LSU Makes a Statement as College Football Week 1 Delivers Chaos

College football wasted no time delivering drama in Week 1, but no team made a louder statement than LSU.

In Lane Kiffin’s debut, the Tigers overwhelmed Clemson 51–10, putting together one of the most impressive performances of the opening weekend. LSU piled up 644 yards of offense on 94 plays. Meanwhile, quarterback Sam Leavitt made an immediate impact with 230 passing yards, 113 rushing yards, and three total touchdowns.

After an offseason filled with expectations surrounding Kiffin, the transfer portal, and LSU’s potential to contend nationally, the Tigers looked ready immediately. Therefore, the performance raised an even bigger question coming out of Week 1: Is LSU already a legitimate national championship contender?

That headlines the latest episode of the Game Day Collective College Football Show. However, LSU was far from the only major storyline.

Boise State Raises Its Stock Despite the Loss

Despite falling short of completing one of Week 1’s biggest potential upsets, Boise State still walked away as one of the weekend’s biggest stock risers.

Boise State led 17–14 at halftime and remained tied with the No. 2 Ducks late in the game before Oregon finally pulled away. The Broncos protected the football and played disciplined football. In addition, they showed they could compete with one of the most talented teams in the country.

The loss may have actually strengthened Boise State’s case as a team capable of competing for a College Football Playoff spot.

Miami and Indiana Look Like Serious Contenders

Miami also delivered one of Week 1’s most dominant performances with a 45–6 victory over Stanford.

Quarterback Darien Mensah accounted for 401 passing yards and five touchdowns, while Malachi Toney exploded for 234 receiving yards and three scores. Their performance immediately established the duo as one of the most dangerous quarterback-receiver combinations to watch this season.

Defending national champion Indiana also showed no signs of slowing down. The Hoosiers defeated North Texas 52–16, extending their winning streak to 17 games. Quarterback Josh Hoover threw four touchdowns in his first start.

Michigan Survives — But Raises Major Questions

Few teams escaped Week 1 with more questions than Michigan.

The Wolverines survived Western Michigan 13–12 after needing a dramatic late Hail Mary and a controversial final second to avoid the upset. Michigan finished with just 276 yards of offense. The team committed three turnovers and nine penalties as well, and possessed the football for fewer than 20 minutes.

Regardless of the controversy surrounding the final play, the performance itself creates major concerns heading into a Week 2 matchup with Oklahoma.

Week 1 Changed the College Football Conversation

One week will never define an entire season. However, Week 1 gave us our first real evidence about which preseason expectations may have been right — and which ones may have been completely wrong.

LSU suddenly looks capable of competing for much more than a playoff appearance. Miami and Indiana look ready to remain near the top of the national conversation. Boise State proved it belongs in the playoff discussion, while Clemson and Michigan have serious questions to answer.

On the latest Game Day Collective College Football Show, Josh Mahler breaks down the biggest winners and losers. He also looks at whose stock is rising and falling, what we learned from Week 1, the latest GDC prediction results, and what it all means for the first updated Game Day Collective Top 25 rankings of the regular season.

Watch the full episode and join the conversation by sharing your biggest takeaway from Week 1.