The first week of the College Football season is officially in the books as each team kicked off its season this weekend. As of late, the Big 10 has been the best conference in the Country, producing back-to-back National Champions in Ohio State and Michigan. The conference's impressive run only continued as Ohio State got one of the biggest wins of the year, beating the Texas Longhorns.
After just one week, it's impossible to fully judge each team, as some played Power 4 opponents while others chose to kick their season off against cupcake opponents. Given the results of this week, along with what we know about each program, we can start to stack these teams, but it'll truly take 2 or 3 weeks to get a full grasp on the teams.
The Ohio State Buckeyes remain the best in show in the Big Ten
As we get further from Pat Fitzgerald's tenure at Northwestern, it's going to become clear that the Wildcats are going to continue to dip in talent. This weekend, SMU transfer Preston Stone looked awful, throwing 4 interceptions in his debut. The Wildcats deserve extra shame for not allowing Tulane to wear its uniforms for the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.
Despite jumping out to a commanding lead in the first half, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights found themselves holding on for dear life as Ohio scored 14 points in the 3rd quarter to tie this game. The offense had a ton of bright moments in the first half but, only scoring 3 points in the second half is certainly a concern. The biggest issue is that this once again doesn't look like a team that's going to be able to do any damage in the Big 10.
The first game of the Barry Odom era was a success as the Boilermakers impressed on both sides of the football. Ryan Browne took care of the football and threw for 311 yards and 2 touchdowns showing a ton of promise. The defense shut out Ball State while racking up 4 sacks putting a ton of pressure on the quarterback. The Boilermakers will need to prove it against a stronger opponent but, they showed signs of a team on the rise.
The first game of the Nico Iamaleava era in Los Angeles couldn't have gone worse as the Utah Utes dominated in this game. Iamaleava was held to just 136 yards passing while leading the team with 47 yards rushing. This team still lacks behind almost everyone else in terms of talent but linebacker is a bright spot as Isaiah Chisom racked up 17 tackles and JonJon Vaughns had 15.
Mike Locksley is looking for positive momentum once again at Maryland, and he may have found it in freshman Malik Washington. The true freshman quarterback completed 62.8% of his passes for 258 yards and 3 touchdowns. The defense found some promise as well with 3 sacks and 5 interceptions, but like most of the teams in week 1 we'd love to see it against a stronger opponent.
In the first half, Michigan State was beyond impressive, but as the offense was shut out in the second half, the hope fell back to earth. Aidan Chiles had a fine game, going 17-23 for 155 yards and a touchdown, but with weapons like Omari Kelly and Nick Marsh, you'd like to see the ball pushed down the field. The bright spot was the defense, as the lone points came on an interception thrown by the backup quarterback.
In the first game with Drake Lindsey under center, the first-time starter did a great job, as his lone interception was one of the unluckiest plays, as his receiver fell and kicked a ball directly to a Buffalo defender for an interception. Darius Taylor was dominant, rushing for 141 yards, helping move the offense. The defense was dominant, allowing just 151 yards, as the entire performance was promising for this team.
What should've been an exciting look into this new Wisconsin team quickly became scary when Billy Edwards left the game with an injury. When Edwards left the game, it was truly just a game of taking care of the football, and Danny O'Neil did a fine job in relief. The defense was solid, holding Miami (OH) to just 117 yards, which is very encouraging.
This offseason, a lot was made about Mark Gronowski being the savior as a passer, but he went just 8-15 passing for 44 yards and a touchdown. The rushing attack carried this team in typical Iowa fashion as the Hawkeyes picked up 310 yards on the ground, scoring 3 touchdowns. The defense was always going to dominate the Albany offense, which makes it tough to fully grade this group. Overall, not seeing a more effective passing attack is alarming, but there's still plenty of time to do so.
Matt Rhule and his team needed to kick off the season on a high note and they got it done by beating out Cincinnati thanks to a game-saving interception by Malcolm Hartzog Jr. The offense wasn't overly impressive, but this looks like a group that's a few weeks away from putting it all together and making a run in the Big 10. The defense kept Brendan Sorsby from doing anything with his arm, but they'll need to find a better way to stop a rushing quarterback, as he gashed them the entire night.
Jedd Fisch's team kicked off the 2025 season in exciting fashion as all of the weapons on offense were clicking. Demond Williams Jr went 18-24 passing for 226 yards and a touchdown, with Denzel Boston catching 5 passes for 92 yards and the touchdown. Jonah Coleman looked like one of the best backs in the Country, rushing for 177 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The defense has some kinks to work out, but this offense has the potential to make the Huskies a sleeper in the Big Ten.
The Indiana Hoosiers get a lot of hate for playing a weaker Non-Conference schedule but they truly may need the time to click. While this team returns so many of its key pieces, Fernando Mendoza is going to determine how far this team goes. In his debut, Mendoza was shaky, completing just 58.1% of his passes. The rushing attack and special teams bailed the passing game out while the defense did enough to avoid an upset.
It's hard to be too impressed with the results against Missouri State, but the USC Trojans' offense looked dominant. Jayden Maiava went 15-18 for 295 yards and a pair of touchdowns, looking in total control, while freshman Husan Longstreet was 9-9. The defense racked up 5 sacks and a pair of interceptions while working in so many young pieces, which could help later in the season.
All eyes were on Bryce Underwood as the Nation's top-ranked recruit made his debut, and he impressed, passing for 251 yards and a touchdown. The star of the show was Alabama transfer Justice Haynes, as he rushed for 159 yards and 3 touchdowns on 16 carries. The defense is going to need to continue improving as they replace so many impactful veterans but, recording 3 interceptions is a great sign.
The Fighting Illini have College Football Playoff hopes as they return a veteran core, and part of checking the boxes is demolishing teams like Western Illinois. There isn't a ton to take away, but Luke Altmyer was 17-21 for 217 yards and 3 touchdowns, showing once again he's one of the best in the Country. The defense was dominant, led by Gabe Jacas, who kicked off his season by racking up a pair of sacks.
The defending Big 10 Champions kicked off their season by demolishing Montana State in a game that didn't prove much. Dante Moore was efficient, completing 78.3% of his passes without turning the ball over, which is certainly encouraging. The receiving core worked in a ton of weapons, which should help Dan Lanning find who his playmakers will be later in the season. This week, Oregon will take a step up facing Oklahoma State, but we won't see them truly tested until the end of September against Penn State.
Coming into the season, Penn State was the top team in this conference, but it's hard to prove anything when you face off against Nevada. Drew Allar looked impressive as he finally has the weapons on the outside to prove that he belongs in the conversation as one of the best quarterbacks in the Country. The defense looked solid, and as Jim Knowles gets more experience with this group, it should only get cleaner.
If you come at the king, you best not miss, and on Saturday Afternoon, the Ohio State Buckeyes looked like a team determined to prove they're the best in the Country. Despite replacing their defensive coordinator and a ton of veterans on defense, the Buckeyes held a Steve Sarkisian offense to 7 points, which is beyond impressive. The offense has a ton of areas to improve at but this group has the pieces in place and will only get better as Julian Sayin gains experience.
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