PODCAST · sports
Preferred Walk-Ons
by Michael McGraw and Michael Shutt
The world’s preeminent college sports podcast hosted by two people named Michael. ACC fans by birth, degenerate gamblers for mirth.
Episodes
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Transitive Property Madness & ACC Week 7 Preview
We're at the halfway point of the college football season and it has never been more difficult to have confidence in which teams are good. Week 6 provided surprising results, both in the ACC and nationally. In this episode, we try to sift through the anarchy before making predictions for games…
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You Had A Bad Day & ACC Week 6 Preview
The two flagship programs of Virginia had disastrous football games this past weekend. UVA was humbled in a blowout loss in Tallahassee while Virginia Tech narrowly lost in the most agonizing way to Pittsburgh. We talk about both games and their prospects for the remainder of the season, then...
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ACC's Biggest Surprises & Week 5 Picks
The ACC always delivers chaos, and the 2026 football season has been no different. One month into the season and entering the thick of conference play, we take stock of the biggest surprises and debate which team is best suited to compete with Miami for the ACC title. Plus, as we do every week in...
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Misery Loves Company & ACC Week 4 Preview
It was a bad weekend of football for our hosts. NC State orchestrated one of the most improbable losses in college football history, while Virginia suffered a disappointing loss in Charlotte. We discuss what these losses mean for both programs before looking ahead to an exciting weekend of…
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ACC Bounce Back & Week 3 Preview
The ACC partially redeemed itself in Week 2 after a slow start in out-of-conference games. We discuss the conference's national perception and analyze opportunities for statement victories during the Week 3 slate. Topics for discussion include: The ACC's 3-0 week against the Big Ten and what it...
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UN-Seedy Allegations & Week 2 ACC Picks
ACC football teams have not fared well out of the gate against out-of-conference competition. Only UNC—a school with plenty of its own problems—has managed to secure a Power 4 win against a non-ACC program. We debate what the slow start means for the conference, discuss the ongoing investigation…
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Hoos Tame Wolfpack & Week 1 ACC Picks
The season could not have started better for the Virginia football program, as the Cavaliers dominated NC State from start to finish in the ACC opener. We analyze what went right for the Hoos, where the Wolfpack fell short, and what it means for both programs going forward. Then, as we do every...
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Week Zero Hour
After months of waiting, college football is finally back, and it starts with the hosts' favorite schools facing off in a monumental ACC clash. In this episode, we provide an in-depth preview of the "PWO Bowl," sharing optimistic cases for both NC State and Virginia. Then, as we do every week in...
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2026 ACC Football Hot Takes
The ACC has long embodied the chaotic nature of college football. In this episode, we share our most outlandish and contrarian predictions for what will happen with ACC football this fall. Topics for discussion include: Elevating rivalry trash talk on social media ACC headlines from fall camps A...
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Courts, Congress, and College Rivalries
The future of college sports is being debated in halls of Congress and courtrooms across America. In this episode, we discuss how upcoming decisions are likely to impact the ACC and when fans can expect clarity on issues of athlete eligibility. We also debate whether Virginia and NC State have...
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Opening Pandora's Box
The media has released its football preseason poll and All-ACC players, and fans are getting excited for the upcoming season. But a series of lawsuits have thrown the entire college sports landscape into complete chaos. In this episode, we try to make sense of the ongoing eligibility calamity and...
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ACC Football Win Totals & UNC Calamity
With college football starting in one month, we give our ACC best bets for teams that will over/underachieve their Vegas expectations. We also debate whether anyone in the conference can compete with Miami, and give our thoughts on UNC General Manager Michael Lombardi being put on paid...
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Body of Work (ACC Kickoff Week Recap)
College football is right around the corner which means it's time for conference media days. To help get you ready for the season, we analyzed the most interesting and confounding soundbites from coaches and players at the ACC Kickoff in Charlotte. Topics for discussion include: Memorable team...
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Planning the Ultimate ACC Road Trip (2026 Edition)
After the ACC underachieved in the NCAA Baseball Tournament, we decided to look ahead to the upcoming basketball and football seasons. We discuss some of our disappointments with the ACC's scheduling model for basketball, and map out the best possible road trip for football weekends in the fall....
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Survive and Expand
In this basketball-centric episode, we discuss the NCAA's decision to expand March Madness to 76 teams. We also take a look at the ACC players to watch ahead of the NBA Draft. Topics for discussion include: UVA lacrosse's disappointing loss in the first round of the NCAA Tournament The pros and...
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ACC Transfer Portal Winners
After a chaotic three weeks of widespread transfer portal movement, we are starting to have a clearer picture of what ACC basketball will look like in the fall. Some teams, like UVA and Duke, have leaned into roster retention, while others like Louisville are prioritizing acquiring big name…
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Triangle of Sadness
It's been a tumultuous and disappointing week in the ACC hotbed of the Research Triangle. Duke blew its chance at a Final Four, North Carolina moved on from head coach Hubert Davis, and Will Wade unceremoniously left NC State after only a season. We discuss a drama-filled week in the Tar Heel…
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A Bittersweet 16
It was a chalky but exciting opening weekend in the men's NCAA Tournament. Unfortunately, only one ACC team remains in the field. We debate what the conference's poor performance means for the prestige of the league and preview an exciting slate of Sweet 16 games. Topics for discussion include…
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Our Method to the Madness
Tournament time is finally here! Following a thrilling conference championship game, the ACC has 8 teams in the field. We analyze Duke's narrow win over Virginia and preview the NCAA Tournament, one quadrant at a time. Topics for discussion include: Power conference teams left out of the…
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An ACC Tournament Preview
Tomorrow kicks off the ACC Tournament which will have major implications for the NCAA Tournament field. We debate whether anyone can beat Duke, and which bubble teams most need statement victories to punch a ticket to March Madness. Topics for discussion include: Chaos occurring in mid-major...
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The Last Week of Regular Season Basketball
It's the last week of the regular season and everyone in the ACC is chasing Duke basketball. We discuss Virginia's loss at Cameron Indoor Stadium and analyze where things stand in college basketball's most chaotic conference. Topics for discussion include: Takeaways from Duke's dominant victory...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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…
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"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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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CFP, ACC, and UNC
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...
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Carousels and Roller Coasters
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...
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Six More Weeks of Winning
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...
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Move Bill, Get Out The Way
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...
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The Cavalanche
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…
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Christmas in September
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...
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Pry-re Fest in Blacksburg
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…
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Unpacking the Pack with Noah Fleischman
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.…
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Chapel Hell
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...
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We Are So Back: An ACC Week 1 Preview
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,...
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To the House with Joe Reed
With college football finally back on the schedule this week, we wanted to talk to one of the best special teams weapons the ACC has ever seen. All-American kick returner and wideout Joe Reed stopped by to talk about his college and professional career, the importance of special teams, and...
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The ACC Owns Labor Day with Ryan Nanni
On this week's episode, we spoke with Ryan Nanni, one of the most prolific and insightful college football podcasters in the business. His newest podcast collaboration, Phantom Island, explores difficult and intriguing questions across the sports landscape. Topics for our discussion include: The...
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ACC Where Are They Now?
Change is constant in the world of college sports. Between neverending conference realignment and athlete movement in the transfer portal, it can be difficult for fans to keep track of their favorite college sports teams. As we countdown the final weeks in the lead-up to the season, we wanted to...
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Media Days Takeaways
The ACC Football Kickoff is currently taking place in Charlotte. We listened through hours of coach speak and platitudes to discuss the most important takeaways for the conference and college sports. In this episode, we discuss: Virginia Tech's recent non-NCAA championships Jim Phillips comments…
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The Evolution of Amateurism with Amanda Christovich
Are college athletes employees? Amanda Christovich of Front Office Sports calls this the existential question now facing college sports. We spoke with Amanda about the challenges the NCAA must now address in the wake of the House settlement and what it means for fans of college sports. In this...
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UVA Summer Pulse Check with Kris Wright
After one of the most tumultuous years in Virginia sports history, there are a lot of new faces around Charlottesville. We brought on Kris Wright of TheSabre.com to analyze the state of the UVA athletic department and what to expect with the upcoming football and basketball seasons. Topics for...
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A House Unsettled
The long-awaited approval of the House settlement was issued on June 6th and has already shifted the landscape of college sports. Has this agreement created a clear path forward or unearthed even more questions and lawsuits? In this episode, we discuss: Will Wade stoking the rivalry flames with…
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100th Episode Spectacular
We commemorated the 100th episode of the podcast by doing two of our favorite things: celebrating the success of the ACC and talking about college football betting. In this episode, we discuss the College World Series and preview ACC football teams that are under- and overrated by Vegas...
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CFP Power Grab
The ACC faces economic headwinds in trying to keep up with other major conferences. Now, commissioners of the SEC and Big 10 are attempting to stack the College Football Playoff deck in their favor. What can the ACC do to fight for survival while still advocating for the good of the game? In this...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
The world’s preeminent college sports podcast hosted by two people named Michael. ACC fans by birth, degenerate gamblers for mirth.
HOSTED BY
Michael McGraw and Michael Shutt
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Preferred Walk-Ons have?
Preferred Walk-Ons currently has 126 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Preferred Walk-Ons about?
The world’s preeminent college sports podcast hosted by two people named Michael. ACC fans by birth, degenerate gamblers for mirth.
How often does Preferred Walk-Ons release new episodes?
Preferred Walk-Ons publishes regularly with 126 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Preferred Walk-Ons?
You can listen to Preferred Walk-Ons on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Preferred Walk-Ons?
Preferred Walk-Ons is created and hosted by Michael McGraw and Michael Shutt.
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