College football Week 1 winners and losers: The year of the quarterback has gotten off to a stellar start
Yahoo Sports • • sports
Key Points:
- The 2026 college football season began with standout performances from star quarterbacks like Ohio State’s Julian Sayin, Oregon’s Dante Moore, Georgia’s Gunner Stockton, Texas’ Arch Manning, Indiana’s Josh Hoover, and USC’s Jayden Maiava, highlighting a quarterback-centric year.
- UMass achieved a historic upset over Rutgers as 29.5-point underdogs, marking their first win over a power conference team, while Tulsa continued strong with a win over Oklahoma State, suggesting potential bowl eligibility.
- Tennessee’s freshman QB Faizon Brandon impressed with three passing and two rushing touchdowns in his debut, drawing comparisons to Cam Newton's historic SEC start.
- Army and Navy dominated their FCS opponents with powerful rushing attacks, showcasing depth and versatility in their offenses.
- Rutgers, Georgia Tech, Stanford, and Charlotte struggled early in the season, with Rutgers suffering a major upset loss, Georgia Tech losing due to poor clock management, Stanford facing defensive challenges against Miami’s Malachi Toney, and Charlotte falling in triple overtime to The Citadel.
