Always College Football with Greg McElroy

Preseason hype is what college football fans LIVE for, but what happens if your team fails to meet those expectations? Don’t worry McElroy is here to give you a comprehensive "bounce back" guide for 10 teams in the 2026 season. South Carolina, Auburn, Illinois, Arizona State, Louisville and more have "February optimism" right now but still have the sting of the harsh reality of last year's failures. It’s time to move on from the disappointment to redemption as McElroy identifies personnel upgrades, portal wins, and favorable schedules for the upcoming season.

Curt Cignetti joins Greg McElroy to talk life after winning the National Championship, how to prevent complacency, if he ever smiles, how Indiana identifies the RKG’s (right kinda guys), what Cig has seen from the new group coming in for 2026 and so much more. Plus, McElroy goes over why Joey Aguilar got denied another year of eligibility and what it means for Josh Heupel and Tennessee going into 2026.

Mario Cristobal joins Greg McElroy to talk about the culture he has cultivated at Miami, how the Canes can move forward but still acknowledge all of their accomplishments, identifying players that “fit” what Miami is looking for, what Darian Mensah brings to the team and so much more. Plus, McElroy goes in depth on why a lot of big non conference games are getting canceled, if it is good for the fans and the health of the sport and the pro’s and con’s of a 24 team college football playoff.

Greg McElroy is joined by David Pollack to discuss why the BIG 10 is on such a roll and if it will stop anytime soon, why tampering and the calendar need to be adjusted sooner rather than later, if the NFL should “help” with college football and so much more. Plus, McElroy dives deep into the evolution of college football in 2026 and why the changes ON the field are here to stay.

A sleeper isn't "trendy"; it’s a team with QB clarity, a defined identity, and a narrow schedule path. That is why McElroy has Utah, Florida, Virginia Tech, Oklahoma State, Wisconsin and more as teams he thinks will be “sleepers” in 2026. Plus, McElroy explains why we are about to enter into a “quarterback reset” year. How fast can Sam Leavitt and Lane Kiffin build chemistry in the SEC? Will Darian Mensah be able to win tight games in November, can Michigan build a system tailored around Bryce Underwood’s strengths rather than forcing him into an old mold, can homegrown talent still win at Clemson in a portal economy and so much more.