A handful of Week 1 results set the stage for an epic college football season. Some other programs leaned on FCS opponents to hit the turbo button on hype and expectations.
Week 2 offers teams a likelihood to vary or solidify their winning streaks within the face of tougher competition, including intrastate duels, reignited rivalries, surprise moments and a battle for the highest 10 within the Big House.
Honorable Mention: BYU at SMU (Friday), No. 23 Georgia Tech at Syracuse, Baylor at No. 11 Utah, South Carolina at Kentucky, Michigan State at Maryland, No. 19 Kansas at Illinois, Oregon State at San Diego State.
10. USF (1-0) at No. 4 Alabama (1-0), 7 p.m., ESPN
Before anyone complains within the comments concerning the huge point differential, it's value remembering that this same game last season — when the Tide limped to a 17-3 win in Tampa and raised hell for Bama fans — had some extent differential of 34.5. I'm not saying that will likely be repeated in Tuscaloosa, but this game may be viewed through the lens of every thing that's modified for the Tide because the last meeting, when quarterback Jalen Milroe was benched and folks openly wondered if Nick Saban was out.
Now Milroe is a Heisman contender and Saban (who’s most definitely NOT washed up) sits next to Pat McAfee on Saturday mornings. That's due to USF, too. The program has made great strides under second-year coach Alex Golesh and has its own dynamic quarterback in Byrum Brown. I'll be tuning in to see how Milroe and the Kalen DeBoer-led Crimson Tide fare against the Bulls a 12 months later.
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9. UTSA (1-0) at Texas State (1-0), 4:00 p.m., ESPNU
It's the I-35 rivalry between two of the Group of 5's top contenders. Both are coming off disappointing wins in Week 1 but were ranked No. 2 of their respective preseason conference polls and have a likelihood to earn a spot within the G5 College Football Playoff if the remainder of the season goes of their favor. Texas State, led by coach GJ Kinne and quarterback Jordan McCloud, was my dark horse playoff pick from the Sun Belt, however the Bobcats need a win over Jeff Traylor and the Roadrunners, who’ve their very own aspirations within the AAC and have won five in a row within the rivalry. As if that wasn't enough, Kinne played quarterback for Traylor his senior 12 months of highschool — and their connection is even deeper.
8. No. 17 Kansas State (1-0) at Tulane (1-0), 12:00 p.m., ESPN
K-State made light work of an FCS opponent last week, showing off its running prowess by rushing for 283 yards on 9.1 yards per carry. And after a few ACC favorites fell out of the starting blocks, the road seems for much longer for 2 Big 12 programs to make the 12 playoff teams, which absolutely advantages the Wildcats. But facing Tulane on the road is a tougher task after the Green Wave dominated its own FCS opponent with a powerful debut from redshirt freshman quarterback Darian Mensah. As a reminder, Tulane beat K-State, a Wildcat team that went on to win the Big 12, two years ago in Manhattan.
7. Appalachian State (1-0) at No. 25 Clemson (0-1), 8 p.m., ACC Network
Are the Tigers on red alert? Again, I'm not able to make a prediction, but App State has beaten the large guys prior to now, most recently sixth-ranked Texas A&M on the road in 2022. The Mountaineers were preseason favorites within the Sun Belt and looked solid of their Week 1 win, with QB Joey Aguilar throwing for 326 yards and two touchdowns. Meanwhile, Clemson's poor performance against Georgia — and the anti-Dabo discussion that followed — makes the Tigers a must-win against any opponent with a superb feeling. App State is definitely considered one of them.
The Pokes did well against an admirable South Dakota State squad – as befits a top-20 team – and running back Ollie Gordon II picked up where he left off in 2023 with 126 rushing yards and three touchdowns. Can Oklahoma State show the identical potential against an SEC opponent? Any talk of Sam Pittman's hot seat faded after Arkansas' 70-0 shutout in Week 1, and Boise State transfer QB Taylen Green looked good in his debut with the Razorbacks. But this showdown in Stillwater – which revives a regional rivalry that has been dormant since 1980 – should provide a clearer sense of what to anticipate from each teams.
5. Colorado (1-0) at Nebraska (1-0), 7:30 p.m., NBC
Another renewed rivalry, this time from the old days of the Big 12 (and Big Eight), now with a Big 12 team. Travis Hunter caught three touchdowns, Shedeur Sanders threw for 445 yards and Coach Prime made his usual postgame headlines after Colorado pulled off a win over North Dakota State last week. But essentially the most anticipated aspect of this game could also be Nebraska's true freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola. The five-star recruit fueled the joy by completing 19 of 27 passes for 238 yards and two touchdowns within the Cornhuskers' 40-7 victory over UTEP. Now he faces a Buffs defense that gave up 449 yards to NDSU and leads a Nebraska team that may look to avenge last 12 months's 36-14 loss in Boulder.
4. Boise State (1-0) at No. 7 Oregon (1-0), 10 p.m., Peacock
The jury continues to be out on the Ducks, who slipped from No. 3 to No. 7 within the AP poll after an uninspiring 24-14 win over FCS Idaho last weekend, a game through which Oregon was favored by 49.5 points. The Ducks completely dominated the sport statistics, including 380 passing yards from quarterback Dillon Gabriel on 41 of 49 passes accomplished. But a missed field goal, a fumble and a few failed fourth-down attempts kept the sport close and raised some skepticism about Oregon. Boise State won a 56-45 shootout with Georgia Southern, totaling 1,112 yards on offense, including 267 rushing yards and 6 touchdowns for Broncos star running back Ashton Jeanty (who I occur to know in The athlete's Heisman Draft). If the Ducks pull themselves together, I’d bet the Over (61.5 points) on this game.
3. No. 14 Tennessee (1-0) vs. No. 24 NC State (1-0), 7:30 p.m., ABC
Anyone tuning in to Duke's Mayo Classic should add Vols quarterback Nico Iamaleava to the list of highly touted players who made a splash in Week 1. The redshirt freshman accomplished 22 of 28 passes for 314 yards and three touchdowns in a blowout win over Chattanooga that fired up Knoxville fans. Tennessee finished the sport with 718 yards of offense. Grayson McCall, a transfer from Coastal Carolina, also looked pretty good in his NC State debut, however the Wolfpack struggled against Western Carolina, trailing early within the fourth quarter before scoring 21 unanswered points. NC State won't have that luxury against Tennessee's offense, which is already one other top-tier offense within the making.
2. Iowa State (1-0) at No. 21 Iowa (1-0), 3:30 p.m., CBS
The Cy-Hawk series hasn't been particularly high-scoring of late, and that may likely be the case again, although the Hawkeyes scored 40 points in the primary game under recent offensive coordinator Tim Lester. The over/under is 35.5, and the last time the Cy-Hawks scored greater than 45 points was Iowa's 44-41 extra time win in 2017. But it must be one other exciting matchup between same-state rivals who’re underdogs heading into the playoffs. The Cyclones are coming off a solid win over North Dakota, but might want to run the ball higher to carry their very own against an Iowa defense that allowed just 189 yards to Illinois State. Hawkeyes coach Kirk Ferentz is back on the bench after a one-game suspension. Iowa has won seven of its last eight games against Iowa State.
1. No. 3 Texas (1-0) at No. 10 Michigan (1-0), 12:00 p.m., Fox
Big Noon Kickoff heads to Ann Arbor for a high-scoring heavyweight matchup. Michigan let Fresno State get inside six points within the fourth quarter before slamming the door, nevertheless it still must get way more out of a revamped offense that did not pass 300 yards and scored just two of the team's three touchdowns. Starting quarterback Davis Warren struggled, and running back Donovan Edwards never really got going. The Wolverines may have to seek out their feet against a Texas team that beat Colorado State 52-0, including 260 yards and three touchdowns from Fansville's own deputy Quinn EwersThe Longhorns are coming off an enormous win over Alabama in Week 2 last 12 months en path to the playoffs. Michigan may have a likelihood to prove how strong its national title defense may be.
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