Sep 1, 2025, 11:16 PM ET

The thing about first impressions is you can’t take them back. Some are underwhelming, like

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After Georgia routed Clemson 34-3 in the first game of the 2024 season, the Tigers rebounded to go 9-3 in the regular season and beat SMU 34-31 in the ACC championship game. Cade Klubnik didn’t play well against LSU, completing 19 of 38 passes for 230 yards with one touchdown. LSU’s defense did a great job keeping him in the pocket. The Tigers clearly missed star receiver Antonio Williams, who left the game on Clemson’s second possession with a hamstring injury. Swinney doesn’t know his status for next week’s contest against Troy. — Schlabach

Preseason ranking: 12

In an opener that was extremely meaningful to Shane and Frank Beamer, South Carolina pulled away for a 24-11 win over Virginia Tech by flexing its big-play ability. The Gamecocks broke up a 10-8 game in the fourth quarter with an 80-yard punt return touchdown by Vicari Swain followed by a 64-yard touchdown shot to Nyck Harbor. If Harbor is ready to take the next big step as a complete and reliable wideout after a career-high 99 receiving yards, that’s an exciting development for this LaNorris Sellers-led offense. It’s no surprise that an impact special teams play helped decide this one, and South Carolina’s defense deserves credit for allowing just three field goals on the day. — Olson

Preseason ranking: 15

The Aggies made adding explosiveness on offense a priority this offseason, adding transfers KC Concepcion and Mario Craver at wide receiver. It paid off in Game 1, with QB Marcel Reed throwing a career-high four TDs, with 194 yards and three of those TDs going to those two. Concepcion also added an 80-yard punt return. The Aggies struggled to get the running game going (23 carries, 108 yards, Reed led all rushers with 39 yards) and couldn’t stop the run, allowing 6.2 yards per carry to UTSA, with Robert Henry Jr. running for 177 yards and two TDs. But they pulled away in a tight game and got the win. — Wilson

Preseason ranking: 18

Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht was nearly flawless as Iowa State routed South Dakota, an FCS semifinalist a year ago, 55-7. Becht completed 19 of 20 passes for 278 yards with three touchdowns, making quick work against a dangerous opponent. The Cyclones are 2-0 for the fourth time under Matt Campbell with the Cy-Hawk Trophy on the line this week against Iowa. — Kyle Bonagura

Preseason ranking: NR

This is not 2024, when Florida State went 2-10. That was the emphatic statement the Seminoles delivered in a 31-17 win over the Crimson Tide. Eager to put last season behind them, the Seminoles played with the type of physicality, aggressiveness and emotion that coach Mike Norvell promised the college football world would see. Transfer quarterback Tommy Castellanos set the tone from the beginning, backing up his summer trash talk with 152 yards passing and a team-leading 78 yards rushing. Florida State rushed 46 times for 236 yards — imposing its will on the ground under new offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn. Meanwhile, Alabama transfer Earl Little Jr. dominated on defense with nine total tackles. — Andrea Adelson

Preseason ranking: 13

True freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood lived up to the hype in his debut after winning the starting job during preseason. The former No. 1 recruit completed 21 of 31 passes for 251 yards and a touchdown, as the Wolverines coasted by New Mexico, 34-17. Alabama transfer Justice Haynes rushed for 159 yards and three touchdowns, providing a glimpse of what could be a dynamic Michigan backfield. Underwood will be tested next weekend at Oklahoma. The Wolverines defense will be tested, too, especially if standout linebacker Jaishawn Barham can’t play in the first half after he was ejected for targeting in the third quarter during a sack. Coach Sherrone Moore said the Wolverines will appeal the ruling with hopes of getting Barham back. — Trotter

Preseason ranking: 14

The Illini will learn a lot about themselves in September, when they visit both Duke and Indiana. There wasn’t much to extract from Friday’s 52-3 opening win against Western Illinois, but Illinois dominated throughout like a good team is supposed to do. Gabe Jacas looked every bit like a national awards candidate, recording two sacks, 2.5 tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a pass breakup, while senior quarterback Luke Altmyer had an extremely efficient night, completing 17 of 21 passes for 217 yards and three scores. An offense looking for explosive plays has a threat in Hank Beatty, and if the veterans play to their potential, this team will be tough to beat. — Rittenberg

Preseason ranking: 11

The Sun Devils’ 38-19 win against FCS Northern Arizona wasn’t particularly meaningful in any obvious way. It was a comfortable game in which the Sun Devils were never really threatened but also wasn’t a dominant victory against an overmatched opponent. Quarterback Sam Leavitt was solid, not spectacular.

He completed 25 of 39 passes for 257 yards with a pair of touchdowns and an interception, but did showcase his athleticism on a 52-yard touchdown run. With Cam Skattebo off to the NFL, the run game was less of a focus as three ASU running backs — Kyson Brown (7), Raleek Brown (5) and Kanye Udoh (2) — combined for just 14 carries for 130 yards. — Bonagura

Preseason ranking: 16

The Gators did exactly what they were expected to do in a 55-0 win over Long Island. Behind DJ Lagway, they scored the most points of the Billy Napier era, and posted their first shutout since 2021. Lagway went 15 of 18 for 120 yards with three touchdown passes and moved to 7-1 as a starter. Jadan Baugh rushed for over 100 yards, while Vernell Brown III had a dazzling debut with three catches for 79 yards — the most yardage in school history by a true freshman receiver in his first career start. The defense, meanwhile, allowed just 86 total yards and did not allow Long Island to advance to the red zone. The next matchup will provide a bigger test, as the Gators host USF, which upset Boise State in Week 1. — Adelson

Preseason ranking: 24

Joey Aguilar fared well in his debut as the new Volunteers QB1, putting up 281 total yards and three touchdowns to guide a 45-26 win over Syracuse in Atlanta. The veteran passer got plenty of help from an excellent run game that pounded the Orange for 246 yards on 6.2 yards per carry, including a team-high 92 yards from Duke transfer Star Thomas. The Vols’ defense had a tough time getting off the field at times, surrendering three fourth-down conversions and three long touchdown drives, but still delivered big plays with five sacks, two takeaways and a Colton Hood scoop-and-score. They’ll get one more tune-up against ETSU next week before Georgia comes to Knoxville on Sept. 13. — Olson

Preseason ranking: 20

Sure, quarterback Austin Simmons cruised (20 of 31, 341 yards, three touchdowns) and Kewan Lacy (16 carries, 108 yards, three touchdowns) helped power a 295-yard rushing performance in the Rebels’ 63-7 opening win over Georgia State. But the night truly belonged to Zxavian Harris, Ole Miss’ towering, 6-foot-8, 330-pound defensive tackle. Harris recorded his first sack of the season on Georgia State’s third offensive series. Two quarters later, he delivered some real fireworks with his interception of Panthers quarterback Christian Veilleux, a moment Harris so perfectly capped by snapping the basketball hoop on the Rebels’ sideline with a ferocious dunk. Round 1, in 2025, belonged to the big man on the Ole Miss defensive line. — Eli Lederman

Preseason ranking: 19

With a 42-13 win over East Texas A&M, SMU officially put last year’s late stumbles — an ACC championship game loss on a last-second 56-yard field goal and a playoff defeat at the hands of Penn State — in the rearview mirror, but it probably didn’t offer much else in the way of real insight to this team. Quarterback Kevin Jennings looked no worse for his brutal performance against the Nittany Lions last December, but he did have a pick (to go along with three touchdowns). The ground game managed 140 yards but didn’t establish a lead back. The defense created three takeaways but also allowed 351 yards to an FCS school. In other words, the real SMU probably won’t be revealed until the Mustangs take the field against Baylor in Week 2. — Hale

Preseason ranking: NR

With all eyes on Nico Iamaleava at the Rose Bowl, the Utes crashed the party, stitching together a resounding, all-around performance on their way to a 43-10 win over UCLA to kick off their season. New Mexico transfer Devon Dampier was the star of the night; the Utah quarterback ignited a Utes offense that was tepid last season, and he did it both over the air and on the ground — tallying 206 yards and two passing touchdowns as well as 87 rushing yards and one rushing TD. Though the defense held the Bruins to 220 yards, the game was a showcase for Utah’s new-look offense, which not only converted 14 of 16 third downs on its way to 492 total yards, but also included touchdowns by two defensive players: linebacker Lander Barton and cornerback Smith Snowden. — Uggetti

Preseason ranking: 7

The Crimson Tide probably wish they had a second chance to make a first impression after a 31-17 loss to Florida State. Outside the opening scoring drive, nothing Alabama did looked like a championship-caliber team. Ty Simpson struggled for consistency, the ground game was never established, and Florida State bullied Alabama up front on both sides of the ball. Coach Kalen DeBoer said there were “no excuses” for the performance, but it was obvious Alabama missed starting running back Jam Miller and defensive tackle Tim Keenan III. Making matters worse, receiver Ryan Williams was concussed late in the game. DeBoer has to find answers and fast. — Adelson

Preseason ranking: 23

Sooners coach Brent Venables described his team’s 35-3 win over Illinois State as “pretty vanilla.” Still, Washington State transfer quarterback John Mateer showed off what he can do, accounting for four total touchdowns and passing Baker Mayfield for the most passing yards by a quarterback in his debut (392) in program history. Southern Illinois transfer pass catcher Keontez Lewis delivered a promising start of his own (nine catches, 119 yards, two touchdowns), while linebacker-turned-tight end Jaren Kanak (five catches, 90 yards) impressed in his new role. Worth noting: The Sooners rushed for just 103 yards against the FCS Redbirds with Cal transfer running back Jaydn Ott still recovering from a shoulder injury and playing only a handful of snaps. Oklahoma gets an early test in Week 2 when Michigan comes to Norman next Saturday. — Lederman

Preseason ranking: NR

Sonny Dykes and the Horned Frogs dominated North Carolina, spoiling the debut of coach Bill Belichick. The first impression is an easy one: This team appears to be a challenger for a Big 12 title. While North Carolina is breaking in a new team, the Horned Frogs brought veterans back across the board, and it showed — starting with quarterback Josh Hoover. There was terrific balance on offense, with Kevorian Barnes rushing for more than 100 yards, and Jordan Dwyer going over 100 yards receiving. Meanwhile, the defense scored two touchdowns and limited the North Carolina offense after the opening drive. Dykes and TCU were on the losing end of Deion Sanders’ debut at Colorado a few years ago, and they were eager not to repeat history in Belichick’s first game as a college coach. — Adelson

Preseason ranking: 17

Curt Cignetti’s Indiana teams handle inferior competition and a season-opening 27-14 win against Old Dominion proved to be no exception. The Hoosiers finished with massive advantages in total yards (502-314) and first downs (28-11). Transfer quarterback Fernando Mendoza‘s IU debut wasn’t the smoothest, though, as he completed 18 of 31 passes for 193 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions, and added a rushing touchdown. The Hoosiers reached Old Dominion territory on 10 of 11 possessions but had two turnovers on downs, a fumble and a missed field goal. The score should have been more lopsided, and Indiana will need to be sharper on offense as it tunes up for its Sept. 20 Big Ten opener against Illinois. — Rittenberg