8 Top-Ranked College Football Teams Have Failed To Win Season Openers. Here’s How They Fared

Only eight teams in the history of the AP Poll have failed to win their season openers after entering the year with a preseason No. 1 ranking. The eighth instance happened in Week 1 of the 2025 campaign.

The Texas Longhorns were picked as the top-ranked team before season’s start. They fell to third-ranked Ohio State in their first game.

Not many national champions have been able to recover from a Week 1 loss. It’s not impossible to be the last team standing after a 0-1 start, though.

Unfortunately, history might not be on the Longhorns’ side. None of these previous top-ranked losers have been able to bring home the hardware. Can Texas buck the trend?

No. 1 ranked teams that lost (or tied) season openers.

We’ll start with the most recent and work our way down. This list will not only relive the unexpected losses, but also a recap the season to show where each team ended up.

Texas Longhorns (2025)

The Longhorns struggled in the season opener against Ohio State, losing 14-7. The Buckeyes’ defense shut Heisman trophy favorite Arch Manning down. The Texas offense was held off the scoreboard across the first 56 minutes of the game.

Texas came into the year as a top contender. It was fresh off an SEC Championship appearance and missed out on the national title by one game. Unfortunately, their season ended at the hands of Ohio State in 2024. It might just do the same in ’25.

How they fared: TBD

Miami Hurricanes (1990)

Prior to Texas’s loss, a preseason No. 1 had not lost its season opener in more than three decades. That came in 1990 when top-ranked Miami fell to 16th-ranked BYU, 28-21.

The game was back and forth, seeing six lead changes. Miami jumped out to a 21-17 lead early in the third quarter but was outscored 11-0 the rest of the way.

The Hurricanes entered the year as reigning national champions. They would not repeat.

How they fared: Miami would actually climb back to the No. 1 spot later in the year before losing to Notre Dame. They finished the year at 10-2 and No. 3 in the final poll.

Michigan Wolverines (1989)

The year before Miami’s loss to BYU, Michigan fell as the top-ranked preseason team in a season opener against Notre Dame. This loss has a bit of an asterisk, though.

Michigan didn’t start its season until September 16th, a few weeks after Notre Dame’s first game. While the Wolverines were ranked No. 1 in the preseason poll, it was the Fighting Irish who were ranked at the top spot when the two teams met in Michigan’s opener.

Notre Dame won, 24-19 to further cement its standing at No. 1.

How they fared: Michigan would rip off 10 straight wins after the season opening loss to Notre Dame. The Wolverines would fall to USC in the Rose Bowl to finish the year at No. 7.

Florida State Seminoles (1988)

Three straight years the preseason No. 1 team lost its season opener between 1988-1990. Florida State started the trend in its first game of ’88.

The Seminoles were blown out by rival Miami, 31-0, after coming off an 11-win ’87 campaign. The Hurricanes, meanwhile, were out to prove they were still the top team after winning the national championship the year prior.

It was complete domination from start to finish. Bobby Bowden admitted his team was not ready for the No. 1 title after the fact.

How they fared: Florida State wouldn’t lose another game the rest of the season. It posted its second straight 11-1 record, beating Auburn in the Sugar Bowl to finish at No. 3.

Auburn Tigers (1984)

The Tigers entered the 1984 season at No. 1 in the polls. They’d quickly tumble down the standings.

Auburn was slimly beaten by Miami, who was the defending national champion. The Hurricanes held Bo Jackson to just 32 yards on 10 carries in the 20-18 upset.

The two teams traded blows over the course of four quarters. Miami was able to get the last punch.

How they fared: The Tigers are still the only top ranked preseason contender to start a season 0-2. They followed the loss to Miami up by falling to No. 4 Texas in their second game.

Auburn would then rip off six straight wins before losing their last two contests to Florida State and Alabama. The Tigers finished the year 9-4 and ranked 14th.

Michigan Wolverines (1981)

The Wolverines make a second appearance on the list thanks to a season opening loss in 1981. Michigan came into the year at No. 1 following a 10-2 campaign.

They dropped their first game to an unranked Wisconsin squad in Madison, 21-14. Michigan had outscored the Badgers 176-0 in the four meetings prior. That streak ended in a big way.

Michigan’s loss led to a quick tumble down the rankings. They wouldn’t recover to contend for a national title.

How they fared: The Wolverines finished 9-3 with losses to Iowa and Ohio State. They were ranked 12th in the final poll after beating UCLA in the Bluebonnet Bowl.

Nebraska Cornhuskers (1976)

The Cornhuskers entered the 1976 campaign at No. 1 in the preseason poll. They’d gone 10-2 the year prior and were expected to compete for a national championship.

Nebraska faced an unranked LSU team on the road in Baton Rouge. The game ended in a 6-6 tie.

The Cornhuskers went up 6-0 in the first quarter, missing an extra point after the opening touchdown. They were then held scoreless the rest of the way.

LSU kicked a pair of second half field goals to knot the score. Nebraska missed two field goals and had what appeared to be a game-winning touchdown wiped out when referees ruled the ball carrier out of bounds on an interception return.

How they fared: The Cornhuskers would go onto lose three games to finish the season at 9-3-1. They landed a Top 10 final ranking with a bowl win over Texas Tech.

Nebraska Cornhuskers (1972)

Four years before the tie with LSU, the Cornhuskers fell in a season opener as the No. 1 team in the college football polls. That matchup came on the road against UCLA.

Nebraska was a national champion the two years prior. They were unable to three-peat, partly due to this Game 1 loss.

The Bruins forced five turnovers and kicked a game-winning field goal with 22 seconds left to take the 20-17 victory. It was Nebraska’s first loss in 33 games.

How they fared: The Cornhuskers finished the season at 9-2-1. While they outscored their next six opponents 338-24, Nebraska would end the regular season 1-1-1 in its final three games.

A loss to Oklahoma in the finale ended national championship hopes. The Cornhuskers would end the year at No. 4 after demolishing Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl.