College Football Week 1: Michigan’s Miracle, LSU’s Statement and an Early CFP Shakeup

By Habari Sports | September 6, 2026

College football’s first full Saturday delivered everything fans expected: dominant performances, surprising struggles and one of the most controversial finishes of the young season.

Ohio State, Georgia and Texas opened with overwhelming victories, while Oregon barely survived Boise State. LSU made one of the weekend’s loudest statements by dismantling Clemson, and Michigan needed a disputed second chance to escape Western Michigan.

Although one weekend cannot determine the College Football Playoff field, Saturday’s results have already changed the early conversation.

Michigan Survives With a Controversial Hail Mary

No. 16 Michigan escaped with a 13–12 victory over Western Michigan after officials restored one second to the clock following a replay review.

Western Michigan appeared to have completed the upset when Bryce Underwood’s first Hail Mary attempt fell incomplete as the clock reached zero. Replay officials determined that a Broncos defender touched the ball out of bounds while one second remained.

Given another opportunity, Underwood launched a 47-yard touchdown pass to JJ Buchanan on the final play.

The Big Ten later released video and audio supporting the ruling, but the decision remains controversial. Western Michigan coach Lance Taylor questioned whether time had already expired.

Michigan avoided a damaging opening-week loss, but the Wolverines’ offensive struggles could hurt their standing with voters and playoff analysts. Michigan entered the game as a 27½-point favorite and did not score between its opening possession and the final play. Reuters

LSU Crushes Clemson in Lane Kiffin’s Debut

No. 11 LSU delivered the most impressive victory of Saturday, overwhelming Clemson 51–10 in Lane Kiffin’s first game as the Tigers’ head coach.

After a two-hour lightning delay, LSU controlled the game on both sides of the ball. Quarterback Sam Leavitt passed for 230 yards and a touchdown while adding 113 rushing yards and two scores. Running back Dilin Jones also rushed for 113 yards and two touchdowns.

LSU finished with 644 total yards, 309 rushing yards and a school-record 38 first downs. Clemson managed only 145 total yards in the most lopsided defeat of Dabo Swinney’s 19-season tenure.

The victory immediately strengthens LSU’s early playoff résumé. Clemson, meanwhile, faces serious questions about its offense, roster construction, and ability to remain nationally competitive.

Oregon Survives Boise State’s Upset Bid

No. 2 Oregon entered its opener as a heavy favorite but needed a fourth-quarter rally to defeat Boise State 34–27.

Boise State built a 17–7 advantage before the Ducks recovered. Oregon quarterback Dante Moore completed 28 of 37 passes for a career-high 378 yards and three touchdowns.

His 62-yard touchdown pass to Dakorien Moore gave Oregon the lead with 7:51 remaining. The Ducks ultimately preserved their 39-game home winning streak against nonconference opponents.

Oregon remains a leading playoff contender, but its defensive penalties and inconsistent execution showed that the Ducks are not invulnerable.

Ohio State, Georgia and Texas Dominate

No. 1 Ohio State looked every bit like the nation’s top-ranked team in a 56–3 victory over Ball State.

Julian Sayin completed 21 of 25 passes for 320 yards and three touchdowns while adding a rushing score. Star receiver Jeremiah Smith caught eight passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns.

The Buckeyes produced four scoring drives covering at least 83 yards and held Ball State to 165 total yards. Ohio State now prepares for a major Week 2 showdown at No. 5 Texas.

Georgia was equally dominant in a 63–3 rout of Tennessee State. Quarterback Gunner Stockton completed 15 of 16 passes for 202 yards and three touchdowns. The Bulldogs outgained Tennessee State 660–109.

Texas defeated Texas State 59–7 behind another strong performance from Arch Manning. The Longhorns quarterback passed for 305 yards and four touchdowns in less than three full quarters. Reuters

Indiana Extends Its Winning Streak

Defending national champion Indiana opened its title defense with a 52–16 victory over North Texas.

Josh Hoover threw a touchdown on his first pass as Indiana’s starting quarterback. He remained in the game after suffering a bloody nose on a facemask penalty and helped the Hoosiers extend their FBS-leading winning streak to 17 games.

Indiana has now won 16 consecutive home games and remains firmly in the early playoff discussion.

Auburn Wins a Game of Inches

Auburn survived Baylor 17–16 after stopping a potential game-winning two-point conversion.

Baylor scored with nine seconds remaining, but head coach Dave Aranda elected to attempt the conversion instead of kicking the extra point. Auburn defender Eric Winters stopped the receiver just short of the goal line, preserving the Tigers’ victory.

It was a difficult loss for Baylor, but the decision reflected Aranda’s willingness to play for the win rather than overtime.

Week 1 Ranked Scoreboard Highlights

• No. 1 Ohio State 56, Ball State 3
• No. 2 Oregon 34, Boise State 27
• No. 3 Georgia 63, Tennessee State 3
• No. 5 Texas 59, Texas State 7
• No. 6 Indiana 52, North Texas 16
• No. 8 Texas A&M 50, Missouri State 0
• No. 11 LSU 51, Clemson 10
• No. 12 Texas Tech 33, Abilene Christian 10
• No. 13 Alabama 48, East Carolina 10
• No. 14 BYU 63, Utah Tech 7
• No. 16 Michigan 13, Western Michigan 12
• No. 18 Penn State 45, Marshall 0
• No. 20 Tennessee 56, Furman 9
• No. 22 Iowa 38, Northern Illinois 0
• No. 23 Houston 42, Stephen F. Austin 17
• No. 25 Missouri 38, Louisiana 10

The complete national scoreboard is available through ESPN and the NCAA.

Early College Football Playoff Projection

This is an editorial projection—not an official CFP ranking. The selection committee will not release its first rankings until later in the season.

Projected First-Round Byes

1. Georgia
2. Ohio State
3. Miami
4. Texas Tech

Projected First-Round Games

• No. 12 Memphis at No. 5 Oregon
• No. 11 Oklahoma at No. 6 Indiana
• No. 10 Penn State at No. 7 Notre Dame
• No. 9 LSU at No. 8 Texas

Georgia and Ohio State remain the safest early championship selections. Miami and Texas Tech are projected as the strongest conference-title candidates from the ACC and Big 12.

Oregon remains securely in the field despite its uneven opener. LSU made the weekend’s biggest upward move, while Penn State strengthened its case with a complete 45–0 victory over Marshall.

Michigan’s miracle kept the Wolverines alive, but a one-point escape against Western Michigan does little to improve their at-large résumé. Clemson suffered the most damaging result of the weekend and may need to win the ACC to reach the playoff.

Tarleton State should not be included in an FBS playoff projection. Although Tarleton can produce a major upset and influence another team’s résumé, it competes in the Football Championship Subdivision and is not eligible for the FBS College Football Playoff.

Week 2 Games to Watch

The schedule becomes more demanding next Saturday, with several games capable of reshaping the national picture.

• No. 1 Ohio State at No. 5 Texas
• No. 9 Oklahoma at No. 16 Michigan
• No. 2 Oregon at Oklahoma State
• No. 13 Alabama at Kentucky
• Tennessee at Georgia Tech

Oklahoma’s visit to Michigan will place the Wolverines immediately back under the spotlight. Another poor offensive showing could knock Michigan out of the early playoff conversation.

Oregon must clean up the mistakes that nearly cost it against Boise State, while Ohio State and Texas will meet in the first true heavyweight showdown of the season.

Week 1 offered only the first piece of a long playoff argument. LSU elevated itself, Clemson stumbled badly and Michigan survived by one second. With several major matchups coming next, the bracket could look different again within a matter of days.

Meta description: Michigan survives Western Michigan on a controversial Hail Mary, LSU crushes Clemson and the College Football Playoff picture shifts after Week 1.