ACC PREVIEW: Contender Tiers & What Happens After Miami? | College Football

ACC PREVIEW: Contender Tiers & What Happens After Miami? | College Football

Author: iHeartPodcasts July 14, 2026 Duration: 1:17:18

In this college football podcast episode, we begin our three-part 2026 ACC preview by zooming out and attempting to make sense of the conference as a whole. Miami enters the season as the clear favorite, with Darian Mensah taking over at quarterback and another roster built to reach the College Football Playoff. But can the Hurricanes finally win their first ACC championship?

From there, we sort the rest of the ACC into contender tiers and confront the question that defines the league this season: Who comes after Miami? We debate how much to trust Kevin Jennings and SMU, Jeff Brohm’s latest rebuild at Louisville, Clemson’s return to Chad Morris and the long list of possible challengers lurking in the conference’s crowded middle. We also examine the unusually unsettled quarterback landscape, widespread offensive line turnover, the arrival of James Franklin at Virginia Tech and the pressure facing Mike Norvell at Florida State.

Plus, we identify our ACC pet teams, search for surprise storylines and hold an entirely unnecessary conference nickname draft.

Support the show!: https://www.patreon.com/solidverbal

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.


For over fifteen years, The Solid Verbal College Football has offered a distinct and engaging alternative to standard sports talk. Hosts Ty Hildenbrandt and Dan Rubenstein built this podcast from the ground up, bringing a conversational and often humorous energy to their analysis that feels more like a passionate discussion between friends than a formal broadcast. They dive into the weekly chaos, triumphs, and endless debates that define the college football season, providing insights that go beyond the typical headlines. What you’ll hear is a genuine back-and-forth: spirited debates on rankings and rivalries, deep dives into strategic nuances, and a handful of recurring segments that have become beloved trademarks for their dedicated audience. This isn't about simply recapping scores; it's about capturing the culture and unpredictable narrative of the sport. Their long-running chemistry ensures every episode is both informative and entertaining, making the complexities of the game accessible whether you've followed it for decades or are just finding your way in. As part of the iHeartPodcasts network, The Solid Verbal remains a foundational voice in the space, consistently delivering that unique blend of commentary that first set it apart. It’s the kind of podcast that makes the vast landscape of college football feel a little more personal and a lot more fun.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

The Solid Verbal College Football Show
Podcast Episodes
The Week 1 Storylines That Could Shape the Season | College Football [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:15
College football Week 1 is finally here, but before we dive into our full preview and picks later this week, we're looking at the bigger questions that could start shaping the season as soon as the games kick off. Which…
What We Learned From College Football Week 0 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:21
College football is officially back, and Week 0 gave us plenty to chew on before the season really gets rolling. We start with North Carolina getting some revenge on TCU in Ireland, then turn to Virginia's emphatic win o…
QB Battles, Eligibility Chaos & Our Week 0 College Football Preview [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:23
College football is finally back! In this episode, we get ready for the first Saturday of the 2026 season with our full Week 0 preview and picks, starting with TCU and North Carolina in Ireland and working through all ei…
Our 2026 College Football Playoff Predictions [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:16
College football is finally here, which means there’s only one piece of preseason business left: putting our predictions on the record. In this episode, we each build a complete 12-team College Football Playoff field, de…
Our 2026 College Football Fantasy Things Draft [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:04
Fantasy Things is back! In our annual celebration of everything strange, stupid and uniquely college football, we draft the moments, tropes, broadcast oddities and completely unforeseen bits of nonsense we want on our te…
AP Top 25 Reaction + College Football Zagriculture [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:18
In this college football podcast episode, we react to the first AP Top 25 of the 2026 season and our first preseason poll as official AP voters. We run through the top of the rankings, compare the national poll with our…