Top Highlights and Key Insights from College Football Week 0

College football is back — and Week 0 delivered a little bit of everything: a Mountain West offense flexing 500+ yards, a defense that wrecked a top-five FCS contender, a Big 12 squad that slammed the door on the run, and a quarterback who barely missed all night.

Here’s the Best of the Best from opening weekend.

🔥 Team Offense of the Week: UNLV Rebels

Stat Line: 532 total yards | 38–31 win vs. Idaho State

Dan Mullen’s debut in Las Vegas was a fireworks show. UNLV racked up 532 yards of offense, balanced between bruising runs and timely passes.

The star was RB Jai’dan Thomas, who ripped off 147 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns — including a 70-yard sprint that swung momentum. If UNLV keeps this pace, the Rebels won’t just be dangerous, they’ll be fun.

🛡️ Team Defenses of the Week

Nicholls State Colonels

• 3 Interceptions vs. No. 5 Incarnate Word

• Pick-six by Ty Marsh

• Held UIW’s elite offense to just 17 points

Nicholls didn’t just survive against a ranked powerhouse — they stole the game. Every takeaway sucked the air out of Incarnate Word’s offense, capped by Marsh’s pick-six that sealed the upset.

Kansas Jayhawks

• 37 rushing yards allowed (total) vs. Fresno State

• 3 turnovers forced (2 INT, 1 fumble)

• 31–7 statement win at home

Kansas’ defense was suffocating. Fresno State’s run game disappeared, the pass rush forced hurried throws, and turnovers came in bunches. It was a total defensive clinic — physical up front, opportunistic in the back.

☘️ Sloppy in Dublin, but Cyclones Clutch Late: Iowa State Tops Kansas State

What started as a rain-soaked mess in Aviva Stadium turned into a showcase of grit. No. 22 Iowa State outlasted No. 17 Kansas State in Dublin, 24–21, in a game where execution mattered more than stats.

• Messy First Half: Iowa State managed just five rushing yards early, while both sides traded turnovers and miscues. It felt more like August camp than a top-25 showdown.

• Rocco Becht’s Big Moments: The Cyclones’ QB was far from perfect (14-of-28, 183 yards), but he delivered two touchdown passes and added a rushing score that swung the game late.

• Stats vs. Situational Football: Kansas State actually finished with 383 total yards (273 passing), but went just 1-for-4 on fourth downs. Iowa State? A perfect 3-for-3, cashing in every critical chance.

In the end, Iowa State didn’t need style points—just resilience. Winning ugly in Dublin still counts as a ranked win, and the Cyclones head back across the Atlantic with momentum firmly in their carry-on.

🌺 Rainbow Warriors Shine: Hawai‘i Stuns Stanford

Final Score: Hawai‘i 23, Stanford 20

This one had island flair written all over it. Hawai‘i and Stanford traded blows all night, but it was the Rainbow Warriors’ composure in crunch time that sealed the win.

• QB Micah Alejado, in just his first start, played like a veteran: 27-of-39, 210 yards, 2 TDs.

• Hawai‘i’s defense forced key stops late, holding Stanford to just a field goal in the fourth quarter.

• The Aloha Stadium crowd (and the surfboard turnover chain) brought the energy, reminding us why late-night Hawai‘i football is one of the sport’s hidden treasures.

It wasn’t flashy, but it was gritty — and sending Stanford home with an L is the kind of confidence boost that can launch Hawai‘i into September with swagger.

🎯 Quarterback Precision: Jalon Daniels (Kansas)

• 18-of-20 passing (90%)

• 176 yards, 3 TD

• 47 rushing yards

Daniels was surgical. He missed just two throws all game, commanded the offense with poise, and sprinkled in mobility to keep drives alive. Against a solid Fresno defense, he looked every bit the QB1 Kansas fans were hoping to see.

✨ Top Individual Offensive Performances

• Tre Page III (RB, Tarleton State): 170 yards, 2 TD on only 15 carries in a 42–0 rout.

• Chris Mosley (RB, North Carolina Central): 180 yards and a TD in a MEAC/SWAC showcase win.

• Jai’dan Thomas (RB, UNLV): 147 yards, 3 TD — the heartbeat of UNLV’s big day.

• Jordan Cooke (QB, Idaho State): 380 passing yards vs. UNLV; fearless even in defeat.

• Micah Alejado (QB, Hawai‘i): 210 yards, 2 TD in a 23–20 nail-biter over Stanford.

  
  

🔒 Top Individual Defensive Performances

• Tobi Osunsanmi (DL, Kansas State): 2 sacks and non-stop disruption in a muddy “Farmageddon.”

• Laterrance Welch (DB, UNLV): 2 game-saving interceptions.

• Marsel McDuffie (DB, UNLV): INT + sack = complete playmaker.

• Aamaris Brown (DB, UNLV): Timely pick to swing momentum.

• Kansas D-Line (collective): 4 TFL, 1 sack, relentless all night.

  
  

📊 Quick Stats Spotlight

Category	Team	Key Stat
Best Offense	UNLV Rebels	532 total yards
Best Defense	Kansas Jayhawks	37 rushing yards allowed, 3 turnovers
Upset Defense	Nicholls State	3 INTs, pick-six vs. No. 5 UIW
Upset Win	Hawai‘i Warriors	23–20 over Stanford

🚨 Wrapping It Up

Week 0 jumped right in. Iowa State secured a Big12 victory. UNLV showcased its offensive strength. Nicholls State demonstrated that strong defense wins important games. Kansas showed that a dominant front line and a precise quarterback can stifle opponents. Meanwhile, Hawai‘i reminded us that late-night island football is both tough and captivating.

If this was the appetizer, Week 1 is the full feast.