CFB Week 0 winners, losers: How Bill Belichick got his groove back, Big yikes for Sonny Dykes and more

TCU (0-1) struck with a pair of 40-yard explosive plays in the first quarter and averaged 6.5 yards per carry entering halftime. But the Tar Heels (1-0) clamped down in the second half, allowing 121 total yards and ratcheting up the pressure with three sacks.

Having faced enormous criticism over the past year, Belichick, entering his second season as Tar Heels coach, badly needed a win. And his fingerprints were all over North Carolina's Ireland triumph. 

Loser: TCU head coach Sonny Dykes

TCU showed all the hallmarks of a poorly coached team in Saturday's loss. 

After a promising start, it had no adjustments to North Carolina's counters and was shut out over the final three quarters while averaging 3.17 yards per play. 

The Horned Frogs were undisciplined, being flagged 11 times for 89 yards. Two were particularly costly. TCU picked up a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty when junior linebacker Paul Oyewale hit North Carolina quarterback Billy Edwards Jr., who was already ruled down after slipping to the turf on his dropback. 

Even more consequential, senior defensive tackle Markis Deal jumped offsides on 4th-and-1 with 31 seconds remaining, allowing the Tar Heels to close the game in victory formation.

Punter John Hoyer Chance had a snap go over his head, resulting in a safety, and a pair of fourth-down decisions in the second half backfired, resulting in TCU coming away with no points on two drives that ended inside North Carolina's 10-yard line.

Harvard transfer Jaden Craig, Dykes' hand-picked portal replacement for quarterback Josh Hoover, who transferred to the defending national champion Indiana Hoosiers, also underwhelmed. He finished 20-of-32 for 175 yards and was sacked three times while also losing a fumble in offensive coordinator Gordon Sammis' debut following Kendal Briles' departure to the South Carolina Gamecocks. 

Four years following a trip to the CFP national title game in Dykes' first season, the Horned Frogs have never looked farther from a return.

Winner: Virginia Cavaliers

Last year's ACC runner-up might be capable of finishing the job.

On Saturday, Virginia demolished the NC State Wolfpack (0-1), 34-8, showing that coach Tony Elliott is building a potential sustained ACC contender. Coming off a program-record 11-win season, the Cavaliers asserted themselves against a conference rival with its own increased expectations entering 2026. 

Virginia (1-0) out-gained NC State, 413-168, including 258-76 on the ground. Missouri transfer quarterback Beau Pribula was outstanding, finishing 9-of-11 for 155 yards and two touchdowns while adding 110 rushing yards. The Cavs imposed their will on a 23-play drive spanning 12 minutes and 15 seconds, capped by sophomore running back Xay Davis' 1-yard touchdown run.

Loser: Florida State Seminoles offensive line

Florida State (1-0) won its opener over New Mexico State (0-1), 34-17, but a worrying issue emerged at the line of scrimmage.

One particularly ugly stretch featured the majority of the line. With five minutes left in the first quarter, guard Andre Otto was flagged for tripping, wiping out a touchdown. Two plays later, left tackle Xavier Chaplin had a false start. The sequence ended when New Mexico State senior defensive end Gabe Peterson and senior linebacker Sone Aupiu doubled right tackle Chimdia Nwaiwu and got to quarterback Ashton Daniels for a combined sack.

Later in the quarter, senior defensive lineman Brad Vislisel recorded one of two quarterback hurries, resulting in an incompletion.

The Noles will face plenty more challenging defensive fronts this season, including their next two opponents. The Associated Press No. 19 SMU Mustangs and No. 13 Alabama Crimson Tide must be salivating.

Winner: North Dakota State Bison

An FCS powerhouse since 2011, the Bison are here to take over college football's top division.

North Dakota State (1-0) began FBS play with a thorough 33-7 win over Jacksonville State (0-1), dominating on both sides of the ball against last year's Conference USA runner-up.

The Bison scored a touchdown on their opening possession and took a 10-point lead into the half on a 44-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Nathan Hayes to wide receiver Jordan McCants.

North Dakota blew things open when redshirt freshman defensive end Blake Schiltz recovered a fumble in the end zone for a 27-7 advantage.

"This can be explosive," head coach Tim Polasek said on the field afterward. "We're excited about this season."

Loser: Brian Kelly

A year ago, Kelly was prepping his LSU Tigers for a trip to Clemson's Death Valley in the most hyped game of Week 1. On Saturday, he found himself in Fargo in a three-man booth alongside play-by-play announcer Rich Waltz and color commentator Adam Breneman for his broadcasting debut on CBS Sports Network.

Was his application to open a Cinnabon denied?

Maybe we're being too hard. Let's give him a chance. Who knows? After being unceremoniously dumped by LSU, maybe he'll let loose and give us viral soundbites.

Roll the tape.

Beneman set him up with an alley-oop late in the second quarter following a clock snafu, when Kelly said he would have had a conversation later with his game management staff.

"Give us an idea of the things you'd say," Breneman said in an effort to get Kelly to reveal more personality.

"Just, 'You guys need to do a better job,' and I'd leave it at that," Kelly responded. 

How riveting. We'll leave it at that.