Preferred Walk-Ons

With one month away until Selection Sunday, it's time to start sorting the contenders from the pretenders. In this week's episode, we talked with college basketball insider Jim Root about the most interesting and confounding programs in the ACC and beyond. Topics for discussion include: You can always email the show at preferredwalkons@yahoo.com. You can also follow the show on Twitter or Instagram (@PWOPod). Make sure to listen here and subscribe on your favorite podcast app! You can read more from Jim Root on Basket Under Review or in The Athletic. You can also listen to his basketball analysis on the Three Man Weave and STATS by Will & Jim podcasts.

It has never been more challenging to follow college athletics. To help us better understand the many financial and political issues at the center of the college sports landscape, we brought on Matt Brown of Extra Points. In this wide-ranging conversation, we discussed the evolution of Matt's career in sports media, financial struggles in higher education that impact athletic departments, ways to reform the current system, and the future of college sports video games. You can always email the show at preferredwalkons@yahoo.com. You can also follow the show on Twitter or Instagram (@PWOPod). Make sure to listen here and subscribe on your favorite podcast app! You can read more from Matt Brown on his Extra Points newsletter at https://www.extrapointsmb.com/.

ACC basketball is in full swing and everyone is one again chasing the Duke Blue Devils. We open the show by analyzing the race at the top of the conference and discussing the depth of talent. Then, we turn to football where fans are splitting their attention between transfer portal controversies and the release of the 2026 schedule. Topics for discussion include: You can always email the show at preferredwalkons@yahoo.com. You can also follow the show on Twitter or Instagram (@PWOPod). Make sure to listen here and subscribe on your favorite podcast app!

2026 is here and it has started in glorious fashion for the ACC. In football, bowl season was a rousing success led by Miami's dominant run through the CFP. In basketball, eight teams are in the NET Top 50 and others are well-positioned for at-large bids to the NCAA Tournament. We preview the upcoming football national championship and examine some of the most interesting ACC basketball teams hoping to dance in March. Topics for discussion include: You can always email the show at preferredwalkons@yahoo.com. You can also follow the show on Twitter or Instagram (@PWOPod). Make sure to listen here and subscribe on your favorite podcast app!

Next week begins the start of conference play for ACC basketball. We discuss which teams have positioned themselves well for Selection Sunday and which still have major questions. Additionally, we recap a busy week of news for ACC football, including a statement victory for the Miami Hurricanes in College Station. Topics for discussion include: You can always email the show at preferredwalkons@yahoo.com. You can also follow the show on Twitter or Instagram (@PWOPod). Make sure to listen here and subscribe on your favorite podcast app!

A storybook season ended in heartbreak for the Virginia football team, as the Cavaliers lost a wild ACC Championship in overtime. The defeat had ripple effects across the college football landscape, especially the CFP committee. We analyze what went wrong for UVA and take a look ahead at the playoff bracket. Topics for discussion include: You can always email the show at preferredwalkons@yahoo.com. You can also follow the show on Twitter or Instagram (@PWOPod). Make sure to listen here and subscribe on your favorite podcast app!

The miracle season for Virginia football continued last week with a dominant victory over Virginia Tech. Now the Hoos must face a familiar foe in the Duke Blue Devils with a spot in the College Football Playoff on the line. We preview the ACC Championship and discuss whether Virginia can save the conference from its own chaos. Topics for discussion include: You can always email the show at preferredwalkons@yahoo.com. You can also follow the show on Twitter or Instagram (@PWOPod). Make sure to listen here and subscribe on your favorite podcast app!

For most of the college football universe, it's rivalry week. However, the stakes have never been higher for Virginia football, one win away from a trip to Charlotte and the ACC Championship. We preview the Cavaliers colossal matchup against the Hokies, as well as other rivalry games that will impact the college football postseason. Topics for discussion include: You can always email the show at preferredwalkons@yahoo.com. You can also follow the show on Twitter or Instagram (@PWOPod). Make sure to listen here and subscribe on your favorite podcast app!

The Commonwealth of Virginia is at the center of the college football universe this week. With a win against Duke, UVA finds itself on the doorstep of the ACC Championship game. Meanwhile, down the road in Blacksburg, Virginia Tech has secured one of the biggest offseason names in the coaching carousel. We discuss the state of the ACC race going into the last two weeks of the season and analyze what James Franklin might bring to the wayward Hokies football program. Topics for discussion include: You can always email the show at preferredwalkons@yahoo.com. You can also follow the show on Twitter or Instagram (@PWOPod). Make sure to listen here and subscribe on your favorite podcast app!

Virginia missed a golden opportunity to solidify its place atop the ACC standings after a loss to Wake Forest. Now there is a logjam of teams trying to prove they belong in the CFP discussion. But are any of them...good? Topics for discussion include: You can always email the show at preferredwalkons@yahoo.com. You can also follow the show on Twitter or Instagram (@PWOPod). Make sure to listen here and subscribe on your favorite podcast app!

We have football and basketball to discuss this week. The College Football Playoff released its first rankings and UVA is currently in the field. Can the ACC get two teams into the playoffs? We discuss that possibility and give our picks for Week 11. We also invited Craig Marimpietri of the Point to the Passer podcast to discuss Carolina basketball and predictions for the upcoming college basketball season. Topics for discussion include: You can always email the show at preferredwalkons@yahoo.com. You can also follow the show on Twitter or Instagram (@PWOPod). Make sure to listen here and subscribe on your favorite podcast app! Listen to Craig's work on the Point to the Passer podcast. You can follow him on Twitter (@PointPasserPod) and on YouTube as well.

It's been a chaotic October for college football coaches and fans of the Virginia Cavaliers. LSU has added another high-profile opening to the coaching carousel, while UVA secured its third overtime win of the season by inches. In this week's episode, we discuss the state of the ACC and preview a pivotal weekend of college football. Topics for discussion include: You can always email the show at preferredwalkons@yahoo.com. You can also follow the show on Twitter or Instagram (@PWOPod). Make sure to listen here and subscribe on your favorite podcast app!

We're halfway through a college football season that is full of surprises. In the ACC, teams like Virginia and Georgia Tech have defied expectations, while Florida State, Clemson, and North Carolina have underachieved. We discuss the ACC race at the midpoint of the season and preview a pivotal weekend in the conference. Topics for discussion include: You can always email the show at preferredwalkons@yahoo.com. You can also follow the show on Twitter or Instagram (@PWOPod). Make sure to listen here and subscribe on your favorite podcast app!

Following an embarrassing blowout loss to Clemson, North Carolina has faced days of negative press coverage and rumors about Bill Belichick's future in Chapel Hill. Meanwhile, Virginia, a team with no preseason buzz, remains undefeated going into the bye week. In this episode, we discuss the trajectory of both programs and give our picks for the Week 7 slate of games. Topics for discussion include: You can always email the show at preferredwalkons@yahoo.com. You can also follow the show on Twitter or Instagram (@PWOPod). Make sure to listen here and subscribe on your favorite podcast app!

UVA's upset victory over Florida State was a euphoric moment for the Cavalier fan base and a signature win for head coach Tony Elliott. We discussed the biggest takeaways from one of the best games of the college football season and analyzed what it means for the ACC race going forward. Topics for discussion include: You can always email the show at preferredwalkons@yahoo.com. You can also follow the show on Twitter or Instagram (@PWOPod). Make sure to listen here and subscribe on your favorite podcast app!

An epic weekend of college football starts on Friday in Charlottesville and doesn't let up until late night on Saturday. With marquee matchups taking place across the country, which teams will solidify their resume as true contenders? In this episode, we preview the upcoming weekend of college football, both in the ACC and beyond, while taking time to laugh at Clemson and UNC for their misfortunes. Topics for discussion include: You can always email the show at preferredwalkons@yahoo.com. You can also follow the show on Twitter or Instagram (@PWOPod). Make sure to listen here and subscribe on your favorite podcast app!

Two high-profile losses rocked the ACC in Week 3. Virginia Tech's embarrassing home loss to ODU brought an end to the Brent Pry era in Blacksburg. Meanwhile, perennial juggernaut Clemson lost its second game of the season in Atlanta. Where do things stand in the ACC as we get into conference play? Topics for discussion include: You can always email the show at preferredwalkons@yahoo.com. You can also follow the show on Twitter or Instagram (@PWOPod). Make sure to listen here and subscribe on your favorite podcast app!

On this week's episode, we spoke with Noah Fleischman of The Wolfpacker and On3 to debrief the exciting non-conference game between NC State and Virginia. Noah provided his perspective on strengths and areas for concern from both teams, fan base expectations, and the race for the ACC title. Topics for discussion include: You can always email the show at preferredwalkons@yahoo.com. You can also follow the show on Twitter or Instagram (@PWOPod). Make sure to listen here and subscribe on your favorite podcast app! You can find Noah's reporting on NC State sports at TheWolfpacker.com and on X (@fleischman_noah).

The opening week of the college football season was a mixed bag for ACC supporters. Statement wins by Georgia Tech, Florida State, and Miami were offset by losses from Virginia Tech, Clemson, and North Carolina. We discussed whether our perceptions have changed about the state of the conference race and looked ahead to Week 2. Topics for discussion include: You can always email the show at preferredwalkons@yahoo.com. You can also follow the show on Twitter or Instagram (@PWOPod). Make sure to listen here and subscribe on your favorite podcast app!

Our long national nightmare is over. Starting on Thursday night, we will have five consecutive days to binge college football. We celebrated the return of the season by discussing the biggest matchups of Week 1 and breaking down every Atlantic Coast Conference game this weekend. In this episode, we: You can always email the show at preferredwalkons@yahoo.com. You can also follow the show on Twitter or Instagram (@PWOPod). Make sure to listen here and subscribe on your favorite podcast app!