Biggest Winners, Losers from College Football Week One?

The 2025 college football season is underway and week one featured a pair of highly anticipated matchups in Columbus and Death Valley. So, who were some of the biggest winners and losers from the first full Saturday of college football.

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) on the field for warm ups before the Ohio State and Texas game at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio on Aug 30, 2025. | Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The 2025 college football season is officially underway and week 1 featured a highly anticipated top 5 matchup in Ohio State-Texas and top 10 matchup in LSU-Clemson. So, who were some of the winners and losers from the first full Saturday of college football.

Winner: Brian Kelly, LSU Tigers

LSU coach Brian Kelly entered this season with immense pressure to get the program back into national contention and that's starts with winning in week 1, something the Tigers had not done since winning the national championship in 2019.

For the fourth consecutive year, the No. 9 ranked team had a premier week 1 matchup, this time on the road against No. 4 Clemson. The two schools were in a defensive slugfest for the entirety of the game. LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier's eight-yard touchdown pass to Trey'Dez Green early in the fourth quarter gave the Tigers a 17-10 win.

Loser: Arch Manning, Texas Longhorns

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) on the field for warm ups before the Ohio State and Texas game at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio on Aug 30, 2025. | Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Texas quarterback Arch Manning was tabbed as the next Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 overall pick heading into his first season as the starter. Instead, Manning went up to Columbus to take on the defending national champion Ohio State Buckeyes and struggled immensely.

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The Longhorns were held scoreless until 3:28 left in the fourth quarter and the No. 1 ranked Longhorns fell to No. 3 Ohio State 14-7. Texas was 1 of 5 on fourth down and Manning threw for just 170 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

Winner: Devon Dampier, Utah Utes

Aug 30, 2025; Pasadena, California, USA; Utah Utes quarterback Devon Dampier (4) runs the ball against UCLA Bruins defensive back Croix Stewart (22) during the first half at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Utah quarterback Devon Dampier made a statement at the Rose Bowl. Dampier led the attack through the air and on the ground, as the Utes blasted its former Pac-12 rival 43-10. The former New Mexico quarterback went 21 of 25 for 206 yards and two touchdowns and carried the ball 16 times for 87 yards and another score.

Dampier was far and away the best quarterback on the field, with Tennessee transfer Nico Iamaleava on the other sideline. It was a rough night for Iamaleava in his Bruins debut, completing just 50-percent of his passes for 136 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

Loser: Kalen DeBoer, Alabama Crimson Tide

Aug 30, 2025; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer looks on against the Florida State Seminoles during the second half at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-Imagn Images | Melina Myers-Imagn Images

Arch Manning may have fell well short of expectations, but there may not be a bigger loser from week one than Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer.

Alabama scored on its opening possession, but it was all downhill from there for the Crimson Tide the rest of the afternoon.

A year after a lackluster 2-10 record in 2024, Florida State made a statement in its home opener at Doak Campbell Stadium. DeBoer has only been in Tuscaloosa for 14 games, but after losses to 6-6 Vanderbilt and Oklahoma a year ago, and disappointing start to the 2025 season, that seat could start warming up real quick if things don't change very soon.