Week 0 of the 2025 football season had everything we could have asked for. We had confirmation bias. There was a case to be made for why preseason polls are stupid. We even had K-Pop Demon Hunters on the loudspeakers in Hawaii. Here’s a quick rundown of what stood out during week 0 for college football.
FBS Showcases the Beautiful Chaos of College Football
The top level of college football reminded us exactly why we love this sport - unpredictability, drama, and moments that defy expectations.
Big 12 Championship Preview Disguised as Week 0
Iowa State would come out on top defeating Kansas State 24-21 in Farmageddon, a tale of two halves that exported our most authentic versions of Midwestern and Big 12 football. This game will likely have Big 12 championship implications down the road.
Hawaii Delivers Peak College Football Theater
Hawaii wins on a last second field goal against Stanford 23-20 in a game that ended up being a thrilling nightcap. Stanford had an opportunity to at least help run out the clock and send the game to overtime potentially. But with 2 incomplete passes stopping the clock gave Hawaii just enough time to limp (literally) down the field for a last second field goal. Also, the DJ played "Soda Pop" from K-Pop Demon Hunters during a timeout. I think we are about to hear a lot of songs from that movie this football season from marching bands.
Reality Checks and Expectations
UNLV needed 4 turnovers to outlast FCS foe Idaho State 38-31. Dan Mullen survived, but there may be more questions than answers after this first performance. For Idaho State, a missed opportunity for a FBS win that the FCS playoff committee takes into consideration.
Meanwhile, Western Kentucky looks to have another high flying offense as they eventually ran away from Sam Houston 41-24. The conference win in convincing fashion shows that the Hilltoppers will still be a force in a Conference USA that people are convinced will be a coronation for Liberty.
FCS Delivers Playoff-Shaking Drama
The Championship Subdivision proved that Week 0 isn't just a warmup - it's where playoff hopes can live or die.
Top 5 Dreams Meet Reality
Incarnate Word had a major dent put into their deep run playoff aspirations getting upset on the road at Nichols State 20-6. IUW came in ranked in the top 5 of many polls and Nichols was unranked and not expected to do too much this year. Turnovers and stout defense helped in this win for Nichols, while Incarnate Word will have an uphill battle to even an at-large FCS bid with little to no room for error moving forward.
Weather Ruins What Could Have Been a Classic
A top 15 contest between UC Davis and Mercer ended in a no contest due to inclement weather. We are supposed to pretend this game did not happen and the stats will also not count in official records. That said, this was turning into a classic game with Mercer mounting a comeback before storms ruined it for everyone. Both teams seem worthy of their preseason hype even though we "never saw anything" officially…
Conference Championship Implications Take Shape
With the exception of two long breakout runs for touchdowns from Southern, North Carolina Central completely dominated the MEAC/SWAC challenge. With an eventual 31-14 win, NCCU showed why they are favorites for many to represent the MEAC in the Celebration Bowl later this year. As for Southern, they'll have to regroup and see if they can find their way back into the SWAC title game in a conference that looks to be deeper this year.
The Boring Stuff (That Still Matters)
That's not everything that happened, but they're the major storylines. A couple of teams covering the spread isn't something to really write home about unless something extraordinary happened. So, I'm happy for ya Kansas and Tarleton State, but you did what you were supposed to do.
What Week 0 Taught Us About 2025
Week 0 delivered on its promise of confirmation bias and preseason poll chaos. We saw favorites struggle, underdogs rise, and reminders that college football's beauty lies in its unpredictability.
Now we have a quick turnaround for what will be five straight days of college football this Labor Day weekend. We start on Thursday and have tons of enticing matchups all up and down division 1. Our long wait is over. College football is finally here!
