Week 1 of the college football season is over, providing a few incredible results. To celebrate, ESPN’s Dan Mullen <a href="https://x.com/CoachDanMullen/status/1831075338828349611">decided</a> to hand out a few awards.



Mullen revealed his top team performances from the sport’s opening weekend, giving five names. Two reside in the Big Ten, getting wins against other power conference opponents.



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Notre Dame is the lone outlier in the list’s five, not having a conference to represent. You can check out the other four selections from Mullen below.



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-usc-trojans"><a href="https://www.on3.com/teams/usc-trojans/">USC Trojans</a></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2024/09/02140241/Miller-Moss-8-1024x538.png" alt="USC quarterback Miller Moss celebrates on the field after the Trojans' win over LSU" class="wp-image-2679245" srcset="https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2024/09/02140241/Miller-Moss-8-1024x538.png 1024w, https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2024/09/02140241/Miller-Moss-8-300x158.png 300w, https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2024/09/02140241/Miller-Moss-8-768x403.png 768w, https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2024/09/02140241/Miller-Moss-8-50x26.png 50w, https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2024/09/02140241/Miller-Moss-8.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">(Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)</figcaption></figure>



One team was going to leave Las Vegas with a lot of questions to answer and it wound up being <a href="https://www.on3.com/teams/lsu-tigers/">LSU</a>. A huge win for <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/coach/lincoln-riley-134569/">Lincoln Riley</a> and the Trojans, making USC No. 1 on Mullen’s list.



Significant defensive improvement was shown and quarterback <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/miller-moss-89771/">Miller Moss</a> might be Riley’s next great starter. USC still faces a tough Big Ten schedule but after one week, there cannot be any complaints from Los Angeles.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-vanderbilt-commodores"><a href="https://www.on3.com/college/vanderbilt-commodores/">Vanderbilt Commodores</a></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="597" src="https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2023/11/22230312/USATSI_21596727-1024x597.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-2031003" srcset="https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2023/11/22230312/USATSI_21596727-1024x597.jpg 1024w, https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2023/11/22230312/USATSI_21596727-300x175.jpg 300w, https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2023/11/22230312/USATSI_21596727-768x448.jpg 768w, https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2023/11/22230312/USATSI_21596727-1536x896.jpg 1536w, https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2023/11/22230312/USATSI_21596727-2048x1194.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun]</figcaption></figure>



Who would have guessed the best win out of the SEC on Saturday would have been Vanderbilt? A two-touchdown underdog at home to <a href="https://www.on3.com/college/virginia-tech-hokies/">Virginia Tech</a> wound up being a straight-up win in overtime for the Commodores.



<a href="https://www.on3.com/db/coach/clark-lea-135009/">Clark Lea</a> has been searching for this kind of momentum ever since taking over the job. Eleven games remain but people will be thinking differently about Vanderbilt than they did just a week ago.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-miami-hurricanes"><a href="https://www.on3.com/teams/miami-hurricanes/">Miami Hurricanes</a></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2024/09/02124147/Cam-Ward-4-1024x538.jpg" alt="breaking-down-miami-quarterback-cam-ward-dominant-performance-vs-florida" class="wp-image-2678966" srcset="https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2024/09/02124147/Cam-Ward-4-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2024/09/02124147/Cam-Ward-4-300x158.jpg 300w, https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2024/09/02124147/Cam-Ward-4-768x403.jpg 768w, https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2024/09/02124147/Cam-Ward-4-50x26.jpg 50w, https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2024/09/02124147/Cam-Ward-4.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Matt Pendleton-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure>



Miami fans could not be more on top of the world right now. Going to the Swamp and beating <a href="https://www.on3.com/teams/florida-gators/">Florida</a> would have been one thing but the Hurricanes took it to the Gators, making a major statement.



After other results around the ACC, Miami looks to be the clear favorite to represent the conference in the <a href="https://www.on3.com/category/college-football-playoff/news/">College Football Playoff</a>. Quarterback <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/cam-ward-18163/">Cam Ward</a> will receive some deserved Heisman Trophy discussion as well.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-notre-dame-fighting-irish"><a href="https://www.on3.com/teams/notre-dame-fighting-irish/">Notre Dame Fighting Irish</a></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2024/09/03125821/nd-1024x538.png" alt="notre dame marcus freeman" class="wp-image-2681790" srcset="https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2024/09/03125821/nd-1024x538.png 1024w, https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2024/09/03125821/nd-300x158.png 300w, https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2024/09/03125821/nd-768x403.png 768w, https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2024/09/03125821/nd-50x26.png 50w, https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2024/09/03125821/nd.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman. (Photo by Chad Weaver)</figcaption></figure>



Saturday night in College Station was not always the prettiest but Notre Dame will not apologize. Going to <a href="https://www.on3.com/teams/texas-am-aggies/">Texas A&M</a> and heading back to South Bend with a win could be a huge springboard for the Fighting Irish.



Arguably the most impressive performance came from the Notre Dame offensive line, doing well against the highly thought of Texas A&M front seven. Now, it’s full steam ahead to get into the CFP and compete on a national stage.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-penn-state-nittany-lions"><a href="https://www.on3.com/teams/penn-state-nittany-lions/">Penn State Nittany Lions</a></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2024/09/02064647/drew-allar-penn-state-football-1-on3-1024x538.jpg" alt="Penn State quarterback Drew Allar" class="wp-image-2677702" srcset="https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2024/09/02064647/drew-allar-penn-state-football-1-on3-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2024/09/02064647/drew-allar-penn-state-football-1-on3-300x158.jpg 300w, https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2024/09/02064647/drew-allar-penn-state-football-1-on3-768x403.jpg 768w, https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2024/09/02064647/drew-allar-penn-state-football-1-on3-1536x807.jpg 1536w, https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2024/09/02064647/drew-allar-penn-state-football-1-on3-2048x1075.jpg 2048w, https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2024/09/02064647/drew-allar-penn-state-football-1-on3-50x26.jpg 50w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Quarterback Drew Allar. (Credit: Steve Manuel | Blue White Illustrated)</figcaption></figure>



Mother nature may have caused problems on Saturday but <a href="https://www.on3.com/college/west-virginia-mountaineers/">West Virginia</a> surely did not. Penn State found itself running away with the game following a weather delay to bring home a comfortable Week 1 win.



<a href="https://www.on3.com/db/drew-allar-38915/">Drew Allar</a> appeared to be a lot more comfortable in his second season as the starter, while <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/coach/tom-allen-133775/">Tom Allen</a>‘s defense was able to contain West Virginia for four quarters. Nearly everything went to plan for Penn State, being a pretty good opener to 2024.

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