College football Week 1 winners
USA Today • • sports
Key Points:
- Clemson suffered a crushing 51-10 loss to LSU, highlighting coach Dabo Swinney's failure to adapt to modern college football changes like the transfer portal, with poor quarterback performance and ineffective offense.
- LSU, led by Lane Kiffin and transfer quarterback Sam Leavitt, showcased a confident and explosive team that quickly transformed into a potential SEC powerhouse in Kiffin’s first year.
- Transfer quarterbacks Josh Hoover (Indiana) and Rocco Becht (Penn State) had standout debut performances, significantly contributing to their teams' commanding Week 1 victories.
- Oregon narrowly defeated Boise State 34-27 in a closely contested game, signaling the need for improvement before contending for the Big Ten, while Boise State's strong showing enhances their Group of Six playoff credentials.
- Michigan narrowly escaped with a controversial 13-12 win over Western Michigan, raising doubts about their strength under new coach Kyle Whittingham, and Oklahoma State struggled offensively in a 24-10 loss to Tulsa, indicating ongoing rebuilding challenges.
