The 2026 college football season kicked off with dominant performances from the nation’s elite programs, as all top 10 teams in the Associated Press preseason rankings secured victories during the opening week of play, according to Reuters.
At Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, fourth-ranked Notre Dame defeated Wisconsin 41-13 on September 6, 2026. According to Reuters, the matchup served as part of Notre Dame’s designated “Shamrock Series” hosted at the historic NFL stadium.
Top 10 Programs Open 2026 Season with Undefeated Week One
Preseason frontrunners across the country avoided early upsets during the opening slate of games. According to Reuters, top-ranked Ohio State opened its campaign with a 56-3 victory over Ball State, while second-ranked Oregon held off Boise State 34-27.
Other top-tier programs posted similarly lopsided scores to begin September. Third-ranked Georgia rolled past Tennessee State 63-3, and fifth-ranked Texas defeated Texas State 59-7, as reported by Reuters. Rounding out the top tier, sixth-ranked Indiana beat North Texas 52-16, seventh-ranked Miami downed Stanford 45-6, and eighth-ranked Texas A&M shut out Missouri State 50-0. Ninth-ranked Ole Miss fended off Louisville 41-38 in a closer contest, while tenth-ranked Oklahoma blanked UTEP 51-0.
Midwestern Programs Navigate Opening Games
Regional contenders across the Midwest also established early momentum alongside the national leaders. According to Reuters, 16th-ranked Michigan edged Western Michigan 13-12, and Iowa shut out Northern Illinois 40-0. Illinois secured a 42-23 victory over UAB on September 3, 2026.
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