Kirk Herbstreit names his top performing teams from Week 1 of college football

It’s hard to believe, but Week 1 of college football has already come and went with several surprises. With the games already in the books, that means the return of ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit‘s list of his top performing teams of the week.

USC leads things off at No. 1 after an impressive 27-20 victory against No. 13 LSU. The Trojans weren’t the only Big Ten team to make the list as Penn State came in at No. 4 following a commanding 34-12 win against rival West Virginia.

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Notre Dame was right behind USC at No. 2 after it handled Texas A&M in a rowdy road environment at Kyle Field, while Miami was No. 3 for its blowout win against rival Florida. You can view the full list of Herbstreit’s top performing teams from Week 1 below.

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1. USC Trojans

Not many were sure what to think of the Trojans entering the season with a new defensive coordinator and starting quarterback. However, Miller Moss showed people right away that he will be a name to watch this season with his final drive in a 27-20 victory Sunday evening.

The USC gunslinger completed 5-of-6 passes to lead the team 75 yards downfield before running back Woody Marks scored a 13-yard touchdown with eight second left. The 20 points that the Trojans gave up was also

2. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

USC wasn’t the only team with a quarterback who came up clutch on a late drive. Riley Leonard also took Notre Dame down the field for a go-ahead touchdown with 1:54 to go against Texas A&M.

His running back also finished off the drive as Jeremiyah Love broke free for a 26-yard touchdown. The Fighting Irish went on to beat the Aggies 23-13 and notch a quality win for their CFP resume early in the season.

3. Miami Hurricanes

The game was never in doubt for Miami as it rolled to a 41-17 victory against Florida in The Swamp to earn the No. 3 spot on Herbstreit’s top teams list. Transfer quarterback Cam Ward looked exactly as he was hyped up to be in preseason, throwing for 385 yards and three touchdowns to only one interception.

The 41 points scored were the most the Gators had ever allowed in a home opener and the Hurricanes totaled 529 yards as well. With Ward and fellow transfer Damien Martinez at running back, this looks like an offense that will be scary as Miami hopes to compete for an ACC title.

4. Penn State Nittany Lions

Penn State cruised to a 34-12 victory against West Virginia as quarterback Drew Allar threw for 216 yards and three touchdowns. Running back Nick Singleton also had a big day with 114 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

The defense was dominant, forcing three turnovers while holding the Mountaineers to under 100 yards rushing. The Nittany Lions look like a complete team that figures to stand just as good a chance as anybody in the Big Ten race.

5. Georgia Bulldogs

Georgia rolled past Clemson in a 34-3 victory, though it took about a half to settle in. The Bulldogs scored 28 of their 34 points in the second half as quarterback Carson Beck finished with 278 yards and two touchdowns in the win.

It was an impressive performance for the defense to hold Clemson without a touchdown, and they also has an interception and a sack on Tigers QB Cade Klubnik. Georgia looks like the early frontrunner to win the SEC after falling in the championship game to Alabama last season.

6. Boston College Eagles

Boston College became the second team to beat last year’s ACC Champion Florida State with a 28-13 win on Labor Day. Quarterback Thomas Castellanos finished with three total touchdowns and 73 yards rushing as the Bill O’Brien era got off to a 1-0 start.

Former FSU running back Treshaun Ward also got his revenge on the Seminoles with a 77-yard performance in the win. We’ll see whether the Eagles can keep it going as they face Duquesne next week.

7. Vanderbilt Commodores

Diego Pavia stole the show in his Vanderbilt debut to lead the Commodores to a 34-27 victory against Virginia Tech. Not only did he finish with 190 yards passing and two touchdowns through the air, but he also rushed for a team-best 104 yards and a touchdown.

Vanderbilt failed to win a conference game and finished 2-10 this past season, but perhaps Pavia can breathe new life into the program. At the very least, they round out Herbstreit’s list of top teams from Week 1.