Except for No. 11 LSU's highly anticipated showdown with Clemson, Saturday of Week 1 for the presumptive title contenders was about taking care of overmatched opponents. LSU quickly shoved Clemson into the "overmatched" tier as well, resulting in a mostly dominant start for the nation's highest-ranked teams.
No. 2 Oregon was an outlier, as the Ducks got pushed until the end by Boise State in a 34-27 win. The Ducks entered as 24-point favorites but had to saddle up to avoid a catastrophic home loss. The drama surrounding Oregon stood in contrast to the easy victories earned by the teams sandwiching the Ducks in the AP poll, as No. 1 Ohio State and No. 3 Georgia won their openers by a combined total of 119-9.
We didn't learn too much about the Buckeyes or Bulldogs. But they seemed to confirm what we always believed about them: They possess superior talent and the sort of dominant gear that suggests a potential for greatness.
We are handing out grades evaluating every team that started or ended Saturday with national championship odds of +3000 or better.
2026 national championship odds listed below courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook. Teams listed in order of their AP Top 25 ranking.
No. 1 Ohio State
Grade: B+
Result: 56-3 win vs. Ball State
Title odds: +600
It was harder than it should have been for the Buckeyes to find early success in the running game, and the Buckeyes also surrendered a couple of first-half sacks. But when it was all said and done, this was the sort of drama-free beatdown you would expect from Ohio State against a MAC opponent. Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith looked like stars, and the Buckeyes limited Ball State to fewer than 3 yards per play.
No. 2 Oregon
Grade: C+
Result: 34-27 win vs. Boise State
Title odds: +900
Oregon committed too many costly defensive penalties, Evan Stewart botched a couple of punt returns, and the Ducks struggled to convert on third and fourth downs. Against that backdrop, they were fortunate to survive an impressive challenge from Boise State. As head coach Dan Lanning said afterward, "There's a lot that we can do a lot better." But a win is a win, and unlike many of their peers, Oregon actually played a team with a pulse.
No. 3 Georgia
Grade: A
Result: 63-3 win vs. Tennessee State
Title odds: +750
There weren't many holes to poke in Georgia's ruthlessly dominant season-opening win against an overmatched FCS opponent. The Bulldogs scored touchdowns on their first five possessions and forced five straight TSU three-and-outs to start the game. Plenty of backups got reps as 15 Bulldogs caught passes and a whopping 31 Georgia defenders recorded tackles.
No. 5 Texas
Grade: B+
Result: 59-7 win vs. Texas State
Title odds: +650
Texas State moved the football effectively against the vaunted Texas defense, but the Longhorns forced three turnovers and came up with a pair of fourth-down stops to cover their tracks. Texas scored on all but one possession as Arch Manning began his season with 305 yards passing and four touchdowns. But Texas didn't exactly thrive running the football. All told, it was the sort of dominant but imperfect showing you'd expect from a Week 1 game against an overmatched opponent.
No. 6 Indiana
Grade: C+
Result: 52-16 win vs. North Texas
Title odds: +950
The reigning national champions didn't ruthlessly dominate a rebooting North Texas program as you might expect. UNT kept the chains moving with 19 first downs as the Mean Green reached Indiana territory seven times. Indiana didn't have the best day running the football, as backs Turbo Richard and Lee Beebe Jr. combined for 91 yards on 29 carries (3.14 yards per attempt). Starting QB Josh Hoover had a nice debut, completing 13 of 16 passes for 231 yards and four touchdowns.
No. 7 Miami
Grade: A-
Result: 45-6 win vs. Stanford
Title odds: +900
Miami's passing attack looked unstoppable, as Duke transfer Darian Mensah completed 27 of 30 passes for 401 yards and five touchdowns in his Miami debut. He found sophomore star Malachi Toney 12 times for a school record 234 yards and three touchdowns as the Hurricanes cruised to an easy win. It's only an A- because the running game was pedestrian and because the defense totaled just two tackles for loss against a hobbled Stanford defensive line.
No. 8 Texas A&M
Grade: A-
Result: 50-0 win vs. Missouri State
Title odds: +2500
Texas A&M sputtered out of the gate offensively, but its defense was dominant throughout as the Aggies held Missouri State to just 67 yards and four first downs. Not since 1978 had an opponent produced fewer yards in a game against the Aggies. In the end, it was a dominant opener from A&M that will nonetheless leave the Aggies seeking to dial things in offensively.
No. 10 Oklahoma
Grade: A-
Result: 51-0 win vs. UTEP
Title odds: +3000
Oklahoma retooled its offense to more prominently feature tight ends, and the early returns were fine, as the Sooners scored on every possession through the first three quarters. Not bad considering OU was without a couple of projected offensive line starters due to injury. The defense was predictably strong, and it's hard to criticize a shutout. A nitpicking Sooners fan might note that UTEP moved the football into Sooners territory three times during the first half.
No. 11 LSU
Grade: A+
Result: 51-10 win vs. Clemson
Title odds: +1450
The most anticipated game of the Week 1 slate quickly turned into a non-competitive bludgeoning as LSU passed its first test under Lane Kiffin with flying colors. LSU's run game looked better than it has in years, and the defense made life miserable for Clemson. Considering the quality of the opponent and level of dominance, this was easily the most impressive showing by a title contender on Saturday.
No. 12 Texas Tech
Grade: C
Result: 33-10 win vs. Abilene Christian
Title odds: +2200
Abilene Christian's only touchdown came on a late kickoff return, so the Texas Tech defense did not allow a touchdown. But the Red Raiders never found the dominant gear they showed for most of last season. Too many red-zone trips resulted in field goals as the Wildcats kept Texas Tech from finding a sustained offensive groove.
