Eagles in College: Former St. Edward Standouts Make Their Mark in Week 1

LAKEWOOD, Ohio - Different uniforms, campuses and levels of competition could not hide the St. Edward High School foundation during Week 1 of the 2026 college football season. Former Eagles competed across the country, from nationally ranked teams and FBS stadiums to leading Division II and Division III programs. Some delivered standout performances, while others took the first steps into new chapters of their college careers.

Zyion Freer-Brown produced one of the weekend’s most complete individual performances in The Citadel’s 43-41 triple-overtime road victory over Charlotte. The former Eagle recorded 11 tackles, including five solo stops, 1.5 tackles for loss, a sack, an interception and a pass breakup. The first-quarter interception was returned seven yards into Charlotte territory. Jon Slaper also led a major defensive effort, finishing with nine tackles and two tackles for loss as No. 15 Findlay defeated No. 9 Indianapolis 30-10 on the road. The Oilers limited Indianapolis to 57 rushing yards and 250 total yards, with Slaper setting the pace in tackles during the Top-10 upset.

One of the opening weekend’s most compelling stories centered on Ben Roebuck. After transferring from Michigan to Western Michigan, Roebuck made his first start for the Broncos against his former program at Michigan Stadium. With Roebuck helping lead the effort up front, Western Michigan possessed the ball for more than 40 minutes, ran 67 offensive plays and held a 12-7 lead with 38 seconds remaining against No. 16 Michigan. Replay review restored one second to the clock, and the Wolverines scored on a 47-yard touchdown on the final play to escape with a 13-12 victory. The result did not diminish the significance of Roebuck returning to the Big House in new colors and nearly leaving with a memorable upset.

Brandon White reached a different milestone by making a collegiate debut for Kent State on the road against South Carolina. The former Loghan Thomas running back carried five times for 14 yards in the first college game of White’s career. There will be more Saturdays ahead for White, but Week 1 marked the beginning. At Ohio State, Deontae Armstrong and Mason Wilhelm opened the year as members of the nation’s No. 1-ranked program. Armstrong saw action in a 56-3 victory over Ball State at Ohio Stadium, where the Buckeyes held Ball State to 165 total yards and quarterback Julian Sayin threw for 320 yards and three touchdowns. Armstrong remains part of the Ohio State offensive line room, while Wilhelm provides another St. Edward connection to the Buckeyes.

Former Eagles also contributed in prominent roles elsewhere. Casey Bullock directed the Davidson offense against Elon, completing 13 passes for 174 yards with a long completion of 40 yards. Although the Wildcats lost, Bullock handled the bulk of the passing duties after being entrusted with the Davidson offense at the Division I level. Closer to Lakewood, Kyan Mason caught three passes for 10 yards in Akron’s opener against Wake Forest, continuing Mason’s established role in the Zips’ passing game. In Iowa City, former Eagle Xavier Styles recorded a tackle and a pass breakup as No. 22 Iowa shut out Northern Illinois 40-0. The Hawkeyes surrendered only 120 total yards and forced two turnovers in the victory.

One more St. Edward connection remains on the Week 1 schedule. Loghan Thomas and No. 4 Notre Dame face Wisconsin at 7:30 p.m. ET Sunday on NBC at Lambeau Field in Green Bay. Roebuck enters another season in South Bend with one of college football’s most recognizable programs, continuing a journey that began at St. Edward. After a weekend featuring a triple-overtime win, a Top-10 Division II upset, a near-shocker at the Big House, a college debut and Eagles competing for the nation’s top-ranked team, Loghan Thomas and Notre Dame will carry the Green and Gold connection into the Sunday night spotlight.