College football world reacts to insane comeback on opening night

The 2026 college football season is officially here, and the FCS level delivered a mind-blowing game between the William & Mary Tribe and the Villanova Wildcats on Friday night in Philadelphia.

Trailing 32-22, William & Mary scored 13 points in the final minute to stun Villanova 35-32 in Patriot League action.

The Tribe cut the deficit to seven points when kicker Max Lipinski made a 40-yard field goal to make it a 32-25 game.

William & Mary recovered the ensuing onside kick. Three plays later, Tribe quarterback Winston Watkins connected with wide receiver Kai Austin for a 37-yard touchdown before Lipinski made the extra point to tie the game 32-32.

Villanova hoped to get into scoring range on the next drive and had 3rd-and-10 at their own 35-yard line. But quarterback Pat McQuaide was picked off on a throw downfield, and William & Mary’s Cade Ellis brought the interception back to Villanova’s 28-yard line with five seconds remaining.

On the next play, Lipinski drilled a 45-yard field goal to give William & Mary an unbelievable late comeback victory on the road over heavy favorite Villanova.

William and Mary was down double digits to No. 7 Villanova with under a minute left to play.

Then this happened pic.twitter.com/8BPsrbzrLj

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) August 29, 2026

The college football world went wild over the game on social media.

Here’s a look at some of the reactions to William & Mary’s crazy comeback win:

William & Mary was down 10 with one minute left at Villanova and scored three times to win in regulation.

FG
Onside kick recovered
TD
INT
FG at the buzzer

We’re back baby pic.twitter.com/5gXC7mpqWY

— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) August 29, 2026

Up 32-22 with just over 2 minutes to go, Villanova had a 99.8% chance to defeat William & Mary, per @espn analytics.

William & Mary was able to rally back to defeat the Wildcats 35-32. pic.twitter.com/fz4g427KA7

— Conor Smith (@conorfsmith) August 29, 2026

Welcome back, college football. https://t.co/XdAavsdsGW

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) August 29, 2026

Perfect onside kick. Just gorgeous. I love an onside kick. https://t.co/3QI6195Kx6

— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) August 29, 2026

Absolutely insanity, and we haven’t gotten to Saturday yet. https://t.co/4ixoc6AGC2

— Sickos Committee (@SickosCommittee) August 29, 2026

It’s gonna be hard to top this game this weekend. Incredible comeback by The Tribe. https://t.co/hTjQgZYSTk

— Stanford Steve (@StanfordSteve82) August 29, 2026

Villanova burned all of the bridges with the Patriot League for Pat McQuaide… He then throws 3 INTs and Villanova loses to William & Mary https://t.co/OOeybM10NGpic.twitter.com/BaqpwyyuzV

— Zach McKinnell (@zachmckinnell) August 29, 2026

That’s an amazing way to start the college football season.

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