College football coaches debut with mixed results across 2026 week one

Seventeen head coaches made their collegiate debuts during the first week of the 2026 season. Of the group, 16 coaches combined for a 14-2 record in their opening games. Lane Kiffin began his tenure at LSU with a 51-10 victory over Clemson, while Matt Campbell led Penn State to a 45-0 shutout of Marshall. Florida coach Jon Sumrall secured a 66-21 win against FAU, and Bob Chesney guided UCLA to a 45-24 victory over Cal. Conversely, Eric Morris and Oklahoma State suffered a 24-10 loss to Tulsa, and Michigan's Kyle Whittingham narrowly avoided defeat with a 13-12 win against Western Michigan. Auburn coach Alex Golesh saw his team edge Baylor 17-16 in a tight finish. Pete Golding is scheduled to lead Ole Miss against Louisville on Sunday to conclude the week's slate.

• 4:20 PMYahoo Sports — Ranking best, worst coaching debuts in Week 1: Lane Kiffin, Matt Campbell, Jon Sumrall in new places