After a long offseason filled with lawsuits and nonsense, Week 1 offered an oasis of football. No ranked matchups have taken place yet, but early impressions of several teams are quickly shifting. UMass provided one of the biggest upsets of the past few seasons, picking up the program's first win over a Power Four opponent.
The stars were also out and about, putting up big numbers and swinging games. And still, there's plenty of football left to play. No. 11 LSU prepares for its season opener against Clemson after a lightning delay.
UCLA and California will play a heated rivalry game, and several other SEC programs are making their season debuts. Here are the biggest winners and losers of Week 1 heading into primetime. Could this be the year of the wide receiver in college football?
If Week 1 is any indication, we're in for a special run. Miami sophomore Malachi Toney got things started on Friday night with a school record 229 yards to go with 11 catches and three touchdowns in a 42-6 win over Stanford. Not to be outdone, consensus WR1 Jeremiah Smith was otherworldly, posting eight catches for 151 yards and two touchdowns -- all in the first half -- against Ball State.
In his Texas debut, wide receiver Cam Coleman had two touchdowns with teammate Ryan Wingo adding 121 yards. USC freshman Trent Mosley also added his name to the list of great national receivers with his second straight 100-yard game to start his career. That doesn't even count 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.
Expectations were high for the Cowboys after one of the highest-profile offseasons in the Big 12. Oklahoma State imported the core players and brain trust from North Texas, including five-star transfer quarterback Drew Mestemaker and No. 1 transfer running back Caleb Hawkins. And yet, Week 1 looked an awful lot like the disaster of last season.
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