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Preview of Spring Football Games for Power 4 Teams This Weekend

Spring football games are scheduled for Friday and Saturday, featuring 23 Power 4 teams. The ACC has eight games, while the SEC has seven. Key previews include Virginia Tech under new coach James Franklin and Michigan in the Kyle Whittingham era.

ESPN
1 source·Apr 17, 12:34 PM(14 hrs ago)·1m read
Preview of Spring Football Games for Power 4 Teams This Weekendespn.com
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ACC Spring Games

Spring football games begin this weekend, with events scheduled for Friday and Saturday.

A total of 23 Power 4 games are set, including eight from the ACC and seven from the SEC. Teams such as Virginia Tech and Michigan are among those highlighted. Virginia Tech will provide a first look at its program under new coach.

Michigan's game offers a glimpse into the era in Ann Arbor. Each game includes top storylines, positions of intrigue, and players to watch.

California Golden Bears

Preview The California Golden Bears' spring game is on Saturday at 4 p.

m. ET. The team finished the 2025 season with a 7-6 record. Tosh Lupoi, a Cal alum, has taken over as head coach, replacing Justin Wilcox after nine seasons. Lupoi previously served as a recruiter and defensive coordinator.

He retained freshman All-American quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele and used the transfer portal to upgrade the offense. The defense lost several starters, including leading tacklers. The linebacker position is a focus, with departures including Cade Uluave to BYU and another to Ole Miss.

Cal added transfers such as Tristan Jernigan from Texas A&M and AJ Tuitele from USC. Running back Adam Mohammed, a transfer addition, averaged nearly 1 yard more per carry than previous back Kendrick Raphael.

Duke Blue Devils

Preview The Duke Blue Devils' spring game is on Saturday at 2 p.

m. ET. The team ended the 2025 season with a 9-5 record. Star quarterback Darian Mensah has departed. The team had secured a contract with him for 2026 prior to his exit.

Story Timeline

3 events
  1. 2026-04-18

    Spring games for teams including California Golden Bears and Duke Blue Devils are scheduled.

    1 sourceESPN
  2. 2026-04-17

    ESPN publishes preview of spring football games for Power 4 teams.

    1 sourceESPN
  3. 2025 season

    California Golden Bears finish with 7-6 record; Duke Blue Devils finish with 9-5 record and ACC title.

    1 sourceESPN

Potential Impact

  1. 01

    Teams may adjust rosters based on spring game performances ahead of the 2026 season.

  2. 02

    Transfer portal activity might increase following evaluations of new additions.

  3. 03

    New coaches could influence recruiting efforts for upcoming classes.

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Sources cross-referenced1
Framing risk0/100 (low)
Confidence score75%
Synthesized bySubstrate AI (grok-4:fact-pipeline)
Word count263 words
PublishedApr 17, 2026, 12:34 PM
Bias signals removed3 across 2 outlets
Signal Breakdown
Amplifying 2Loaded 1

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