Opening weekend always delivers a little bit of everything that makes fans say, “Only in college football.”

Week 1 of the 2025 season was no exception. From clever trick plays and viral mascots to trash talk backed up on the field, Saturdays in the fall once again proved unmatched.

South Florida pulled off a perfectly executed fake punt to stun Boise State, while Taylor Swift turned heads at Arrowhead Stadium by cheering on Travis Kelce’s Bearcats. A namesake return man brought back Devin Hester memories, a mascot lost its head (literally) and Lee Corso’s old teams delivered a storybook tribute. Add in some feline locker room fame and a prime-time battle of the Death Valleys, and Week 1 gave us highlights well beyond the box scores.

Here’s our not-so-official list of who earned Week 1’s superlatives.

Most Likely to Fool Everyone: USF against Boise State

Looking for a big play up three points in the third quarter of their upset bid against the No. 25 Boise State Broncos, the South Florida Bulls turned to an unlikely source: their backup quarterback in a punting formation.

Yes, you read that right. When the Bulls trotted their punt unit out for fourth down, they snuck backup quarterback Locklan Hewlett onto the field as well. When the snap came to Hewitt — lined up where the punter would normally be — he rifled a 45-yard touchdown pass to Keshaun Singleton to put South Florida up 17-7.

GOT ‘EMMMMM 🫨

📺: @ESPNCFB pic.twitter.com/Llnlrs9BG5

— USF Football (@USFFootball) August 28, 2025

The Bulls didn’t look back from there, piling on 17 more points before the final whistle to win 34-7.

Most Likely to Steal the Spotlight: Taylor Swift at Nebraska-Cincinnati

Taylor Swift at Arrowhead Stadium is a fairly common sight these days, with her now-fiancé Travis Kelce starring for the Kansas City Chiefs. But Swift supporting the Cincinnati Bearcats? Now that’s a sight to see.

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Mahomes, Swift, Kelce take in Nebraska-Cincinnati

Patrick Mahomes, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are all in attendance for Nebraska-Cincinnati in Kansas City.

With Kelce in the house to watch his college squad take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the Chiefs’ stadium, Swift was on hand as well. Her presence wasn’t much of a help for the Bearcats on the field though, as a late interception by Malcolm Hartzog Jr. secured a season-opening win for Nebraska.

Most Likely to Rule Death Valley: LSU beats Clemson

The LSU Tigers and Clemson Tigers share mascots, as well as the nickname for their respective stadiums: Death Valley.

It was the Louisiana inhabitants of Death Valley that came out on top in a prime-time Week 1 meeting between the two Tigers, with LSU earning a 17-10 win (and bragging rights for the foreseeable future).

Battle Won

Conquered THAT Death Valley pic.twitter.com/7ei129Upzl

— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) August 31, 2025

Most Likely to Talk It and Walk It: Tommy Castellanos

Some laughed when Castellanos boldly proclaimed that the eighth-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide wouldn’t have former coach Nick Saban on the sidelines to “save them” in Week 1 against the Florida State Seminoles.

Read more: Castellanos makes good on jab as FSU stuns Alabama

It was Castellanos who would have the last laugh on Saturday, though, as the Boston College transfer threw for 152 yards, ran for 78 more, and, most importantly, led the Seminoles to a 31-17 upset.

It was always going to be Tommy @Tommy_casto #NoleFamily | #KeepCLIMBing pic.twitter.com/NAq67FgzhM

— FSU Football (@FSUFootball) August 31, 2025

Best Throwback Energy: Devin Hester Jr.’s big kickoff return

Devin Hester with a highlight-reel kickoff return? Are we sure it’s not Chicago in the 2010s?

Sophomore Furman Paladins receiver Devin Hester Jr. sparked flashbacks to a prior generation of NFL heroes in Week 1, when he raced a second quarter kickoff 75 yards against the William & Mary Tribe.

Devin Hester jr. with a 75 yard kickoff return‼️ pic.twitter.com/TeVhj4n4RT

— Furman Football (@PaladinFootball) August 30, 2025

The wild part? Hester Jr.’s return abilities aren’t hereditary — he’s of no relation to the Pro Football Hall of Famer Devin Hester you presumably immediately thought of.

Most Likely to Lose Its Head: The Oregon Duck

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Oregon Duck loses its head!

Oregon Duck loses his head and scampers off

Week 1 is the first week of the season for everybody — including mascots.

The rust of a long offseason showed for the Oregon Duck on Saturday, as the mascot had an unfortunate miscue when running out onto the field before Oregon‘s game against Montana State, with the mascot’s head coming off following a fall. The duck showed keen awareness with a quick recovery though, hustling back into the locker room.

Most Likely to go Undefeated Together: Lee Corso’s teams

Iconic analyst Lee Corso was already well-traveled in the college football world before he ascended to legend status on “College GameDay,” having put together an impressive playing career with Florida State, where he ended up coaching with stops at Maryland, Navy, Louisville, Indiana and Northern Illinois.

In a fitting tribute to Corso’s final “GameDay” coming earlier in the day, all six of his former schools won on Saturday, the crown jewel being the Seminoles’ unlikely upset of Alabama. As a bonus, Corso finished Saturday 4-for-4 on his slate of game picks for the day as well.

All of Lee Corso’s college teams he played on or coached for won on Saturday 🧡

Meant to be 🥺 pic.twitter.com/br5nL1FQEu

— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) August 31, 2025

Best Locker Room Celebrity: Bowling Green’s Pudge

The Bowling Green Falcons may have hired Eddie George as their new head football coach over the offseason, but the locker room figure that went most viral as the 2025 season approached was … an exotic shorthair Persian cat?

Meet Pudge, Bowling Green long snapper George Carlson’s cat, who went viral multiple times across the summer for his presence in the team’s locker room. The Falcons got in the win column in Week 1 against Lafayette, and Pudge received a shoutout in the form of a broadcast graphic.

W. #AyZiggy pic.twitter.com/laQ9QmTMqh

— BGSU Football (@BG_Football) August 29, 2025

LOS ANGELES — Welcome to your new, but familiar, home, Son Heung-Min.

Despite a tense 2-1 loss to San Diego FC in his first-ever match at LAFC’s BMO Stadium over the weekend, Sunday night’s result felt secondary to the raucous festivities for Los Angeles’ latest South Korean star, someone who represents much more than just a player on the pitch. Home to the largest Korean population outside of Korea, L.A. welcomed the iconic Asian forward as an extension of his own roots brimming with countless Son jerseys, banners that included such messages as “You are my SONshine” and “Welcome to Sonny LA,” plus Korean flags that gave the Southern California venue a concert-like atmosphere.

“I’ve been to amazing stadiums and I experienced a lot, but I mean, today was very special,” Son said postgame. “I feel like the fans [were] amazing. That’s why I’m upset, because they deserve [more].”

“I can’t wait to play again at home, and it felt like really, really home. You know, they were welcoming me.”

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Every time the 33-year-old touched the ball, the crowd roared at ear-piercing levels. Signed in early August but yet to play in L.A. until Sunday, Son created a pulsing buzz in the venue, which added a standing-room-only section that quickly sold out.

“It’s a hometown hero,” said Sam Ko, a member of LAFC’s Tigers Supporters Group started by the region’s Korean-American population, to ESPN ahead of the game. “He’s the face of soccer in our country and in a lot of Asia … he’s our superstar.”

“It’s a dream come true,” said fellow TSG member Daniel Chung earlier in the week. “It’s incredible. I never thought this would happen.”

Even with no scoreline contributions to show, Son nearly found the back of the net, and his early trajectory remains promising as he has a goal and an assist in his first four games. Off the field, Son’s impact has also been felt as the “highest-selling sports jersey of any sport in the world right now,” with the price of LAFC tickets on the secondary market increasing 187%.

For others, especially in the nearby Koreatown and overall Korean-American community of L.A., that impact and the love for “Sonny” is even more profound, regardless of what happened on the field Sunday.

‘Representing Koreatown’

Before LAFC arrived as an MLS expansion club in 2018, Su Jin Lee and her friends came up with an idea. “This new club, it’s part of MLS,” reminisced Lee about conversations among friends about a supporter group for Koreatown and Koreans for LAFC. “Let’s bring our passion into this too.”

Founded in 2017, the Tigers Supporters Group was born. Initially just a handful of friends that proudly celebrated their heritage and the diverse Koreatown neighborhood in the heart of L.A., their current and increasing number of 164 members reflects not only their growing support, but also the backing of the city’s diversity.

“It started as Koreans, but if you look at the different cultures in Koreatown, which is a lot of Mexican culture, a lot of Salvadorian, we wanted to just pretty much be inclusive to that and show that we’re representing Koreatown,” Lee said.

Members of the L.A. community soon reciprocated that love to a moment that has come full circle with Son’s 2025 arrival.

While Tottenham were training in the area in the summer of 2018, Mexican fans from the 3252 — the overarching LAFC supporters group union — used some help from the MLS club to pull some strings and surprise TSG. Celebrating the knockout round invitation that Mexico had gained in the 2018 World Cup thanks to the Taegeuk Warriors that defeated Germany in the group stage, Son was brought out as an unexpected guest.

“When we looked up, around the corner, was some of our 3252 members from the Mexican community, escorting Son to meet us … everyone just kind of freaked out,” said Ko, who noted that “seeds were planted” for the player’s eventual signing down the line.

“Even then, we were thinking, ‘OK, maybe one day,’ but even as someone who was there that day, I still thought it would be in like three years from now.”

Arriving earlier than expected in August — for a MLS-record transfer fee, an eye-catching $26.5 million — TSG and Koreatown have now welcomed back their hero that has officially made L.A. his new home. With Son in town, interest in soccer and LAFC is beginning to spike.

“We’re seeing a lot more jerseys,” TSG member John Lee said. “My buddy owns a bar here in Koreatown called Biergarten, and he says they’re getting nonstop calls from just about everyone — older Koreans, younger, just asking if they’re going to be playing the LAFC match.”

At Biergarten on the eve of the game, bar owner and LAFC fan David Dong reflected on the addition of Son and what it means for him personally and for his business.

“I would say most of our fan base, because they’re a part of the 3252 … the only time we’ll really see them is during away games, but now we’re seeing a lot of home game fans, which is really nice, because it’s gaining traction and see a lot more eyes on it,” Dong said.

“It’s huge: He’s our best athlete, like, the best Korean athlete I’ve ever seen.”

Down the street at Brothers Korean BBQ, owner Bu Gweon Ju commissioned a mural of the forward in between South Korean and U.S. flags on the outside of his business. Despite Son’s representation asking Ju to take down his likeness without his approval, Ju didn’t seem to mind much — and simply added his own face over Son’s body on the mural.

“I’m a big soccer fan, big Son fan,” said the beaming owner, who just so happened to be wandering proudly around his restaurant on Saturday in an LAFC kit. “I love watching him,” he added with a big smile on his face.

Supporting ‘Sonny’ wholeheartedly

Like any other high-profile MLS addition, there’s inevitably going to be off-days for Son. Across the league when looking at a demi-god of the sport like Lionel Messi, even the greatest of all time has had the occasional questionable performance in MLS. Messi himself suffered a bigger defeat earlier in the day through a 3-0 loss to the Seattle Sounders in the Leagues Cup final.

It wasn’t as if Son played poorly on Sunday, either. There were a number of moments in which he shined with his clever decision-making in the final third; he had a dangerous shot in the 45th minute that forced a highlight-worthy save from San Diego goalkeeper CJ Dos Santos, as well a dramatic opportunity in the 78th minute that bounced off the woodwork. In injury time, he added two more shots to his overall tally.

“Two decent chances tonight — maybe three — keeper with a good save, he hit the post, and keeper made another save on the third,” said LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo about Son’s performance. “We’re doing things right and he’s moving in the right areas … I’m excited about the future and the rest of the season with him and his future.”

That said, what was perhaps most impressive was what the TV cameras weren’t catching. Son acted as a conductor in LAFC’s build-up play, constantly dishing out instructions and directions to a roster that is still adjusting to the positioning and expectations of the club’s new attacking leader. For what it’s worth, there was a sense that LAFC were unlucky after finishing with a higher xG (1.48), in comparison to a more efficient San Diego (0.93).

“I thought we played well in creating the chances,” Son said post-game. “Obviously the result was not our night, but I’m still very proud of the team and [they] made a huge effort, so it was very unlucky today to not get the three points.”

In fact, the result may say more about how brilliant and efficient San Diego have been as the current Western Conference leaders, instead of how worrisome fans should feel about LAFC. Still, after the final whistle, there was Son, pensive for several minutes by himself in the center circle. Taking in the moment, the forward then slowly walked off the field while applauding the crowd that supported him for 90+ minutes.

“[As] a professional you can’t always win the game,” Son noted post-game. “We accept that, we respect that about the results, and we move forward.”

Considering the MLS record investment that LAFC made in the player, and the flop that a previous major addition like Olivier Giroud was to the club, there will be an immense amount of pressure for the three-time Tottenham player of the season to recreate the same magic seen in the European club game. One thing is for sure, though. In TSG, Koreatown, the Korean community in L.A. and beyond, they’ll have “Sonny’s” back.

“Obviously the buzz is crazy,” said John Lee about Son’s arrival. “Koreatown being the melting pot that it is … it’s exciting for everyone, not just Koreans.”

Chung agreed. “It’s something that I think the entirety of Koreatown can be proud of … he is here representing us and there’s so many eyes on us now, and now people are starting to get a little more into what we’re all about in TSG,” said Chung. “When Koreans are interested in something, they’re all in,” he added.

“They support their players wholeheartedly.”