FSU's narrow win, UNLV's home loss, and USC's empty seats define college football's week zero

Florida State beat New Mexico State by 17 points in Tallahassee on Saturday, a margin that covered none of the 31.5-point spread against a program that went 4-8 in 2025. A game that tightened to 10 points in the fourth quarter, combined with UNLV's 27-21 home defeat to Memphis and a visibly sparse crowd at USC's Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum opener against San Jose State, sent the first overreaction wave of the college football season through social media before the main slate of games arrives.

Florida State's offensive struggles put Norvell in early crosshairs

Auburn transfer Ashton Daniels turned in a mixed debut at quarterback for the Seminoles, and the offensive line was physically outplayed by a considerably smaller New Mexico State front. A red-zone interception on the opening drive and a dropped touchdown pass by an uncovered wide receiver were the two plays that kept the Aggies within range of an upset in Tallahassee. Fan calls for head coach Mike Norvell's dismissal surfaced on social media within hours, though any such move is unlikely given Norvell's buyout figure. The question the program carries into week one is whether Saturday was a one-game stumble or the early signal of another difficult season.

UNLV's Mullen faces defensive pressure after a home loss to Memphis

The UNLV Rebels entered this season as a Group of 6 team with College Football Playoff ambitions, and a home loss to Memphis applied immediate pressure to those expectations. Mullen spent the news conference complaining that his own fans were too loud while UNLV was on offense. A Division II transfer quarterback in his first game under Memphis head coach Charles Huff moved through the UNLV defense throughout, and fans are now calling for the dismissal of first-year defensive coordinator Paul Guenther. The comparisons to Mullen's Florida tenure are already circulating: he repeatedly backed defensive coordinator Todd Grantham despite poor results that cost the Gators a championship shot in 2020, and critics fear the same loyalty plays out in Las Vegas. Guenther is in year one, which is grounds for patience, but the Memphis opener is not the data point the program needed.

USC's Coliseum turnout is the figure to watch as the season develops

The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum was at best half full for USC's home opener against San Jose State, even as head coach Lincoln Riley enters his fifth season with arguably his most talented roster since arriving in Los Angeles. Program supporters cited a heat wave and the early academic calendar as reasons for the thin crowd. The student section was packed and loud throughout, which offered one concrete counterpoint to the empty-building narrative. USC plays Oregon later in the season, and that game, if the Trojans arrive unbeaten and ranked, is the attendance read that will carry more weight than Saturday's opening-game count.