College football’s opening weekend wasted no time handing out the full range of emotions, from runaway blowouts to a couple of games that had people staring at the screen in disbelief. The ranked teams mostly took care of business, but a few results cut against the script and made Week 1 feel like a true reset.
At the top of the board, No. 1 Ohio State looked every bit like a team built to set the tone early, blasting Ball State 56-3 behind a showcase from quarterback Julian Sayin and receiver Jeremiah Smith.
No. 3 Georgia also put on a clinic, rolling past Tennessee State 63-3.
No. 5 Texas joined the rout with a 59-7 win over Texas State, while No.
8 Texas A&M shut out Missouri State 50-0 and No. 10 Oklahoma did the same to UTEP in a 51-0 win.
The biggest early scare came from No. 2 Oregon, which had to survive Boise State 34-27.
No. 23 Houston also had to work for it, finishing off Oregon State 33-20.
And then there was the kind of result that will keep getting replayed: No. 16 Michigan squeezed past Western Michigan 13-12.
Elsewhere, No. 11 LSU opened with a 51-10 win over Clemson, while No.
7 Miami (FL) handled Stanford 45-6. No.
6 Indiana beat North Texas 52-16, No. 12 Texas Tech topped Abilene Christian 33-10, and No.
13 Alabama beat East Carolina 48-10. No.
14 USC shut out Fresno State 39-0, and BYU, also listed at No. 14, beat Utah Tech 63-7.
Penn State blanked Marshall 45-0, Tennessee beat Furman 56-9, Utah rolled past Idaho 66-14, and Missouri took care of Arkansas-Pine Bluff 54-14.
The rest of the day brought even more headline-grabbing moments. UMass, a 29.5-point underdog, upset Rutgers on Thursday night to end a 16-game losing streak.
Michigan’s win over Western Michigan drew plenty of debate after its Hail Mary finish. And there was also the LSU debut for Kiffin, plus the other major storylines that made Week 1 feel packed before the calendar even really turned.
In Other News...
Boise States Brutal Travel Day Raises A Bigger Concern Before Kickoff
Boise States trip to Eugene turned into a long day of delays before the Broncos even got to think about kickoff, with weather and runway conditions at Eugene Airport forcing the charter to abort its landing attempts. The flight was diverted to Portland instead, and the team had to regroup there before continuing on by bus to Eugene, a detour that pushed arrival back nearly seven hours from what had been planned.
The travel hiccup added an unwelcome layer to a game week that already carried enough moving parts on its own. Between the aborted landing, the bus ride and the extra time spent huddled in meetings at the Portland airport, Boise State lost more than just hours on the clock, and the bigger concern now is how much a disrupted arrival can affect everything that follows once the Broncos finally settle in. [Read more 🡒]
Boise State Hijacked Oregons Tradition And Ducks Players Clearly Felt It
During Boise States game against Oregon, the Broncos added an extra layer of edge to a matchup already full of emotion by making a point of dancing to the Ducks longtime fourth-quarter song, Shout. Oregon has used the tune as a tradition since 2010, so seeing a visiting team turn it into its own sideline celebration was bound to get attention, especially in a game where the atmosphere already had a little bite.
Oregon players reacted in different ways, with some clearly taking it as disrespect and others viewing it as the kind of move a team uses to spark itself late in a game. Boise State coach Spencer Danielson said the idea had been planned during fall camp as a way to keep the group joyful and focused in the fourth quarter, which only adds another layer to a moment that clearly landed with both teams. [Read more 🡒]
Boise State Helped Spark A New Oregon Secondary Debate
Davon Benjamins college debut came with a little more spotlight than most freshmen get. The Oregon cornerback got his first taste of game action against Boise State in the Ducks season opener and, even without a gaudy stat line, managed to make his presence felt on defense while playing a limited role.
Afterward, Dan Lanning pointed to Benjamins instincts, versatility and work ethic, all the kinds of traits that can quickly turn a young defensive back from promising newcomer into a real part of the conversation. A four-star recruit who drew attention during fall camp, Benjamin has already put enough on tape to make Oregons secondary look like a spot worth monitoring closely in the weeks ahead. [Read more 🡒]