RADIO
Jackson's Week 1 college football overreactions. His Week 1 CFB analysis and breakdowns for Arch Manning, Carson Beck, Kaleb DeBoer, Nico Iamaleava, and more.
The opening week of the 2025 college football campaign is in the books, and as always, it's time for fans and talking heads to overreact to the Week 1 action. We saw several big-time matchups in Week 1, so there were going to be strong takeaways from the first slate of games, no matter what happened.
Week 1 included Ohio State taking down No. 1 Texas, Alabama getting whooped in Tallahassee, Miami inching out a victory over Notre Dame, and LSU winning the battle of Death Valley. How do these Week 1 results set the stage for the rest of the season and shake up the playoff picture? We'll find out in due time.
For now, let's dive into 10 Week 1 "overreactions" ahead of the next slate of college football action. Which of these takeaways are you buying or selling? Oh, how nice it is to have football back!
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Arch Manning is a Bust
The Take
It was a rough start to the Arch Manning era for Texas. The former five-star recruit and next member of the royal family of quarterbacks has been viewed as the quarterback who can take the Longhorns to the next level. Still, doubt is settling in after the abysmal offensive showing in Columbus.
Texas failed to score a point in the first three quarters of action, and Manning tallied just over 200 yards of total offense -- scoring one touchdown and throwing one interception. Manning looked confused, rattled, and mechanically flawed for most of the contest. That was far from what people expected out of the 21-year-old who had been developed to play the quarterback position since childhood.
After sitting behind Quinn Ewers for two years, he was supposed to be ready to go from Day 1. Following their Week 1 defeat, expectations should be tempered mightily for Manning.
The Flip Side
Opening your starting career on the road against the defending national champions is a tall task for anybody. Ohio State lost a significant amount of talent to the 2025 NFL Draft, but the defense remains loaded, and former NFL head coach Matt Patricia had the entire offseason to game-plan for Manning.
Texas was stopped on fourth down on the Ohio State one-yard line and the nine-yard line, so the Longhorns were not all that far away from winning this game. Had Manning begun his starting career against a Sun Belt team or FCS squad like many Power-Four programs did, people would probably be crowning him as the clear Heisman favorite.
Arch isn't the only Manning to struggle in a first career start against a Top 10 Team
Arch will be fine. 🤘
More on Arch Manning Here: https://t.co/aO7ypiYjJN pic.twitter.com/BA3pytgyO6
— Orangebloods.com (@orangebloods_) September 1, 2025
Manning will get better as the season moves forward, and he has an elite Texas defense to lean on. We haven't heard the last from Manning or Texas.
Auburn is a College Football Playoff Team
The Take
Many picked Auburn as a sleeper team in the preseason, and its Week 1 performance on the road against Baylor has those believers looking wise. Some doubted Oklahoma transfer quarterback Jackson Arnold, but he silenced the critics with 137 rushing yards and two rushing scores. More importantly, he committed zero turnovers.
Running backs Damari Alston and Jeremiah Cobb looked like they would have no problem replacing Jarquez Hunter, and Auburn's defensive line appears to be one of the best units in the country.
Auburn controlled this SEC vs Big 12 contest for the most part, and many viewed Baylor as one of the favorites to win the conference.
The Flip Side
While Arnold's dynamic rushing performance was a sight to behold, we learned little about him as a passer. He completed just 11 passes for 108 yards, and the Tigers were never in "must-pass" situations that they'll find themselves in during SEC conference play. Cam Coleman, Eric Singleton Jr., Horatio Fields, and Malcolm Simmons should be able to help Arnold perform better than he ever has as a passer, but we need to see it first.
The Tiger secondary was carved up for 419 passing yards and three touchdowns, so that must be addressed before we can label the program a clear CFP contender. And remember, we don't really know how good Baylor is after one opportunity to see the Bears play.
Kalen DeBoer Isn't the Answer in Tuscaloosa
The Take
After Saturday's loss to Florida State, DeBoer has now suffered four defeats as a double-digit favorite, and this one came against a 2-10 squad from last year. The Noles put a 14-point loss on Alabama, and the Tide looked overmatched on the line of scrimmage after Alabama's first touchdown drive. Ty Simpson's final stat line looks fine, but he did not look ready for the moment, and the rushing attack only mustered 87 yards on 3.0 yards per carry.
Heart and physicality on display@G27football #NoleFamily | #KeepCLIMBing pic.twitter.com/aWCNRKbOum
— FSU Football (@FSUFootball) August 31, 2025
DeBoer's teams look nothing like what we have come to expect in Tuscaloosa following the legendary run by Nick Saban, so it won't be surprising if he's looking for a new job soon.
The Flip Side
While it's difficult to make a strong case in DeBoer's favor here, there is a lot of football left to be played. For one, there's a chance Florida State really is just that good. Secondly, we saw Notre Dame lose to Northern Illinois last year and still make it all the way to the College Football Playoff National Championship.
In the 12-team CFP era, you can't write off any team after one game, especially a team littered with former blue-chip recruits. Alabama has matchups against UL Monroe and Wisconsin, and a bye week before the showdown with Georgia in Athens. DeBoer has time to make things right, but that doesn't mean it will happen.
Clemson Isn't a National Title Contender
The Take
The 2025 Clemson Tigers are supposed to be the program's best team since Trevor Lawrence was in town, but the Week 1 showing at home does not suggest that. Cade Klubnik, in his third year as a starter, completed just 50% of his passes for 230 yards, no touchdowns, and one interception. He didn't make an impact as a runner, either, tallying one yard with a long of seven yards.
Clemson's rushing offense was abysmal (20 carries, 31 yards), and Bryant Wesco and T.J. Moore were unable to take over the game after the loss of Antonio Williams. While the Clemson defense performed well, it was a disappointing overall effort for one of the top preseason title contenders.
The Flip Side
LSU defense might finally have all the pieces in place under highly respected defensive coordinator Blake Baker. Week 1 can be and often is the ultimate liar, and we might have just watched two of the nation's best teams go toe-to-toe in the opening week of the new campaign.
We said you cannot write teams off after Week 1, and that's especially true for Clemson with a favorable schedule ahead. The Tigers do not face Miami as part of their ACC schedule, and the SMU and Florida State matchups will take place at home. Its Week 1 loss to LSU and Week 14 rivalry contest against South Carolina have no bearing on the ACC standings, so everything Clemson is shooting for is still within reach and attainable.
The "U" is Back
The Take
It's been a while since Miami delivered on preseason hype and high expectations, so a Week 1 victory over No. 6 Notre Dame is just what the fanbase has been waiting for. Georgia transfer quarterback Carson Beck looked calm, collected, and surgical against what is expected to be one of the best secondaries in the country. Miami's offensive line and running backs played with impressive physicality against a program that usually wins the "toughness" battle.
CJ DANIELS WITH AN INSANE ONE-HANDED CATCH FOR THE MIAMI TD 😱 pic.twitter.com/f5bzgkLjHG
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) September 1, 2025
It was an excellent start for new defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman, as the Canes' defense that struggled mightily a season ago, forced two turnovers and lived in the Notre Dame backfield when it mattered most. Florida State, SMU, and Florida await in Miami's next seven matchups, and all of those look very winnable based on what we saw on Sunday night.
The Flip Side
It's difficult to take any credit away from Miami here, but we can't overreact too much after an impressive game against a freshman quarterback in his first start. We saw Miami torch Florida in Gainesville last season to open the 2024 campaign, but rough losses to Syracuse and Georgia Tech ended their CFP hopes.
This was Mario Cristobal's best win since taking over the job, but it was discouraging to see him settle for a field goal near the end of the fourth quarter, giving the Irish the ball with a full minute to work with. That won't fly all season, and he needs to learn to trust his sixth-year senior quarterback to win the game. Coach to win. Don't coach "not to lose."
Colorado is Doomed Without Shedeur Sanders, Travis Hunter
The Take
Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes are now 0-1 in the post-Travis Hunter/Shedeur Sanders era, so that must mean the program is headed for a sharp decline, right? Despite a decent showing from quarterback Kaidon Salter and the rushing attack, and winning the turnover battle 3-0, Colorado could not make the game-winning plays when the occasion arrived.
The Buffaloes decided not to use timeouts in their final drive down a touchdown, so it seems Sanders thinks you can take timeouts with you to the next game. Seriously, that was bizarre.
The Flip Side
While Colorado may regress from last year's 9-4 campaign, let's give a lot of credit to Haynes King, one of the nation's most underrated gamers, and Georgia Tech, one of the nation's most underrated teams. Colorado gave itself a chance to win by forcing turnovers, but the Yellow Jackets proved to be too much to handle.
Let's give Colorado a few more weeks before drawing conclusions.
Nebraska Remains Mediocre
The Take
Based on Matt Rhule's track record in Year 3, and Dylan Raiola's full offseason as a starter to get ready for his sophomore campaign, the Nebraska offseason hype train was real. Meanwhile, not many expected much from Cincinnati, a program that went 8-16 in its first two years under Scott Satterfield. Week 1 could have been a breakout game for the Huskers, but instead, it was a mostly unimpressive three-point win.
Nebraska averaged just 3.0 yards per carry, and it took Raiola 42 passing attempts to total 243 passing yards. We need to see better results moving forward to jump on the Nebraska bandwagon. This did not appear to be a team that could compete for a CFP selection.
The Flip Side
If you're a Nebraska fan or follower, you know how many one-score games the Huskers have been on the wrong side of. Before you can become an elite team, you have to learn to win the close games against inferior opponents, and Week 1 was a step in the right direction.
Dane Key with the TD grab on fourth down pic.twitter.com/XfMds7eHjK
— Mr Matthew CFB (@MrMatthew_CFB) August 29, 2025
As many have pointed out, Nebraska has a realistic path to a 10-0 start. That doesn't mean it will happen, but the schedule allows for the possibility. Getting better each week is what matters, so let's hope Week 1 was one of the team's "worst" performances.
John Mateer is a Heisman Front-Runner
The Take
So far, so good for John Mateer in Norman. He is now averaging 392 passing yards and four touchdowns through one game as a Sooner, and he consistently put up video game numbers with Washington State last season. Receivers Keontez Lewis and Deion Burks, and tight end Jaren Kanak, all had big moments against Illinois State, and Oklahoma's offensive line kept Mateer clean for the most part.
While we can't learn much from a team playing against Illinois State, it was a solid start to the Mateer-Arbuckle era, and Mateer is looking like a real Heisman contender.
The Flip Side
The stats were gaudy as always for Mateer, but let's not get too far ahead of our skis. Illinois State isn't a great measuring stick, but perhaps Michigan will be in Week 2. All eyes will be on the Sooners with College Gameday in town, so we'll have a better idea of what the ceilings of Mateer and Oklahoma are this time next week.
Tennessee's Offense is Officially Back
The Take
After Hendon Hooker's offense dominated the country for the 11-2 Tennessee Vols in 2022, Josh Heupel's offense hasn't been quite the same with Joe Milton and Nico Iamaleava at the helm. Tennessee's offensive performances against several Power 4 teams have had many wondering if Heupel's offense has been figured out, but it sure looked good with Joey Aguilar running the show in the win over Syracuse.
The Vols put up 45 points and 495 yards of offense. And instead of leaning solely on its rushing attack, 247 of those yards and three touchdowns came through the air. It feels like it's been a few years since Tennessee connected on a beautiful deep ball touchdown, but Aguilar and freshman wideout Braylon Staley took care of that in Game 1.
UCLA transfer QB Joey Aguilar hits Braylon Staley for a deep Tennessee touchdown🎯
(via ABC)pic.twitter.com/jqWk9MtLk8
— On3 (@On3sports) August 30, 2025
The Flip Side
Early in last year's campaign, Iamaleava looked like he was going to live up to the hype. The Vols averaged a remarkable 63.3 points per game in their first three contests before the offense's "downfall" in SEC play. After scoring 25 points against Oklahoma in Game 4, Tennessee was held without a point in the next three first halves they played.
Until Tennessee begins SEC play, we can't say their offense is "back." Unfortunately for Tennessee, its SEC-opener comes in less than two weeks against Georgia. The game is at home, but the Bulldogs have been the SEC foe against whom Heupel has not been able to find success.
