Adam Hicks
Author
The Legend, Lee Corso, took his final bow. In true fashion, he picked his first love—Brutus—and donned the Buckeye mascot head one last time, going undefeated on his final College GameDay picks. What a career. Since 1987, Corso delivered pageantry, passion, and pure chaos every Saturday, becoming the face of college football fandom. Damn, what a ride.
You can call it a “reload” if you want, but this was a full-on belt-fed minigun of silver bullets. In their debut under DC Matt Patricia, the Ohio State defense obliterated Texas, holding Arch Manning and the Longhorns scoreless until late in the 4th. The Silver Bullets shut down that Manning hype train quick, fast, and in a hurry. That defense didn’t just slow him down — they completely dismantled him. All that talk, all that build-up? Gone in four quarters.
Arch Manning: 5 completions for 26 yards at halftime.
Final: Ohio State 14–7 over Texas
S Caleb Downs led a unit that made Steve Sarkisian’s offense look JV, with goal-line stands, 4th-down stops, a turnover, and blanket coverage from start to finish.
Welcome back, Silver Bullets.
Iowa HC Kirk Ferentz notched his 205th win, tying the legendary Woody Hayes for the most wins by a Big Ten head coach. That’s 205 wins across nearly three decades—talk about consistency.
Ferentz’s Résumé:
He may be a modern-day icon, but Iowa simply calls him Coach.
Final: Iowa 34–7 over UAlbany
In front of a packed Big House, No. 1 overall recruit Bryce Underwood made his debut with 251 yards, 1 TD, and zero turnovers. He hit TE Marlin Klein for a 15-yard score and looked every bit the part.
If it weren’t for Underwood’s hype and solid play, this one might’ve ended up in the nap section—Michigan was sluggish at times.
Final: Michigan 34–17 over New Mexico
True freshman QB Malik Washington became the first QB to start a season opener for Maryland since 2012—and he delivered:
Is this the beginning of something special in College Park?
Final: Maryland 39–7 over FAU
Oregon’s mascot lost his head pre-game—but that was the only thing that went wrong. Freshman RB Jordan Davison rushed for 3 TDs on 6 carries, and QB Dante Moore went 18-for-23 for 213 yards and 3 TDs, hitting 10 different receivers.
The defense? Dominant—held FCS rushing powerhouse Montana State to just 46 rushing yards.
Final: Oregon 59–13 over Montana State
HC Bret Bielema had his guys ready.
Talk about a complete meal.
Final: Illinois 52–3 over Western Illinois
USC scored 10 touchdowns—with 9 different players.
Big plays galore.
Final: USC 73–13 over Missouri State
If the Nittany Lions are serious about making a playoff run, the wide receiver room had to level up—and after Week 1, it might finally be happening.
Kyron Hudson looked like the real deal:
Trebor Peña? Mr. Consistent.
The wideouts might not be elite just yet—but for now? The Achilles heel might just be getting addressed finally.
A rare clean sheet for the Boilermakers in Week 1, blanking Ball State 31–0. It’s the first Purdue shutout since 2021 (vs. UConn). The season may bring storms, but for now—they’ve Boilered Up.
Final: Purdue 31–0 over Ball State
The Bruins took a beating like your alarm clock will tomorrow morning after the long holiday weekend—reminding you that you’ve been slapped back to reality. UCLA got rocked at the Rose Bowl.
To top it off? UCLA gave up 24 pressures—and Utah didn’t even bring the blitz.
Final: Utah 43–10 over UCLA
Northwestern got steamrolled by Tulane like a rogue Mardi Gras float powered by booze, bad decisions, and a grudge.
The Green Wave didn’t just beat them—they enrolled the Wildcats in a crash course called “Football: Humility Edition,” with no syllabus and a pop quiz every quarter. Northwestern showed up like it was a debate meet, while Tulane brought cleats, speed, and a chip on their shoulder.
Somewhere in Evanston, a professor tried to calculate the probability of this outcome—and his calculator just quietly shut off out of respect.
Next time, maybe let Tulane wear those Hurricane Katrina honorary jerseys and hope they’ll spare you this kind of embarrassment. You scheduled a Week 1 bowl game in New Orleans knowing full well what kind of garbage you were about to roll out.
Final: Tulane 23–3 over Northwestern
I’m not going too hard here—it’s Week One, and the opponent was a Big 12 team—but maybe it’s time to put the Rhule Aid back in the fridge. Not sure the sweet nectar is ready for full consumption just yet.
There are sky-high hopes for the Cornhuskers this season, and I’m not saying jump off the hype train entirely… but it might be wise to study the stops ahead in case we need to get off before the derailment.
Watching Cincinnati drive down the field in the final minutes with a shot to tie or win had to have Lil Red and Herbie Husker nervously popping their corn, haunted by the ghosts of close games past.
That said, there are positives to take away. Nebraska fans are still riding coach Rhule, but there’s plenty of legroom for learning and moving forward. And if anyone knows how to say “a win is a win,” it’s this fan base.
A fan base that deserves a great season. Let’s go, Go Big Red!
Final: Nebraska 20–17 over Cincinnati
Rutgers came out hot—offensive scores and a special teams TD via blocked punt. Then… nothing.
Ohio scored 14 unanswered in the 3rd, and Rutgers didn’t respond until halfway through the 4th. They closed with a clock-draining 12-play drive to escape.
Final: Rutgers 34–31 over Ohio
Much like that forgotten sock under your bed just loitering around for ages, I present to you the mid-major late pullaways.
RB Jonah Coleman carried Washington with 177 yards and 2 TDs. But this was 14–14 at halftime, and just a 7-point game in the 4th.
Late stops and 10 points sealed it, but it was sleepy in the middle.
Final: Washington 38–21 over Colorado State
Wisconsin’s Low-Key Win
HC Luke Fickell and the Badgers needed this one—and got it. Things only get harder from here.
Efficient, but nap-worthy.
Final: Wisconsin 17–0 over Miami (OH)
It’s just a 13-point victory—but we know with PJ Fleck, the man shows up in a button-up, a vest, and a freshly shaved head—this is all the flash you’re getting. A 23–10 Fleck win is like a 28-point blowout for anyone else.
Solid—but not explosive.
Final: Minnesota 23–10 over Buffalo
Indiana 27–14 over Old Dominion: Jonathan Brady’s 91-yard punt return TD was fun. The rest? Not so much.
Michigan State 23–6 over Western Michigan: RB Makhi Frazier: 103 yards. Only 2 second-half points via safety. Like watching a Tylenol PM commercial on repeat.
Stephen Leonard
Ohio State Writer
Head coach Ryan Day’s legacy at Ohio State now has a firm foundation, but it was carefully developed brick by brick. He wasn’t “born on third” as some may want you to believe; he’s earned the quick ascent, defined by both mountain tops and valleys of extreme emotions. His 70-10 record, national championship, and academic […]
Adam Hicks
Author
A Tale of Two Big Ten Legends When Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz notched his 205th career win, he didn’t just add another number to the win column — he tied the legendary Woody Hayes for the most victories by a head coach in Big Ten history. It was a quietly monumental moment that bridged two vastly […]
Adam Hicks
Author
Bret’s Boys Go Full Buffet on Western Illinois! If you didn’t know any better, you’d think Illinois showed up to a cookout instead of a football game — and spoiler alert: they were the only ones who brought plates. Bret Bielema’s squad came bibbed up and starving, absolutely feasting on Western Illinois in a 52–3 […]
