College football winners, losers: Nebraska survives as Big Ten ekes out four ugly Thursday victories

Week 1 of the college football season kicked off Thursday, and it delivered plenty of drama, highlights and insights, capped by a thrilling finish in Nebraska's 20-17 win over Cincinnati (in front of power couple Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, nonetheless). It was just part of an ugly but unbeaten night for the Big Ten, which had four teams in action.

Rutgers topped Ohio 34-31, Minnesota beat Buffalo 23-10 and Wisconsin edged Miami (Ohio) 17-0. But the headliner was Nebraska, which is expected to take a step toward national relevance in coach Matt Rhule's third season following the program's first bowl bid since 2016.

That step forward nearly became a big step back as Cincinnati launched a potential game-winning drive late in the fourth quarter. Ultimately, Huskers defensive back Malcolm Hartzog Jr. intercepted Cincinnati's Brendan Sorsby with 39 seconds remaining to preserve the victory for Nebraska.

His pivotal pick came just one play after he committed a holding penalty that inched the Bearcats closer to field-goal range. One moment he was the goat. Then the next, he was the hero. It was quintessential college football drama and just a taste of what's ahead over Labor Day weekend.

Here is the rundown of Thursday night's top winners and losers.

The Six Pack: Picks for Ohio State vs. Texas, LSU vs. Clemson and Tom Fornelli's lock for Week 1 action

Winner: Nebraska finds a way

So often over the past decade, Nebraska has discovered torturous new ways to lose football games to its fans. Even while reaching bowl eligibility last season, the Cornhuskers finished just 2-5 in one-possession games as they struggled to shed the scars of the Scott Frost era. That's why Thursday night's win was so big. It was no masterpiece, but it was a gritty victory for a program that has so often fallen in short in pressure-packed moments over the years. Nebraska now has tune-up chances against Akron and Houston Christian over the next two weeks before things get real against Michigan on Sept. 20.

Loser: Boise State looks rudderless

No. 25 Boise State failed to reach 10 points for the first time since 2020 in a hapless 34-7 loss at South Florida. The Broncos ran 86 plays compared to just 53 for South Florida and dominated time of possession by nearly 13 minutes. But no matter how long they had the football, they couldn't finish drives. Two first half Boise State possessions ended with fumbles in USF territory, and then four straight possessions in the second half ended with failed fourth-down conversion attempts. Adjusting to life without Heisman runner-up Ashton Jeanty was always going to be tough for Boise State, but Thursday brought a sobering glimpse of just how tough it will be.

Winner: Byrum Brown lowers the boom

If there are any lingering effects of the season-ending leg injury that South Florida quarterback Byrum Brown suffered last season, they weren't evident in the Bulls' 34-7 win over No. 25 Boise State. The 230-pound mobile threat lowered the boom on multiple occasions, shedding would-be tacklers and showed why he was one of the sport's top breakout stars in 2023. For good measure, he also completed 16 of 24 passes for 210 yards in a statement victory for USF.

Winner: Brawl rematch delivers drama

A brawl broke out at the end of East Carolina's 26-21 Military Bowl victory against NC State in December, and the reverberations were still being felt on Thursday as they met to open the 2025 season. Two Wolfpack players who were ejected from the bowl game were subsequently ineligible for the first half of the season opener. There was no repeat of the fight, but there was plenty of drama as NC State squeaked out a 24-17 win. ECU rallied from a 24-7 deficit and trailed by just seven when it got the football back with under six minutes remaining. The Pirates plundered their way inside NC State's 10-yard line before coming up empty on a fourth-and-1 play with under a minute left. The teams have met four times over the past three seasons and each game has been decided by a touchdown or less.

Loser: Missouri's QB battle gets unwanted development

Missouri's quarterback battle between Beau Pribula and Sam Horn remained one of the murkier QB competitions in the country entering Week 1. But it may have sorted itself out during the Tigers' 61-6 win over Central Arkansas. Pribula started before Horn entered during the middle of a drive in the first quarter and plunged up the middle for a fateful 6-yard gain, taking a shot to the knees in the process. Horn needed help getting off the field and was later spotted on crutches and in a leg brace.

The redshirt junior was also selected in the 17th round of the 2025 MLB Draft as a right-handed pitcher but elected to continue playing football, even after signing with the Dodgers. With Horn injured, Pribula ended up with a greater share of the first-team reps than anticipated. Though the level of competition was lacking, the Penn State transfer looked the part of an SEC starter. Pribula finished 23 of 28 for 283 yards with three touchdowns while also running for 65 yards and two scores.

Winner: Bowling Green starts with a bang

Eddie George's coaching tenure at Bowling Green began with a bang, as Cameron Pettaway returned the opening kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown in the Falcons' 26-7 win over Lafayette. The rest of the game was a snoozer, as the Falcons mustered just 265 yards against their FCS foe. But Pettaway's opening highlight made for a fun start to a highly anticipated new era. George, a four-time Pro Bowler, went 24-22 in four seasons as Tennessee State's coach and is now back in a state where he's revered for his time as a historically productive Ohio State running back.

Loser: Rutgers lets things get tense

Rutgers seemed well on its way to covering a 15.5-point spread when it took a 31-14 lead late in the first half. But the Scarlet Knights ended up sweating until the end of a 34-31 victory over Ohio. The Bobcats — picked to finish third in the MAC — outscored Rutgers 14-0 in the third quarter and had the football down just three points in the fourth quarter before stalling out near midfield.

Instead of going for it on fourth-and-10 from the Scarlet Knights' 48-yard line with just under seven minutes remaining, Ohio punted. At the time, it seemed like a sensible play, considering the Bobcats were playing solid defense and had all three timeouts remaining. But Rutgers bled out the remaining clock with a 12-play drive featuring four first downs. The game-clinching play was a 10-yard pass from Athan Kaliakmanis to DT Sheffield on fourth-and-7 with under two minutes left. Had it fallen incomplete, the Bobcats would have regained possession needing just a field goal to send the game into overtime. But Rutgers coach Greg Schiano gambled, and it paid off as the Scarlet Knights avoided what would have been an embarrassing Week 1 result for the Big Ten.

Loser: Wisconsin loses QB

Wisconsin starting quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. exited the Badgers' 17-0 win over Miami (Ohio) in the second quarter after suffering a non-contact injury following a handoff. His departure only added to the angst of a sluggish start to an important Year 3 for coach Luke Fickell. The Badgers turned to San Diego State transfer Danny O'Neil following Edwards' injury, but their offense sputtered until O'Neil found Vinny Anthony II for a touchdown pass late in the third quarter. It was only then that Wisconsin finally extended its lead to 10-0. On a positive note, the Badgers held their ground defensively. The visiting Redhawks mustered just 117 yards and went 0 for 9 on third-down conversion attempts.