Top 12 Breakout Stars After Week 1 of the 2026 College Football Season

Every year, college football gives us a new crop of superstars who become household names in a hurry. 

Week 1 may have given us a snapshot of some guys we should get used to.

From a trio of defensive playmakers to some new-name quarterbacks to guys who are thriving in new environments, players from almost every position rose to the forefront – including some in the weekend's biggest games.

For this list, we focused on players who posted big numbers in key positions, trying not to give any weight to guys who mopped up in garbage time. No team was represented more than once. We believe those who made the list have staying power throughout the season.

Here are a dozen players who showed out in the full opening weekend.

Deuce Alexander, Ole Miss Rebels Wide Receiver

Those in Oxford, Mississippi, know Deuce Alexander very well. He was a big-time producer a season ago for the Ole Miss team that went deep in the College Football Playoff.

With Harrison "Tre" Wallace III and De'Zhaun Stribling starring, Alexander's 684 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns were overlooked. He was, at best, Trinidad Chambliss' third option.

That's not the case this year.

If a porous Rebels defense continues to rear its head, coach Pete Golding is going to need the same wide-open attack as a season ago. Alexander is the surest thing on the offense besides running back Kewan Lacy.

In a tit-for-tat grudge match opener against Louisville, Alexander's separation was a difference-maker. He's going to be one of the most valuable players in the nation.

Faizon Brandon, Tennessee Volunteers Quarterback

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Tennessee really had two players who belonged on this list, but true freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon's historic performance against Furman was just too much to ignore.

He was brilliant against the FCS Paladins after a slow start, throwing for 226 yards and a trio of scores while rushing for 68 more and two additional touchdowns. He showed zip on the ball, a command of the offense and elusive athleticism when plays broke down.

The competition ramps up considerably this week as the Vols go on the road to face Georgia Tech, but the moment in Week 1 wasn't too big for the 18-year-old freshman.

Junior defensive tackle and Penn State transfer Xavier Gilliam's three-sack, five tackle-for-loss performance easily could have made the list, too.

JJ Buchanan, Michigan Wolverines Wide Receiver

There was no bigger (or more controversial) play in Week 1 – or perhaps, the future may tell – the entire season than JJ Buchanan's second last-second Hail Mary reception to help Michigan avoid an improbable upset attempt by Western Michigan in the Big House.

The 6'4", 218-pound sophomore transfer wowed everybody throughout fall camp after following Kyle Whittingham to Ann Arbor. That carried over when the Wolverines needed him most.

Everybody in the stadium knew the high-leaping Buchanan was Bryce Underwood's target both times he threw deep, but Buchanan still went up and made the play to give Michigan a 13-12 win. Dude just made plays all night, though.

He wound up with six grabs for 126 yards and a touchdown on a night when Michigan couldn't muster any offense against the Broncos. He's a star who every team will scheme against.

Mason Heinschel, Pittsburgh Panthers Quarterback

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Mason Heintschel didn't come out of nowhere.

The trajectory of Pittsburgh's college football program changed last year when the then-freshman signal-caller took the field and unlocked the full potential of coordinator Kade Bell's explosive scheme.

He wound up completing 64 percent of his passes for 2,354 yards, 16 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Still, on a national scale, he went pretty much uncharted.

That's not going to be the case this year as a sophomore.

In the season opener against Miami (Ohio), he was nearly flawless in a 59-14 win, completing 31-of-41 passes for 453 yards and tying a school record with seven touchdowns against zero interceptions. 

The 6'4", 215-pound youngster is a budding star who is going to put his hometown of Oregon, Ohio, on the map. The Panthers are a threat in the ACC because of Heintschel's explosive arm.

Lincoln Kienholz, Louisville Cardinals Quarterback

Like a lot of elite high school athletes, the lure of playing bright-lights football at Ohio State was a luminous lure for quarterback Lincoln Kienholz three years ago.

The all-world North Dakota prep star signed with the Buckeyes after thinking he'd play for Kalen DeBoer at Washington. But after three years in Columbus, he simply couldn't crack the deeply talented depth chart, causing him to transfer.

Now at Louisville, it appears the next two years could be fun to watch Kienholz play for coach Jeff Brohm. 

In a losing effort Sunday night, Kienholz made sure the Cardinals traded punches with Ole Miss after a sluggish start, completing 18-of-29 passes for 301 yards and a pair of touchdowns and running 14 times for 69 more and another score.

He was at his best in the brightest moments, as you could see the third-year junior's confidence growing before our eyes. He's going to be a good one.

Lamont Lester Jr., Colorado Buffaloes Defensive Lineman

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So much happened in the way of heroics over the college football weekend that you may have forgotten what happened way back on Thursday night.

That's when Deion Sanders' Colorado Buffaloes went into Atlanta and stunned Georgia Tech by blocking the would-be game-winning field goal in a 14-13 win. 

The game was ugly offensively on both sides, but Colorado boasted much of the preseason about being much tougher than last year's debacle. It showed up in Game 1 – especially on defense, led by Lamont Lester Jr.

You've not heard of him. A low-level, under-the-radar transfer from Monmouth, the 6'2", 230-pound defensive lineman from New Jersey, kicked off his junior year with a performance for the ages.

He registered three sacks – all on third downs to shut down Yellow Jackets drives – and finished with 3.5 tackles for a loss overall to power the Buffs' season-opening win. He was honored as the Big 12 defensive player of the week.

Dakorien Moore, Oregon Ducks Wide Receiver

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Much like Michigan, the Oregon Ducks were expected to dispatch a mid-major power relatively easily on Saturday, but that didn't go as planned.

The national champion-hopeful Ducks sweated every step of the way in a 34-27 win over Boise State in Eugene. They needed offensive heroics late in the fourth quarter after a disjointed first half.

In the end, having superior talent prevailed. No play was bigger than Dakorien Moore's stop-and-start, make-you-miss, 62-yard touchdown to put Oregon ahead for good with 8:04 left in the fourth quarter.

Moore had his moments as a sophomore a year ago, but the former top-ranked high school receiver in the nation got off to a tremendous start with six catches for 93 yards and a touchdown. On a team full of talented weapons, Moore's ability is one that stands out.

Trent Mosley, USC Trojans Wide Receiver

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While we're talking about Big Ten receivers, we would be remiss not to mention USC true freshman Trent Mosley, who is a star right now.

He gets the nod over Penn State's Koby Howard due to the fact that the Trojans have already played two games. Mosley has shown up in a big way both times. 

Coach Lincoln Riley brought in the nation's top-ranked recruiting class. Players like Luke Wafle, Kayden Dixon-Wyatt and Mark Bowman are all already special talents who are not only playing but also making spectacular plays. 

Mosley – who starred throughout fall camp – is special, though. After the 5'10", 180-pound Chicago native opened the season with seven grabs for 118 yards against San Jose State, he was just as good in a win against a strong Fresno State team.

Mosley hauled in four more passes for 104 yards and scored twice in a 39-0 win. He is emerging as one of the Big Ten's top pass-catchers, regardless of class.

Mason Posa, Wisconsin Badgers Linebacker

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Coach Luke Fickell is looking for any spark in a make-or-break season at Camp Randall. Wisconsin has a star-in-the-making to lead the way to, hopefully, a bowl season.

Mason Posa is a tackling machine at linebacker as a sophomore, and "Mr. Badger" is off to a huge start after a 15-tackle performance in a lopsided loss to Notre Dame at Lambeau Field on Sunday night.

One glimpse at the Irish score would have you thinking Wisconsin didn't have any reason to hope for improvement, but the game stayed close until it got out of hand late. Posa was a defensive catalyst who helped hold the Irish in check for part of the night. There won't be many offenses the Badgers face with that much potency (really, just Penn State, USC).

The 6'3", 235-pound Posa has the potential for a 100-plus tackle season after a 58-tackle, four-sack freshman campaign that saw him battle injuries and play 10 games.

Jordan Ross, LSU Tigers Edge

Over two seasons at Tennessee, Jordan Ross showed flashes of brilliance that matched his 5-star potential but didn't quite put it all together.

He was the poster child for LSU's fast, hungry defense in a domination of Clemson on Saturday night, showcasing immense talent. The 6'5", 246-pound junior has early first-round potential on a team full of players who have star potential.

That side of the ball is why the sky is the limit in Lane Kiffin's first year on the Bayou.

Ross had four tackles, a sack and an interception that he returned for a 30-yard touchdown. Once he got the ball in his hands, the Birmingham, Alabama, native displayed the kind of athleticism that makes you look out of the side of your eye and shake your head.

He has ridiculous potential. Coordinator Blake Baker could unlock it, as LSU may have an All-American edge.

Keelon Russell, Alabama Crimson Tide Quarterback

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The wait is over to see the next big thing at quarterback in Tuscaloosa.

The Keelon Russell era has begun, and even though there were some sputtering moments, the Duncanville, Texas native made certain everybody knows he has highlight-reel potential against East Carolina.

Russell took too many hits, but he got off to a roaring start in a 48-10 win, completing 18-of-30 passes for 256 yards. He also ran for 97 yards and a touchdown in the win. Those rushing yards led the Tide, too.

If you've forgotten by now, Russell was the explosive dual-threat quarterback committed to SMU who flipped to Alabama in the 2025 recruiting class. His top pass-catcher in high school was another guy on this list – Oregon's Dakorien Moore.

Alabama needs to continue developing weapons around Russell, but the sophomore can flat-out play.

Eric Winters, Auburn Tigers Safety

Alex Golesh is known for his high-powered offense, but if he's going to have a decent first season as Auburn's head coach, the success hinges on the Tigers' defense.

Getting DJ Durkin to stick around as coordinator certainly helps, as he has some terrific playmakers on defense at all levels. In a season-opening 17-16 win over Baylor, they saved the day as the offense was awful at times behind Byrum Brown.

No play was bigger than sophomore safety Eric Winters stuffing Baylor tight end Matthew Klopfenstein on the 1-yard line in a would-be game-winning two-point conversion to seal the game.

It was a game-ball moment for Winters, who finished the game with 12 tackles (10 solo) and a forced fumble. Winters blossomed as a freshman a season ago, but he showed he's taken another step in the season opener.

He could be one of the SEC's biggest defensive stars.