Opening Weekend Arrives With Legal Drama in Tow

Thursday night gave the 2026 season its first signature moment, as Colorado survived a one-point scare in Atlanta on the strength of a freshman quarterback's late composure and a blocked field goal as time expired. It was exactly the kind of chaotic opener that reminds you why the first week of college football exists — nothing is settled, and nothing is safe.

Off the field, LSU's eligibility fight with the SEC escalated into something far larger than a roster dispute. A Louisiana judge's order cleared two former NFL players to suit up for the Tigers, but the conference's decision to take the matter to federal court in Alabama signals this conflict will not resolve quietly — and it lands in the middle of a week when LSU is already preparing for a high-profile Death Valley debut against Clemson.

Friday carries its own weight. Miami opens at Stanford with Darian Mensah in the spotlight as the most expensive quarterback in college football history takes his first snaps in a Hurricane uniform. Notre Dame, ranked fourth nationally, heads to Lambeau Field for a Shamrock Series clash with Wisconsin that doubles as CJ Carr's audition on the sport's biggest stage. The legal noise will continue in the background, but the games are here.