Moving the Chains: Takeaways from College Football 2026 – Week One

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Alberto Mendoza, Fernando’s brother, transferred from Indiana to Georgia Tech to, in his words, ‘step out of his brother’s shadow.’  Admittedly, Fernando winning both the Heisman and leading the Hoosiers to their first national championship in the same year casts a very large shadow for Alberto to step out of.  He got his chance in the Yellow Jackets’ season opener, which turned out to be a 14 – 13 loss to Colorado.  This begs the question as to whether it is better to be in the shadows of a winner or in the spotlight as a loser.  Yes, I realize it was just his first time as the starting quarterback for a major college team, but I imagine Tech fans have to be wondering the exact same thing right about now.

Two more questions, and these are both for the handful of fans that showed up to see the Trojans of Southern Cal win their first two games.  They were both against the two instate ‘State’ teams in California, San Jose and Fresno: (1) will coach Lincoln Riley still have his job in December, and (2) will the Trojans be joining the NFL’s Raiders in Las Vegas next year? 

One more question and I’ll stop: will the Big Ten take their first step towards becoming true to their conference name – scaling back to 10 teams rather than however many there are now – and start by kicking Rutgers to the curb?  The Scarlet Knights, playing at home and favored by more than four touchdowns against Massachusetts – a team that had the nation’s longest losing streak at 16 games and last won a game 22 months ago – allowed the Minutemen 30 unanswered points in one stretch and lost by a score of 37 – 21.  Adding insult to injury, they paid UMass $1.55 million to do it. 

According to one reputable gambling site (if there is such a thing), Miami has two players in the top five worthy of Heisman consideration this season.  At #1 is quarterback Darian Mensah, and at #5 is the player on the receiving end of his passes, Malachi Toney.  After the Hurricanes’ season opener, a 45 – 6 win over Stanford, both players showed they belong in the conversation.  Mensah completed 27 of 30 passes for 401 yards and 5 touchdowns; Toney caught 12 passes for 234 yards and 3 scores.  Incidentally, both racked up those numbers in a little less than three quarters of the game. 

Throwing his name into the Heisman conversation as well is Florida running back Jadan Baugh (popular t-shirt in Gainesville: ‘Run the Baugh’).  In coach Jon Sumrall’s debut as the Gator coach, a 66 – 21 win over Florida Atlantic, Baugh racked up 160 yards on 14 carries and scored 3 touchdowns.  And he had less playing time than either player for Miami. 

(Time for a quick timeout.  Sumrall showed more intensity and emotion in the first quarter of the game than Billy Napier did in the entire four years he coached the Gators.  As a Florida alum just let me say: thank you Jesus!!!)  

But the Gators were just one of 16 SEC teams that won their season opener as the entire conference made it through week one without a loss .  Auburn, however, cut it close as they escaped with a narrow one-point 17 – 16 win after a two-point conversion attempt by Baylor came up just short of the goal line.  

There was some controversy leading up to Lane Kiffin’s debut as LSU’s head coach – no season is complete without at least one Kiffin controversy – regarding his efforts to add players to his roster who didn’t make the cut in NFL training camps.  Facing potential penalties for doing so – suspensions, fines, public flogging – Kiffin left them off his roster for the game (but kept spots open depending on how things played out later).  It turns out they weren’t needed: LSU – 51, Clemson – 10.  

As for Clemson, the numbers tell the story why they weren’t ranked in the preseason polls: 8 first downs, 145 total yards, and just 24 minutes of possession time.  As for LSU, they had 38 first downs, 644 total yards, and possession of the ball for 36 minutes.  The outcome of the game was never in doubt.  The only thing in doubt was whether or not the game would be played: it started almost two hours late due to a weather delay.  

Not that anyone asked, but here’s my take on the Lane Kiffin matter:

There was a time when it was an NCAA infraction for something as harmless as treating a potential recruit to a hamburger and fries.  Today college athletes are making millions of dollars.  That being said, what’s the harm in signing someone who never made any money in the NFL?  (Debate quietly amongst yourselves.  I’m exhausted just thinking about it.)

Besides, as you’ll see shortly there are bigger fish to fry.

In a comparison of the two biggest kids on the block, the SEC came out on top by virtue of all 16 teams in the conference winning their opening games.  The Big Ten, however, wasn’t as fortunate.  Case in point, the embarrassing loss by Rutgers to UMass.  Also, the 12 – 7 loss by #16 Michigan to unranked Western Michigan.  A failed last-second Hail Mary by the Wolverines as time on the game clock clearly expired sealed the win for the four-touchdown underdog Broncos in front of a shocked and sold-out Ann Arbor crowd and a national television audience.      

But in the words of the recently retired Lee Corso, not so fast.

After further review – and quite possibly the worst decision ever – the officiating crew put one second back on the clock, thereby allowing Michigan another play to change the outcome of the game. 

And they took advantage of it: a 47-yard touchdown pass to give Michigan and first year coach Kyle Whittingham an unexpected (and undeserved, in my opinion) 13 – 12 win.  Hometown fans stormed the field after the game, which (again, in my opinion) was like holding a parade for a participation trophy. 

Yes, Michigan got a second chance.  A do-over. 

In golf, this is known as a mulligan.  In the Olympics, this is the 1972 Russia-USA basketball game all over again.  In FIFA soccer, it’s called extra time.    

What Michigan got was a Bail Mary.