College football delivers plenty of drama on the field, but some of the sport’s best moments come from what’s said before or after the whistle.
Week 1 of the 2025 season served a full menu of one-liners, blunt assessments and heartfelt reflections that reminded us why Saturdays are as much about personality as performance.
Nebraska coach Matt Rhule kicked things off with a tunnel run and a simple request to his players. Texas coach Steve Sarkisian offered a measured perspective on Arch Manning’s debut, while Indiana’s Curt Cignetti gave a characteristically blunt review of his team’s win. Florida State’s Tommy Castellanos backed up his summer trash talk in an upset of Alabama — and drew glowing words from a teammate.
From Oregon’s Dan Lanning praising a freshman’s misplaced effort, to Iowa State’s Matt Campbell greenlighting a 63-yard kick, here are the best quotes that defined Week 1 in college football.
— Matt Rhule
Before the Nebraska Cornhuskers’ season-opening win over the Cincinnati Bearcats on Thursday, Nebraska coach Matt Rhule did something new: He ran with his team out of the tunnel. Normally, Rhule takes the field separately.
Before he led his squad out onto the field at Arrowhead Stadium, Rhule had one simple request for his players.
— Steve Sarkisian (on Arch Manning)
The highly anticipated start of Arch Manning’s 2025 campaign came on Saturday, with the preseason Heisman favorite taking the field for top-ranked Texas on the road against No. 3 Ohio State. Manning showed flashes of his talent but struggled more often than not in the season opener, going 17-for-30 for 170 yards with a touchdown and an interception in the Longhorns’ 14-7 loss. After the game, Texas coach Steve Sarkisian stressed having patience in evaluating Manning’s college career.
— Curt Cignetti
No. 20 Indiana got its season underway with a Week 1 win, conceding a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage to Old Dominion before cruising to a 27-14 victory.
Assessing his squad’s 2025 debut, Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti bluntly acknowledged the positive result but was unimpressed by the win.
— Justin Cryer (on Tommy Castellanos)
Over the summer, Florida State transfer quarterback Tommy Castellanos made major headlines when he offered a bold prediction about his team’s opening game against eighth-ranked Alabama.
“They don’t have Nick Saban to save them,” Castellanos said. “I just don’t see them stopping me.”