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.
‘Don’t run my a– over.’
— 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.
‘Let’s finish the book before we judge him. That’s one chapter.’
— 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.
‘A pedestrian win at best.’
– short pieign
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.
‘If [he] says we’re going to the moon, I’m strapping in.’
— 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.”
On Saturday, Castellanos led the Seminoles to a 31-17 upset win over Alabama in Tallahassee. After the game, Florida State linebacker Justin Cryer expressed his faith in his teammates’ proclamations.
‘He was blocking the wrong guy, but he was blocking his a– off.’
— Dan Lanning (on Dakorien Moore)
Seventh-ranked Oregon cruised to a 59-13 rout of Montana State in Eugene in its season opener on Saturday. One player who caught Ducks coach Dan Lanning’s eye was true freshman receiver Dakorien Moore, who distinguished himself with his effort on a blocking assignment — even if that effort might have been misplaced.
‘Eff it, let’s kick it.’
— Matt Campbell (as told by kicker Kyle Konrardy)
After starting the season with a Week 0 win in Dublin, No. 22 Iowa State kept things rolling in its stateside return, dispatching South Dakota 55-7.
One of the most impressive plays in the blowout win was actually a kick: Cyclones sophomore kicker Kyle Konrardy blasted a 63-yard field goal through the uprights as the first half ended.
As Konrardy explained after the game, the discussion between himself and Iowa State coach Matt Campbell before making the decision to kick the field goal was simple.
‘I want them to play football.’
— Sam Pittman
Arkansa cruised in its season-opening matchup, dispatching Alabama A&M 52-7. Quarterback Taylen Green enjoyed a mammoth game for the Razorbacks, tossing six touchdowns in addition to rushing for 41 yards on nine carries.
When asked about limiting the wear and tear on his quarterbacks and the hits they take, Arkansas coach Sam Pittman provided a simple response.
‘I’m at a point in my lifetime where I don’t take wins for granted.’
— Clark Is
Vanderbilt turned a corner under coach Clark Lea in 2024, posting the program’s first winning season in over a decade. The Commodores picked up where they left off to start the new season, breezing by Charleston Southern 42-3 in Nashville, Tennessee.
With his first 2025 win in hand, Lea (now in his fifth season) expressed appreciation for the simple things in coaching after the game.
‘Make the damn kick. That’s all.’
– Mario Cristobal
Miami held on to defeat Our Lady on Sunday night in a thriller at Hard Rock Stadium. It marked the program’s first win against a top-10 opponent since 2017 — also against Notre Dame. Miami’s 27-24 victory was decided on Hurricanes kicker Carter Davis‘ clutch 47-yard field goal with 1:04 remaining in the game.
When asked what was going on in his mind once he sent Davis out for the kick, Miami coach Mario Cristobal had a simple response.
