The 2026 college football season has finally kicked off. There were many shocking performances, from near upsets to a receiving game that turned lots of heads. Here are three of the biggest takeaways from Week 1 of college football.
The Josh Hoover-Nick Marsh-Charlie Becker trio at Indiana is going to be elite
Indiana brought in TCU transfer Josh Hoover, to replace Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, and it did not take long for the Hoosiers to show they won’t miss a beat this season. They opened the season against North Texas, and won 52-16.
On his very first pass attempt in an Indiana uniform, Hoover connected with Michiagn State transfer wide receiver Nick Marsh on a back shoulder throw that he hauled in with one hand for the touchdown. Hoover added a second touchdown pass to Charlie Becker, who is Indiana’s returning wide receiver from last season’s national title run.
Marsh and Becker are both considered potential first-round picks in next year’s NFL draft, and with Hoover, who has more career passing yards and touchdowns than any other quarterback currently, this trio looks every bit as dangerous as they were advertised. If week 1 is any indication, Indiana’s passing game might be scarier than it was last season.
Miami’s Malachi Toney and Darian Mensah are already in sync
Miami brought in Duke transfer quarterback Darian Mensah this offseason, and many predicted Mensah to be elite for the Hurricanes this year, but there was a question of how quickly he’d reach that level. Those questions were answered immediately.
On the first play of the game against Stanford, Mensah found Malachi Toney streaking down the sidelines for 48 yards. Two plays later, the pair connected again for a touchdown. Toney finished with 12 catches for 234 yards and three touchdowns, the best single-game receiving performance in program history. If that connection holds up, Miami has to be considered one of the nation’s top threats.
LSU looks like a legitimate playoff team under Lane Kiffin
Lane Kiffin’s first game as LSU‘s head coach came against Clemson, which was looking to bounce back from 7-6 season. Quarterback Sam Leavitt, who transferred to LSU from Arizona State, looked like the player who broke out in 2024, and running back Dillin Jones was a difference maker on the ground.
LSU controlled the game from start to finish, while Clemson suffered the worst loss of Dabo Swinney’s coaching career. One week does not make a season, but LSU looked like a team built to compete for a national championship out of the gate.
The season just started and as college football as shown over the years, anything can happen. But some teams and players certainly made statements in Week 1.