The Oregon Ducks were embarrassed on the road in a Week 2 loss to Oklahoma State. And, to add injury to insult, the Ducks were down a key weapon on offense and lost more important pieces as the game went on.
Tight end Jamari Johnson made the trip to Stillwater and warmed up with the team, and there was no reason to believe he wouldn't suit up and take the field. However, as the game kicked off, the ESPN broadcast reported that Johnson wouldn't play against the Cowboys.
After the upset loss, Dan Lanning clarified that Johnson suffered an injury against Boise State, which remains undisclosed, and he was unable to practice before the Oklahoma State game. On Monday, with a short week of practice ahead of a Friday night game against Portland State, Lanning gave an update on Johnson's status.
"Still evaluating it with Jamari," Lanning said. "We'll see what that looks like. I think I mentioned last week he might be down for a few (games), so we'll see if he's able to get back to where he's able to perform."
If Johnson is unable to play for a few weeks, Oregon will have to lean on its unproven options at tight end. Penn State transfer Andrew Olesh drew the start against Oklahoma State and made one catch. Freshman Kendre Harrison also played, while Clemson transfer Markus Dixon played one snap.

#lanning #week #ducks

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry was joking about sending Lane Kiffin into Oxford on an F-16. But that joke came up in the first place because Saturday night isn't shaping up to be a warm welcome. No. 7 LSU has opened the 2026 season in style, crushing Clemson 51-10 before rolling past Louisiana Tech 45-14. But the real test starts now, and it's one where emotions run high.
LSU's SEC opener comes at Ole Miss, where Lane Kiffin will make his first return to Oxford since leaving the Rebels for Baton Rouge. Jeff Landry, speaking with ESPN, understands what awaits.
"I'm thinking about having to send him in on an F-16 and maybe the team on a C-130," he said. "Security is going to be really tight. You know, we might need the National Guard out there to protect our team. I think it's going to be an interesting weekend."
That exaggeration may be a joke, but the governor also revealed that his office has already been in contact with Mississippi officials about security for the LSU contingent.
Lane Kiffin's return to Oxford is going to be electric. Subscribe for more interesting stories.

#kiffin

Detroit Lions first-round pick Blake Miller gained a reputation at Clemson for being an iron man. In three years in college, he didn't miss a single game, starting 54 consecutive contests.
When the Lions' injury report dropped on Monday, it appeared Miller's NFL streak could be broken after just one game. With only a walkthrough practice, Miller was estimated as a non-participant with a knee injury. And with Detroit on a short week—scheduled to play the Bills on the road this Thursday—it could be too quick of a turnaround to make the field.
However, the rookie right tackle spoke with the media after practice and sounded more optimistic about his chances of playing due to progress already made on Monday.
"I'm doing everything I humanly can to get my body feeling the best it can feel. Even with the progress just today that I've made, I'm happy, and I'm optimistic," Miller said.
Lions coach Dan Campbell said it was possible Miller could play vs. the Bills, but he was a little more cautious in his optimism.

#bills #game #practice

ALLEN PARK — Detroit Lions rookie tackle Blake Miller never missed an in-season practice at Clemson.
That streak won't continue in the pros.
Entering a short week, Detroit held a walk-through on Monday, Sept. 14, and released an estimated report that ruled Miller (knee) out of practice.
Lions coach Dan Campbell said Miller's injury shouldn't be a major concern long-term, but the tight turnaround for Thursday night's game against the Buffalo Bills could make it difficult for him to return in time for the next game.
"Because it's a short week, and it's really about how fast can we — some of this is the recovery. What does he look like tomorrow?" Campbell said. "It's always, man, the day after a game, especially the first game of the year, it's like, where are these guys at? It's really tough to say. We're going to know a lot more tomorrow. I mean, we really will."

#really #miller #practice #like

The game time has been set for the Texas A&M Aggies and the LSU Tigers in their monstrous Week 4 matchup at the end of the month.
According to multiple reports, LSU will host the Aggies for a night game at Death Valley, with kickoff slated for 6:30 p.m. ET in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. This will be the second consecutive meeting between Texas A&M and LSU in Baton Rouge, and the second-straight primetime matchup. The Aggies won last year's contest, 49-25.
After Week 2, Texas A&M is ranked No. 9 in the AP Top 25, while LSU sits at No. 7. Both teams are riding high after strong starts to the season, with the Aggies beating both Missouri State and Arizona State, while the Tigers have wins over Clemson and Louisiana Tech.
We have a week to wait until the matchup, with Texas A&M hosting Will Stein and the Kentucky Wildcats this weekend in College Station. Meanwhile, LSU will have a very tough top-10 matchup against the No. 8 Ole Miss Rebels, pitting coach Lane Kiffin against his former team and creating one of the most intriguing matchups of the college football season this coming Saturday.
Contact/Follow us AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions.

#louisiana

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Freshman Tait Reynolds replaced an injured Christopher Vizzina at quarterback and threw for 178 yards and led five scoring drives as Clemson defeated Georgia Southern 22-7 on Saturday night following a two-hour lightning delay.
T.J. Moore had seven catches for 103 yards and a touchdown and Nolan Hauser was 5 for 5 on field goal attempts for Clemson (1-1), which rebounded from a 51-10 thrashing at the hands of No. 11 LSU last week.
That loss, combined with a seventh place finish in the ACC last year, left fans and former players frustrated with the Tigers' sharp falloff under longtime head coach Dabo Swinney. Clemson's win likely did little to inspire much confidence in new coordinator Chad Morris' offense.
The Tigers (1-1), who were outgained by nearly 500 yards by LSU, finished with 345 yards but were 2 of 13 on third down conversions and managed just one touchdown on five trips inside the red zone against the Sun Belt Conference foe.
Max Johnson, a North Carolina transfer, finished 27-of-47 passing for 244 yards and a touchdown for Georgia Southern (1-1).

#last

Clemson did not find many answers offensively Saturday night, but the Tigers found enough to escape Memorial Stadium with their first victory of the season.
Freshman quarterback Tait Reynolds was forced into action after Christopher Vizzina suffered a left arm injury, while kicker Nolan Hauser provided most of Clemson's scoring in a 22-7 victory over Georgia Southern.
Hauser tied his career high by connecting on five field goals, hitting from 20, 34, 38, 50 and 49 yards. He improved to 6-for-6 this season and matched the five field goals he made against Florida State in 2024.
Reynolds settled in after replacing Vizzina, completing 16 of 27 passes for 178 yards while adding 36 rushing yards. He was especially effective before halftime, going 12-for-17 for 160 yards.
One of his biggest plays came on third-and-20 late in the second quarter when he found Tyler Brown for 20 yards. Reynolds then scrambled 16 yards to help set up a Hauser field goal that sent Clemson into halftime leading 16-7.

#yards #hauser #five

No. 8 LSU beat Louisiana Tech 45-14 on Sept. 12, but the Tigers led just 10-7 at halftime. LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt threw three interceptions in the game a week after the 51-10 rout of Clemson.
LSU coach Lane Kiffin said because the No. 8 Tigers (2-0) face No. 11 Ole Miss (2-0) on the road next on Sept. 19 (6:30 p.m., ABC), it might not have been such a bad thing that they struggled some vs Louisiana Tech.
"It was good because of that," Kiffin said of facing Ole Miss next. "We're getting ready to go on the road in the SEC vs a really good team that has played really well for years at that place.
"It was good because it's hard to get their (LSU's) attention after last week ... I'm glad it happened."
Ole Miss coach Pete Golding and the Rebels will go up against Kiffin less than one year after Kiffin left before the College Football Playoff.

#miss #good #Tech #tigers

BATON ROUGE — Despite a change at head coach and an overhaul of the offensive coaching staff, LSU football struggled with Louisiana Tech for the second straight year,
New coach Lane Kiffin and his team found themselves in a one-score game late in the third quarter before pulling away from the Bulldogs over the final 20 minutes to earn the 45-14 victory Saturday, Sept. 12.
Kiffin's second game as LSU's coach was far different than his debut against Clemson last week. Louisiana Tech (1-1) gave the Tigers a lot more to handle than Clemson did for much of the game. LSU's offense, particularly, was out of sorts.
LSU PULLS AWAY FROM LA TECH LSU vs Louisiana Tech updates, ***** ysis from second half
LSU DEPTH CHART VS LA TECH 3 interesting things in LSU football's depth chart vs Louisiana Tech

#Tech

Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables had good things to say about Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood after a 17-10 victory for Michigan over his Oklahoma Sooners. Underwood gashed Oklahoma for 87 yards on the ground, including a rushing score from 38 yards out.
"He's actually exactly who we thought he was," Venables said. "A really talented guy. He's big. He's strong. He's hard to get down one-on-one. He fell forward too often on the quarterback run game. He's got a great future in front of him."
This isn't the first time Venables has been highly complimentary of Underwood. Last year, he compared Underwood to Jacksonville Jaguars QB and former Clemson star Trevor Lawrence. And earlier this week, he said great things about Michigan's young QB even after he struggled against Western Michigan in the season opener.
"One of the most talented players at any position in all of college football. All of his best days are still in front of him," Venables said.
Saturday was certainly a good day for Underwood. Michigan was an underdog, and they weren't expected to win by virtually anyone, yet they did, albeit in a close game and one that Underwood threw for just 111 yards while completing 53% of his passes. Venables is as good a defensive game planner as there is in college football; therefore, his compliments of Underwood should hold some weight. Underwood's best days could be in front of him, as long as improvement continues for him and the Michigan team as a whole.

#good

LSU football faces Louisiana Tech on Saturday night in what should be a tune-up game for the Tigers, though not much tuning is needed after LSU beat Clemson 51-10 in Week 1.
LSU is a heavy favorite vs. the Bulldogs. Last week, LSU's second team got plenty of reps in a lopsided victory, and the depth chart could be emptied again today. If LSU starts fast and builds a healthy lead in the first half, a handful of true freshmen will get significant time in the second half.
The SEC schedule is a grind. And in the era of the 12-team playoff and extended seasons, developing depth can be the difference between missing the College Football Playoff or going on a run. LSU has the raw talent to make noise in Lane Kiffin's first year, but LSU will need some young guys to step up.
Here are four true freshmen to watch when LSU football takes on Louisiana Tech.
Lamar Brown was the headline piece of Lane Kiffin's first high school signing class. ESPN ranked Brown as the No. 1 overall recruit in the country and he was heralded as a player ready to make an immediate impact, despite not enrolling early.

#first #louisiana #Tech #brown

The dream for most football players is to play in the NFL eventually, and wide receiver Antonio Williams will officially realize that dream this coming Sunday when the Washington Commanders take on the Philadelphia Eagles.
Williams was a third-round draft pick out of Clemson. His 2024 campaign is probably the best indication of what he is capable of, after having over 900 receiving yards and leading the ACC in touchdowns that season with 11. Washington hopes to bring that kind of production to the Commanders this season, though he'll first have to get over his first-game jitters.
"I feel like if you ain't a little nervous, you don't care. And that's how I approach the game. So, yeah, when it comes out, that first play, I'll probably have a little jitters. But then once the snap goes, then it's game time."
Williams is not a stranger to a capacity stadium and electric game atmosphere. Clemson's Death Valley is well-known in college for its game atmosphere and traditions that make it a difficult place to play, and the Tigers traveled to some hostile places during Williams' time in college. However, it is different when you are playing in the NFL.
Also, Williams and the rest of the Commanders rookie class will not be able to experience a Washington Commanders home game until Week 3 against the Seattle Seahawks. This is the first time since 2012 that Washington has started their season with back-to-back road games.

#williams #play #season #dream

No. 18 Tennessee (1-0) will play at Georgia Tech (0-1) on Saturday.
Kickoff between the Vols and Yellow Jackets is slated for 7 p.m. EDT at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. ESPN will televise the contest.
John Heisman was head coach for the Yellow Jackets and athletics director from 1904-19. He also served as Georgia Tech's basketball head coach from 1908-09 and 1912-14, compiling a 9-14 record. Heisman was Georgia Tech's baseball head coach from 1904-17.
In football he guided the Yellow Jackets to a national championship in 1917. He also won seven SIAA **** les (1900, 1902-03, 1915-18). Heisman won a SIAA baseball championship in 1906. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1954 during its second enshrined class.
Heisman began his coaching career at Oberlin in 1892. He also served as head coach at Buchtel (now the University of Akron) from 1893-94. Heisman was head coach at Auburn (1895-99), Clemson (1900-03), Georgia Tech (1904-19), Pennsylvania (1920-22), Washington and Jefferson (1923) and Rice (1924-27).

#georgia #jackets

Well STS readers, I come to you this week recovering from an extremely sobering experience last Saturday night. I predicted a fight even in a loss, and if it even qualified as a fight, it resembled Drago vs. Apollo in Rocky IV. Probably an adequate ******* ogy because Apollo USED to be great, but he was no match for the modernized superweapon Drago. Did the Soviets cheat to develop him? Absolutely, but at that point they were doing whatever it took to be superior no matter the morality of it. Clemson fans like me could be heard yelling "throw in the ******* towel!" by maybe the fourth possession of the game. It was that obvious that Clemson was completely and totally outmatched at the lines of scrimmage and the surrounding skill had zero chance because of it on either side of the ball.
How did it come to this? I posted this in a comment on the game review thread and will paste it here as it summarizes what I have painfully allowed myself to realize: "I hate it for Dabo and others who really want to do this the way it is supposed to be done, which is to develop men and grow boys to men and that takes time more often than not. That is what the transfer portal and NIL and lack of tampering control has created and as much as Dabo has tried to evolve I just don't see how he could ever get to what actually has to be done now if you want to be elite. I bet if you begin to track LSU, Ohio State, Texas, etc, going forward, you will see that maybe 50% of their rosters will start and finish with them and the other half will be brought in from elsewhere at some stage of their five-year playing window. Dabo swallows hard just to have the maybe 15% we are up to now that would check that box. I totally understand why, but either Dabo has to let go of that OR Clemson needs a huge break and actual sane rules return to CFB. Otherwise, we are back to 1995 where we might be able to beat ok teams and bad teams but are done beating anyone that is legit top 15 in stature."
I am a Clemson Tiger for life and lived through the lean years between Ford and Dabo. I'll still tune in and attend games when I can, but I know now that something has to give if Clemson is ever going to hope to compete at the highest level and it may get worse before it can get better. I'm still looking for pathways to wins, as many wins as this team can find a way to manage. I agree they are likely better than that product we saw in Baton Rouge, but that is not saying a lot either considering how FCS level the Tigers looked in that game.
I also want to add that I highly recommend gear from our sponsor Section 103. Their polos in particular have already become some of my favorites in the closet.
Do you want to support STS writers? You can do so by supporting our sponsor, Section 103. They deep dive school traditions to create thoughtful designs artfully applied to insanely comfortable tees, polos, hats, and more.Click here to explore.

#apollo

Frances Tiafoe is back in the US Open semifinals for his third time tonight. He's seeking his first finals appearance, as is fellow American Ben Shelton, his opponent who took down Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals.
The world No. 12, Tiafoe is seeking his first Grand Slam singles ******* le. The 28-year-old defeated Daniil Medvedev and Alex Michelsen in the last two rounds to reach this point. Tiafoe is 1-3 all-time against Shelton, so evening up their head-to-head series will be significant in more ways than one.
As Tiafoe prepares for a monumental match, here's a look at his relationship with girlfriend Ayan Broomfield.
Broomfield, 29, is a Canadian tennis player who played collegiately at Clemson and UCLA. She and Tiafoe went public with their relationship in 2018, and since then Broomfield has been a fixture at Tiafoe's matches.

#time #seeking #head

The Texas Longhorns have on heck of an opportunity to send a message to the Ohio State Buckeyes and the rest of college football that yes, they are for real and that Steve Sarkisian is ready to author a breakthrough season.
Can they get it done against the top-ranked Buckeyes? Will Texas A&M be tested by Arizona State? Is Dabo Swinney done in Clemson?
Columnists Cedric Golden and Kirk Bohls delve into these and college football's other hot-button topics in this week's Take Ten segment.
BOHLS: It's as close to a must-win as you can get after losing the two matchups the last two seasons. A loss would greatly reduce the Longhorns' margin for error and also continue to paint Texas as a program that can't get over the hump. It would also greatly diminish the reputations of Steve Sarkisian and Arch Manning. However, the reverse should be true. Texas will make the two biggest plays of the game and hang on for a 27-24 win over the Buckeyes.
GOLDEN: The Horns don't want any part of being 1-1 with games remaining against six other ranked opponents. It's imperative they get off to a great start, and that means scoring a first quarter touchdown, something they haven't done in their last five games against Ohio State and the thorn disguised as the Georgia Bulldogs. They're 0-5 in those games, by the way. Now, if the offensive line holds up, Sarkisian gets his signature win. Give me the Horns, 34-30.

#state #sarkisian #longhorns

Brian Kelly was let go as the head coach of the LSU Tigers football program in the middle of last season after he failed to find the sort of success either he or the university envisioned when he came to Baton Rouge after a long stint as the head coach of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
In the first game of the Lane Kiffin era, the Tigers dominated the Clemson Tigers from start to finish, winning 51-10. After being asked about his thoughts on the game in a video call with College Sports on SiriusXM, Kelly was brutally honest about his feelings.
"I'll be honest, I had a hard time watching it, "Kelly admitted, "but I don't think it was just LSU. It was just the first weekend truly of college football, and it was hard. Like, you know, you've been doing it for, you know, 35 years, and not to be part of that process— uh, my wife, she wanted to kill me. She's like, " What's wrong with you?' And what was wrong was that I wasn't on the sideline, and it was, you know, I had to deal with it and, and, and get through it.
"But, you know, there's no mistake. LSU looked great. And, you know, obviously it's a little bit of both, right? Was Clemson maybe not as good as we thought? And certainly LSU was, was on fire, and that showed in the game. So props, props to LSU. They played great."
As tough a time as he might've had watching the Tigers from afar, Kelly did admit that he thought they had a championship-caliber defense.

#clemson #college #like

The Oklahoma Sooners come to Ann Arbor for the first time in history. Oklahoma is 2-0 all-time versus Michigan, but will they remain undefeated after the game on Saturday?
Here's a look at Oklahoma ahead of the showdown against Michigan.
Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables won two national championships as defensive coordinator of Clemson and is considered one of the best defensive minds in the nation. Venables is 33-20 at Oklahoma but has struggled in bowl games, going 0-4. In Oklahoma's lone playoff appearance under Venables, they lost 34-24 to Alabama in the CFP First Round last season.
Oklahoma beat UTEP 51-0 last week, holding their opponent to 2-of-13 on third-down with just 198 yards of total offense. Oklahoma's offense had 401 total yards and quarterback John Mateer threw for three passing touchdowns.
Passing offense: 69

#offense #defensive

Notre Dame is now number three in the ***** ociated Press Top 25 poll after beating Wisconsin 41-13 in Week 1.
That's a one-spot jump. Notre Dame received four first-place votes.
Ohio State is now number one, with Georgia, Texas and Indiana rounding out the top five.
There were few big movers, but Oregon did slide four spots to No. 6 after winning a close one over Boise State. Michigan dropped out of the Top 25 despite hanging to win against Western Michigan on a controversial Hail Mary.
https://t.co/T23NtgfCyw
Michigan is out of the AP Top 25 after a controversial Hail Mary and LSU jumps into the top 10 after blowing out Clemson. See the full rankings. pic.twitter.com/TSjd4wsJeL

#hail #number

The Seattle Seahawks begin their 2026 season versus the New England Patriots on Wednesday. That doesn't mean some publications aren't already looking towards the 2027 NFL draft. With a new college football campaign officially underway, mock drafts have been populating news feeds.
NFL Draft On SI: A Sports Illustrated Channel was among the outlets that released new first-round mock drafts. Using power rankings to determine the draft order, they have the Seahawks picking at No. 31 overall. The pick? Clemson defensive end Will Heldt.
"Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider likes to keep four, five pass rushers in rotation," NFL Draft On SI wrote. "With DeMarcus Lawrence and Dante Fowler Jr. being aging veterans, adding another young rusher to the fold would fit the Seahawks' approach. Clemson's Will Heldt transferred to the program last season from Purdue and led the Tigers in tackles for loss (15.5) and sacks (7.5)."
Heldt placed third among returning Power Four edge defenders with an 84.4 PFF overall grade last season, according to Pro Football Focus. His 87.8 PFF pass-rush grade on true pass sets ranked 14th in the Power Four. He's been a dominant rusher for the Tigers.
Heldt feels like a prospect who will be on the Seahawks' radar.

#heldt #draft #season

Outside the quarterback battle, no player on Iowa's roster made more headlines this offseason than transfer wide receiver Tony Diaz.
Diaz transferred from UT Rio Grande Valley, hoping to become a difference-maker for the Hawkeyes' offense. The 5-foot-10 third-year receiver was super impressive throughout the summer, reportedly dominating in camp and earning a starting spot in Week 1. Plenty of national media members had taken notice of Diaz as the season neared. Just hours before Iowa's season opener on Saturday, that trend continued.
ESPN's "College GameDay" crew was in Baton Rouge, La., on Saturday morning in anticipation of the LSU-Clemson game. During the show, the conversation shifted to the Hawkeyes, with the crew giving their thoughts on Kirk Ferentz's team entering the new season. Soon after, ***** yst Pat McAfee brought up Diaz, prompting host Rece Davis to list his 2025 stat line.
In Iowa's opener against Northern Illinois, Diaz lived up to the GameDay hype. Diaz finished with seven grabs for 84 yards and a touchdown. The San Marcos, Texas, product had a good rapport with both Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski. Diaz won on his routes, created a ton of separation, and looked extremely shifty in the open field.
"If he's out there healthy, that's what he does. He got banged up a little bit in the spring, but he just plays hard and he plays fast also. He is fast and plays fast. As dumb as it sounds, he's really aggressive catching ***** . That does sound dumb and kind of silly in some certain ways.

#hawkeyes

The New York Jets have made their quarterback hierarchy clear.
Geno Smith is the starter, rookie Cade Klubnik is the backup. Evaluations could continue as we navigate the NFL's regular season.
New York head coach Aaron Glenn confirmed as much after the Jets unveiled their initial 53-man roster, ending any lingering questions about where the rookie fourth-round QB stood heading into Week 1. That doesn't mean questions about Klubnik's future have disappeared.
In ESPN's 2026 rookie guide, insider Dan Graziano identified a scenario in which the former Clemson quarterback could eventually find himself in the starting lineup.
The formula wasn't particularly complicated. Frankly, it was pretty straightforward, a theory most who are paying attention would agree with.

#klubnik

The first full weekend of college football is behind us and, man, there's a lot to unpack. There weren't many marquee games (one to be exact) but we learned a little bit. The off season noise seems to be just that, noise. Are there already coaches on the hotseat? Definitely. A conference has some explaining to do. Finally, look at all those quarterbacks. The draft next year will be historic.
BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA - SEPTEMBER 05: Running back Dilin Jones #13 of the LSU Tigers is defended by safety Corey Myrick #22 of the Clemson Tigers during the first half of a game at Tiger Stadium on September 05, 2026 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images)
"I want to announce my presence with authority!"- Nuke Laloosh
They were already dominating the news cycle but LSU threw a fastball to the ear flap of college football Saturday night. Lawsuits, injunctions, talk of expulsion all went by the wayside. As if all that wasn't enough, Mother Nature decided to prolong the mess with a two-hour weather delay. No matter, Lane Kiffin had the most prepared team in the country. Say what you will about Kiffin (and you can say plenty). He's smug, petty and can't resist poking anyone, anytime. He can also coach the ****** out of a football team and Saturday was Exhibit A. LSU made Clemson look absolutely inferior for 60 minutes, racking up 644 yards making everyone embarrassed for the ACC Tigers.
LSU was crisp, efficient, disciplined and out to make a point. They'll only get better. Sam Leavitt was the weak spot if you want to call it that. Yes, he ran and threw it all over the field but he had batted ****** , missed a few throws and had an interception. If this is his least efficient game of the season, put him on the Heisman watchlist now. I see LSU jumping a few teams when the rankings come out. Look for them around number six. LSU is coming.

#Football #september #saturday

The first full week of the 2026 college football season just concluded, and over the course of several days, the ACC made its presence felt on the national stage.
No. 7 Miami, the reigning national runner-up and the conference's preseason favorite, demolished Stanford 45-6, behind five touchdown passes from Darian Mensah and three touchdown receptions from Malachi Toney. No. 20 SMU overcame a late start — literally — to outlast Florida State, 27-24.
Louisville lost to No. 10 Mississippi, 41-38, on a 48-yard field goal as time expired, but watched as first-year starting quarterback Lincoln Kienholz racked up 376 total yards and three touchdowns.
REQUIRED READING: Dabo Swinney says Clemson football will have 'great season' after career-worst loss to LSU
Pitt earned a commanding 59-14 win over a Miami (Ohio) team expected to contend for the MAC championship, thanks to an ACC-record seven touchdown passes from budding sophomore superstar Mason Heintschel. Virginia Tech drubbed VMI, 73-3, in James Franklin's debut as the Hokies' head coach.

#first #three

Notre Dame and Ohio State remain atop the USA TODAY Sports NCAA Re-Rank 1-138 but there are dramatic changes almost across the board in our first update of the 2026 season, including notable moves from LSU, North Carolina, Clemson and Colorado.
LSU leaps 10 spots to No. 8 after a 51-10 obliteration of Clemson, forcing small drops for No. 9 Oklahoma, No. 10 Alabama, No. 11 Southern California and No. 13 Texas Tech.
Clemson is one of the big fallers in this week's re-rank, going from No. 25 in our preseason 1-138 to No. 57, one spot behind Bill Belichick and North Carolina. The Tar Heels beat TCU 15-10 in a Week 0 matchup held in Ireland.
That's a 38-spot leap for UNC after a dreadful four-win debut and tumultuous offseason that seemed to point to a quick and painful end to Belichick's tenure. Also on the move: Colorado newfound physicality earned a 14-13 win against Georgia Tech and a 45-spot move to No. 59.
PATH TO PLAYOFF: Sign up for our college football newsletter

#spot #rank

Ohio State is now 1-0 following an impressive season opener against Ball State last Saturday.
The Buckeyes finished their first game of the season with a rousing 56-3 victory. The dominant win was witnessed by more than just the 100,000-plus fans that filled Ohio Stadium, as Ohio State was also playing host to multiple recruits Saturday as well.
Ryan Day and the coaching staff may already be reaping the rewards of the first win, as the Buckeyes opened up the week being included in multiple top schools lists for some of the nation's top talents.
2028 five-star wide receiver Braylon Clark (Charlotte, NC / Providence Day School) released his top 12 schools Monday, and Ohio State made the cut.
However, as a top 12 implies, Ohio State still has competition in recruiting Clark. LSU, Alabama, Oregon, Tennessee, Miami, Clemson, Texas A&M, Indiana, Texas, South Carolina and USC all also made his top schools.

#ohio #texas #season #first

College football is unpredictable and delightful, which is why we live for what happens on Saturdays. And Week 1 absolutely delivered, from an extremely controversial last-second Hail Mary in Ann Arbor to a stunning beatdown in Baton Rouge and everything in between.

Each Sunday, I'll publish my biggest takeaways from the college football weekend. I'll highlight the most interesting storylines, track College Football Playoff contenders and specifically shout out individual and team performances that deserve the spotlight.
Michigan didn't deserve to win on Saturday. It got outplayed and out-physicaled from the start by Western Michigan — and needing that second put back on the clock to throw a second (and, this time, successful) Hail Mary to eke out the win over the Broncos. I don't think I've seen any Michigan fan genuinely happy about that outcome or the state of the Wolverine offense under Bryce Underwood right now.
Western Michigan feels like it got screwed out of what would have been the biggest win in program history. And for general college football fans, there's now less trust in the officiating and replay processes than there was a week ago. There were truly no winners in Ann Arbor on Saturday night.
A few weeks ago, I made a bold prediction that this would be Dabo Swinney's last season at Clemson. I didn't say whether the school would push him out or he'd be the one to leave because of how frustrated the fan and donor base has become. For the record, I do think it would be extremely difficult for the school to fire a coach who won two national championships and turned little ol' Clemson into a college football power.
Clemson didn't look like it belonged on the same field as LSU on Saturday night, let alone the same category of serious CFP contender. The Tigers, at one point in the third quarter, had a total of -10 rushing yards. It was astonishing to see how far the mighty Clemson program has fallen in less than a decade, and it makes my bold prediction seem far less bold.

It has been a long time since Clemson actually was Clemson. I know the Tigers made the CFP (albeit as a three-loss ACC champion) in 2024, but the program has not been contending for national **** les since the start of the NIL era (in 2021).

#Football #saturday #second #less

College Football Playoff bracket for Week 2: Projecting top four seeds, first-round matchups, bubble teams originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
How much did LSU's 51-10 victory against Clemson shake up the College Football Playoff picture heading into Week 2?
The Tigers looked the part of a national championship contender, and the conference strengthened its position. Ole Miss survived Louisville 41-38 in a thrilleron Sunday, and the conference has five teams in our 12-team field – with two more on the fringe. The playoff depth in the conference rivals the Big Ten – and at least for a week we **** ped USC in favor of LSU. The SEC has seven teams in the top 16 of our rankings, too.
The SEC can enhance its reputation in Week 2 with the matchups between Oklahoma and Michigan and Ohio State and Texas. The Sooners and Buckeyes won those matchups last year.
In: LSU

#playoff

Watch LSU fans loudly boo Jayden Daniels' name during win over Clemson originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Fans of the LSU Tigers didn't have too much to jeer at on Saturday night in Baton Rouge. Things took a turn for the worse, however, when former quarterback Jayden Daniels appeared on the scoreboard.
During a timeout, the school aired an "NFLSU" segment to commemorate past LSU Tigers who've made a name for themselves in the NFL. Lloyd Cushenberry III, Reid Ferguson, Damien Lewis, Zavion Thomas and Grant Delpit all received courteous cheers from fans remembering the good times that came from formerly watching those same players compete in Death Valley.
Amid his offseason controversy over his former No. 5 jersey being used for sophomore cornerback DJ Pickett, the Baton Rouge faithful did not take too kindly to seeing their 2022-23 quarterback's face on the scoreboard.
After much anticipation and preseason controversy, Lane Kiffin's debut began with a 51-10 rout over Clemson. Perhaps the only time LSU fans booed during Saturday's entirety, including the storm delay that postponed the game for nearly three hours, was seeing their friend-turned-foe. Here's a recap of what happened with Daniels and his former school.

#tigers #baton #rouge

To say that Clemson's offense was terrible against LSU on Saturday night would be a massive understatement.
Clemson couldn't get anything going against LSU's defense, resulting in a 51-10 loss. Quarterback Christopher Vizzina was especially rough, completing only 10 passes for 83 yards, no touchdowns, and one interception.
Fellow Clemson quarterback Tait Reynolds also got some playing time, completing four passes for 22 yards.
MORE: Roger Goodell signs new four-year extension to remain as NFL Commissioner
After the game, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney was asked if Vizzina would start against Georgia Southern next Saturday. He confirmed that he doesn't know.

#four #christopher #fellow