The AP top 25 poll is out and there’s quite a few teams that are already on upset alert for Week 1. If you include the Week 0 clash between Iowa State and Kansas State, which is played in Dublin, Ireland, maybe the Wildcats are on that list too. But just including an exciting Week 1 in college football, there’s a few games out there that feature some top clashes and teams that could drop to 0-1.
Week 1 in college football is three weeks away and with a full slate, let’s dive into the teams that could get upset in the first week of the season.
No. 1 Texas Longhorns
It's a rematch the 2024 College Football Playoff semifinals between Texas and Ohio State, although this time around, it's not a neutral-site game. Arch Manning is getting a lot of hype and attention ahead of the 2025 season, adding to the pressure he’ll face in Week 1 of the college football season. The No. 1 ranked Longhorns will travel to Columbus to take on the defending national champions, Ohio State Buckeyes. Rough.
The Longhorns are probably going to leave Columbus 0-1. That’s not a knock on Manning, Steve Sarkisian or even the Longhorns themselves. Very rarely do teams enter The Shoe and walk out victorious. The only team that has had Ohio State’s number on the road is Michigan. The Buckeyes made a mockery of Tennessee last year in the first game of the College Football Playoff en route to their dominant run to the title game.
Manning will have to play the best football of his life and that still might not be enough to win at Ohio State. While they’ll have a new quarterback in Julian Sayin (most likely) to start the year and a revamped backfield, they have the best player in college football in Jeremiah Smith. This Texas team lost a lot from last year as well. It won’t be easy to play the Buckeyes on the road.
This is why I have them on upset alert. I also think Manning will get rattled in Columbus and have a hard time getting into a rhythm. If he comes out and leads Texas to a win against the Buckeyes, it would probably all but confirm him as the best quarterback in college football. If he falls apart, it will be more on the atmosphere and less on him as a player.
Manning should have a decent season. How he plays in Week 1 will determine how good he’ll actually be in a Texas uniform. The Longhorns probably won’t win at Ohio State and will have a short-lived stay in the No. 1 spot.
No. 4 Clemson Tigers
Brian Kelly isn’t great in Week 1 games at LSU. In his last three seasons, he’s 0-3, including two losses to ranked opponents. He’s 0-1 in season openers against teams ranked inside the preseason top 10. History is not on his side as the Bayou Bengals head to Clemson to start the season. That said, he does have Garrett Nussmeier back and that will determine if Kelly’s Week 1 woes will continue or finally dissipate.
Cade Klubnik returns for Clemson and it will not only be a clash of top teams, but a clash of top quarterbacks. This will probably come down to the quarterback play and the only way Kelly will get his first season-opening win at LSU is with good play from Nussmeier.
I don’t think LSU will get the win because of, one, being on the road and, two, facing a solid Clemson team. But it doesn’t mean Clemson isn’t on upset alert. This would be a monumental win for the Tigers. They have quite a bit to prove this season.
Last year, they squandered their College Football Playoff hopes with late-season losses to Texas A&M and Florida. An early season win against Clemson could, if nothing more, give them momentum for the 2025 season.
No. 6 Notre Dame Fighting Irish
The only disadvantage Notre Dame has in its season opener is that they’re on the road. Road games are critical in college football. Though that didn’t stop them against Texas A&M last year, it could hold them back this year against Miami. This team traded Cam Ward for Carson Beck after Ward declared for the NFL Draft. Beck left Georgia for a reason.
While Beck wasn’t horrible in Athens, he probably won’t be missed too much. That could be the Hurricanes’ only hindrance against Notre Dame. Otherwise, it should be as exciting of a game as any. Miami lost a fair amount from last year as did the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame will field a new quarterback with Riley Leonard now in the NFL as well.
This game shouldn’t be a blowout either way, but don’t be surprised to see Miami come out victorious over the CFP runner-up from last year.
No. 13 South Carolina Gamecocks
South Carolina has one of the most talked about players in LaNorris Sellers under center this year and with a great spotlight comes even greater expectations. Sellers, like Manning, has a slim margin of error this season and will need to make a statement early. This is their chance to do just that. Virginia Tech is a low-key trap game that could catch them by surprise.
Last year, the Gamecocks struggled against Old Dominion in the season opener. This year, a loss to the Hokies looks a lot better, but still puts questions over South Carolina’s head. Virginia Tech struggled last year, but should have a more optimistic outlook for 2025. They could very well beat South Carolina in Week 1 and show they’re serious about contending in the ACC.
South Carolina was on the cusp of getting into the College Football Playoff last year. They’re expected to be a team that contends again for the CFP. A loss to Virginia Tech would not help their resume. Don’t be surprised if the Hokies pull off the upset.