- The first month of the college football season has concluded with no clear national championship favorite.
- Oregon is ranked as the best team, while quarterback Dante Moore is the current Heisman Trophy frontrunner.
- Vanderbilt has emerged as a surprise team with a 5-0 start, and Clemson has been a major disappointment.
Arch Manning isn’t going to win the Heisman Trophy. Clemson isn’t going to win the national championship. Penn State still can’t figure out how to beat a top-five opponent.
North Carolina and new coach Bill Belichick might not win a game against Power Four competition. No. 8 Indiana isn’t going anywhere. No. 10 Georgia’s defense has dropped off the map.
Those are just a few of the biggest takeaways from the first month of college football’s regular season, which ends with the Big Ten and SEC dominating the US LBM Coaches Poll but no clear favorite for the national championship.
The stage is set for an unpredictable stretch before the College Football Playoff bracket is unveiled in early December. USA TODAY Sports looks back at the opening month of the regular season by crowning the best team, biggest surprise, Heisman favorite and more:
Best team: No. 2 Oregon
No. 4 Mississippi has three SEC wins and a non-conference victory against Tulane. After beating No. 7 Texas in the season opener, No. 1 Ohio State added a strong road win against Washington last weekend. No. 3 Miami has stormed out of the gate by beating No. 21 Notre Dame, South Florida and Florida. But Oregon had maybe the best single win of the first month with Saturday’s double-overtime victory at No. 6 Penn State, along with additional Power Four wins against Oklahoma State and Northwestern and a rivalry win against Oregon State. The Ducks look like a powerhouse.
Most improved team: No. 8 Oklahoma
After fumbling through a rocky SEC debut, the Sooners have quickly rebounded thanks to a drastic offensive reboot that included the addition of transfer quarterback John Mateer. While Mateer’s hand injury could sideline him for a month, Oklahoma remains a major playoff contender with conference play about to kick into high gear. A difficult schedule gives them some wiggle room if the Sooners can bag some quality wins.
Surprise team: No. 18 Vanderbilt
After reaching and winning the Birmingham Bowl last season, Vanderbilt has taken another step forward with just the program’s second 5-0 start in the modern era. The face of this surge has been quarterback Diego Pavia, one of several New Mexico State transfers who have changed the complexion of the program and the Commodores’ strongest Heisman Trophy contender in almost a century.
Disappointing team: Clemson
The offense stinks. Again. The defense has just two takeaways in three games against the Power Four. The Tigers have dropped three of four to open the year for the first time since 2004. Seen as one of the top teams in the Bowl Subdivision back in August, Clemson isn’t even the best Power Four team in South Carolina.
Best conference: Big Ten
With the top two teams in this week’s US LBM Coaches Poll and four of the top nine, the Big Ten has delivered on preseason expectations while the best teams in the SEC have struggled to stay afloat during the early part of the league’s meat-grinder regular season. The final two months should provide more clarity of the picture, but it’s a nice start for the Big Ten.
Heisman Trophy leader: QB Dante Moore, Oregon
The Heisman odds have changed almost weekly, cycling through a series of favorites — Cade Klubnik, Arch Manning, Mateer, Fernando Mendoza — before Moore took over to end the month after his brilliant performance against the Nittany Lions. The redshirt sophomore completed 29 of 39 throws for 248 yards and three touchdowns in the win, giving him 14 scores against just one interception through five games.
Breakout star: QB Trinidad Chambliss, Mississippi
The former Ferris State transfer was expected to hold a clipboard for Austin Simmons but was thrust into the lineup after Simmons was injured late in the win against Kentucky. Chambliss has at least 385 yards of total offense in each of his three starts with six combined touchdowns as the Rebels have ascended into the top five.
Best non-quarterback: DL Rueben Bain Jr., Miami
After battling injuries in 2024, Bain has been the most dominant defender in the country since posting six tackles, a half-sack and an interception in Miami’s win against the Fighting Irish. Against Florida, the junior had seven tackles, one for loss, and 10 quarterback pressures. So far, he’s putting together a year that ranks favorably among the best by a defensive lineman in recent FBS history.
Best coach: Lane Kiffin, Mississippi
He’s pushed all the right buttons for the unbeaten Rebels, who may be one of the safest bets for the playoff with just two more games against team in this week’s US LBM Coaches Poll. Whether they remain on track could depend on where Kiffin lands on the unexpected quarterback controversy between Simmons and Chambliss.
Best first-year coach: Dan Mullen, UNLV
Mullen is the only first-year coach still unbeaten after leading UNLV to wins against Idaho State, Sam Houston State, UCLA and Miami (Ohio). While three of these wins were decided by a possession — and it’s not like this is a murderer’s row of competition — the former Mississippi State and Florida coach has successfully carried over the foundation set in place by his predecessor, Barry Odom.
Biggest upset: South Florida 18, Florida 16
Eighteen-point underdogs heading into Gainesville, South Florida’s win was the biggest upset of September by point spread and one of the most impactful results overall. In addition to spoiling the Gators’ season and ushering in the end of Florida coach Billy Napier’s tenure, the win is another feather in the cap for the American in the fight with the Mountain West and Sun Belt for Group of Five supremacy.
Best game: Oregon 30, Penn State 24 (Sept. 27)
In terms of talent level, drama and overall meaning, it’s hard to top the Ducks’ double-overtime win in Happy Valley. Oregon led 17-3 early in the fourth quarter before Drew Allar sparked a pair of touchdown drives to force overtime. After exchanging touchdowns in the first extra frame, Oregon scored to open the second overtime but missed the two-point try. Penn State’s ensuing possession ended with an Allar interception, marking the second time in as many games against top-five competition the Nittany Lions have been ruined by a late turnover.
Coach on the hot seat: Billy Napier, Florida
Four major-conference coaches have already been fired in Virginia Tech’s Brent Pry, UCLA’s Deshaun Foster, Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy and Arkansas’ Sam Pittman. Barring an epic recovery against a brutal schedule, Florida will eventually part ways with Napier and end the most unsuccessful coaching tenure in modern program history.
Best transfer: QB Carson Beck, Miami
One year after coach Mario Cristobal hit paydirt with Washington State transfer Cam Ward, Beck has been the nation’s most influential transfer and the main reason for the Hurricanes’ unbeaten start. While he struggled amid rough weather conditions in the win against Florida, Beck is completing 73.2% of his attempts with seven touchdowns.
Best freshman: DL Sidney Stewart, Maryland
Stewart is one of several freshmen occupying major roles for the surprisingly unbeaten Terrapins. After missing his senior season in high school due to ineligibility issues, he’s posted a sack and at least one tackle for loss in all four games. That gives Stewart an edge over Ohio State running back Bo Jackson, who’s run for 297 yards on 8.5 yards per carry, and California quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, a big reason for the Golden Bears’ 4-1 start.