By Zion Murray
The first week of the 2026 college football season has concluded, and it did not disappoint. Week 1 gave us statement wins, controversial moments, last-second heroics and performances that immediately impacted the way we view some of the nation’s top teams.
While it may be too early to make definitive judgments, the opening weekend gave us our first opportunity to separate the teams that look like legitimate contenders from those that left us with more questions than answers.
With LSU jumping into the top 10 after its statement win against Clemson and Michigan falling completely out of the rankings following its nail-biter against Western Michigan, the new AP Top 25 has only added fuel to this debate.
If any team proved itself a contender this season, it would be LSU. Although the Tigers entered the season No. 11, they carried a lot of uncertainty into their week one matchup against Clemson. Receiving hype and being deemed the villains of college football by many, the Tigers were at the forefront of discussions all offseason.
With the start of the Lane Kiffin era in Baton Rouge, a new-look roster filled with transfer portal standouts and a sense of swag being brought back to the Bayou, LSU fully embraced the hype and dismantled Clemson 51-10. LSU controlled the game from start to finish as they outgained Clemson 644-145 in total yards.
Although LSU was propelled to No. 8 in the most recent AP Top 25 due to this victory, this team should have been ranked higher after a win in dominant fashion against strong competition. However, defeating a team that represented a legitimate test early in the season in this manner is a feat that will continue to build momentum for the Tigers throughout the season.
Another team that gave the country plenty to talk about was the Miami Hurricanes after a 45-6 victory over Stanford. With over 400 yards through the air and five passing touchdowns, Miami quarterback Darian Mensah looked comfortable in his debut and proved why he is an early favorite for Heisman contention.
However, the star of the night was wide receiver Malachi Toney. Toney torched the defense all game with 12 receptions, 234 receiving yards and three touchdowns. The star receiver placed himself in the national spotlight after striking the Heisman pose three consecutive times after reaching the end zone to celebrate.
After one week, Miami and LSU look like the two most complete teams in the country after impressive performances. Like LSU, Miami was ranked too low in the most recent AP poll. Although they won their game in dominant fashion, Miami stayed at No. 7. Despite not rising in the polls, the offensive duo of Darian Mensah and Malachi Toney will keep the Hurricanes as contenders down the stretch.
One team that raised red flags after week one would be Oregon. The second-ranked Ducks opened the season against Boise State at home in Autzen Stadium. Although they were favored heavily in this game, the Ducks resorted to survival as they squeaked out a 34-27 victory.
Although an upset was avoided, Oregon failed to live up to the national championship hype that was received in the offseason. There is no denying that the Broncos could be a team to watch in the Group of Five this year. However, the Ducks got off to a slow and disappointing start and could be in trouble if they start that way against conference foes such as USC and Ohio State.
Although Oregon is still one of the most talented teams in the country, falling to No. 6 in the most recent AP Top 25 is warranted as they underperformed compared to other teams. However, the Ducks have not done enough to justify being ranked ahead of teams such as LSU and Miami thus far. The Ducks went to the wire in a track meet against Boise State, while LSU and Miami both cruised against their competitors with ease. The rankings are moving in the right direction with Oregon falling out of the top five, but based solely on what we saw on the field in week one, LSU and Miami made stronger statements than the Ducks.
Although they technically didn’t lose the game, one of the biggest red flags this week has to go to the Michigan Wolverines. No. 16 Michigan escaped Western Michigan 13-12 after a last-second Hail Mary sent The Big House into a frenzy. The play came after officials put one second back on the clock, creating one of the most controversial finishes of not only the weekend, but college football history.
The finish of this spectacle will be remembered forever, but the performance from Michigan should not be forgotten either. Underwood had a disappointing outing, throwing for only 170 yards and one touchdown through the air. Michigan turned the ball over three times and consistently failed to generate an effective scheme on offense against a Western Michigan team that entered as significant underdogs.
Even though the Wolverines escaped with a victory against the Broncos, their performance raised more questions about the team heading into the rest of the season. Their failure to live up to their playoff aspirations in a concerning performance led to the Wolverines falling out of the top 25 in the most recent AP poll.
Week 1 showed us a lot about what teams will look to run the table and the teams that need to clean up issues heading into the remainder of the 2026 campaign. With the new rankings being unveiled and week two providing games with playoff implications, we will continue to see what these teams are made of down the stretch.