Some results from Week 1 set the stage for what should have been an epic season of college football, with several other programs hoping their FCS opponents would hit the turbo button on expectations and hype.
Week 2 offers teams a chance to change or strengthen their storyline against tougher competition, including in-state battles, rekindled rivalries, upset specials and a top-10 battle in the Big House.
Excellence Award: The lineup includes BYU vs. SMU (Friday), No. 23 Georgia Tech vs. Syracuse, Baylor vs. No. 11 Utah, South Carolina vs. Kentucky, Michigan State vs. Maryland, No. 19 Kansas vs. Illinois and Oregon State vs. San Diego State.
(All point spreads are taken from BetMGM. Click here here Live odds. All kickoff times are Eastern Time and Saturday unless otherwise noted.
No. 10 USF (1-0) at No. 4 Alabama (1-0), 7 p.m., ESPN
Before anyone jumps in the comments section to complain about the huge point differential, remember that in this same matchup last season (when the Tide won 17-3 in Tampa and Alabama fans were ecstatic), the point differential was 34.5. I'm not saying that will happen again in Tuscaloosa, but this game can be viewed through the lens of all the changes that have happened to the Tide since their last matchup, when quarterback Jalen Milroe was benched and people openly wondered if Nick Saban was done for.
Now Milroe is a Heisman Trophy candidate and Saban (not at all polished) is sitting next to Pat McAfee on Saturday mornings. USF deserves some credit, too. This team has made big strides under second-year coach Alex Goresh and has a dynamic quarterback in Byram Brown. I'll be tuned in to see how Milroe and Cullen DeBoer's Crimson Tide fare against the Bulls a year from now.
Line: Alabama -30.5
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9. UTSA (1-0) at Texas State (1-0), 4 p.m., ESPNU
It's an I-35 rivalry between two of the top contenders in the Group of 5. Both had disappointing Week 1 wins but were picked to finish second in their respective preseason conference polls and have a chance to earn a spot in the Group of 5 College Football Playoff if they play well the rest of the season. Texas State, led by coach GJ Kinney and quarterback Jordan McCloud, was a preseason playoff sleeper favorite out of the Sun Belt, but the Bobcats have ambitions of their own in the AAC and will need to beat Jeff Traylor and the Roadrunners, who have won five straight games in the rivalry. If that wasn't enough, Kinney was Traylor's quarterback as a senior in high school, so their bond goes even deeper than that.
Line: Texas State University -1.5
8. No. 17 Kansas State (1-0) at Tulane (1-0), noon, ESPN
Last week, K-State easily beat an FCS opponent, showcasing the power of its run game, rushing 9.1 yards per attempt for 283 yards. And with both ACC championship contenders stumbling off the start, the path seems much wider for two Big 12 programs to make the 12-team playoff field, which is certainly to the Wildcats' advantage. But it'll be a tougher task facing Tulane on the road after the Green Wave dominated an FCS opponent with a strong debut from redshirt freshman quarterback Darian Mensah. A reminder: Tulane beat K-State in Manhattan two years ago; that Wildcat team went on to win the Big 12.
Line: Kansas State -9.5
7. Appalachian State (1-0) at No. 25 Clemson (0-1), 8 p.m., ACC Network
Are the Tigers in danger of an upset? I'm not ready to predict this one either, but Appalachian State has a history of beating strong opponents, most recently on the road against No. 6 Texas A&M in 2022. The Mountaineers were the preseason favorite to win the Sun Belt and played solidly in their Week 1 win, with QB Joey Aguilar throwing for 326 yards and two touchdowns. Meanwhile, Clemson's struggles against Georgia and the anti-Dabo debate that followed make the Tigers a must-watch team against a hot-shot opponent. Appalachian State certainly qualifies.
Line: Clemson -17.5
The Pockets got the job done against respectable South Dakota State, befitting a top-20 team, and running back Ollie Gordon II picked up where he left off in 2023, rushing for 126 yards and three touchdowns. Can Oklahoma State have the same expectations against an SEC opponent? Talk of Sam Pittman's jeopardy was put on the back burner in Week 1's 70-0 shutout of Arkansas, and Boise State transfer QB Taylen Greene was strong in his Razorbacks debut. But this showdown in Stillwater, reviving a regional rivalry that's been dormant since 1980, should give us a clearer idea of what to expect from both teams.
Line: Oklahoma State -7.5
5. Colorado (1-0) vs. Nebraska (1-0), 7:30 p.m., NBC
Another new rivalry, this time from the old Big 12 (and Big Eight) days, but this time it's a matchup between Big 12 teams again. After Colorado beat North Dakota State last week, Travis Hunter threw for three touchdowns, Shedul Sanders threw for 445 yards, and Coach Prime made the postgame headlines as usual. But the most anticipated player in the game may be Nebraska true freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola. The five-star recruit raised the expectations by completing 19 of 27 passes for 238 yards and two touchdowns in the Cornhuskers' 40-7 win over UTEP. Now he'll take on a Nebraska team looking to avenge last year's 36-14 loss in Boulder against a Buffaloes defense that gave up 449 yards to NDSU.
Line: Nebraska -7.5
4. Boise State (1-0) at No. 7 Oregon (1-0), 10 p.m., Peacock
The Ducks are still to be rated. Last weekend, Oregon was favored by 49.5 points after a 24-14 win over FCS Idaho. The Ducks dropped from 3rd to 7th in the box score. The Ducks completely dominated the box score, with quarterback Dillon Gabriel completing 41 of 49 passes for 380 yards. However, a missed field goal, a fumble and two incompletions on fourth downs made the game close and caused skepticism about Oregon. Boise State won a shootout against Georgia Southern, 56-45. The game saw 1,112 yards of total offense, including 267 yards rushing and six touchdowns from Broncos star running back Ashton Jeanty (who happens to be my pick for the 2017 season game of the year). Athletic(Heisman draft). If the Ducks get back on track, I'd bet the over (61.5 points) on this game.
Line: Oregon -19.5
3. No. 14 Tennessee (1-0) at No. 24 North Carolina State (1-0), 7:30 p.m., ABC
If you're watching the Duke Mayo Classic, add Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamareava to your list of Week 1 hopefuls. The redshirt freshman inspired the Knoxville crowd by completing 22 of 28 passes for 314 yards and three touchdowns in a blowout win over Chattanooga. Tennessee finished with 718 yards of total offense. Coastal Carolina transfer quarterback Grayson McCall also had a pretty good game in his NC State debut, but the Wolfpack struggled against Western Carolina, trailing by 21 points going into the fourth quarter. NC State won't have the same luxury against another high-octane Tennessee offense.
Line: Tennessee -7.5
2. Iowa State (1-0) at No. 21 Iowa (1-0), 3:30 p.m., CBS
The Cyclones-Hawk series hasn't been high-scoring lately, and it probably won't be this time either. However, the Hawkeyes put up 40 points in new offensive coordinator Tim Lester's first game at the helm. The over/under is 35.5, and the last time the Cyclones-Hawk matchup topped 45 points total was in 2017, when Iowa won 44-41 in overtime. But it should be another high-stakes, hard-fought matchup between in-state rivals with dark horse playoff hopes. The Cyclones had a solid win over North Dakota, but they'll need to move the ball well against an Iowa defense that only allowed 189 total yards to Illinois State. Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz returns from a one-game suspension. Iowa has won seven of its last eight games against Iowa State.
Line: Iowa -3
1. No. 3 Texas (1-0) at No. 10 Michigan (1-0), noon, Fox
The Big Noon Kickoff heads to Ann Arbor for a showdown of big-time powerhouses. Michigan will need to get more out of a new-look offense that didn't top 300 yards and only scored two of the team's three touchdowns after falling behind by six in the fourth quarter to Fresno State. Starting quarterback Davis Warren struggled and running back Donovan Edwards never got going. The Wolverines will have to figure out what to do against a Texas team that shut out Colorado State 52-0, with Fannsville native Quinn Ewers rushing for 260 yards and three touchdowns. The Longhorns had a big win over Alabama in Week 2 last year on their way to the playoffs. Michigan will have a chance to prove just how solid their national title defense is.
Line: Texas -7.5
(Donovan Edwards Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
