Jimbo Fisher Appears on 2026 ACC Huddle
The former Florida State coach returns to ESPN's stage
For the 2026 season opener, former Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher returns to appear on the ACC Huddle, ESPN's premier college football production covering the Atlantic Coast Conference. The show travels across three campuses, bringing together analysts and special guests to preview the opening week's games.
ACC Huddle heads to western campuses
The ACC Huddle kicked off its live broadcast from Stanford and Cal across four days during Labor Day weekend. The show, which follows the ACC calendar, went live from Palo Alto and Berkeley in San Francisco before heading to Tallahassee, Florida, to cover the matchup between SMU and the Seminoles.
Jimbo Fisher joins the analyst panel
The coach, who won a national championship with Florida State, joins the analyst team alongside Taylor Tannebaum, Eric Mac Lain, and Eddie Royal. The group returns to the stage on the Florida State campus, where the crew also features appearances by Mike Norvell, the team's head coach.
Featured guests for week one
On Friday, ahead of the game between Miami and Stanford, the program hosted Andrew Luck, former Stanford player and current general manager, along with ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, Ph.D., and rapper E-40. In another segment, Ron Rivera, Cal's general manager, and Jeff Brohm, Louisville's head coach, appeared to discuss key matchups.
New analysts join the desk
The 2026 season brings two new analysts to the ACC Network: Nate Peterman, former Pitt quarterback, and JJ Jones, former North Carolina wide receiver. They join the crew for their debut appearances as college football experts.
Expanded programming and new brand platform
In addition to the ACC Huddle, ESPN launched the program “ACC Today,” broadcasting Monday through Thursday, and the “This Is Our House” platform, which highlights ACC schools, sports, and stories throughout the year. The content is also available on the ESPN App and via the TV Everywhere service.
Week one game schedule summary
- Wake Forest vs. Akron – 7 p.m., Thursday, September 3
- Miami vs. Stanford – 9 p.m., Friday
- UCLA vs. Cal – 10:30 p.m., Friday
- Louisville vs. Ole Miss – 7:30 p.m., Sunday
- SMU vs. Florida State – 6 p.m., Monday
The ACC Network continues to offer more than 500 seasonal matchups, complemented by news and original programming. ESPN has held exclusive rights to all ACC-controlled games since 1979.
With information from ESPN Press Room.
Source: ESPN Press Room