You may have thumbed through ESPN this week and assumed that Week 2 would be a sleepy Saturday. This week’s slate, although only featuring one ranked matchup, shook up an already wide-open Playoff landscape as new contenders emerged and preseason darlings found their way back down to Earth.
With 344 total yards, including two rushing touchdowns, Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer placed himself comfortably at the top of the Heisman lists with the Sooners highly touted in the Playoff mix as they handled business at home against Michigan. Mateer may dominate headlines this week, but Oklahoma’s defense was the real crux of the Sooners’ win. Holding Michigan to only three third-down conversions, Brent Venables vindicated himself as the defensive juggernaut he was hired to be.
To the average college football fan, especially one who bought stock in DJ Lagway’s breakout potential and Billy Napier’s late 2024 season momentum, Florida’s world-class choke job at home against USF probably came as quite the shock. To fans in Gainesville, Napier’s egregious clock management and crippling inability to prevent stupid penalties were a story all too familiar.
The Gators will travel to LSU next week in an attempt to salvage their season and potentially, Napier’s job, assuming he survives the band of Florida fans waiting with pitchforks alight on the Gainesville tarmac.
Luckily, for SEC commissioner Greg Sankey, Florida’s embarrassing Group of Six defeat was tempered by Jeff Lebby and co. at Mississippi State. In a victory that felt like an ode to late head coach Mike Leach’s air raid, State’s Blake Shappen threw for three touchdowns en route to an upset over Big 12-favorite Arizona State.
The Sun Devils, led by second-year quarterback Sam Leavitt, have some work to do if they’d like to notch a second consecutive College Football Playoff appearance. The Bulldogs, on the other hand, have already matched their 2024 win total of two as they eye their first AP Poll appearance since 2022.
In other notable moments, No. 16 Iowa State narrowly evaded Iowa’s upset bid in Ames, courtesy of Kyle Konrardy’s 54-yard, go-ahead field goal. Iowa’s offense showed that it’ll likely struggle as long as Kirk Ferentz is at the reins. Florida State continued its miraculous ascent with a blowout victory of East Texas A&M — Is Mike Norvell’s second redemption arc finally here?
Dave Aranda and Baylor secured a crucial victory over No. 17 SMU in overtime, thanks to quarterback Sawyer Robertson, who decidedly outplayed Heisman darkhorse Kevin Jennings. After some catty press exchanges between Dan Lanning and Mike Gundy during the week, Oregon annihilated Oklahoma State in Eugene. In a 69-3 leveling, the Ducks handed Gundy the biggest loss in his two decades in Stillwater, proving to the Cowboys that they maybe should invest more in the roster.
Week 3 Preview
Notre Dame and Texas A&M will play the latter half of their home-and-home in South Bend this weekend. With an offensive line stocked with nationwide standouts like Ashton Craig in tandem with arguably the best backfield in the nation, it’s hard to count Marcus Freeman’s squad out of Playoff contention. In a game that will likely be won in the trenches, fortune favors the Irish against the Aggies’ young defensive front.
Prediction: Notre Dame 30, Texas A&M 13
No Nico, no problem. Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar has looked solid in back-to-back blowouts, earning high praise from Knoxville’s faithful and Georgia head coach Kirby Smart, who called the Appalachian State transfer “Very, very impressive.” After a quarterfinal Playoff exit and nothing particularly inspiring to show so far offensively, Gunner Stockson’s Bulldogs still stand to prove themselves in a wide-open SEC. Neyland is sure to be rocking as Josh Huepel’s squad tries to stop Smart from extending a seven-game win streak in the lopsided series. Watch out for flying cans.
Prediction: Tennessee 28, Georgia 24
“Humility is one week away,” declared Mario Cristobal ahead of Miami’s showdown with South Florida this Saturday. Defensively, Miami has overperformed, most notably in holding Jerimiyah Love to just 3.3 yards per carry in the season opener, but the Canes will have their hands full with USF Senior quarterback Byrum Brown, who hasn’t thrown an interception in over 240 attempts, which is the nation’s longest active streak.
Because of Brown’s athleticism and tendency to scramble, Canes’ defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman should be prepared for a dynamic attack featuring wide receiver Keshaun Singleton, who makes up a bulk of the team’s offensive production. Cristobal, who has long been hailed as one of the best recruiters in the game, should hope his blue-chip ratio is enough to stifle a feisty, upset-minded Bulls team.
Prediction: Miami 38, USF 21