College football is BACK, and Pryor to the Snap is coming out swinging after a wild Week 0!
Shaun, Kassie and Joe break down the biggest performances, surprises, disappointments and questions coming out of the opening weekend of the 2026 college football season. From USC's 42-26 win over San Jose State to Florida State's 34-17 victory over New Mexico State, Stanford's wild comeback against Hawai'i, North Carolina's win over TCU, Virginia's statement win over NC State, North Dakota State's FBS debut and UNLV's 27-21 loss to Memphis — we are talking about ALL OF IT.
🔥 USC — ARE THE TROJANS FOR REAL?
USC opened the season ranked No. 14 and jumped all over San Jose State, leading 35-3 before allowing a huge fourth-quarter rally. Jayden Maiava was efficient, throwing for 286 yards and two touchdowns. Is USC actually a contender, or did Week 0 simply give us another preseason-ranked team that looks better on paper than it does on the field?
🔥 SHAUN RIPS INTO FLORIDA STATE!
Florida State got the win, but Shaun isn't handing out participation trophies. The Seminoles beat New Mexico State 34-17, but the defense didn't look nearly as dominant as Shaun expected against an opponent FSU should have controlled. Is Mike Norvell already facing serious pressure? And if that defense doesn't improve, could Florida State be looking at major coaching changes before the season is over?
We break down Jackson Arnold's Week 0 performance against Memphis, including the offensive-line problems that put him under constant pressure. Arnold threw for 291 yards and two touchdowns, but Memphis got to him six times as UNLV's preseason expectations took an early hit.
🔥 THE HEISMAN TROPHY & OUR TOO-EARLY QB WATCH LIST
Who are the quarterbacks we're watching right now? Who has a legitimate Heisman argument? And which preseason stars are already making us wonder if the hype is bigger than the actual football?
Which college football teams are being talked about WAY too much? We're calling out the programs we think are getting more preseason respect than they've earned — and explaining who we believe could crash the party instead.
🔥 CAN NFL PLAYERS REALLY COME BACK TO COLLEGE?
The college football world has been thrown into another eligibility mess after court rulings opened the door for former professional players to return to college football. The Big Ten and SEC have now moved to block athletes with previous professional experience from returning, creating another massive debate over NIL, eligibility, roster spots and the future of college athletics.
🔥 LANE KIFFIN, LSU & THE LOUISIANA DEBATE
We get into the controversy surrounding Lane Kiffin and LSU, including the debate over public money, college football spending and the attitude that winning is all that matters. How far is too far when taxpayers and public institutions are involved? And should Louisiana fans and lawmakers care HOW Kiffin wins — or only whether he wins?
🔥 TEXAS & OKLAHOMA — HERE WE GO!
The Longhorns and Sooners haven't even played yet, but the expectations are already enormous.
Texas opens September 5 against Texas State before immediately getting Ohio State in Week 2 on September 12. Oklahoma opens against UTEP before traveling to Michigan in Week 2. Both teams then face Tennessee and Georgia, respectively, in Week 3/4 before eventually meeting in the Red River Rivalry on October 10.
What do Texas and Oklahoma need to show us in Week 1 to make us feel good? What would make us nervous? And what are we expecting when the Longhorns face Ohio State and the Sooners travel to Michigan?
We also talk a little Nebraska, break down what we saw from the Week 0 teams, look ahead at where these programs could finish the season, and make some early calls about who is real, who is fake and who is about to get exposed.
🏈 PLUS: WHAT DOES A "GOOD" WEEK 1 ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE?
We're ending the show with the question every fan needs to answer: What do we NEED to see from our teams in Week 1 before we're willing to say, "Yeah...I'm happy with that"?
🏃♂️ SHAUN'S RUNNING CORNER
A big shoutout to SpiBelt for sending Shaun a FREE pack! Shaun gives his honest thoughts and explains why he recommends SpiBelt to other runners looking for a way to carry their essentials while running.
And if you're collecting virtual race medals, check out U.Run, where Shaun has been getting his virtual 5K medals.
Joe is working toward 100 followers so he can go LIVE on Facebook and stream his games! Follow Joe on Twitch and Facebook and help us get him to that 100-follower milestone.
This is Pryor to the Snap — college football opinions, arguments, predictions, hot takes and absolutely ZERO shortage of things to complain about.
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And if you disagree with Shaun...GOOD. That's what makes the show fun.
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