The Highly Anticipated Return of College Football

A Controversial Kickoff// Capping off a long eight-month off-season, the wait is finally over as College Football returns to national television with the 2026 season starting off with a bang. The opening week delivered a dramatic mix of dominant victories, chaotic finishes, and early Heisman contender highlights, reeling in football lovers all across the nation. (Photo by Humza Hassan)

On opening week, Western Michigan University pulled off a historic upset victory against Michigan after a failed Hail Mary in the final few seconds. The clock had hit zero, and WMU players and fans were celebrating before a late officiating intervention put a damper on their jubilation. Determining the fault of a WMU Broncos defender, referees restored a single second back on the game clock, giving No.16 Michigan another chance at victory. Sophomore quarterback Bryce Underwood capitalized on the given opportunity, connecting with wide receiver JJ Buchanan. The Coronado High School alumni caught the 47-yard game-winning touchdown to seal a highly controversial 13–12 Michigan victory. 

There was a thunderous uproar regarding the officiating of this game, with countless fans claiming that Michigan was granted the victory through a third party. The protests resulted in the Mid-American Conference releasing a statement concerning the disputed refereeing of the game. Despite the backlash, the Big Ten Conference adamantly defended the officiating decisions and, as such, the matter stays as a deadlock between heated fans and an unwavering conference. 

“After further study and investigation, it is now evident that replay protocol was not properly followed in determining whether time remained on the game clock at the conclusion of the Western Michigan vs. Michigan football game,” MAC commissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher explained. 

While officiating drama headlined college football in the upper Midwest, pure historical dominance highlighted the football played on the West Coast. Playing Stanford on their home turf, Miami put on a show in their huge 45–6 blowout win with Malachi Toney taking the spotlight. When head coach of the Miami Hurricanes, Mario Cristobal was questioned about Toney’s stellar performance, this is how he responded.

“His ability to read the field and his ability to digest concepts and to continue to evolve is really impressive. He’s a guy where we’ve always felt that the sky is the limit … but really good start to the season,” Cristobal explained. 

The sophomore wide receiver for the No. 7 Hurricanes put the work on the Cardinals defense, tearing them up for an absurd 12 receptions, 234 receiving yards, and 3 touchdowns, shattering a 42-year-old school record set by Eddie Brown in 1984. Toney single-handedly outperformed the entire Stanford passing offense, climbing to the top in the Heisman race, closely followed by Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning, and Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, both of whom also put on some commendable performances. 

In addition to all the other twists and turns thus far, the opening week also featured a power outage in Tallahassee, delaying the Florida State game against the SMU Mustangs. Not to mention, LSU handed Clemson’s Dabo Swinney the most lopsided defeat in his coaching career after a blowout 51–10 finish. The reigning champions, the Indiana Hoosiers, also started their title defense off strong with a dominant 52–16 victory over North Texas. 

Ultimately, this first week of college football brought its fair share of surprises to its entire audience. Considering the action that ensued in the first week, ranging from breaking long-standing records to conference involvement in game rulings, it’s hard not to anticipate what’s to come in the approaching days.