Connect with us

Published

on

College football came back in a big way in Week 1.

The two high-profile matchups lived up to their billing. The No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes defense completely shut down the No. 1 Texas Longhorns and ruined the start of the Arch Manning era. Texas turned the ball over on downs four times and Manning had an interception. The Longhorns are the sixth AP preseason No. 1 to lose the season opener and the first since 1990.

The biggest upset of the day came when the unranked Florida State Seminoles knocked off the No. 8 Alabama Crimson Tide. The Noles, coming off a 2-10 season, dominated the Tide, rushing for 230 yards while holding Bama to 87 yards on the ground, their fewest since 1975.

Stats courtesy of ESPN Research.

All times Eastern

Previous ranking: 3

2025 record: 1-0

Week 1 result: Defeated Texas 14-7

Stat to know: Ohio State’s Julian Sayin is the first QB to win his first college start against an AP No. 1 team since Jim Harbaugh did so for Michigan against Miami in 1984.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Grambling, 3:30 p.m., BTN


Previous ranking: 2

2025 record: 1-0

Week 1 result: Defeated Nevada 46-11

Stat to know: Nicholas Singleton has rushed for a touchdown in eight straight games, which is tied for the second-longest streak over the past 20 years.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Florida International, noon, BTN


Previous ranking: 9

2025 record: 1-0

Week 1 result: Defeated Clemson 17-10

Stat to know: LSU won a season opener against a team ranked in the AP top five for just the second time in history. The first one came over No. 3 Oregon in 2011.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Louisiana Tech, 7:30 p.m., ESPN+


Previous ranking: 5

2025 record: 1-0

Week 1 result: Defeated Marshall 45-7

Stat to know: Gunner Stockton was 14-of-24 for 190 yards and two scores. He ran for 73 yards for two more touchdowns. He’s the first Georgia player to have two passing and two rushing scores in a season opener in the past 80 years.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Austin Peay, 3:30 p.m., ESPN+


Previous ranking: 10

2025 record: 1-0

Week 1 result: Defeated Notre Dame 27-24

Stat to know: Sunday’s win was Miami’s seventh-straight home win against Notre Dame, tied for the longest streak in the poll era.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Bethune-Cookman, 7 p.m., ESPN+


Previous ranking: 7

2025 record: 1-0

Week 1 result: Defeated Montana State 59-13

Stat to know: Oregon had 12 different players with a rush and 10 players with a reception.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Oklahoma State, 3:30 p.m., CBS


Previous ranking: 1

2025 record: 0-1

Week 1 result: Lost to Ohio State 14-7

Stat to know: Texas is the sixth preseason AP No. 1 team to lose its season opener, and the first since 1990. Though the other five teams all rebounded to have good seasons (each won at least nine games), none ended up winning the national title.

What’s next: Saturday vs. San Jose State, noon, ABC


Previous ranking: 4

2025 record: 0-1

Week 1 result: Lost to LSU 17-10

Stat to know: Clemson has scored 10 or fewer points in four of its past five season openers.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Troy, 3:30 p.m., ACC Network


Previous ranking: 6

2025 record: 0-1

Week 1 result: Lost to Miami 27-24

Stat to know: Notre Dame has lost seven consecutive games on the road against Miami.

What’s next: Sept. 13 vs. Texas A&M, 7:30 p.m., NBC


Previous ranking: 13

2025 record: 1-0

Week 1 result: Defeated Virginia Tech 24-11

Stat to know: Shane Beamer is 4-1 in season openers with South Carolina.

What’s next: Saturday vs. South Carolina State, 7 p.m., ESPN+


Previous ranking: 12

2025 record: 1-0

Week 1 result: Defeated Western Illinois 52-3

Stat to know: Illinois’ 49-point win is its second-largest winning margin in a season opener in the AP poll era behind a 73-point win in 1944.

What’s next: Saturday at Duke, noon, ESPN


Previous ranking: 11

2025 record: 1-0

Week 1 result: Defeated Northern Arizona 38-19

Stat to know: In the season opener, Sam Leavitt became the second Arizona State player with two passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns in a game in the past 30 seasons.

What’s next: Saturday at Mississippi State, 7:30 p.m., ESPN2


Previous ranking: 15

2025 record: 1-0

Week 1 result: Defeated Long Island University 55-0

Stat to know: Florida held LIU to 86 total yards. It’s the fewest the Gators have allowed since giving up just 53 to North Texas in 2016.

What’s next: Saturday vs. South Florida, 4:15 p.m., SEC Network


Previous ranking: NR

2025 record: 1-0

Week 1 result: Defeated Alabama 31-17

Stat to know: Florida State became the first team since the AP preseason poll began to win a season opener vs. an AP top-10 opponent following a 10-loss season.

What’s next: Saturday vs. East Texas A&M, noon, ACCN


Previous ranking: 14

2025 record: 1-0

Week 1 result: Defeated New Mexico 34-17

Stat to know: Freshman QB Bryce Underwood is the third Michigan player with 250 or more passing yards in a team debut since 2000, joining Jake Rudock (2015) and John Navarre (2000).

What’s next: Saturday at Oklahoma, 7:30 p.m., ABC


Previous ranking: 22

2025 record: 2-0

Week 1 result: Defeated Kansas State 24-21 (Week 0); beat South Dakota 55-7 (Week 1)

Stat to know: Iowa State has now won Farmageddon three straight times. It’s the Cyclones’ longest streak in the series since winning five in a row from 1985 to 1989.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Iowa, noon, Fox


Previous ranking: 16

2025 record: 1-0

Week 1 result: Defeated East Texas A&M 42-13

Stat to know: SMU became the first FBS team with multiple pick-sixes in a season opener since USC had three vs. Rice in 2022.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Baylor, noon, CW Network


Previous ranking: 18

2025 record: 1-0

Week 1 result: Defeated Illinois State 35-3

Stat to know: John Mateer‘s 392 passing yards were the most by a player making his debut in OU history.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Michigan, 7:30 p.m., ABC


Previous ranking: 19

2025 record: 1-0

Week 1 result: Defeated UTSA 42-24

Stat to know: KC Concepcion is the first Aggies player with a punt return and receiving score since 2017.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Utah State, 12:45 p.m., SEC Network


Previous ranking: 21

2025 record: 1-0

Week 1 result: Defeated Georgia State 63-7

Stat to know: Ole Miss is first team in SEC history to score 60 or more points in three consecutive season openers.

What’s next: Saturday at Kentucky, 3:30 p.m., ABC


Previous ranking: 8

2025 record: 0-1

Week 1 result: Lost to Florida State 31-17

Stat to know: This was Alabama’s first season-opening loss since 2001. The Tide’s 23-game winning streak in openers was the second longest in the FBS behind Ohio State’s 26. The loss also snapped Alabama’s 54-game winning streak against unranked nonconference opponents. The last such loss was against UL Monroe in 2007.

What’s next: Saturday vs. UL Monroe, 7:45 p.m., SEC Network


Previous ranking: 24

2025 record: 1-0

Week 1 result: Defeated Syracuse 45-26

Stat to know: New Vols QB Joey Aguilar had 247 passing yards and three scores. Tennessee has now had a starting QB throw three touchdowns in the season opener in consecutive seasons.

What’s next: Saturday vs. East Tennessee State, 3:30 p.m., ESPN+


Previous ranking: 20

2025 record: 1-0

Week 1 result: Defeated Old Dominion 27-14

Stat to know: Indiana is now 12-0 against unranked opponents since Curt Cignetti took over the program.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Kennesaw State, noon, FS1


Previous ranking: 23

2025 record: 1-0

Week 1 result: Defeated Arkansas-Pine Bluff 67-7

Stat to know: Texas Tech’s 60-point win was its largest margin in a season opener since 1927.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Kent State, noon, TNT


Previous ranking: NR

2025 record: 1-0

Week 1 result: Defeated UCLA 43-10

Stat to know: Utah has won three consecutive season openers.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Cal Poly, 6 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Continue Reading

Sports

Purdue RB Mockobee has season-ending surgery

Published

on

By

Purdue RB Mockobee has season-ending surgery

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue running back Devin Mockobee will miss the rest of his final college season after undergoing ankle surgery late last week, coach Barry Odom announced Monday.

Mockobee finishes his career as the fourth-leading rusher in Boilermakers history with 2,987 yards, trailing Mike Alstott, Kory Sheets and Otis Armstrong, a College Football Hall of Famer. Mockobee also ranks in the school’s top 10 in carries with 630 and career 100-yard games with nine.

Odom said Mockobee injured his ankle late in an Oct. 25 loss to Rutgers. He was ruled out of last weekend’s 21-16 loss at No. 21 Michigan following Friday’s surgery.

“We were hoping we would get a little bit better news after they did that procedure on his ankle, but unfortunately, the injury he sustained, he’s played his last game here,” Odom said. “I sure hate that because he is such a wonderful young man, a great leader of this program and a great representative of Purdue University. The things he poured into this program and university since I’ve been here, he will go down as one of the really enjoyable, great guys I’ve had a chance to coach. We’ll be connected forever, and I know this place means a lot to him.”

Losing this season’s leading rusher couldn’t come at a worse time for the Boilermakers (2-7, 0-6 Big Ten). They are mired in a six-game losing streak and remain one of four winless teams in league play. Purdue’s next chance to snap a school-record 15-game losing streak in conference games comes Saturday when it hosts No. 1 Ohio State (8-0, 5-0).

Antonio Harris started against Michigan then rotated with Malachi Thomas. Harris finished with 11 carries for 54 yards and one touchdown while Thomas had 15 carries for 68 yards. Malachi Singleton, a quarterback, also finished with six carries for 24 yards.

Odom did not say whether he would follow a similar game plan against the Buckeyes.

Mockobee joined the Boilermakers as a walk-on from Boonville, Indiana, but quickly emerged as their top rusher in 2022.

He set school freshman records by rushing for 968 yards and posting four 100-yard games while scoring nine times for the Big Ten West Division champions. After losing the Big Ten championship game to the Wolverines, first-time head coach Ryan Walters gave the 6-foot, 202-pound rusher a scholarship.

But Mockobee struggled with fumbles in 2023, starting just four games and finishing with 811 yards and six TD runs. He rebounded by starting all 12 games in 2024 and producing 687 yards rushing and four scores. He had a team-high 521 yards rushing and 4 TD runs in 8 games this season before getting injured.

Mockobee finished his career with 86 receptions for 839 yards and 3 touchdowns and the only completed pass of his career was a TD pass earlier this season.

Continue Reading

Sports

Alabama suspends DB Kirkpatrick after arrest

Published

on

By

Alabama suspends DB Kirkpatrick after arrest

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama defensive back Dre Kirkpatrick Jr. has been suspended indefinitely following his arrest over the weekend, coach Kalen DeBoer said Monday.

Kirkpatrick was arrested Saturday on three counts of reckless endangerment and one count of attempting to elude and speeding. He was released from Tuscaloosa County Jail on a $1,500 bond.

“Unfortunately, with the information that I have at this time, I talked to Dre, and we need to indefinitely suspend him,” DeBoer said. “He understands there are consequences that come with his actions.”

Kirkpatrick, a sophomore and son of former Alabama defensive back and NFL veteran Dre Kirkpatrick, has eight tackles, including one for a loss, one pass defense and a forced fumble this season.

No. 4 Alabama hosts LSU on Saturday.

Continue Reading

Sports

NCAA sends concerns to prediction market Kalshi

Published

on

By

NCAA sends concerns to prediction market Kalshi

The NCAA sent a letter to Kalshi, a company that offers prediction markets on college basketball and football, expressing its concern about the company’s “commitment to contest integrity and the protection of contest participants,” according to a copy of the letter obtained by ESPN.

In the letter, dated Oct. 30, NCAA chief legal officer Scott Bearby asked Kalshi how it monitors collegiate sports markets for integrity concerns and activity by prohibited customers, who it considers a prohibited customer, whether it will report integrity concerns to the NCAA and whether the company will cooperate with NCAA investigations.

“We welcome Kalshi’s stance on its efforts to protect the integrity of NCAA competitions and to reduce instances of abuse and harassment directed at student-athletes and other participants,” Bearby wrote.

The NCAA also asked if Kalshi would ban prediction markets similar to prop bets, which the company began offering this fall.

Prop betting markets, Bearby noted in the letter, heighten “the risk of integrity and harassment concerns.” In March last year, NCAA president Charlie Baker called for a ban on prop bets on college athletes in states with legal sports wagering.

The NCAA also asked Kalshi in the letter to review language on its website that the NCAA says implies a relationship between them.

“Kalshi has robust market integrity provisions required by our status as a federally licensed financial exchange,” a Kalshi spokesperson said in a statement to ESPN. “We value the NCAA’s feedback and are working on adjusting the language on our site. We are currently reviewing and addressing their additional requests.”

Prediction markets like Kalshi have emerged over the past year and are competing with traditional sportsbooks in the betting market. Kalshi is battling multiple lawsuits by state gambling regulators, who allege that the company is violating state laws by offering event contracts that mimic sports bets. Kalshi argues that it does not fall under state jurisdiction and is instead regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, a federal agency.

In March, Kalshi announced a partnership with IC360, an integrity monitor used by many collegiate and professional leagues.

The NCAA has faced an increasing number of alleged betting violations by players in recent years. In September, the NCAA announced that a Fresno State men’s basketball player had manipulated his performance for gambling purposes and conspired with two other players in a prop betting scheme. In total, the association has opened investigations into potential betting violations by approximately 30 current or former men’s basketball players.

Continue Reading

Trending