Sometimes a team needs the full 60 minutes to make its first impression. Or, in Michigan’s case, 59:59 and the longest final second in college football history.

A highly anticipated first impression can follow a week of controversy, and then blasts of lightning, like coach Lane Kiffin’s did at LSU. After the weather delay, Kiffin’s crew unleashed a storm on Clemson, surging to a 51-10 win and holding massive edges in total yards (644-145), rushing yards (309-40) and first downs (38-8).

Week 1 brought a range of first impressions from notable teams. Miami’s Malachi Toney set a team record with 234 receiving yards against Stanford, but he wasn’t the only wideout to strike the Heisman pose, as Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith sparkled with 151 yards and two touchdowns in his season debut. Indiana began its national title defense with more offensive efficiency led by transfers, while returning quarterbacks such as Texas’ Arch Manning, Georgia’s Gunner Stockton and Ohio State’s Julian Sayin started off strong, albeit against weaker opponents.

Oregon’s Dante Moore also delivered, but his team’s first impression was not one of a national title contender, as the Ducks struggled to shake free of Boise State in a 34-27 win. The group of top quarterbacks appears to be jam-packed, and includes transfers Darian Mensah of Miami and Sam Leavitt of LSU, Alabama’s first-year starter Keelon Russell and intriguing holdovers such as Pitt’s Mason Heintschel, who set an ACC single-game record with seven touchdown passes, while piling up 453 yards, against Miami (Ohio).

First impressions aren’t everything, but they provide a glimpse of what could be coming, and informed ESPN’s first set of in-season Power Rankings. — Adam Rittenberg

Preseason ranking: 1

Star wide receiver Smith predictably put on a show in the first half, catching eight passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns. But with Smith sitting after halftime of Ohio State’s 56-3 win over Ball State, true freshman running back Legend Bey stole the show, highlighted by a dazzling touchdown off a swing pass. Bey weaved his way from the left side of the field to the right, evading multiple defenders without being touched. Bey has already won Ohio State’s kick-return job. He could give a loaded Buckeyes offense another dynamic playmaker. — Jake Trotter

Preseason ranking: 3

Notre Dame was fortunate to maintain a halftime lead on Wisconsin, but coach Marcus Freeman’s crew surged early in the second half at Lambeau Field. The Irish put together their first sustained touchdown drive, then Colorado transfer cornerback D.J. McKinney had a pick-six off Wisconsin’s Colton Joseph to stretch the lead to 17 points. Notre Dame’s offense settled in, running backs Aneyas Williams and Nolan James Jr. both flashed and CJ Carr established a rhythm after an erratic first half. An Irish team that has lost six August or September games under Freeman ensured there would be no letdown against an improved Wisconsin squad. — Rittenberg

Preseason ranking: 5

Touted transfers Cam Coleman and Rasheem Biles totally lived up to the hype. Biles was one of the nation’s most disruptive linebackers at Pitt last season and brought that same energy to Will Muschamp’s defense, punching out a fumble that Graceson Littleton returned for a 59-yard touchdown as well as picking off Texas State’s Brad Jackson on a screen. Coleman, ESPN’s No. 1-ranked transfer, had three big third-down catches and turned them into 70 yards and two touchdowns in his first game with Manning. Texas cruised to a 59-7 win over a quality Group of 6 opponent and was strong in all three phases of its lone tuneup before Ohio State comes to Austin. — Max Olson

Preseason ranking: 2

There isn’t much you can take away from Georgia’s 63-3 rout of Tennessee State, other than the Bulldogs did exactly what they were supposed to do against an overmatched FCS opponent. Stockton played nearly flawlessly, completing 15 of 16 passes for 202 yards with three touchdowns in less than two quarters. Georgia piled up 660 yards of offense, while allowing the Tigers to gain only 109. The biggest news might have been the emergence of new playmakers in tight ends Jaden Reddell and Elyiss Williams and receivers Talyn Taylor, Sacovie White-Helton and Craig Dandridge. Georgia lost its top four receivers from last season, and Stockton is searching for new reliable targets. Stockton should continue to build chemistry with them in next week’s home game against Western Kentucky. — Mark Schlabach

Preseason ranking: 7

Mensah and Toney might be the most frightening QB-WR duo in college football. They both had career nights to start the season as the Hurricanes rolled over a hapless Stanford team. After the game, Toney revealed that he has gotten noticeably faster than last season, when he was already among the most electric players in the nation. An improved version of that — paired with a better quarterback and some additional weapons — will keep Miami among the nation’s elite following its trip to the national title game last season. — Kyle Bonagura

Preseason ranking: 8

Indiana seemingly has nailed its key offensive transfer additions again. Quarterback Josh Hoover played almost flawlessly in his Hoosiers debut, completing his first six pass attempts, including two touchdowns, while overcoming a nasty-looking bloody nose on a North Texas facemask penalty. Hoover’s first pass went to Nick Marsh, the coveted Michigan State transfer wide receiver, who made a one-handed catch for a 15-yard touchdown. Hoover finished with more touchdown passes (four) than incompletions (three). Running back Turbo Richard, the Boston College transfer, led Indiana with 58 rushing yards and two touchdowns, while adding a 38-yard reception. IU needed the offensive efficiency on a day when its highly touted defense struggled for stretches. — Rittenberg

Preseason ranking: 10

It’s going to take more than a few controversial headlines to disrupt what Kiffin is building at LSU. The buzz in the weeks leading up to the Tigers’ opener was all about Kiffin’s very public fight with commissioner Greg Sankey, the SEC, numerous lawmakers and, seemingly, his own best interests. But that was silly. Kiffin thrives when he’s trolling the masses, and LSU showed that no amount of public scorn would even begin to disrupt Kiffin’s debut in Baton Rouge, with the Tigers utterly dominating Clemson, 51-10, and handing Dabo Swinney his worst loss as a head coach. Not bad, as Kiffin said afterward, for a team supposedly focused on other things. — David Hale

Preseason ranking: 4

The Ducks don’t exactly look like a title contender just yet. Despite having one of the tougher matchups of the week in Boise State (which should probably be ranked and is likely to make the playoff), Oregon stumbled out of the gates, going down 17-7 at one point and making several mind-boggling mistakes — be it the 10 penalties for 90 yards or the muffed punt turnover that gave the Broncos momentum. Regardless, Dan Lanning’s team still showed flashes of why it’s expected to be great. On an off day without its best stuff, the Ducks were still able to stitch together nearly 500 yards of offense and did enough to escape Week 1 with a win they can also use to their advantage going forward. — Paolo Uggetti

Preseason ranking: 9

Will Hammond completed his first 14 passes as the Red Raiders’ new starting quarterback, but the offense still frustrated coach Joey McGuire after red zone woes that plagued Tech last year resurfaced in the first game against Abilene Christian. Hammond, who finished 26-of-33 for 298 yards and a touchdown, is recovering from a torn ACL last year and wore a knee brace, running just twice for 11 yards after averaging 7 yards per carry with five touchdowns last year. He said his mobility was good and he felt fine, but also acknowledged he’s not looking to run much to stay healthy. The Red Raiders also showed a bit of the future with a package for backup QB Thomas Castellanos, the Florida State transfer, who made a cameo appearance in the red zone, handing off to J’Koby Williams for a touchdown in the 33-10 win. — Dave Wilson

Preseason ranking: 16

Russell is a budding star at quarterback. Too soon? Yes, the Crimson Tide played an overmatched opponent in beating East Carolina 48-10, but Russell showed exactly why his coaches have raved about his natural playmaking ability. Russell threw for 249 yards — the most for an Alabama QB making his first career start since Bryce Young had 343 against Miami in 2021. But it was Russell’s ability to take off and run that helped the Crimson Tide open up their ground game. Russell led Alabama with 86 yards on 13 carries — some on designed runs, some on scrambles — and the Crimson Tide finished with 227 yards rushing, a huge step in fixing their biggest flaw from a year ago. — Andrea Adelson

Preseason ranking: 13

The Rebels’ performance in their 41-38 win against Louisville on Sunday night was far from perfect, but coach Pete Golding was pleased with his team’s resilience against a quality opponent in the opener. The Cardinals gained 469 yards of offense and converted 7 of 16 third-down attempts. Ohio State transfer Lincoln Kienholz, making his first career start, threw for 307 yards with two touchdowns. The Cardinals rallied from a 14-point deficit in the final five minutes to nearly force overtime. The most unsettling development for Ole Miss was the play of its rebuilt secondary, which had far too many busted assignments and mistakes. Safety Sharif Denson didn’t play because of an injury, and returning cornerback Antonio Kite went down early, so new faces saw plenty of action. The back end of the defense will have to be much better before LSU and former coach Lane Kiffin come to Oxford, Mississippi, on Sept. 19. — Schlabach

Preseason ranking: 12

The defense might actually be good this year? The opponent was Fresno State, but a shutout is a shutout nonetheless. With Gary Patterson now at the helm of the Trojans’ unit, they not only look more effective so far this season, it appears everyone is pulling in the same direction. It helps too that the size and strength USC has throughout the defense is likely some of the best in the Lincoln Riley era. The Trojans had two safeties, forced two turnovers and limited Fresno State to 116 total yards. Tougher competition awaits, but for now, that kind of performance will play. — Uggetti

Preseason ranking: 6

How much can you really take from a 63-7 win against Utah Tech? BYU is a team with playoff expectations and a matchup with an FCS opponent should be over a few snaps after it starts — as was the case here. The Cougars led 42-0 at the half and 11 different players carried the ball. — Bonagura

Preseason ranking: 11

The O-line might be OK. There was a lot of turnover up front for the Aggies this offseason, and when Week 1 kicked off against Missouri State, it appeared early as if there’d be some serious growing pains. In the first quarter, Marcel Reed was sacked twice, forced to scramble amid pressure twice more, and the Aggies were flagged for a false start. But things clicked into place after that. A&M ran for 150 yards in the second half, and Missouri State’s defense didn’t sniff Reed in the backfield again, as the Aggies cruised to a 50-0 win. — Hale

Preseason ranking: 14

Oklahoma appears to have assembled a more explosive offense in 2026. Quarterback John Mateer and wide receiver Isaiah Sategna (34-yard receiving score, 88-yard punt-return touchdown) were their usual selves Friday night, but the story of the Sooners’ 51-0 win over UTEP was the fresh cast of playmakers around them. Transfer pass catchers Trell Harris (Virginia) and Rocky Beers (Colorado State) each announced his Oklahoma debut with a touchdown catch of 40-plus yards, highlighted by Beers’ impressive end zone hurdle. On the ground, Colorado State transfer Lloyd Avant led the way with 79 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries, and the Sooners spent most of the night in 12 personnel (one RB, two TEs, two WRs), flexing the tight end strength the program added in the offseason with the duo of Beers and Florida transfer Hayden Hansen. Next weekend’s visit to Michigan should offer an even clearer indication of Oklahoma’s offensive versatility. — Eli Lederman

Preseason ranking: 15

The Nittany Lions in recent years have struggled to find a go-to wide receiver. New coach Matt Campbell appears to have one in a holdover from last year’s Penn State roster. In Saturday’s 45-0 win over Marshall, Koby Howard finished with six catches for 161 yards and a touchdown — becoming the first Penn State player to produce 150 receiving yards in a game since tight end Tyler Warren did it in 2024. The new staff and Iowa State transfer players were buzzing about Howard and his potential in the spring, even though he had just seven receptions under James Franklin all last year. Howard appears to have developed an instant chemistry with transfer quarterback Rocco Becht — and could give Penn State the weapon it has long been missing. — Trotter

Preseason ranking: 21

It’s probably not a good sign when your head coach signs off his halftime interview by calling the team’s offensive effort “embarrassing.” That’s what Jedd Fisch did during Sunday’s Apple Cup matchup against Washington State and there was good reason for it. With Demond Williams Jr. at quarterback, offense is supposed to be the Huskies’ strength, but they scored only 10 points through three quarters, had four punts, a missed field goal and a turnover on downs. The final frame was slightly better as Fisch’s team scored two touchdowns and pulled away from Wazzu, but it wasn’t exactly pretty. — Uggetti

Preseason ranking: NR

A warmup game (against Furman of the FCS) came in handy for Faizon Brandon. The true freshman quarterback is taking over an experienced Tennessee attack, and his first collegiate quarter was a bit bumpy — the Volunteers scored on their first drive but turned the ball over on downs on their second and punted on their third. They led only 7-0 early in the second quarter, but once it clicked for Brandon, it really clicked: The Vols scored TDs on five straight drives, and Brandon connected with Mike Matthews for touchdowns of 55 and 57 yards early in the third quarter before checking out of the game. He finished 13-of-17 for 226 yards and three scores (plus 68 rushing yards and two more scores). A bigger challenge comes with this week’s trip to Georgia Tech, but Brandon passed his first college test. — Bill Connelly

Preseason ranking: 18

Bucking the old John Madden line, sometimes you can have two quarterbacks. The Utes certainly appear to with returning starter Devon Dampier and sophomore Byrd Ficklin, who collectively powered Utah’s 66-14 win over Idaho on Thursday. Dampier opened his 2026 campaign with an efficient 13-of-18 for 176 yards and three touchdowns. Ficklin, meanwhile, flashed all of his dual-threat ability with 70 rushing yards on eight carries to go with 93 passing yards and a pair of touchdowns through the air. Dampier remains the Utes’ undisputed starter. But Ficklin’s continued development gives Utah insurance under center and offers first-year offensive coordinator Kevin McGiven some fun options to play with as the Utes embark on a new era under coach Morgan Scalley. — Lederman

Preseason ranking: 23

The Mustangs were not perfect by any stretch, but we learned this is a resilient team who can overcome myriad mistakes and still win. Contrast that to last season, when they were in close games against Baylor and TCU early in the season and lost. Now SMU plays at Louisville in two weeks, another big ACC game early in the year that could potentially make or break conference championship game chances. Kevin Jennings threw for 430 yards and three touchdowns, but he also had two interceptions. Perhaps the biggest revelation was the secondary. Florida State clearly wanted to establish the run and play ball control, and rushed for over 200 yards. But the secondary — the weakest unit on the team last year — appears improved. The Mustangs did not provide much room for plays down the field. Florida State had just 23 pass attempts, and Ashton Daniels completed only 12 of them — averaging 5.3 yards per completion. — Adelson

Preseason ranking: 24

Following the 40-0 win over Northern Illinois, Hawkeyes coach Kirk Ferentz refrained from naming a full-time starting quarterback, as Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski split time Saturday. Yet Brown, who got the starting nod, appears to have the edge in the ongoing battle after completing 12 of 20 passes for 129 yards and a touchdown. Hecklinski went 7-of-16 passing for 76 yards; he had a touchdown but also threw a pick. Ferentz did say “both were productive,” but the offense seemed to click a little more with Brown. With rival Iowa State on deck, it will be interesting to see if Ferentz keeps the competition open for another week — or if he names Brown his undisputed starter. — Trotter

Preseason ranking: NR

The Cavaliers had an open date after their dominant win over NC State in Week 0. Perhaps the biggest revelation was how dynamic quarterback Beau Pribula was in the run game. Virginia went into the contest with the most experienced offensive line in the ACC, with a combined 165 starts. There was little question Virginia would run behind that group. Pribula proved to be the most efficient runner, leading all rushers with 110 yards. Virginia was so dominant on the ground, Pribula attempted only 11 passes while rushing the ball 57 times. The exclamation point came in the fourth quarter on a 23-play drive that took 12:15 and ended with a Xay Davis touchdown run. If Virginia is that dominant up front, this may end up being an even better year than 2025 — when the Cavaliers won a school-record 11 games. — Adelson

Preseason ranking: 22

The Cougars’ run-game output was certainly encouraging in their 33-20 win over Oregon State. Re’Shaun Sanford II impressed in his first game back from a torn ACL with a breakaway 56-yard touchdown. Oregon transfer Makhi Hughes got back to running like he used to at Tulane, turning 17 carries into 98 yards and a score. The Cougars rushed for 228 yards on the day, got 133 receiving yards from star wideout Amare Thomas and managed to hold off a late rally from the Beavers. If Hughes and Sanford can produce with consistency and take some pressure off Conner Weigman, this offense will be tough to stop in Big 12 play. — Olson

Preseason ranking: NR

What a difference having an actual offensive coordinator makes for the Gators. Jon Sumrall knew what he was doing when he hired Buster Faulkner away from Georgia Tech. We have only a one-week sample size, but his impact was immediate. While the Yellow Jackets’ offense did not score a touchdown in their season opener, Florida scored nine touchdowns and 66 points — its most in a game since November 2021. Georgia Tech transfer quarterback Aaron Philo showed comfort in the system, having been with Faulkner the previous two seasons, scoring four total touchdowns against Florida Atlantic. But it was Jadan Baugh who stole the show — becoming the third Gator player to rush for 150 yards and three touchdowns in a game over the past 30 years. It was only one game, but there is little doubt the offense already is vastly improved. — Adelson

Preseason ranking: NR

Austin Simmons might be up for this. The Ole Miss transfer will remain a bit of a mystery until he faces stiffer competition — and a Friday night rivalry game at Kansas looms — but he was almost perfect in Mizzou’s 54-14 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Simmons completed 17 of 19 passes for 252 yards and four touchdowns, and he was a perfect 12-of-12 for 196 yards and three scores to star wideouts Donovan Olugbode and Cayden Lee. Mizzou passers completed only 21 passes thrown 15 or more yards downfield last year (completion rate: 32%), but Simmons completed seven of them in eight tries. The run game needs work, and the second-string defense got a bit sloppy in the second half, but Simmons had been Mizzou’s top question mark, and he was great. — Connelly