CONTENDERS NO MORE?: Duke, Florida State, Cal REBUILD in 2026 ACC Season Preview

Duke Blue Devils face mounting questions after Darian Mensah and Cooper Barkate's late exodus for the transfer portal shakes the reigning ACC champs. Can running back Nate Sheppard and tight end Jeremiah Hasley lead Manny Diaz’s squad back to bowl eligibility? Locked On Blue Devils' JJ Jackson highlights Duke’s quarterback battle, defensive makeover, and must-win early slate, with 5.5 wins as the critical threshold. Florida State Seminoles seek redemption as Mike Norvell enters a make-or-break season amid a staggering 3-13 ACC record. Can Ashton Daniels and playmaker Duce Robinson spark an offensive revival, or will a brutal road schedule and depth concerns doom FSU’s hopes? Meanwhile, the Cal Golden Bears, under head coach Tosh Lupoi, tap homegrown talent, unleashing Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, Adam Mohammed, and a reloaded receiving corps. Will Cal’s raw but talented defense hold up, or are shootouts inevitable? Julian Council, Kenton Gibbs and guests break down each program’s path in the evolving ACC race. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! KALSHI For a limited time, Download the Kalshi app and use code [LOCKEDON] to get $10 when you trade $10. . Indeed Listeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at http://Indeed.com/podcast. Wayfair Patio season is here and these deals won’t last! Head to https://wayfair.com right now to get your outdoor space ready for way less. Wayfair. Every style. Every home. LARINECO Give Larine a try. Right now, Larine Co is offering our listeners up to 50% off at https://BUYLARINE.com/LOCKEDONCOLLEGE. Odoo Great organizations win because operations matter. And that’s why you should get Odoo. Try for free today at https://Odoo.com/lockedon. 5-Hour ENERGY Bring on the sweetness with Cotton Candy 5-hour ENERGY®️ shots—available online now at https:/5hourENERGY.com or on Amazon. Gametime Today's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply. FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Join all the action at https://FANDUEL.COM to play Daily Dingers and make your free pick on who’s hitting a homer this MLB season. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.