- The Lane Kiffin era begins at LSU: The No. 11 Tigers play host to Clemson in a marquee showdown from Baton Rouge.
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Week 1 features the first full slate of college football action from Thursday all the way through Monday. Several ranked teams take center stage in the weekend’s marquee matchups.
Here are PFF’s previews of five of the biggest games of Week 1.
No. 9 Ole Miss vs. No. 24 Louisville (Nashville, Sunday, 7:30 PM ET on ABC)
Storyline to know: The only matchup between ranked teams in Week 1
Sunday night’s game between Ole Miss and Louisville is the only game in Week 1 between two top-25 teams. Both the Rebels and Cardinals have College Football Playoff aspirations as they each have been uber-successful over the last few seasons.
Ole Miss is coming off a magical season in which it made it all the way to the College Football Playoff semifinal, losing in the final seconds to Miami (FL). The Rebels’ No. 3 ranking in the final AP poll was tied for their best finish since 1960. Pete Golding took over as head coach during that playoff run and now enters his first full season calling the shots.
Meanwhile, Louisville has won at least nine games in each of Jeff Brohm’s first three seasons as head coach. The Cardinals are trying to get over the hump this year and advance to the first playoff in program history.
Matchup to watch when Louisville has the ball (Max): Can Ole Miss limit the explosive runs from Louisville’s elite running back duo?
Brohm has had an incoming transfer start at quarterback for him in each of his first three seasons at Louisville: Jack Plummer (2023), Tyler Shough (2024) and Miller Moss (2025). That’s no different this season, as Ohio State’s Lincoln Kienholz is taking over as his new signal-caller.
Kienholz was a four-star recruit in the 2023 class but has never started a game and only has 40 career dropbacks. Louisville is likely hoping to keep the ball out of his hands in this game and rely on its phenomenal duo of running backs. The Cardinals came in with our No. 5 running back unit in the country thanks to Isaac Brown and Keyjuan Brown. The former has averaged 7.8 yards per carry in his career, the best of any back since 2024. The latter averaged 7.3 yards per carry last year, second in the Power Four to only his teammate, Isaac.
While Ole Miss’ defensive line checked in at No. 6 in our rankings, the Rebels were relatively average at stopping the run. Ole Miss was 62nd in yards per carry allowed (4.8) and 68th in explosive run rate allowed (14.3%). Players like defensive tackle Will Echoles and edge defender Suntarine Perkins need to step up to force Kienholz into obvious passing situations.
Matchup to watch when Ole Miss has the ball (Dalton): Trinidad Chambliss’ quick release vs. Louisville’s pass rush
Various highlight reels will spotlight Trinidad Chambliss’ ability to improvise and make plays outside the pocket. While that may play a factor in this game, Chambliss was extremely efficient when getting rid of the football on time last season. When releasing the ball in 2.5 seconds or less, Chambliss racked up 2,266 passing yards, sixth-most in the nation, while throwing 14 touchdowns compared to just one interception. His 16 big-time throws in those scenarios ranked third among all FBS quarterbacks.
That quick release should help Chambliss avoid Louisville’s elite pass rush, which ranked among the top three FBS teams in PFF pass-rush grade, pressure rate and pass-rush win rate. The Cardinals’ defensive line is led by Clev Lubin, who ranked sixth in the FBS with 64 pressures and an elite 92.7 pass-rush grade last season. Lubin and fellow edge rusher AJ Green could give Ole Miss’ new offensive tackles fits, so Chambliss would be wise to get rid of the football as quickly as possible.
Score Predictions
Max: Ole Miss 30, Louisville 27
Louisville’s dynamic run game and pass rush give Ole Miss all it can handle, but Trinidad Chambliss is able to scrape together enough magic for the Rebels to escape Nashville with a victory.
Dalton: Ole Miss 27, Louisville 21
Louisville has the roster to keep up with the Rebels, but the difference in the game lies at quarterback, where potential Heisman candidate Trinidad Chambliss outduels first-time starter Lincoln Kienholz.
Clemson at No. 11 LSU (Saturday, 7:30 PM ET on ESPN)
Storyline to know: Two Tigers in similar jungles
LSU and Clemson share a few similarities. They both share the nickname “Tigers”, their home stadiums are both known as “Death Valley” and they each have won national championships over the last decade but have disappointed in recent years.
Clemson entered 2025 as the No. 4 team in the country but ended up with just a 7-6 record, its third straight season with at least four losses. It now enters 2026 with plenty of questions as nine players were selected in the 2026 NFL Draft.
LSU reached as high as No. 3 in the AP poll but also posted just a 7-6 record, marking the fifth time in the last six years that the Tigers lost at least four games. Head coach Brian Kelly was fired midseason, and LSU made the biggest splash in the coaching carousel by hiring Lane Kiffin away from Ole Miss. He completely remade LSU’s roster through recruiting and the transfer portal, and the Tigers are likely the biggest boom-or-bust team in the sport.
Matchup to watch when LSU has the ball (Max): Which version of Sam Leavitt will we see at LSU?
Sam Leavitt may be the biggest X-factor in college football this season. We’ve seen two very different versions of him while he was the starter at Arizona State. He was outstanding in 2024 as a redshirt freshman, leading the Sun Devils to the College Football Playoff and producing the third-best turnover-worthy play rate in the country (1.1%).
Leavitt tried to play much more hero ball during an injury-riddled 2025 campaign, which led to a 3.9% turnover-worthy play rate (100th). His physical talent is immense, but Leavitt must be more willing to play within Kiffin’s system this season, one that’s produced elite results for nearly every quarterback who plays in it. If he does, LSU’s got the supporting talent to make some serious noise in the SEC and send Leavitt to New York City for the Heisman Trophy ceremony.
Matchup to watch when Clemson has the ball (Dalton): Clemson’s starting quarterback vs. Blake Baker
Clemson has been staging a long quarterback battle. Fourth-year passer Christopher Vizzina is the favorite to start this week, though true freshman Tait Reynolds has impressed the Clemson coaching staff so far. Last season, Vizzina made four appearances, including a start against SMU in which he earned a 79.5 PFF passing grade. He has 119 career dropbacks to his name.
Whomever Clemson decides to start at quarterback will have the tough task of trying to decipher LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker’s scheme. LSU’s secondary was the best part of its team last season. The Tigers ranked 24th in the FBS in PFF coverage grade last year while reeling in the ninth-most interceptions as a team.
Baker utilizes an aggressive approach that resulted in top-25 rates of pass-blitz and man coverage usage. Keep an eye on Clemson wide receivers Bryant Wesco Jr. and T.J. Moore facing off with talented LSU cornerbacks DJ Pickett and PJ Woodland.
Score Predictions
LSU’s roster is filled with talent, while Clemson’s is filled with questions. LSU dominates at home and shows that it’s a legitimate contender to win the national championship.
Lane Kiffin and Sam Leavitt will garner the spotlight, but LSU’s defense establishes itself as the dominant unit in this game.
Boise State at No. 2 Oregon (3:30 PM ET on CBS)
Storyline to know: A top contender to win it all meets a top team to be the best in the Group of Six
Oregon enters the 2026 season with immense expectations. After making it to the College Football Playoff semifinal in 2025, the Ducks enter this year as the No. 2 team in the country. That marks the highest preseason ranking for Oregon in program history.
Boise State has a similar story. The Broncos have a 21-7 record over the past two seasons, including a College Football Playoff berth in 2024. Boise State is currently the betting favorite to represent the Group of Six in the College Football Playoff, according to DraftKings Sportsbook (+450).
Matchup to watch when Oregon has the ball (Max): Can Drew Mehringer live up to the high bar set by previous Oregon offensive coordinators?
Oregon head coach Dan Lanning will have a new offensive coordinator for the third time in his five years as head coach. Tight ends coach Drew Mehringer will be calling plays this year, taking over for Will Stein, who left to become Kentucky’s head coach. Stein’s predecessor, Kenny Dillingham, was hired by Arizona State to be its head coach.
Oregon offense with Dan Lanning as head coach
Season Offensive Coordinator EPA per play (FBS rank) 2022 Kenny Dillingham 0.253 (7th) 2023 Will Stein 0.391 (2nd) 2024 Will Stein 0.197 (11th) 2025 Will Stein 0.191 (17th)Mehringer has previous experience as a play-caller, serving as an offensive coordinator at James Madison, Rutgers, FAU and New Mexico before landing at Oregon. He has a loaded offense to work with this year, spearheaded by a projected top-three pick at quarterback in Dante Moore. The Ducks also have our No. 4 receiving corps and No. 10 running back unit, though the offensive line has more question marks due to three new starters.
Matchup to watch when Boise State has the ball (Dalton): Boise State’s star running backs vs. Oregon’s stifling run defense
As is tradition, the Broncos boast an excellent rushing attack led by star talents in the backfield. Running backs Dylan Riley and Sire Gaines combined for 1,932 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns last season as Boise State earned a top-25 team PFF rushing grade. In their nine wins in 2025, the Broncos averaged 218 rushing yards, excluding sacks. In their five losses, they averaged only 110 rushing yards.
Oregon returns a star-studded defensive line that features some of the best run defenders in the nation, including defensive tackle A’Mauri Washington and edge defender Teitum Tuioti. As a team, the Ducks allowed just 4.2 yards per carry last season, 14th-lowest in the country. They also surrendered a 10-plus-yard run just 8.9% of the time, which was the sixth-lowest mark in the nation. If the Broncos’ run game doesn’t dominate, they could find themselves in disadvantageous third down situations where quarterback Maddux Madsen is forced to carry the offense.
Score Predictions
Max: Oregon 41, Boise State 14
While Boise State might be the best team that the Group of Six has to offer, it’s still no match for what might be the best team in college football.
Dalton: Oregon 45, Boise State 17
Boise State is a Group of Six playoff contender. Oregon is a legitimate national title contender. The Ducks dominate in the trenches as they cruise to a home victory.
No. 19 SMU at Florida State (Monday, 7:30 PM ET on ESPN)
Storyline to know: Can Mike Norvell cool off the hottest seat in the country?
While there have been some highs to Mike Norvell’s tenure at Florida State, it’s been mostly ugly. The Seminoles have missed a bowl game in four of his six seasons as head coach. From 1982 to when he was hired in 2020, Florida State only missed a bowl game once.
While the Seminoles won their Week 0 matchup against New Mexico State, 34-17, it certainly didn’t feel like a victory. It was a one-possession game until late in the third quarter, and the Aggies project as one of the worst teams in the entire country this year. Norvell finds himself on the hottest seat in America but has a chance to cool it down if he can secure a home victory over a top-20 team in SMU on Monday night.
Matchup to watch when Florida State has the ball (Dalton): Florida State’s run game vs. SMU’s stout run defense
If there was any positive to pull from Florida State’s somewhat ugly win in Week 0, it’s that its rushing attack put forth a nice effort. Sophomore running back Ousmane Kromah led the way with 115 yards on just 14 carries. Fellow rushers Quintrevion Wisner and Samuel Singleton Jr. also contributed, while quarterback Ashton Daniels remains a legitimate option threat. Interestingly, when excluding scrambles and kneels, 153 of the Seminoles’ 203 rushing yards came on off-tackle runs in Week 0.
SMU will be tasked with slowing down that dynamic rushing attack, but the team has proven it can do that since joining the ACC. Last season was another successful year in run defense, as the Mustangs placed among the top 15 FBS teams in PFF run-defense grade and yards per carry allowed while giving up just five touchdowns on the ground all season. The Mustangs don’t miss many tackles and return key players like edge defender Jahkai Lang and linebackers Brandon Booker and Alexander Kilgore. Forcing Daniels to throw the ball in obvious passing situations will be the Mustangs’ best path to defensive success.
Matchup to watch when SMU has the ball (Max): Can Florida State find a way to pressure Kevin Jennings?
Nearly everything about Florida State’s victory over New Mexico State was underwhelming, but perhaps the most disappointing was the Seminoles’ lack of a pass rush. They only finished with a 23.4% pressure rate against the Aggies. For comparison, the national average last year was 32.6%. Plus, New Mexico State was only 122nd in team PFF pass-blocking grade last year.
If Florida State wants to upset SMU, it needs to get home more often. That’s because quarterback Kevin Jennings has had his fair share of issues against pressure. He’s thrown 11 interceptions when under duress over the last two seasons, the most of any Power Four quarterback.
Luckily for Jennings, he has an elite offensive line protecting him. The Mustangs checked in with our No. 4 offensive line in the country. They have three starters who made the top-10 at their position: Center Joshua Bates, guard Addison Nichols and tackle PJ Williams.
Score Predictions
Max: SMU 31, Florida State 21
It’s hard to feel too confident about Florida State right now. On the flip side, Rhett Lashlee has SMU humming. The Mustangs win this game by double digits.
Dalton: SMU 34, Florida State 23
Kevin Jennings is much easier to trust than Ashton Daniels in the passing game, particularly after Florida State generated very little pressure in its first game of the season. The Mustangs prove they’re the better team, while the Seminoles continue to spiral.
UCLA at California (Saturday, 10:30 PM ET on ESPN)
Storyline to know: Two California schools with optimism
Both UCLA and California enter the 2026 season with new head coaches and high hopes for the future.
UCLA hired Bob Chesney away from James Madison after he led the school to a 12-2 record and its first College Football Playoff appearance. He completely remade the Bruins’ roster, adding 43 transfers. UCLA’s preseason win total is set at 6.5 (DraftKings), even though the Bruins went just 3-9 last year.
California hired Tosh Lupoi from Oregon, where he served as defensive coordinator for the last four seasons. But it’s actually the other side of the ball where the Golden Bears have the most confidence. Cal has a rising superstar at quarterback in sophomore Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, who seems poised to join Jared Goff and Aaron Rodgers as first-round quarterbacks from the school once he’s eligible in 2028. Further, the Golden Bears significantly upgraded the weaponry around him with transfers like wide receiver Ian Strong, wide receiver Chase Hendricks, tight end Dorian Thomas and running back Adam Mohammed. California could be one of the top contenders in the ACC if it hits its ceiling this year.
Matchup to watch when UCLA has the ball (Dalton): UCLA’s potentially dynamic backfield vs. California’s inconsistent run defense
UCLA boasts a potentially dynamic duo in its backfield this season. Quarterback Nico Iamaleava returns after placing second among all qualified quarterbacks with 7.9 yards per carry last season. Running back Wayne Knight followed his head coach Bob Chesney from James Madison after bursting onto the scene last season with 1,368 rushing yards, eighth-most in the FBS, and 32 explosive runs. Utah transfer Anthony Woods and former California Golden Bear Jaivian Thomas could also provide support in the backfield.
Meanwhile, new defensive-minded California head coach Tosh Lupoi will be tasked with fixing a previously porous run defense that allowed 207 rushing yards per game in ACC play, excluding sacks. As a team, the Golden Bears earned the 10th-worst PFF run-defense grade in the nation while also ranking 100th or worse in yards per carry and explosive run rate allowed. There are a ton of new pieces in the Golden Bears’ front seven, so they will need to adjust to the Bruins’ backfield talent quickly.
Matchup to watch when California has the ball (Max): JKS and California’s upgraded weaponry against a very good UCLA secondary
California could have one of the most explosive passing attacks in college football this season. Sagapolutele is already one of our top-10 quarterbacks in the sport. His 28 big-time throws last year as a true freshman were fifth in the Power Four. The Golden Bears added a bevy of pass-catchers to help him flourish even more as a sophomore.
Strong’s 37 contested catches over the last two years at Rutgers are the most of any FBS wide receiver. Hendricks (Ohio) was 16th in the nation last year with 1,042 yards. And Thomas (New Mexico) had the most catches without a drop among all tight ends in the country (56).
But UCLA’s secondary could be up to the task of defending Cal’s high-flying offense. The Bruins added a couple of excellent transfers in safety Tao Johnson (Utah) and slot corner Derrick Barksdale (James Madison). Johnson’s 23.8 passer rating allowed last year was second among Power Four safeties, while Barksdale was sixth among all corners with 12 forced incompletions. Rodrick Pleasant is also back at corner after placing fourth in the Big Ten with seven pass breakups.
Score Predictions
Max: California 28, UCLA 27
This game should come down to the wire and could end up as a shootout. In the end, Sagapolutele and his enhanced receiving corps do just enough to sneak out a home win.
Dalton: UCLA 31, California 28
This may be the most unpredictable game of the week. The Golden Bears have a tough task in slowing down a dynamic ground game led by Wayne Knight and Nico Iamaleava. Bob Chesney and the Bruins can control the pace of this game and get a new era off to a good start.
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