Several Week 1 results set the stage for what will be an epic season of college football. Few other programs expected their FCS opponents to hit the turbo button on the hype and expectations.
Week 2 will give teams a chance to tweak or sharpen their strategies against tougher competition, featuring in-state competitions, reignited rivalries, upset specials, and a Top 10 showdown in the Big House.
Honorable Mentions: 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, Oregon State vs. San Diego State.
(All point spreads provided by BetMGM. Click here Live odds. All kickoff times are Eastern Standard Time and Saturday unless otherwise noted.)
10. USF (1-0) vs. No. 4 Alabama (1-0), 7 p.m., ESPN
Before anyone comments complaining about the big point spread, remember that this matchup last season was a 34.5-point spread when Tampa won 17-3 and the sky fell for Bama fans. I’m not saying that will happen again in Tuscaloosa, but this game is a testament to everything the Tide has changed since the last game, when quarterback Jelen Milo was benched and people openly questioned Nick Saban’s chances of winning.
Now Milroe is a Heisman contender and Saban (who is completely unwashed) is sitting next to Pat McAfee on Saturday mornings. Also, thank you to USF. The program has made significant strides under second-year coach Alex Golesh and has a dynamic quarterback in Byrum Brown. I’ll be tuning in to see how the Crimson Tide, led by Milroe and Kalen DeBoer, do against the Bulls a year from now.
Line: Alabama -30.5
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9. UTSA (1-0) vs. Texas State (1-0), 4 p.m., ESPNU
It’s an I-35 rivalry between the top two teams in the group of five. Both teams came off of underwhelming Week 1 victories, but they finished second in their respective preseason conference polls and could potentially clinch a Group of 5 college football playoff spot if they continue their season well. Texas State, led by coach GJ Kinne and quarterback Jordan McCloud, has been a potential preseason playoff contender in the Sun Belt, but the Bobcats have AAC ambitions and need to beat Jeff Traylor and the Roadrunners, who have won five straight in their rivalry. If that rivalry isn’t enough, Kinne played quarterback for Traylor in high school, and their bond runs even deeper.
Line: Texas -1.5
8. #17 Kansas State (1-0) vs. Tulane (1-0), noon, ESPN
K-State showed its run game potential last week, easily beating an FCS opponent, averaging 283 yards per carry at 9.1 yards per game. And with two ACC favorites out of the mix, the path to two Big 12 programs that could make the 12-team playoff is much wider, which is absolutely beneficial for the Wildcats. But the Green Wave is going to be tougher heading into the game against Tulane after dominating FCS opponents with a strong debut from redshirt freshman quarterback Darian Mensah. Reminder: Tulane upset K-State in Manhattan two years ago, and the Wildcats won the Big 12.
Line: Kansas -9.5
7. Appalachian State (1-0) vs. 25 Clemson (0-1), 8 p.m., ACC Network
Are the Tigers on fire? I’m not ready to make a prediction for this game, but App State has a history of knocking off powerhouses, most recently No. 6 Texas A&M on the road in 2022. The Mountaineers were a preseason favorite in the Sun Belt, and they looked solid in their Week 1 win, with QB Joey Aguilar throwing for 326 yards and two touchdowns. Meanwhile, Clemson’s rough performance against Georgia and the subsequent anti-Dabo rhetoric have made the Tigers a must-watch team against any opponent with a pulse. App State certainly deserves it.
Line: Clemson -17.5
The Pokes came out strong against a good South Dakota State team, as expected from a top-20 team. Running back Ollie Gordon II picked up where he left off in 2023 with 126 yards rushing and three touchdowns. Can Oklahoma State show the same promise against an SEC opponent? The talk of Sam Pittman’s hot seat took a back seat after Arkansas was shut out 70-0 in Week 1, and QB Taylen Green, a transfer from Boise State, looked good in his Razorbacks debut. But this matchup in Stillwater, which rekindles a local rivalry that has been dormant since 1980, will give both teams a clearer picture of what to expect.
Line: Oklahoma -7.5
5. Colorado (1-0) vs. Nebraska (1-0), 7:30 p.m., NBC
English: Another new rivalry, this time from the old Big 12 (and Big Eight) days, this time involving Big 12 teams. Travis Hunter caught three touchdowns, Shedeur Sanders threw for 445 yards, and Coach Prime made his usual postgame headlines after Colorado’s win over North Dakota State last week. But the most anticipated aspect of the game might be Nebraska’s true freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola. The five-star freshman stoked the hype by completing 19 of 27 passes for 238 yards and two touchdowns in the Cornhuskers’ 40-7 win over UTEP. Now he’s facing a Buffs defense that allowed 449 yards to NDSU, and he’s leading a Nebraska team looking to avenge last year’s 36-14 loss in Boulder.
Line: Nebraska -7.5
4. Boise State (1-0) vs. No. 7 Oregon (1-0), 10 p.m., Peacock
The jury is still out on the Ducks. They dropped from No. 3 to No. 7 in the AP poll after a disappointing 24-14 win over FCS Idaho last weekend. Oregon was favored by 49.5 points in that game. The Ducks completely dominated the box score, with quarterback Dillon Gabriel passing for 380 yards on 41 of 49 completions. But a missed field goal, a fumble, and a couple of fourth-down misses made the game a close one, and Oregon’s skepticism grew. Boise State won a 56-45 shootout against Georgia Southern, amassing 1,112 yards of combined offense, including 267 yards and six touchdowns from Broncos star running back Ashton Jeanty (I picked him by accident). work out(Heisman Draft) If the Ducks pull together, I’m betting on the over (61.5 points) in this game.
Line: Oregon -19.5
3. No. 14 Tennessee (1-0) vs. No. 24 NC State (1-0), 7:30 p.m., ABC
For those watching Duke’s Mayo Classic, add Vols quarterback Nico Iamaleava to the list of highly anticipated Week 1 backups. The redshirt freshman energized the Knoxville faithful by completing 22 of 28 passes for 314 yards and three touchdowns in a rout of Chattanooga. Tennessee finished with 718 yards of total offense. Coastal Carolina transfer QB Grayson McCall also looked pretty good in his NC State debut, but the Wolfpack struggled against Western Carolina and fell behind by 21 points entering the fourth quarter. NC State won’t have the same luxury against a team that has the early elements of another high-octane Tennessee offense.
Line: Tennessee -7.5
2. Iowa State (1-0) vs. No. 21 Iowa (1-0), 3:30 p.m., CBS
The Cy-Hawk series hasn’t been a high-scoring one of late, and it likely will be even more so under new offensive coordinator Tim Lester, despite the Hawkeyes scoring 40 points in their first game. The over/under is 35.5, and the last time the Cy-Hawks scored a combined 45 points was in 2017, when Iowa won 44-41 in overtime. But this will be another high-stakes showdown between in-state rivals looking to make the playoffs. The Cyclones will need to run the ball better against an Iowa defense that came out of its tough win over North Dakota but allowed just 189 total yards to Illinois State. Hawkeyes coach Kirk Ferentz is back on the bench after serving a one-game suspension. Iowa has won seven of its last eight games against Iowa State.
Route: Iowa -3
1. #3 Texas (1-0) vs. #10 Michigan (1-0), noon, Fox
The “Big Noon Kickoff” heads to Ann Arbor for a showdown of the heavyweights. Michigan held Fresno State to six points in the fourth quarter before slamming the door, but will need to get a lot more out of its new offense, which failed to pass for more than 300 yards and scored just two of the team’s three touchdowns. Starting quarterback Davis Warren struggled, and running back Donovan Edwards never got going. The Wolverines will have to figure things out against a Texas squad that trounced Colorado State 52-0, including 260 yards and three touchdowns from Fannsville’s Deputy Quinn Ewers. The Longhorns are coming off a Week 2 win over Alabama on their way to the playoffs last year. Michigan gets a chance to prove just how strong its national title defense can be.
Line: Texas -7.5
(Donovan Edwards Photo: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
