little, Art Monk and Ernie Davis as part of football history at Syracuse then would it be unreasonable to want more? Brad Bierman of The Juice Online joins Will and Jim on ACC Nation to preview Syracuse football and talk about what head coach Fran Brown is working on long-term. Glory days are wonderful to immerse yourself in but is it realistic for the Orange to nab the likes of those greats once again? The northeast was (still is) a fertile ground for tough, skilled football players that went on to grace the NFL. Will and Brad break down what's changing on offense and defense. Are the powers that be patient enough to allow the plan to play out? Syracuse Jim and Brad look at the schedule and talk about what's realistic. Is this a bowl bound team? Could be. Find out Bierman's thoughts on the opponents and what this team needs to do to notch wins. The home field advantage of the Dome cannot be underestimated. Be sure to subscribe to ACC Nation podcast, listen on streaming radio and watch on YouTube. And as always, we encourage you to listen, like and subscribe to all three.

What exactly is it going to take to bring back the confidence and swagger once found in Florida State football? Head coach Mike Norvell has a monumental challenge on his hands, some created by him and a lot that hasn't been. The Seminoles want, need to get back on track and there's no better way than to be aggressive out of the chute with a huge first game matchup. Special guest, Curt Weiler of Tomahawk Nation and Field Level Media joins Will and Jim to break down two aspects of this team. What was and what is. If there's one thing that's evident in college football you can toss anything that was in file 13 and look closely at how the coaching staff is working NIL and the Transfer Portal. There's a lot to talk about and Weiler provides you a solid perspective on what is. Will talks with Curt about the changes in offense and defense at Florida State. From scheme to personnel expect a shift in what you've been watching. The question is, can talk be transferred into action? Weiler has some definite opinions and solid thoughts on what direction this team is headed. Florida State Jim goes over the schedule with Curt and we find out if how he projects each game with a thumbs up or thumbs down approach. Weiler also reflects on the factors that may come into play for deciding the outcome of each game. There's a lot to digest so get your headphones, earbuds or sound system on your TV ready. We invite you to listen, like and subscribe to ACC Nation podcast, streaming radio or watch on YouTube.

Pigeonholing a football team like Wake Forest based on previous performance would be short-sighted. It's been easy over the years to simply synopsize but now it's approaching fool-hardy to not do your homework. We can all agree that NIL and the Transfer Portal have flipped college football on it's head. There's still some lack of equality but plenty of room for the creative. Cam Lemons Debro of 247's Demon Deacon Digest joins Will and Jim to provide a preview of how Wake Forest football has and is changing. It starts with a new head coach, new schemes, new players and a mindset that eagerly wraps it's arms around the changes to the game and embraces them. That means there will be some obvious changes in what opponents and fans see on the field. Wake Forest Cam talks with Will about some of the subtle and not-so-subtle nuisances that former Washington State coach Jake Dickert brings to the Demon Deacons. Find out what personnel are filling out the roster, where the strengths are and the new looks on offense and defense. Some of these will make you lift your eyebrow a time or two. What does Debro think about this year's schedule? It's always a perilous journey when projecting wins and losses but we think you'll find a straight-forward and honest assessment of what this team can do. Be sure to listen, like and subscribe to ACC Nation podcast, check out our streaming radio or watch this episode and more on YouTube.

Will NC State players rise to the occasion and show their potential? With so many questions about where Pack football can we expect clear-cut answers this season? And, is "Ants Marching" relatable when it comes to Dave Doeren's 13th season in Raleigh? That you'll have to answer for yourself. Special guest Evan from Red & White Podcast joins Will and Jim on ACC Nation to preview the Wolfpack. Up front we examine the changes in coaching, schemes and infusion of players from the Transfer Portal. There are big questions regarding personnel plugging into the schemes and perhaps bigger ones regarding those players and the depth needed to keep the engine chugging. NC State Among the question marks there is CJ Bailey at quarterback. Has he developed in the off-season. How about the running backs? There's Hollywood Smothers but can you expect him to tote the rock 40 times a game without losing him to injury? What about incoming Duke Scott who is described as explosive. Can a freshman be successfully paired with Smothers to generate a ground and pound offense? The schedule is both agreeable and disconcerting depending on where you start. NC State looks like they'll be bowl bound again but will it be as ESPN's FPI projects, a 6-6 season? Evan gives us his thoughts on each game and what might give the team the edge. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast, listen to us on streaming radio or watch ACC Nation on YouTube. Like, follow and as always, we look forward to your comments on YT.

If you aren't familiar with Cal then there's one thing you should know. The creative juices flow and when they put their minds to something count on some creative twists and turns. When it comes to football you shouldn't fall back on what the Golden Bears did last year to project what they'll do this season. One key element to take into consideration is Ron Rivera. Special guest Jim McGill of Bear Insider previews the team with Will and Jim and explains what's different. It's an interesting turn of events on and off the field and indicates Cal is taking this run in the ACC seriously. That means opponents should be doing their homework. Will gets into the offense, defense and changes that have been implemented with McGill. Cal Jim runs down the schedule and gets McGill's thoughts on each game and how he sees the team performing overall. It's a great opportunity for fans of teams on the East Coast to step outside of their media bubbles and hear a perspective that is not as heavily influenced by the echo chamber. ACC Nation is available by subscribing to the podcast, listening to us on streaming radio or watching each episode on YouTube. We appreciate your likes, follows and of course, comments on YouTube.

The proverbial roller-coaster ride that Pitt fans endure may even out this season. There's a significant number of returning players that check off the talent, experience and depth categories. To get a good feel for what the Panthers have to offer under head coach Pat Narduzzi this season Will and Jim invite back special guest Chris Peak of 247's Panther-Lair to get his thoughts on the team. Listen To All Of The ACC Nation Football Previews Will and Chris get into the key role players and one or two, 'what-if's' that should intrigue both fans and opponents. A good example is quarterback and Peak says Narduzzi isn't taking any chances. Find out why. Pitt What about the schedule? Pitt started out with a bang last year before trailing off. Are there games on the list that have a higher likelihood of going the Panthers way this season? Jim and Chris go over each game with a thumbs up, thumbs down approach and a Will's Waggle as a third choice in case the Magic 8-Ball isn't working. Be sure to subscribe to ACC Nation Podcast, listen to Streaming Radio or watch ACC Nation on YouTube. Listen, Like and Subscribe!

The answer to that question for Virginia football fans lies within this episode of ACC Nation with Will and Jim as Brad Franklin of CavsCorner previews the Wahoos. We're hearing it more and more with ACC football previews, the number of players coming in from the portal is making it difficult to keep up with everyone. That ultimately leads to, how can anyone know with any certainty what that team or for that matter how any team will perform? Fortunate for us we know someone similar to Nostradamus when it comes to the Cavaliers. Well, at least we think so. We kick off this episode looking at the schedule and comparing some important notes on how the team will get to a bowl game this season. Is it possible? What's the best and worst case scenarios? Virginia Will and Brad shake down the depth and point making potential of the Virginia offense. From QB to the OL the team has markedly improved thanks to the financial support of fans and boosters. What about defense? Linebackers and DB's in general are deeper and bring a better skill-set to roster. Be sure to subscribe to ACC Nation podcast, listen to streaming radio and watch the show on YouTube.

Consistency is the key to success in any sport and without a doubt Duke has been pretty darned consistent in hoops. The same hasn't been the case in football which has seemed like an after thought in years past. Times change and the need to be successful on the field as well as the court go hand in hand. Mike Elko helped move the program out of the 'it's just good enough' phase and now Manny Diaz is upping the game. Special guest, Conor O'Neill the publisher of Devils Illustrated joins ACC Nation to provide a preview of the upcoming season. O'Neill points out that Diaz is moving the offense from a limited delivery system into one that will keep defenses on their toes. Find out why Tulane QB transfer Darian Mensah along with select players from the portal will begin moving Duke into the upper tier of the conference. Duke Depth and experience are key factors on the defensive side of the ball as well. It takes time recruiting and dipping into the Transfer Portal to bring a solid product together. Last year's record of 9-4 may be more of a challenge to match as most of the ACC is also building programs of note but it will be clear to fans and definitely opponents that the Blue Devils have chosen not to snooze. Listen, like and subscribe to ACC Nation podcast, streaming radio and YouTube for more conference content.

Louisville head coach Jeff Brohm is steadily building the Cardinals into a perennial top-tier program within the ACC. Being within the top 5 of the conference means more than a shot at a conference title these days. With the expansion of the College Football Playoffs and revenue sharing based upon how many eyes are on you during television appearances it has a far greater impact upon the success of a school's athletic program. Jody Demling, the Publisher of Cardinal Authority joins Will and Jim on ACC Nation to preview this year's team. We start out with a look at the schedule and how Demling believes the Cardinals will perform. There are a number of major challenges, some of which may have a huge impact on who ends up in Charlotte for a shot at the ACC title. Louisville Then, a look at the roster and how Demling feels about the offense and defense this season. With 40+ transfers (not unusual for teams in today's environment) it becomes harder to preview a team. Some of the positions are filled by returning players while others are fresh boots on the ground. Will and Jody break down the strengths and weaknesses for Louisville. It looks like an exciting year ahead for Louisville fans with a new quarterback in transfer Miller Moss. Moss will have Isaac Brown and Duke Watson in the backfield, veterans Chris Bell and Caullin Lacy at wide receiver and there are some important additions in the O-line that need to click to allow this offense to click. Hear what Demling thinks of the 2025 defense and how important it will be to the success of the team. Want more content? Subscribe and like ACC Nation Podcast, listen to us on streaming radio and watch this and other episodes on YouTube where we'd appreciate a follow.

The impact of NIL and the Transfer Portal requires a crystal ball to project how Miami will perform this season. Fortunately, the next best thing joins ACC Nation for our Canes football preview. Manny Navarro of The Athletic and Host of 'Wide Right' podcast provides a straight up and straight forward look at this year's squad. The team isn't shying away from taking big steps as they open against Notre Dame on Sunday, August 31. The game will be prime-time on ABC at 7:30pm ET. How they perform and the outcome could have more impact on both Miami and the ACC than one might imagine. Navarro runs through the schedule giving his thumbs up, thumbs down view of the wins and losses. Miami Carson Beck appears ready and willing to roll as quarterback for Miami this season after having UCL (elbow) surgery earlier. Who will be his back-up? There's plenty of depth in the room but limited experience taking game snaps. Head Coach Mario Cristobal has loaded and re-loaded (in some cases) a team that has lost some key personnel. The offense looks solid even with the departure of players like Xavier Restrepo and Jacolby George. How about the running game? Who fills the shoes of Damien Martinez? The defense will need to step up this season to help buffer some of the losses on offense and Navarro runs down the players returning and transferring in that can make that happen. Be sure to like and subscribe to ACC Nation podcast, listen on streaming radio or watch us on YouTube.

For years fans, writers and, well take your pick have all said North Carolina is a basketball school, they'll never succeed in football. With the turn of events precipitated by NIL schools can't afford to remain locked into the past. Thus, Bubba Cunningham found a way to entice former NFL head coach Bill Belichick to hop a plane and land in Raleigh. What exactly does this and will this mean for the Tar Heels? Special Guest Max Sloan of Tar Heel Blog joins Will and Jim to talk about that and more on ACC Nation. Sloan gives us his thoughts on how this team will perform this season as we get his thumbs up, thumbs down on the schedule. How's it look? Look for a bowl appearance at a minimum. North Carolina Be sure to like and subscribe to ACC Nation Podcast, listen to ACC football previews on streaming radio and watch each episode and more on YouTube.

Has Head Coach Brent Pry finally found the magic key to unlocking Hokies football from the doldrums? With two new coordinators and more than enough new names on the roster it appears that opportunity is knocking this season. The Lead Analyst and Columnist at TechSideline, Chris Coleman joins Will and Jim on ACC Nation and shares a wealth of knowledge that seems to indicate this team is close to shedding mediocrity. There are several must-win games to get the engine started and a win over South Carolina in Atlanta would go a long way in priming the pump. Coleman gives us his thumbs up-thumbs down on the 2025 season. The conclusion is the team is riding somewhere in between the dark and the light. What will it take to move in the right direction? Hokies Will and Chris break down the changes in offense and defense under Phil Montgomery and Sam Siefkes. Which side of the ball is most likely to advance? Tough questions and only time will tell. The Hokies are at home for 7 games and there seems to be more tv time for them as well. Does someone know something the rest of us don't? Be sure to subscribe to ACC Nation Podcast, listen to us on streaming radio or watch each episode on our YouTube channel.

If for one moment you found yourself straying from reality and thought Stanford would sit idly by while the world of college football rapidly evolved, then re-think that idea. The Cardinal opted for the, let's kick some rear-end approach to igniting their football program by bringing in former NFL QB Andrew Luck as GM who then brought in his former head coach in Indianapolis, Frank Reich to be "interim". That remains to be seen, the interim part that is. Ben Parker, the Publisher of Cardinal Sports Report, an On3/Rivals site joins Will and Jim on ACC Nation to preview the Cardinal. Up front he gives us his thoughts on if Stanford will win or lose games on their schedule. Then, Parker and Will look at the movement and depth on offense and defense. What's changed? A lot. Luck was very active in the Transfer Portal in part because many players departed but also because there is a new vision of what this team will look like in the coming years. Stanford Reich, a former Maryland QB and Buffalo Bills QB has a great deal of experience finding ways to come back from seemingly insurmountable odds. His experience as OC with Philadelphia during their Super Bowl run and as head coach of both Indianapolis and Carolina will no doubt help develop a pro-style approach to offense at Stanford. If he has the right QB Reich can make good use of what appears to be a deep Wide Receiver room and that same depth can be found among Running Backs as well. Stanford still has plenty of work to do with both lines and some weak spots on defense. If Reich pulls a rabbit out of the hat this season the term, "interim" may well be just that. One game to look forward to will be his meeting in Chapel Hill with Bill Belichick's Tar Heels later in the season. Be sure to subscribe to ACC Nation Podcast, listen to us on ACC Nation Radio or watch the previews on YouTube.

Kelly Quinlan, the Publisher for the Rivals/On3Sports site, JacketsOnline joins Will and Jim for an ACC Nation football preview of Georgia Tech. It looks and feels like a very good year for the Ramblin' Wreck faithful and you'll find out why in this podcast. Quinlan goes thumbs up/thumbs down on the Yellow Jackets schedule and if the offensive firepower and reconfigured defense deliver it may well become 'Hot 'Lanta' on Saturdays at Bobby Dodd again. It's a schedule that could put the team into the midst of the Top 25 early in the season. Georgia Tech Will and Kelly explore the depth and add-ons on offense and defense that have so many excited about the trend this team has been on the last few years. The offense is staggeringly loaded with the return of QB Haynes King, RB Jamal Haynes and WR Malik Rutherford among others. Quinlan reminds us all that head coach Brent Key has finally had the time to recruit 'his' team. Success this season will further add spice to this sauce. Subscribe to ACC Nation podcast, listen to us 24/7 on streaming radio or watch us on YouTube.

Boston College football preview podcast with Will Ojanen and Jim Quist. Special guest, A.J. Black.

Will Ojanen takes the reins of ACC Nation podcast this week to provide a quick update on what's happening across the Atlantic Coast Conference. If you like a quickie now and then you'll really enjoy this episode and walk away with a smile on your face, too. There's a solid look at men's and women's basketball. How the season ended for conference teams and what's up next including coaching hires and NIL money. Then, a look a football and baseball. What's in store for the conference as Omaha approaches and will there be improvement on the gridiron this year? ACC Will and Jim return to the trenches with full episodes and special guest plus don't forget we're rapidly approaching football preview season. There is a lot to talk about on that front this year. Make sure you don't miss an episode of ACC Nation by subscribing to the podcast, listening on streaming radio and watching us on YouTube.

The 2025 NCAA Basketball Tournament brackets for both men and women were revealed Sunday evening and not without a bit of controversy. Will and Jim get into the meat of the WTH moment right up front addressing North Carolina getting a bid in the men's bracket. The selection committee jumped feet first into the fire choosing the Tar Heels and without a doubt social media will be ablaze with opinions for quite a while. The second portion of the WTH moment came with Louisville only being seeded No. 8 in the bracket. Will had some thoughts on that topic as did our previous guest Jeremy Wahman from CSZ who was on ACC Nation Podcast a week ago. NCAA Basketball Duke, Clemson, Louisville and North Carolina all grabbed spots in the tournament on the men's side for the ACC. It was a much merrier place to be for the ACC when it came down to the women's bracket. Eight teams made the grade including Georgia Tech, Florida State, NC State, California, North Carolina, Duke, Notre Dame and Louisville. The closest thing to a controversy on the women's side of NCAA basketball could be Notre Dame being seeded No. 3 after being a dominant team most of the season. Be sure to subscribe to ACC Nation Podcast, listen to us on ACC Nation Radio or watching ACC Nation on YouTube.

The Wolfpack bit down hard and waved goodbye to NC State head men's basketball coach Kevin Keatts. Now fandom is ablaze with what if, who's it going to be, can we have a competitive NIL and about a million other questions. Evan from RedAndWhitePodcast joins Will and Jim to address as many as is physically possible and to roll with some conjecture as well. There's probably one of the better lists of available men's college basketball coaches available for schools at this moment. It's important to know what you want and where you want the team to head in years to come. Does the administration at NC State have a clear vision? We get into that question and look for answers. There are some that might not be as obvious as you'd think and others that are blatantly obvious. NC State Time will tell if the powers that be decide on investing in a return to being one of the top teams in the ACC or are just happy with so-so. NC State fans need to step up and be vocal about the direction they'd like to see the team take in the years to come. Be sure to listen, like and subscribe to our podcast, catch the latest on ACC Nation Radio or watch ACC Nation on YouTube.

Louisville men's basketball has gone through some tough times but it appears as if the Cardinals have risen from the ashes and created a 'new self'. That new self isn't quite like the 'old self' but maybe, just maybe that's a good thing. Jeremy Wahman of Cardinal Sports Zone brings his large-than-life personality back to the show and illustrates why he's the 'goat' when it comes to slinging sports fandom hash. He shares his many years of connectivity with the school and close-up observations on what's what with the men's team. After rolling through a number of coaches and players the combination in place has earned the team a No. 2 seed in the ACC Tournament where they are slated to play in the quarterfinals on Thursday, March 13 and are currently ranked No. 13 in the AP Top 25. An important cog in the wheel to get this all in motion has been new head coach Pat Kelsey who has been honored with the ACC Coach of the Year award and Louisville's Chucky Hepburn who earned ACC Defensive Player of the Year honors. Louisville Aside from the chaos that putting Wahman together with Will and Jim creates there are tons of tidbits helping to explain the journey to success. From the impact of previous coaches to NIL and overcoming injury bugs we're sure that as a Louisville fan (or competitor) you may find something just for you on this episode. In addition to listening to the podcast be sure to subscribe (more options than you might imagine) or catch the program on ACC Nation Radio where we also have podcasts from All Sports Discussion and features that are only found on the channel. You can watch ACC Nation on YouTube as well. Be sure to listen, like and subscribe to any or all three. We thank you for listening and watching ACC Nation. By the way, you can thank Wahman for the Louisville 'red' in our graphics. It was a special request.