Robert Griffin III Reveals 5 College Football Programs Surging After Week 1

Robert Griffin III has named five college football programs he believes are on an upward trajectory entering Week 2.

Oct 16, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; Robert Griffin III on the ESPN Monday Night Football Countdown set SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Week 1 laid a strong foundation many college football programs hope to build upon for their 2026 campaign.

Some of these foundations were laid as a result of upsets, like Massachusetts' historic victory over Rutgers to open the Thursday night slate. Others manifested themselves in the form of mere survival against a major opponent, like Colorado's 14-13 road victory at Georgia Tech.

Former Baylor Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback and current FOX college football analyst Robert Griffin III identified five teams that are on an upward trend after the first week of the season. Four of the teams Griffin III listed reside in the Power Four conferences, but he did list a team from the Group of Six ranks he feels is on the rise.

5. Pittsburgh

Sep 5, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers quarterback Mason Heintschel (6) passes against the Miami (OH) RedHawks during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Quarterback play was the most striking element of Pittsburgh's 59-14 victory over Miami (OH) last week. Mason Heintschel aired the ball out for 453 yards and seven touchdowns, and most of those touchdowns were on throws where the ball traveled 15 or more yards in the air.

The Panthers are among a handful of ACC teams that appear poised for a run at the conference championship this season. Miami is regarded as the clear No. 1 team in the ACC, but no other consistent powers have risen up in the wake of Florida State and Clemson's gradual declines.

4. Tulsa

The Golden Hurricane's defense effectively slowed down an Oklahoma State offense comprised of many pieces from North Texas' 2025 offense, which put up no fewer than 415 yards against American Conference foes.

Arkansas is the only other Power Four team Tulsa faces in its quest to attain bowl eligibility for the first time in five years. The SEC raided the American Conference's coaching fraternity last November, so presumably weaker coaching across the board should allow programs that were down last season to rise up.

3. BYU

Sep 5, 2026; Provo, Utah, USA; BYU Cougars quarterback Bear Bachmeier (47) scrambles against the Utah Tech Trailblazers during the second quarter at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Cougars looked promising in their 63-7 victory over Utah Tech in Week 1. Bear Bachmeier and the offense churned out 521 yards and eight touchdowns, the defense forced four turnovers and Cannon DeVries ran back the second half kickoff for a touchdown.

Notre Dame is far and away the toughest opponent on the Cougars' 2026 schedule. BYU misses Texas Tech in the regular season, and its two toughest tests en route to a second consecutive Big 12 Championship should be against Arizona Saturday and at Utah on Nov. 7.

2. USC

The Trojans pieced together a more complete effort in their 39-0 victory over Fresno State than in their Week 0 victory over San Jose State. Jayden Maiava finished the night 23-of-25 passing for 349 yards and three touchdowns while the defense held the Bulldogs to 116 total yards, an encouraging sign given Lincoln Riley's shaky defensive track record.

As a hopeful College Football Playoff contender, USC needs as strong a start to 2026 as possible. The Trojans face one of the nation's least forgiving conference schedules, so a College Football Playoff appearance would alter the trajectory of Riley's tenure for the better.

1. LSU

Sep 5, 2026; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers running back Dilin Jones (13) eludes a tackle against Clemson Tigers during the first half at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Tigers took the college football world by storm in their 51-10 victory over Clemson last Saturday. LSU's 309 rush yards were almost double its best single-game rushing output in 2025, and the defense held Clemson to 145 total yards of offense.

The unanswered question surrounding the emphatic result is whether LSU is truly unstoppable or if Clemson is actually awful. Both questions should be answered in two weeks' time when these programs begin conference play.