Home · Sports · Sep 6 archive
Did Michigan deserve that last second? We welcome college football back with all the absurdity it brings
Confirmed
In Short: College football kicked off with a mix of new rules and standout performances, including a crucial X-factor identified by a sports expert.
The Big Ten Conference is emerging as the strongest in college football, with standout performances from wide receivers like Miami's Toney and Ohio State's Smith. Fans weighed in on ESPN's X post, with Smith racking up 151 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 18.9 yards per reception. "The targeting rule is still in the rulebook, and it's going to create some confusion and frustration among teams and their fan bases," said Shaw, highlighting the ongoing challenges in enforcing this controversial rule.
In the first game of the season, USC's Trent Mosley added his name to the list of great national receivers with his second straight 100-yard game. Meanwhile, Lane Kiffin made his LSU head coaching debut, facing the 11th-ranked Clemson Tigers in a highly anticipated matchup. "After a long offseason filled with lawsuits and nonsense, Week 1 offered an oasis of football," said CBS Sports. The game featured a dramatic finish, with the Michigan quarterback buying enough time and launching the football into traffic, where Buchanan emerged with it amid a crowd of defenders.
The NCAA has made some tweaks to the targeting rule for the 2026 season, aiming to improve clarity and consistency. "One of the biggest changes we've made for the good, once it goes to replay, you must confirm all aspects of targeting," said Shaw. Despite these changes, the rule remains a source of confusion and frustration. "Targeting in college football is when a player initiates forcible contact against an opponent beyond a routine legal tackle, block, or play on the ball," explained Shaw. "This year's targeting penalties will evolve with the college football landscape," he added, emphasizing the ongoing need for adjustments and improvements.
What's confirmed
- As college football teams kicked off their seasons this weekend, two wide receivers quickly established early cases for being the best at the position.
What's still developing
- In addition to going Under on the point total, he's found a crucial X-factor that makes one side of the spread a must-back.
- LSU picks, check out what SportsLine college football expert Eric Cohen has to say.
- Entering the 2026 season, Cohen was 90-68 (57 percent) on college football ATS picks, returning $1,636 to $100 players on college football betting sites.
- Now, if a player is ruled out for targeting in the second half, they do not face the first-half suspension.
- In the past years, the penalty — in the second quarter of play — used to be an automatic disqualification for the rest of that game and first half of the following game.
- As for the NFL Draft, Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza was selected by the Las Vegas Raiders with the No.
- And of course, the highest game of the evening centered on the most famous coach in college football: Lane Kiffin at LSU.