The top 25 things you missed from a wild Week 1 in college football

Remember a few days ago, when everyone was complaining about a relative lack of marquee matchups in Week 1? Turns out you should never, ever underestimate college football — because no matter how mundane things might look, this sport will always find a way to glue you to your seat.

As we return from Labor Day weekend and get back to our normal lives, you're no doubt aware that Michigan escaped a colossal upset thanks to a Hail Mary and a very loose understanding of the concept of time. Lane Kiffin has gone full heel and might have just ended Dabo Swinney's coaching career. But those are just the cherries on top of what was a delicious first full Saturday of college football.

And if you had to do something other than sit in front of your television for 72 straight hours, don't worry — we've got you covered with our weekly ranking of the top 25 moments you may have missed from the week that was. From mascot chaos to viral moments to shocking plays from every corner of this glorious sport, we'll be with you all season long to make sure you don't miss a minute.

1. The saddest field-storming in college football history

On the one hand, you can understand why Michigan fans were so stunned by Saturday night's turn of events that they felt compelled to spontaneously rush the field. On the other hand ... well, this is quite literally the saddest field-storming — at least by point spread — in recent college football history.

When you need some all-time clock shenanigans (and a missed facemask call on the previous WMU drive that could well have ended the game) to escape a loss to a 27.5-point underdog in which you were outplayed in the trenches most of the night, maybe just take the lucky break and get out of dodge.

2. Michigan somehow didn't have the only successful Hail Mary of the week

Heck, it wasn't even the only successful Hail Mary within the Big Ten. Over in Champaign, Ill., Bret Bielema's Fighting Illini connected on a 54-yard bomb to end the second half.

Somewhere, NFL Primetime's Tom Jackson is screaming "KNOCK IT DOWN!"

3. Sam Leavitt's secret: concentrated sea water?

I was unaware that sea water was ... unconcentrated (?), but that's merely because I'm not operating on the same level of wellness as Sam Leavitt.

I don't know what a full body flush is, but if it can help me do stuff like this, I'm on board.

4. Clemson's no-good, very bad Week 1, in a single screenshot

There are a lot of ways to unpack just how bad Saturday night was for Dabo Swinney's Tigers. You could talk about the fact that they were outgained by nearly 500 total yards, or the fact that Lane Kiffin claimed LSU's scout team gave them a tougher look than Clemson did. But I prefer to let a picture do the talking:

This is poor Clemson running back Gideon Davidson trying to make the best of a run in which his linemen are fully facing the other direction from an oncoming rusher. It's not what you want.

5. We have a new contender for funniest safety of all time!

Somewhere, Dan Orlovsky watched USC's win over Fresno State on Friday night and shed a single tear, knowing that he would no longer have to endure a place in every football blooper reel until the heat death of the universe.

If Lincoln Riley finally has a defense capable of yeeting quarterbacks out the back of the end zone, look out.

6. Kamario Taylor. That's it, that's the headline.

Yes, it was just one game against UL-Monroe. Yes, Mississippi State will still probably lose a lot of games this year. All I'm saying is that if you were an alien sent to Earth to watch football for a single Saturday, you would probably have come away with the impression that Kamario Taylor was the best quarterback that humanity had to offer.

413 total yards and five total TDs, picking up right where he left off in the Bulldogs' bowl game last year. If you want to impress your friends in the group chat, get on this bandwagon early.

7. James Franklin is a man possessed, and Virginia Tech is back

Rag on Franklin all you want. His failures in high-profile spots at Penn State bordered on performance art after a while, and he seemingly never stopped complaining about how everyone else wasn't giving him what he needed to succeed. But try to watch his Virginia Tech debut and not get goose bumps:

It's been a long time since we've seen Lane Stadium that jacked up, and the Hokies paid it off with a romp over VMI. And Franklin himself seems like a man on the warpath, determined to prove both the haters and his former school wrong for giving up on him:

He's won a lot of football games everywhere he's gone, and this sport is better when Virginia Tech is good.

8. Wisconsin and Notre Dame committed crimes against fashion, tradition and basic human decency

If you turned on Sunday's game and wondered why 2014 Rutgers was playing at Lambeau Field, I don't blame you. Seriously, what are we doing here?

As for you, Notre Dame, don't you ever ditch the gold pants again. I mean it.

9. The greatest punt you will ever see

Nearly 80 yards in the air, directly sideways, out at the one-yard line. God's football.

10. Hey, remember Nico Iamaleava?

While the rest of the country was busy melting down over the controversy in Ann Arbor, UCLA was busy laying the wood to Cal in Berkeley in the first game of the Bob Chesney era. The Bruins ran for nine yards a carry, 277 in all, to go along with six TDs. Chesney has won big everywhere he's been, from Holy Cross to James Madison, and he's got a deep backfield and an athletic quarterback in Iamaleava to execute his dizzyingly diverse run game. This team could really, really surprise some people.

11. Jake Rendina, fullback's fullback

Close your eyes. Cast yourself back to 1994. Picture the Platonic ideal of a fullback. Now open them again and take solace in the fact that Army's Jake Rendina is out here keeping the spirit of Mike Alstott alive.

The neck roll, the thighs like tree trunks, the aggressive eye-black, the multiple arm bands on top of the tattoo sleeve. No notes.

12. Houston took the field led by a Cadillac

Perhaps you think that's some sort of euphemism. But I cannot stress enough just how literally I mean that Houston's team was led on to the field on Saturday afternoon by a literal, candy-red slab. And yes, there were elbows.

As if this were in any doubt, the Cougars beat Oregon State.

13. ESPN is not beating the allegations

Not that fans watching the game on television had any idea. Because, with nine minutes left in the fourth quarter and Houston leading the Beavers by just a touchdown, ESPN decided to bail on its broadcast entirely in order to show the kickoff of Texas-Texas State — a game that ended with a final score of 59-7.

If you want everyone to stop referring to you as SECPN, maybe show even a passing interest in the rest of the sport?

14. A little blood can't stop Josh Hoover

Okay, fine, so it was ... a lot of blood, the result of Hoover getting his helmet turned around like he was in some football version of The Exorcist.

Not only did he stay in the game, but he threw a touchdown pass on that very same drive. Maybe quarterbacks are football players after all!

15. Donut-eating contest? Donut-eating contest

As someone with a partner from metro Detroit, I can confirm that Michigan has a pretty strong donut shop culture. So, with San Jose State alum Joey Chestnut making the trip to Ypsilanti to watch his Spartans take on Eastern Michigan, there was only one thing left to do.

16. Jeremiah Smith, Malachi Toney and the ethics of hitting the Heisman pose

Smith and Toney might be the two best players at any position in the entire country, and they'll be waging a war for WR1 honors all year long. Toney struck first on Friday night, dropping 234 yards and three TDs on Stanford and struck the Heisman pose for good measure. Smith must've been watching from Columbus, because he went out the next day and put up 151 and two scores in one half against Ball State — while also hitting the Heisman.

The Commission on Heisman Cellies will allow the above, as these are two established superstars of the college game amid face-melting performances. But the commission is also concerned about the creep of this once-hallowed gesture. Florida running back Jadan Baugh is a heck of a player, but do we really need to be doing this after putting 160 yards on Florida Atlantic? Let's make sure hitting the Heisman still means something, guys.

17. Yes, Oklahoma has a tight end named Rocky Beers

Be honest: You didn't think a guy named Rocky Beers — yes, that is his government name — could get up like this:

18. Tennessee fans paid beautiful tribute to Dolly Parton

There will always be a hole in our hearts where Dolly used to be. But at least she can keep bringing us together in celebration of that singular voice.

19. The rudest box score you'll see all year

A few quick facts about the 76-0 beating that 2025 Division II runner-up Harding put on Northwestern Oklahoma this weekend:

• Harding had 69 points after three quarters before taking their foot off the gas
• Total yards: HHarding 747, Northwestern -26 (!!)
• Northwestern Oklahoma did not manage a single first down
• Harding QB Malik Young finished with a total of 242 yards on just 13 total combined rush and pass attempts

Yikes.

20. Rivalry Trophy of the Week: Bronze Boot!

Dating back to Thanksgiving of 1899, the rivalry between Wyoming and Colorado State — separated by less than 70 miles —  is among the oldest in the country. They play for the Bronze Boot, based on the boot worn by former CSU ROTC instructor Dan J. Romero during his service in Vietnam. And if you think any of that was lost on Jim Mora Jr. as he celebrated a win in his first game as head coach of the Rams, think again.

21. Rant of the Week: Rutgers fans are not OK

Those of us who grew up in the tristate area know that the region's id can be found on the airwaves of WFAN, especially late at night. So, in the wake of Rutgers' 37-21 loss to UMass — a UMass team that went winless last year, hadn't beaten an FBS squad since 2023 and hadn't beaten a power-conference team since moving up to the FBS ranks in 2012 — there was only one place to turn. And it did not disappoint.

22. Upset of the Week: The Citadel over Charlotte in triple OT

All due respect to Tarleton State and Idaho, which also pulled off FCS-over-FBS upsets over the weekend. But none of those games featured running back Gavin Garcia making almost literally the entire Charlotte defense miss on his way to a touchdown in the first of what would be three overtimes.

Garcia finished with 137 yards and three scores on the night, and the Bulldogs pulled off a shocker.

23. Lower Division Game of the Week: A new Kick Six is born!

Okay, so the stakes might not have been quite as high, and it's not as wild as taking a kick back the length of the field. But walking off on a blocked kick returned for a touchdown in overtime is still pretty sweet — and the fact that Susquehanna did so after forcing OT on a 34-yard pass with two seconds left is even sweeter.

24. Mascot of the Week: Dubs

Does a husky "need" sunglasses, strictly speaking? Try telling that to Dubs, Washington's live mascot.

Good boy, Dubs.

25. Outfit of the Week: Cam Newton

There are so many things going on here that I don't even know where to begin. Mostly I just want to know how much Newton is hiding under that hat.

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