By Jack Leo
FWAA.com
DALLAS (FWAA) – Each week during the 2026 season, we highlight the notable performances of first-year players and head coaches leading up to the selection of our annual Freshman All-America Team and the Steve Spurrier First-Year Coach of the Year Award presented by Chris Doering Mortgage.
For the sixth straight year, the top first-year coach in the FBS will be honored at a special receptionon on Monday, Feb. 22, 2027 at Spurrier's Gridiron Grille in Gainesville, Fla. The Spurrier Legends Awardee Coach and Freshman Players of the Year will also be honored.
Here are the top performances from Week 1, the weekend of Sept. 5:
FIRST-YEAR PLAYERS: THE FRESH FOUR
Tennessee QB Faizon Brandon (6-4, 225, Greensboro, N.C.): 13/17, 226 yards, 3 TD; 10 carries, 68 yards, 2 TD
Brandon had tougher tests ahead, but he lived up to his 5-star billing in his collegiate debut. The dual-threat talent led Tennessee to a 56-9 domination of Furman. Brandon appeared comfortable within the offense as a rusher and a passer, displaying pinpoint accuracy on his touchdown throws. Brandon has a bigger job this Saturday as the Volunteers open their road schedule at Georgia Tech.
Mississippi State RB J.J. Hill (6-0, 220, Tupelo, Miss.): 7 carries, 118 yards, 2 TD
Hill helped lead Mississippi State to a 62-13 win over Louisiana Monroe, but his debut was also historic. He led the Bulldogs in rushing as they set a single-game program record with 762 yards of total offense. Hill stiff-armed defenders and ran through arm tackles on both of his rushing touchdowns. Mississippi State’s ground game faces a tougher test on Saturday when the Bulldogs visit Minnesota.
Oregon State WR Jesse Legree (5-10, 172, Baltimore, Md.): 5 receptions, 136 yards, 1 TD
Legree earned plenty of attention in Oregon State’s 33-20 loss at Houston. The 5-10 receiver showed his speed on several explosive catches, but he showed he can play physically, too. Legree broke plenty of tackles after the catch, including two on his first career touchdown. Legree and the Beavers face another Big 12 titan next week as they visit Texas Tech.
USC WR Trent Mosley (5-10, 180, Chicago Ill.): 4 receptions, 104 yards, 2 TD (check week 0 stats too)
Mosley followed his Week 0 debut (7 receptions, 118 yards, 1 TD) with another impressive stat line on Saturday. The freshman snagged two more touchdowns in a 39-0 win over Fresno State. Mosley found soft spots in Fresno State’s coverage on both of his touchdowns, the first of which was a 68-yard score. Mosley has one more week to fine-tune against Louisiana this Saturday before opening region play on Sept. 19.
STEVE SPURRIER FIRST-YEAR COACHES
Lane Kiffin, LSU: Kiffin’s Tigers were favorited in their highly-anticipated matchup against Clemson. They weren’t favored to win 51-10, though. LSU held a 31-3 lead by halftime and continued to roll in the second half. The Tigers will host Louisiana Tech this Saturday before Kiffin returns to his former home at Ole Miss on Sept. 19.
Pete Golding, Ole Miss: The Rebels were the only team to beat a top-25 opponent in Week 1. Golding led Ole Miss to a walk-off 41-38 win over No. 24 Louisville on Sunday, which ended on a 48-yard field goal as time expired. The Ole Miss offense looked as lethal as it did in the College Football Playoff last season, amassing 478 total yards of offense against a respected ACC defense. Ole Miss will host Charlotte this Saturday before Kiffin and LSU come to Oxford on Sept. 19.
Alex Golesh, Auburn: Golesh had a unique debut as Auburn’s head coach, a neutral-site matchup against Baylor. The Tigers earned a 17-16 win with a goal line stop on the Bears’ potential game-winning two-point conversion. Baylor had more yards and time of possession and less turnovers and penalty yards, but Golesh’s team found the win. Auburn aims to improve to 2-0 with a win over Southern Miss on Saturday.
Bob Chesney, UCLA: Chesney’s Bruins entered Saturday as 2.5-point favorites and left with a dominant season-opening win. UCLA hammered in-state foe California 45-24. The Bruins rushed for 277 yards on 32 carries (8.7 yards per carry) and outscored the Golden Bears 21-0 in the fourth quarter. UCLA host San Diego State on Saturday before opening conference play the following week.
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