The glory may not last the entire season, but there are players and teams currently exceeding expectations with some teams entering the Associated Press Top 25 for the first time in years.
In this edition of Sam’s Section, we’ll go over the teams and players that are exceeding expectations, including a program that peaked in the 1990s. I’ll also talk about the revival of one of my favorite conferences in college sports.
No. 22 Nebraska Cornhuskers (3-0)
During his second year in Lincoln, head coach Matt Rhule brought Nebraska back to relevance. It is the team’s first 3-0 start since 2016. Quarterback Dylan Raiola, who previously committed to play at Georgia, has not disappointed. The five-star freshman has passed for 670 yards and five touchdowns while only throwing one interception. The Cornhuskers have beaten each of their first three opponents by at least 18 points, including a talented Colorado team with two potential first-round picks in quarterback Shedeur Sanders and athlete Travis Hunter. The road to perfection gets tougher, as their schedule includes No. 24 Illinois, No. 3 Ohio State and No. 11 USC.
No. 24 Illinois Fighting Illini (3-0)
I didn’t expect much from Illinois after All-American defensive tackle Jer’Zhan Newton was drafted this year by the Washington Commanders. However, the Fighting Illini found themselves ranked for the first time since 2022. A 3-0 start is the first for the program since 2011. The start also includes a win over No. 19 Kansas. It’s the first time the program is 3-0 with a top 20 win in 50 years (1974). Quarterback Luke Altmyer has been near-perfect to begin the season, completing 69.2% of his passes for 647 yards and six touchdowns. One concern is that he has been sacked five times in three weeks. Lowering that average can result in the passing game becoming even more efficient. They take on another surprising team, No. 22 Nebraska, on Friday night. They also play No. 10 Penn State, No. 18 Michigan and No. 9 Oregon later this season.
Boston College Eagles (2-1)
Boston College was ranked before the road loss to Missouri for the first time since 2008. To show how long ago that was, former Eagles quarterback Matt Ryan was in his first season in the NFL. He’s retired now. The hire of former Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien looks like a home run right now. Quarterback Thomas Castellanos leads the way, completing 64.8% of his passes for 589 yards, nine touchdowns (and one rushing touchdown) and two interceptions. Boston College started their season with a bang after upsetting then-No. 10 Florida State, now 0-3, in Tallahassee, Fla. However, the Eagles shouldn’t be scared by their schedule, as the only opponent that jumps out is No. 19 Louisville.
No. 8 Miami Hurricanes (3-0)
Miami being the best team in the ACC wasn’t a surprise for me. With quarterback Cam Ward and wide receiver Xavier Restrepo, I thought the Hurricanes were by far the most talented team in the conference. However, the reason they’re on this list is because they have propelled themselves as a potential national championship contender. According to ESPN BET, Ward is the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy after Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers got hurt on Saturday. In Week 1, the Canes throttled Florida in Gainesville. However, they haven’t had too much competition since and won’t until visiting No. 19 Louisville. They are more than capable of finishing the regular season undefeated.
No. 23 Northern Illinois Huskies (2-0)
I led the article with “The glory may not last the entire season.” I wrote that with Northern Illinois in mind, becoming ranked for the first time since 2013. The Huskies are coming off its best win in program history, upsetting then-No. 5 Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind. The entire state of Illinois should give themselves a big pat on the back because I cannot remember the last time two Illinois teams were in the AP Top 25. Quarterback Ethan Hampton has no blemishes on his stat line this season, with 526 passing yards and six touchdowns with a 71.8% completion rate.
Texas backup quarterback Arch Manning’s performance in blowout win over UTSA (9-12, 223 yards, five total touchdowns)
Ewers was injured in Saturday’s game against UTSA. However, it helps that one of the most anticipated quarterbacks in college football stepped in to replace him. Manning looked perfect, with just three incompletions while being responsible for five touchdowns. I’m interested to see what happens throughout this season for the now-top-ranked Longhorns and how fast Ewers can come back to lead the offense. Head coach Steve Sarkisian said that “nothing changes” if Manning steps in for Ewers.
The Pac-12 might be back, but it isn’t the same
I wanted to wrap up this article by talking about the resurrection of the Pac-12. While it may not be the conference that included USC and Oregon, it was smart for the conference to add teams from the Mountain West Conference. Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State and San Diego State, effective starting the 2026-27 academic year. The conference still needs two more members to meet the NCAA minimum requirement. I wouldn’t be against Utah State and UNLV joining the conference.