Week 2 of college football offers a chance for teams to put their mettle to the test. After tepid results for some in Week 1, teams now get to confront stiffer competition in in-state battles, rekindling rivalries and a top-10 tilt at The Big House. A fascinating contest to watch will be the match between No. 4 Alabama and University of South Florida (USF) that has the potential to rehash old narratives. Last season, Alabama, despite being favorites with a 34.5-point spread, only managed a 17-3 win over USF. This has led to questions on whether Alabama can maintain its bragging rights in the rematch.
Another match of interest is the interstate rivalry between UTSA and Texas State, both strong contenders in the Group of 5 category. Despite lackluster Week 1 victories, they were second in respective preseason conference polls. Even though Texas State is the sleeper pick, it must overcome Jeff Traylor’s Roadrunners to stand any chance of a spot in the G5 College Football playoff. In another intriguing game, No. 17 Kansas State battles Tulane, hoping to build on its dominant win in Week 1. Kansas State looks poised to exploit the performance dip of other ACC favorites, but it must first overcome Tulane’s strong redshirt freshman quarterback Darian Mensah.
At No. 25, Clemson would be wary of Appalachian State’s strong history of upsetting the big boys. With an impressive Week 1 victory to their name, Appalachian State could pose a significant challenge to Clemson. Oklahoma State will also be looking to show they are the real deal against the SEC’s Arkansas, in what promises to be a thrilling bout. Moreover, the old rivalry between Colorado and Nebraska promises to be a high-stakes battle, featuring star performances from Travis Hunter and five-star recruit Dylan Raiola.
A crucial game is on the cards as Boise State faces No. 7 Oregon in what could be an acid test for both teams. Coming off a less than impressive win over FCS Idaho, Oregon will need a victory to regain credibility, but will first have to quieten a rampant Boise State offense boasting Ashton Jeanty’s talismanic runs. In addition, No. 14 Tennessee confronts No. 24 NC State, looking to continue their red-hot run of form after their stunning destruction of Chattanooga. Quarterback Nico Iamaleava will be itching to show that his performances are no fluke, with the Vols amassing a staggering 718 yards in total offense.
The Cy-Hawk series promises to be an intensely contested game, with Iowa State and No. 21 Iowa aggressively pushing for the playoffs. The match could be a defensive battle, with both teams looking to frustrate each other with a sturdy backline. The highlight of Week 2, though, is likely to be the clash between No. 3 Texas and No. 10 Michigan. Michigan needs to show drastic improvement and must rev up their engines in the face of a Texas squad coming off a stunning 52-0 rout of Colorado State.
