Preferred Walk-Ons

A March Madness Preview with Jim Root

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:
The improved reputation and depth of the ACC
The success of UVA in Ryan Odom's first season and the tournament ceiling for the top of the conference
Teams that deserve more attention and the Darryn Peterson situation at Kansas
Whether Duke and UNC are realistic contenders
ACC and national coaches on the hot seat
NCAA Tournament dark horses and possible disappointments
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.

The Future of College Sports with Matt Brown

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 Battles and Scheduling Fun

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:
The race for the top of the standings in ACC basketball
The unsavory elements of the transfer portal, highlighted by the Darian Mensah saga
Top takeaways from the release of the ACC football schedule
Reasons to root for the Seahawks in the Super Bowl
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 ACC's 3rd Best Team Plays for the Title

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:
The most interesting basketball teams in the ACC through the first two weeks of conference play
Miami's run through the College Football Playoff and the ACC's bowl success
Initial thoughts and frustrations with college football's winter transfer portal window
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 Start of ACC Basketball

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:
An update on the podcast's fantasy football team
Miami's big CFP win over Texas A&M and what it means for the ACC
ACC football scheduling mishaps and UNC likely hiring Bobby Petrino
Analysis of the state of ACC basketball heading into conference play, including UVA's performance through the first third of the season
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!

"There's Always Basketball Season"

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:
The ACC Championship and accessing the season for Virginia football
Notre Dame complaining about the ACC and being left out of the CFP
A preview of the CFP bracket with initial predictions and most interesting matchups
A look at ACC basketball through the first month of the season
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!

Can UVA Save the ACC?

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:
Virginia's win over Virginia Tech and what it means for the program
A preview of the ACC Championship game between UVA and Duke
Updates to the coaching carousel after Lane Kiffin's decision to join LSU
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 Extra Special Hate Week

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:
The experience of watching UVA basketball play in a ballroom
ACC Championship game scenarios and fan perspectives on the UVA/Tech game
Picks and previews of every Week 14 ACC game
Other rivalry games to watch this weekend
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!

Mr. Franklin Goes to Blacksburg

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:
Virginia and NC State taking the ultimate ACC road trip
How James Franklin fits at Virginia Tech
The race for the ACC Championship and picks for every Week 13 conference game
Other games of interest this weekend including the Greenbrier Tip-Off for UVA basketball
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!

Is the ACC Superbad?

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:
The complicated race for ACC football superiority now with UVA's first conference loss
Previews and picks for every ACC game in Week 12
Other college football games to pay attention to this weekend
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!