Every week, the National Football Foundation highlights the people, stories and moments that demonstrate football's impact beyond the field.
Hello, Week 1!
Week 1 of the college football season is here, and after getting a taste of the game we love last weekend in Week 0, we’ve got a full slate coming up!
There are several marquee matchups to look forward to, including Clemson vs. LSU in Baton Rouge on Saturday night, Wisconsin vs. Notre Dame from Lambeau Field in Green Bay and Louisville vs. Ole Miss from Nissan Stadium in Nashville on Sunday and SMU vs. Florida State from Doak Campbell Stadium on Monday night.
Week 1 will also serve as the launching pad for several programs. Lackawanna College (PA), a former junior college program, will play its first game in Division II after making the transition to four-year football. Azusa Pacific University (CA) and Whittier College (CA) will both play their first games since reinstating their teams as Division III programs. Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (IN), which is making the transition from sprint football to traditional football, will play its first game in the NAIA, and Mount Mercy University (IA) and Schreiner University (TX) will play their first games as new programs in the NAIA and Division III, respectively.
Sit back and relax, there’s a lot of college football to watch this week!
NFF Updates gathers news from events happening within the National Football Foundation and celebrates individuals who have been honored by the organization.
More than 1.08 million high school student-athletes participated in football during the 2025-26 school year, according to the NFHS 2025-26 High School Athletics Participation Survey. Boys 11-player football grew another 1.4 percent to 1,043,716 participants, its highest level since the 2016-17 season and by far the largest participation total of any boys or girls high school sport.
The growth of girls flag football is equally remarkable. Participation increased 48.7 percent in just one year, from 68,847 to 102,360 girls. To put that growth in perspective, fewer than 16,000 girls participated nationally just four years ago. Nearly 4,000 high schools now offer girls flag football, and 37 states will either sanction the sport or conduct independent or pilot programs by next year.
Carson Palmer, a 2021 NFF College Football Hall of Famer from Southern California, has quickly found success in his second career as a coach. Carson returned to his alma mater, Santa Margarita Catholic High School in Rancho Santa Margarita, California, as head coach in 2025 and promptly guided the Eagles to an 11-3 record, their first California Open Division state championship since 2011 and a No. 4 national ranking. The Eagles have picked up where they left off in 2026, opening 2-0 and extending their winning streak to eight games with a 21-20 victory over nationally ranked Centennial on Aug. 28.
2026 NFF College Football Hall of Fame electee Aaron Donald is headed back to the NFL. The legendary Pitt defensive tackle announced Aug. 30 that he is coming out of retirement after more than two years to rejoin the Los Angeles Rams. A unanimous First Team All-American at Pitt, Donald swept the Bednarik, Lombardi, Nagurski and Outland trophies in 2013 while leading the nation with 28.5 tackles for loss. Donald went on to become a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, eight-time First Team All-Pro, 10-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl LVI champion. He will be officially inducted into the NFF College Football Hall of Fame during the 68th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 8 at Bellagio.
The NFF College Football Hall of Fame in downtown Atlanta is celebrating the return of college football by opening new exhibits that feature the 2026 electees and a celebration of 120 years of the HBCU marching bands tradition. Click here to learn more.
Tim Cook, a member of the NFF Board of Trustees since 2010, stepped down today after 15 years as Apple CEO. Cook took over the top job from Steve Jobs in 2011, overseeing a period of extraordinary growth that saw Apple’s market capitalization climb from approximately $350 billion to more than $4.5 trillion. Cook graduated from Auburn in 1982 and has remained a loyal Tiger fan ever since.
Join the Celebration of College Football’s Greatest Legends — December 8, 2026
College football players are members of the greatest fraternity in the world. Check out the National Football Foundation’s ‘I Played’ roster and submit your story to join today!
Members who recently submitted their ‘I Played’ story:
Todd Brothers II, Youngstown State — Corrections Officer, Fayette County Jail (PA)
Michael Trainor, Notre Dame — Professional football, Tennessee Titans
Christopher Cola, Ole Miss — CFO, Detmar Logistics
“I put on a helmet for the first time at six years old in Metairie, Louisiana. I did not know it then, but I was enrolling in a personal development program that would run for the next four decades and counting.”
— Christopher Cola
Come see Nebraska’s Ndamukong Suh on Dec. 8 at the
Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas for his induction!
Ndamukong Suh delivered one of the most dominant individual seasons in college football history, redefining the impact an interior defensive lineman could have on the national stage during his career at Nebraska. The Portland, Oregon, native now becomes the 21st Cornhusker player to enter the NFF College Football Hall of Fame.
A unanimous First Team All-American in 2009, Suh swept college football's major defensive awards, winning the Bednarik, Lombardi, Nagurski, and Outland trophies and earning Associated Press College Football Player of the Year honors. He finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting, becoming the first defensive lineman in 15 seasons to finish as a Heisman finalist. He was also a finalist for the Lott Impact Trophy and Walter Camp Player of the Year Award.
Be there with us as we induct Ndamukong Suh into the NFF College Hall of Fame on December 8 at the Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas!
Stay tuned for more news regarding the latest football participation numbers, schools adding college football, graduates playing college football and the 68th NFF Annual Awards Dinner!
September 23 — Announcement of the 2026 NFF Campbell Trophy® Semifinalists
October 21 — Announcement of the 2026 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class presented by Fidelity Investments/ NFF Campbell Trophy® Finalists
December 8 — 68th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas at Bellagio Resort & Casino
December 8 — Announcement of the winner of the 37th NFF William V. Campbell Trophy®
December 8-9 — The SBJ Intercollegiate Athletics Forum at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
January 25, 2027 — CFP National Championship at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada
Here are stories the NFF is reading this week as we gear up for another memorable college football season!
Meet the NAIA football team that made rare history by upsetting a Division I opponent
The Athletic
Philly college football kicks off as attendance surges nationwide
Axios Philadelphia
Carson Schwesinger went from walk-on to AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year
Associated Press
College football and oil painting? At Idaho, the unlikely pairing is a work of art
The Athletic
Jerry Stovall, a 2010 NFF College Football Hall of Fame inductee who was an All-America halfback at LSU and later the Tigers' head coach, passed away Aug. 31 in Baton Rouge. He was 85.
A unanimous All-America selection in 1962, Jerry Stovall was a literal "Mr. Everything" for LSU, playing halfback, leading the Tigers in rushing and receiving and handling punting duties during his three years in Baton Rouge.
Click here to read more about the life and legacy of Jerry Stovall.
Darrell Aune, the voice of Oregon State sports for nearly 30 years, has passed away. He was 83.
MicahJo Barnett, a running back at William Jewell College (MO), passed away August 29. He was 20.
Bill Doba, a longtime defensive coordinator at Washington State and the program’s head coach from 2003-07, has passed away. He was 85.
Joshua Julmiste, a former South Florida defensive lineman who played for the Bulls from 2005-06 before continuing his career in several indoor professional leagues, passed away Aug. 17. He was 41.
Dave Kragthorpe, the head coach at Oregon State from 1985-90 and the Pac-10 Coach of the Year in 1989, passed away August 23. He was 93.
Bob Lee, who played collegiately at University of the Pacific, played 12 seasons in the NFL and later returned to his alma mater as the athletic director, passed away August 17. He was 81.
Nate Maier, who played collegiately at Fresno State, passed away August 25. He was 21.
Aaron Marsh, who played collegiately at Eastern Kentucky and earned First Team All-American honors as a senior in 1967, passed away August 7. He was 81.
Charley North, who coached on Barry Switzer’s staff at Oklahoma with stops at Arkansas, Alabama, Texas A&M and TCU as well, passed away August 25. He was 82.
Gerhard Schwedes, a member of the inaugural class of NFF National Scholar-Athletes in 1959, passed away August 23. He was 88. A versatile halfback at Syracuse, Schwedes earned All-America honors while helping lead the Orange to an undefeated 1959 season and the national championship under NFF College Football Hall of Fame Coach Ben Schwartzwalder. The title earned Syracuse the distinction of being the first team ever to have its name etched on the NFF MacArthur Bowl National Championship Trophy.
Ray Utley, who played collegiately at Ouachita Baptist (AR) and later served as the defensive coordinator at SMU, passed away August 9. He was 90.
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