After a long offseason filled with lawsuits and nonsense, Week 1 offered a football oasis. And of course, the biggest game of the night centered on the most famous coach in college football: Lane Kiffin at LSU. But while LSU earned a huge 51-10 victory, they were far from the only story of the weekend. A new generation of freshmen signal-callers was established, and the wide receivers could be even better. Hot conditions across the country made for some funny images, especially with inflated scores. On the field, UMass provided one of the biggest upsets of recent seasons, earning the program’s first win over a Power Four opponent. The stars were out and about, putting up big numbers and playing games. Here are the biggest winners and losers from Week 1 heading into primetime. Loser: Clemson coach Dabo Swinney. After a disappointing season and approaching a hornet’s nest, expectations were incredibly low. Really, all Clemson had to do was remain competitive and look like they belonged on the field. They were 10-point underdogs, but LSU had a new roster to work with. Instead, everything went as incredibly wrong as it could have been. Lane Kiffin completely destroyed Dabo Swinney in a 51-10 final. Clemson’s only points in the first half came after a tipped-ball interception on the game’s first drive. Nine of the next 10 series ended in punts; the other was an interception. The Tigers had fewer than 100 yards entering the fourth quarter. If Swinney’s seat wasn’t already on fire, it is now. On October 3, Clemson plays No. 7 Miami. If the team can’t look more capable by then, the Tigers might have to seriously consider moving on from Swinney. Loser: referee replay. Look, there’s a chance the referees had a different vision, a different clock, something like that. But for the rest of us here, the last second added in Michigan’s surprising Hail Mary victory against Western Michigan was absolutely inexplicable. Screenshots of the clock appear to confirm that time was up, costing WMU one of the biggest windfall deals of the 21st century. The Broncos will continue to be very competitive in the MAC, and showed the positive side of competing for the Group of Six playoff spot. But a win over Michigan would have been a huge silver bullet. Was Western Michigan robbed? Evidence, rules experts question decision to give Michigan an extra second David Cobb Winner: Young quarterbacks Several freshmen quarterbacks took the field for the first time in Week 1, and there were some encouraging signs. Alabama’s Keelon Russell showed off impressive arms and legs with 342 total yards and a touchdown in a 48-10 win over East Carolina. Tennessee got an explosive 294 yards and five touchdowns from Faizon Brandon, the top recruit in the 2026 recruiting class. Florida’s Aaron Philo also had a big debut in the 66-21 win over FAU. In his first game as a full-time starter, Texas Tech’s Will Hammond completed his first 14 passes and threw for 298 yards in a win over Abilene Christian. There will be many more important tests ahead, but the next generation of communicators is off to a good start. Loser: Push-Up Form Like many mascots, Kansas State’s Willie Wildcat does push-ups after every score. After a 71-3 win over Nicholls, Willie was understandably exhausted. Your bending form may have suffered a bit. Star quarterback Avery Johnson scored four touchdowns in the victory on a perfect setup point. Not to be outdone, the LSU cheer team was also seen struggling on the sideline while doing push-ups after the Tigers took a 51-3 lead into the fourth quarter. It adds up! Winner: Heisman hopeful receivers Could this be the year of the wide receiver in college football? If Week 1 is any indication, we’re in for a special race. Miami sophomore Malachi Toney started things off Friday night with a school-record 229 yards on 11 receptions and three touchdowns in a 42-6 win over Stanford. Not to be outdone, WR1 Jeremiah Smith was otherworldly, recording eight receptions for 151 yards and two touchdowns, all in the first half, against Ball State. In his Texas debut, receiver Cam Coleman had two touchdowns and teammate Ryan Wingo added 121 yards. USC freshman Trent Mosley also added his name to the list of national receiving greats with his second consecutive 100-yard game to start his career. That’s not even counting Rutgers’ KJ Duff (9 catches, 196 yards, 3 TDs), Oregon’s Jeremiah McClellan. The sport has been moving in the direction of great wide receivers for years, and 2026 could be the best year yet. Loser: Oklahoma State Expectations were high for the Cowboys after one of the most high-profile offseasons in the Big 12. Oklahoma State imported top players and the think tank from North Texas, including five-star transfer quarterback Drew Mestemaker and No. 1 running back Caleb Hawkins. And yet, Week 1 looked an awful lot like last season’s disaster. Oklahoma State lost a stunning 24-10 game against Tulsa, falling to the Golden Hurricanes for the second straight season. That marks the first losing streak to Tulsa since 1952. Mestemaker was completely outplayed by Tulsa quarterback Baylor Hayes, and the defense allowed a 29-yard touchdown run to end the game in the fourth. First-year coach Eric Morris imported more than 90 new players to Stillwater in his first offseason. It is evident that the transition will bring with it growth difficulties. Winner: QB Mason Heintschel, Pittsburgh Heintschel was one of America’s most impressive freshmen to close out last season, and coach Pat Narduzzi promised to get him help. In a 59-14 performance against Miami (Ohio), Heintschel was incredibly impressive. The sophomore set an ACC record with seven touchdowns and added 453 yards through the air. His seven touchdown passes went to different receivers, led by Cataurus Hicks’ 114 yards. Offensive coordinator Kade Bell finally convinced Narduzzi to embrace the passing game, and the Panthers have a star in the making. Loser: Oregon defensive line The Ducks have been a popular national championship pick after returning an elite group of starters, especially along the defensive line. Defensive tackles Bear Alexander and A’Mauri Washington are potential All-Americans, and attackmen Teitum Tuioti and Matayo Uiagalelei are potential first-rounders. But against Boise State, the unit simply had no impact. Statistically, the unit recorded three sacks against opposing quarterback Maddux Madsen, but the Ducks were unable to take control of the game on defense. Half of the Broncos’ last eight drives have ended in points. If Oregon is going to compete with the national elite, its defensive line has to be the best unit on the field. Winner: USC Defenseman Gary Patterson spent a few years away from coaching after being let go from TCU. But after a slow finish to Week 0 against San Jose State, Patterson decided it was time to flex his muscles. USC held Pac-12 contender Fresno State scoreless in a dominant 39-0 victory. The Trojans allowed just 116 total yards and 1.3 yards per carry, an incredibly strong performance for a once-maligned defense. Four different USC players recorded sacks, and safety Kennedy Urlacher recorded a pair. The Trojans are headed into a make-or-break season under Riley after landing the No. 1 recruiting class in the country. Bringing in the determined Patterson was a risk, but his defensive aptitude is off the charts. If the unit can be a top-level Big Ten unit, USC is a playoff contender. Loser: Bowling Green Bowling Green’s matchup with FCS power Tarleton State was always projected as a close game: The Falcons were just 2.5-point favorites entering. But in addition to losing a matchup 20-13, Tarleton’s dominance stood out. BGSU allowed 250 yards to running back Tylan Hines and surrendered 464 yards of offense overall in a shaky start to the season. To Tarleton’s credit, the Texans have now beaten FBS opponents in back-to-back seasons. They are becoming a major power at the FCS level. Winner: UMass Calling UMass the winner for its magical 37-21 victory over Rutgers is an understatement of the century. No team had won as a 29-point underdog since the start of the 2024 season. The Minutemen were on a national-leading 16-game losing streak, including all games under second-year coach Joe Harasymiak. Instead of gloating, UMass came out and punched Rutgers in the mouth. After allowing a touchdown drive to open the game, the Minutemen scored 30 unanswered points, including three touchdown passes from standout quarterback Pop Watson. Who knows if the performance was a fluke and the clock will strike midnight, but two straight FCS opponents and Sacramento State’s transition set up a pretty sweet start to the schedule. Could we see UMass bowl eligible? Give Harasymiak my vote for national coach of the year if he does!
