Previewing the American Conference w/ Darrien Starling (7/13/26)

Welcome back to the Blazer Victory Podcast! On this episode, John Duncan, Darion Smith, and Jimmy Marion are joined by Darrien Starling, one of the fastest-growing independent voices covering the American Conference. A former UTSA football player and creator of the Before Saturday Substack, Darrien shares his unique perspective on the state of the AAC, explaining how coaching, roster continuity, resources, revenue sharing, and administration are reshaping college football. We discuss: * Why the American Conference is more competitive than ever * Which teams are legitimate championship contenders * Sleepers and surprise teams for the 2026 season * How Darrien evaluates teams in the transfer portal era * Why continuity matters more than ever in college football * UAB’s outlook entering the 2026 season * What the Blazers must overcome to exceed expectations * Why the American remains the premier Group of Six conference * + Before Saturday’s AD Survey and Darrien’s Initial Interaction w/ the UAB Administration Whether you’re a UAB fan or simply follow the American Conference, this episode provides an in-depth look at one of the most unpredictable seasons the league has seen. Be sure to subscribe to Darrien’s Before Saturday Substack for outstanding American Conference coverage and follow him on X: ➡️ https://x.com/DarrienStarling ⸻ 🏈 Follow Blazer Victory 🌐 Website: https://blazervictory.com 🐉 X: https://x.com/BlazerVictory 📘 Facebook: https://facebook.com/BlazerVictory 📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/BlazerVictory 🎙️ Support Blazer Victory Join our Patreon for exclusive podcasts, recruiting coverage, film breakdowns, and bonus content: https://patreon.com/BlazerVictory If you enjoyed this episode, please Like, Subscribe, and leave a comment with your predictions for the 2026 American Conference season. Which team do you think will win the AC?