CFW Week 0 Results - SEC to nine-game conference schedule in 2026

 CFW Week 0 Results – SEC to nine-game conference schedule in 2026

Rocco Becht, Jai’Den Thomas, Jalon Daniels,

Maverick Mcivor and Kansei Matsuzawa

 

Oh yes, and Micah Alejado.

 

College football Week 0 began at 12 noon Saturday, August 23, in Dublin, Ireland. It ended 11 hours, 11 time zones and 7,000 miles later in Honolulu, Hawaii.

 

The opening game in Dublin was won by three points – Iowa State beat Kansas State, 24-21. The closing game in Honolulu was won by three points – Hawaii beat Stanford, 23-20.

 

In between, UNLV beat Idaho State, 38-31. Kansas downed Fresno State, 31-7. And Western Kentucky bested Sam Houston, 41-24.

 

Rocco Becht, Jai’Den Thomas, Jalon Daniels, Maverick Mcivor, Kansei Matsuzawa and Mican Alejado were the heroes of the day.

 

Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht threw two touchdown passes of 23 and 24 yards and scored a third touchdown on a seven-yard run in the Cyclones’ 24-21 win over Kansas State in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic in Dublin. He was 14-28-0, passing for 183 yards. With 2:28 to go, Iowa State coach Matt Campbell had his team go for it on fourth-and-3 at the Kansas State 16-yard line. Becht connected with Carson Hansen on a 15-yard pass to ice the game.

 

UNLV running back Jai’Den Thomas rushed for 147 yards and three touchdowns in the Rebels’ 38-31 win over Idaho State in Las Vegas. He averaged 14.7 yards per carry. Thomas scored his three touchdowns on runs of 39, 70 and 3 yards.

 

Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels threw three touchdown passes of 21, 13 and 12 yards in the Jayhawks’ 31-7 win over Fresno State in Lawrence, Kansas. He was an amazing 18-20-0, passing for 176 yards. Daniels also rushed for 47 yards. He completed 90% of his passes.

 

Western Kentucky quarterback Maverick Mcivor threw three touchdown passes of 26, 9 and 22 yards and scored a fourth touchdown on a 4-yard run in the Hilltoppers’ 41-24 win over Sam Houston in Bowling Green, Kentucky. He was 33-51-0, passing for 401 yards. Mcivor transferred to Western Kentucky during the offseason, having previously played for Texas Tech and Abilene Christian.

 

As time expired, Hawaii kicker Kansei Matsuzawa, from Japan, kicked a 38-yard game winning field goal in the Rainbow Warriors’ 23-20 win over Stanford in Honolulu. Earlier in the game, he kicked two other field goals of 40 and 37 yards. In Japan, Matsuzawa learned to kick field goals while watching YouTube videos. Prior to Hawaii, he kicked for two years at Hocking College, a junior college in Ohio, where he learned to speak English.

 

Also, Hawaii quarterback Micah Alejado threw two touchdown passes of 3 and 19 yards in the Rainbow Warriors’ win over Stanford. He was 27-39-0, passing for 210 yards. Alejado also rushed for 36 yards. With the score tied 20-20, Hawaii took possession at its own 28 with 1:33 to play. Suffering from a leg injury acquired earlier in the game, a limping Alejado went 5 of 7 for 51 yards to set up Matsuzawa’s game winning kick.

 

During the pregame show before the Iowa State-Kansas State game, an ESPN reporter was interviewing Irish residents on the streets in Dublin. Specifically, she was asking them questions about American college football. To one Irish gentleman, she asked if he knew what Kansas State’s mascot was. He responded, “No, not really. But I imagine it must be some kind of tractor.”

 

Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson looks like Taylor Swift in a football helmet.

 

Dan Mullen’s coaching debut at UNLV was a bit precarious. The game was unexpectedly close. Idaho State led UNLV, 17-14, at halftime, and 31-24 early in the fourth quarter. UNLV won 38-31.

 

Friday we got the news we have been waiting for. Commissioner Greg Sankey announced the SEC would begin playing a nine-game conference schedule in 2026. This move makes it tougher on the SEC coaches. But it makes it better for the SEC fans – one less game against FCS teams like Samford, Mercer, Charleston Southern, UT Martin, Western Carolina, Tennessee Tech, et c. etc. With this move, the SEC joins the Big 12 and the Big Ten, who have been playing a nine-game conference schedule for several years. Now, the ACC is the only Power Four conference that plays an eight-game conference schedule. However, the ACC is expected to follow suit and begin playing a nine-game conference schedule, as well.

 

The announcement from the SEC should clear the way for the Big Ten to agree to a CFP expansion to 14 or 16 teams. And hopefully agree without demanding a minimum number of automatic spots for the Big Ten.

 

Week 0 was fun, but I’m ready for Week 1.

 

Touchdown Tom

August 25, 2025

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

 

Week 0 Recap

 

Cy had the luck of the Irish – Iowa State 24, Kansas State 21 (Touchdown Tom said: Kansas State 30, Iowa State 27). The game went from a dull and slow first half to a more exciting and faster paced second half. Kansas State scored two of its three touchdowns in the second half. Iowa State scored 17 of its 24 points in the second half. Both quarterbacks played well. Kansas State’s offense played better – 383 total yards to 313 total yards. But Iowa State’s offense was more methodical – 19 first downs to 13 first downs. Kansas State was better on third down efficiency – 5-for-13 to 3-for-14. But Iowa State was better on fourth down efficiency – 3-for-3 to 1-for-4. Although the score was tied twice – 7-7 and 14-14 – Iowa State never trailed in the game. Kansas State running back Dylan Edwards suffered an ankle injury in the first quarter. He left the game and did not return. Attendance in Dublin: 47,221

 

Bulldogs were stymied by turnovers – Kansas 31, Fresno State 7 (Touchdown Tom said: Kansas 27, Fresno State 17). It was a close and good game in the first quarter. That’s when Fresno State got its only touchdown. Kansas led 14-7 as the quarter came to an end. Then the Jayhawks began to pour it on, while shutting down Fresno State. Kansas led 24-7 at halftime and went into cruise control in the second half. The Jayhawks had 383 total yards to 216 for the Bulldogs. Fresno State only had 37 yards rushing. The Bulldogs suffered from three turnovers – 1 fumble and 2 interceptions. Kansas had no turnovers. It was the Jayhawks debut in their new, rebuilt $450 million stadium. Attendance in Lawrence: 41,525

 

Week 0 Results: 1 winner, 1 fumble (50 percent)

 

 

Superlatives

 

Week 0’s Best Passers:

 

Western Kentucky’s Maverick Mcivor – 33-51-0 for 401 yards (3TDs); Kansas State’s Avery Johnson – 21-30-0-273 (2TDs); Hawaii’s Micah Alejado – 27-39-0-210 (2TDs), and Kansas’ Jalon Daniels – 18-20-0-176 (3TDs).

 

Week 0’s Best Rushers:

 

UNLV’s Jai’Den Thomas – 147 yards (3TDs) and Hawaii’s Micah Ford – 113 yards (1TD).

 

 

Quotes of the Week

 

“Adding a ninth SEC game underscores our universities’ commitment to delivering the most competitive football schedule in the nation,” SEC commissioner Greg Sankey.

 

“My grandfather ends every phone call with ‘Get down or get out of bounds,’” Texas quarterback Arch Manning.

 

“Obviously, this is a tough loss. And so, this hurts, I’m not going to lie. This stings,” Stanford coach Frank Reich, on the loss to Hawaii.

 

“This could be a winless season for Stanford,” USA Today sportswriter Paul Myerberg.

 

 

The next posting of College Football Week – CFW Week 1 Forecast – will be released on Thursday morning, August 28.

 

Touchdown Tom

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

 

P.S.

 

Not exactly college football related, but as the Labor Day Weekend approached and college football fans were hyped for the start of another season, the number one song in the country…

 

…85 years ago, this week in 1940, was “I’ll Never Smile Again” by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra

 

…80 years ago, this week in 1945, was “My Dreams Are Getting Better All The Time” by Les Brown and His Orchestra

 

…75 years ago, this week in 1950, was “Goodnight Irene” by Gordon Jenkins and His Orchestra

 

…70 years ago, this week in 1955, was “Rock Around The Clock” by Bill Haley & His Comets

 

…65 years ago, this week in 1960, was “It’s Now Or Never” by Elvis Presley

 

…60 years ago, this week in 1965, was “I Got You Babe” by Sonny & Cher

 

…55 years ago, this week in 1970, was “Make It With You” by Bread

 

…50 years ago, this week in 1975, was “Fallin’ In Love” by Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds

 

…45 years ago, this week in 1980, was “Magic” by Olivia Newton-John

 

…40 years ago, this week in 1985, was “The Power Of Love” by Huey Lewis and The News

 

…35 years ago, this week in 1990, was “Vision Of Love” by Mariah Carey