College Football Is Back, Baby | Week 0 Picks & 2026 Sleeper Teams

<p>College football is back — and so is James, back alongside Seth as The Preferred Walk-On Show kicks off its seventh season.</p><p></p><p>Before the first full Saturday of the season, we’re putting some early 2026 takes on tape: the teams nobody is talking about enough, potential conference disruptors, a Group of Six playoff sleeper and our picks for 10 of the most interesting games on the Week 0 slate.</p><p></p><p>Could Syracuse make noise in the ACC with a healthy Steve Angeli? Is Houston a legitimate Big 12 title contender under Willie Fritz? How dangerous could Missouri be with Austin Simmons? And could Navy actually find its way into the College Football Playoff?</p><p></p><p>Then, Week 0 picks, including:</p><p></p><p>🏈 William &amp; Mary vs. Villanova<br />🏈 TCU vs. North Carolina in Dublin<br />🏈 San Jose State vs. USC<br />🏈 NC State vs. Virginia<br />🏈 Jacksonville State vs. North Dakota State<br />🏈 Monmouth vs. Tennessee Tech<br />🏈 Eastern Kentucky vs. Western Carolina<br />🏈 Stephen F. Austin vs. McNeese<br />🏈 Hawaii vs. Stanford<br />🏈 Memphis vs. UNLV</p><p></p><p>Plus: the Fran Brown factor at Syracuse, why Seth came away impressed with SMU at ACC Media Days, Willie Fritz’s rebuild at Houston, the FargoDome advantage, a little William &amp; Mary homerism and why “Week Zero” deserves a much better name.</p><p></p><p>College football Saturdays are back.</p><p></p><p>And as Buck Showalter once said: the good old days are right now.</p><p></p><p>If you enjoyed this conversation, subscribe to <b>The Preferred Walk-On Show</b> for in-depth interviews with the coaches, players, and leaders shaping college football. New episodes every week.</p><p></p><p>The Preferred Walk-On is the people's college football show. Hosted by Seth Saunders, with James Kehm joining as featured co-host, the show covers college football's full Division I landscape: every Power Four conference, every Group of Six matchup, and every corner of the FCS. Walk-On grit. All-American tape.</p><p></p><p>Apple Podcasts &amp; Spotify — search "The Preferred Walk-On Show"<br />Instagram — <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/preferredwalk_on/" target="_blank"><b>@preferredwalk_on</b></a><br />TikTok — <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@preferredwalkon" target="_blank"><b>@preferredwalkon</b></a><br />Facebook — <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://facebook.com/PreferredWalkOn" target="_bla