College Football week 1

Week 1: College Football’s Top Winners & Biggest Disappointments

The opening week of the 2025 college football season delivered a flurry of surprises, shakeups, and standout performances.

Winners

• Ohio State jumped to the No. 1 spot after a hard-fought 14–7 victory over preseason No. 1 Texas, thanks to a stifling defense that shut down Arch Manning’s debut drive  .

• LSU powered through with a gritty road win over No. 4 Clemson — their first season-opening triumph since 2019 — positioning them at No. 3 and earning critical momentum   .

• Florida State created one of the season’s most shocking upsets, knocking off Alabama and vaulting from unranked to No. 14 in the AP Poll   .

Losers

• Texas, despite high preseason expectations, dropped from the top spot to No. 7 after falling to Ohio State in their opener   .

• The Alabama Crimson Tide took a major hit, tumbling to No. 21 following their loss to Florida State — a stark reminder of how quickly the season’s narrative can shift   .

• Clemson, once ranked in the top 5, was toppled at home by LSU, which severely damaged their early-season outlook   .

Week 1 proved to be anything but predictable — setting the stage for an electrifying season full of drama, upsets, and unexpected contenders.