CFW - Week 2 Results - Is OU's Brent Venables on the hot sear?

 CFW Week 2 Results – Is OU’s Brent Venables on the hot seat?

An emotional rollercoaster

 

That’s the best way to describe Week 2.

 

Ohio State-Texas, Oklahoma-Michigan, Oregon-Oklahoma State and other games ripped and tore at your emotions, taking you from emotional highs to emotional lows and perhaps back again. When those games ended, you were emotionally strained and drained.

 

What a weekend!

 

The tension, angst and drama of the Ohio State-Texas game was perhaps the most emotionally draining. The game took your emotions from one end to the other. From top to bottom. Ohio State controlled and dominated the first three quarters. The Buckeyes built up a 10-0 first quarter lead. Ohio State added to its lead in the second quarter, making it 20-3 at halftime. In the 3^rd quarter, the Buckeye kicked a field goal. Ohio State led 23-3 as the 3^rd quarter ended. The first three quarters were an emotional high for Ohio State fans.

 

Trailing by 20 points as the 4^th quarter began, the game was all but over for Texas. It did not look promising. But quarterback Arch Manning, his receivers and running backs Hollywood Smother and Raleek Brown went to work. At the 14:19 mark of the 4^th quarter, the Longhorns scored their first touchdown of the game. Ohio State 23, Texas 10.

 

Then, at the 7:14 mark, Texas scored again. During this drive, it looked grim for Texas. The Longhorns faced a 4^th-and-long in their own territory. However, Texas made the first down. Ohio State 23, Texas 17.

 

But it looked like the Texas comeback was going to fail. Ohio State’s next drive stalled. The Buckeyes, however, lined up for a 45-yard field goal. Ohio State kicker Connor Hawkins, a Texas native, had already kicked field goals of 26, 30 and 48 yards earlier in the game. The field goal would all but put the game out of reach for Texas. However, Hawkins missed the field goal attempt. The football sailed wide left. The score remained Ohio State 23, Texas 17.

 

The Longhorns started what would become their final drive of the game. Like in their previous drive, Texas found itself at a 4^th-and-long in their own territory. The Longhorns went for it and made the first down. Finally with 0:25 remaining in the game, Texas running back Hollywood Smothers scored on a one-yard run. The extra point kick was good. Texas 24, Ohio State 23.

 

Ohio State had time for a couple of Hail Mary passes. Both were unsuccessful. Game over – Texas 24, Ohio State 23. Texas pulled off a 21-point, 4^th-quarter rally to win.

 

Had this game been played late in the season with the same results, Arch Manning’s 4^th quarter drive would be a Heisman Trophy winning performance. It may still be.

 

Last week, Michigan barely beat (and in my mind they lost to) Western Michigan, 13-12. Saturday, the Wolverines hosted Oklahoma. The Sooners were 6-point favorites.

 

Michigan dominated the first half. The Wolverines led at the break, 10-0.

 

In the second half, Oklahoma got hot. The Sooners scored a touchdown and trailed 10-7 at the end of the 3^rd quarter. At the 11:49 mark in the 4^th quarter, Oklahoma kicked a field goal. The score was tied 10-10. It looked like Oklahoma had found itself and was taking over the game.

 

However, at the 7:53 mark in the 4^th quarter, Michigan scored a touchdown. The Wolverines touchdown was set up by a John Mateer interception. Michigan 17-10.

 

Oklahoma failed to score in the final minutes. Michigan upset the Sooners, 17-10.

 

Last week, Tulsa beat Oklahoma State, 24-10. Saturday, the Cowboys hosted #6 Oregon. The Ducks were 25-point favorites.

 

Oregon took a 7-3 lead in the first quarter. Then Oklahoma State scored back-to-back touchdowns and went up 17-7. The teams proceeded to trade touchdowns. Oklahoma State was up 17-14, 24-14 and finally, 24-17 at halftime.

 

The teams continued to trade scores. Oklahoma State led 27-17, 27-24 and 30-24 at the end of the 3^rd quarter. Oregon rallied and took its first lead since the 1^st quarter. The Ducks went up 31-30. At the 10:21 mark in the 4^th quarter, Oklahoma State went back up 36-31.

 

With 3:11 remaining in the game, the Cowboys added a field goal. Oklahoma State 39, Oregon 31. Oregon failed to score. Oklahoma State held on to upset the Ducks, 39-31.

 

Oregon has an offense, but the Ducks don’t have a defense. They have given up 66 points in two games.

 

Even Kentucky had Alabama fans going crazy with angst. The Wildcats led the Tide 17-13 at halftime. But Bama came out and outscored Kentucky 32-0 in the second half to beat the Wildcats, 45-17. Kentucky ran out of bourbon.

 

Purdue scored 10 points in the final 3:55 of the game to put their contest with Wake Forest into overtime. Ultimately, Wake Forest beat Purdue in two overtimes, 38-36 (2OT). South Florida scored 14 points in the final 3:13 of its game with Army. The Bulls beat the Cadets, 28-24. South Florida’s final touchdown came with 0:19 remaining.

 

California scored a touchdown with 4:51 on the clock in the 4^th quarter to beat Syracuse, 21-18. Duke trailed Illinois 24-14, but rallied to beat the Banned Indians, 31-27. UTSA scored a touchdown with 0:14 remaining in the game to beat Texas State, 31-26.

 

Iowa kicked a field goal with 0:15 left on the clock to down Iowa State, 16-13. Ohio and Jacksonville State played four overtimes to decide the outcome of their game. Ohio won 29-27 (4OT).

 

College football Week 2 began Thursday night with a beatdown. I mean a real beatdown like you wouldn’t believe. The winning team had 42 first downs; the losing team had 4. The winning team had 856 total yards; the losing team had 107 total yards. At the end of the 3^rd quarter, the score was 77-0. Miami beat Florida A&M, 77-7. There was some good news for Florida A&M. They got a check for $760,000 to play Miami.

 

There were several games Friday night with the featured game being Missouri at Kansas. The Tigers and the Jayhawks battled to a 14-14 score at halftime. In the second half, Missouri ran away from Kansas, outscoring the Jayhawks 18-7. Missouri beat Kansas, 38-21.

 

In another contest on Friday night, Boston College downed Rutgers, 28-21. The Scarlet Knights fell to 0-2. Greg Schiano is digging his grave.

 

Saturday night, in a couple of interesting Group of Six games, Boise State beat Memphis, 38-20. Memphis suffered its first loss. And North Texas, coached by former West Virginia coach Neal Brown, clobbered UNLV, 44-6. UNLV coach Dan Mullen continues to have his problems.

 

While you were sleeping Saturday night, North Dakota State downed Air Force, 38-32. North Dakota State, in its first year in FBS football, is 3-0. And USC beat Louisiana, 49-30. Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava threw five touchdown passes.

 

In Saturday’s ultimate beatdown, James Madison plastered Wagner, 87-3. No tension, angst or drama here.

 

Texting with some of my Navy buddies over the weekend, I learned something new. One of the guys – Randy Rollman – of Pennsylvania informed us he refers to Penn State as Iowa State East. And of course he refers to Virginia Tech as Penn State South. Sounds about right to me.

 

The new AP Top-25 Poll is out. Here are your Top-12 teams: 1. Texas (2-0), 2. Georgia (2-0), 3. Notre Dame (2-0), 4. Indiana (2-0), 5. Miami (2-0), 6. Ohio State (1-1), 7. LSU (2-0), 8. Ole Miss (2-0), 9. Texas A&M (2-0), 10. Alabama (2-0), 11. BYU (2-0), 12. USC (3-0).

 

I’m drained and still wiped out from Saturday’s games.

 

Touchdown Tom

September 14, 2026

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

 

Week Two Recap

 

GAME OF THE WEEK: Fourth quarter Bevo – Texas 24, Ohio State 23 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas 23, Ohio State 21). This game was a classic. It was a classic going into the game and it lived up to its hype. During the first three quarters, Ohio State could do no wrong, and Texas could do nothing right. Then in the fourth quarter, Texas could do no wrong and Ohio State could do nothing right. Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith had 8 receptions for 164 yards and one touchdown. He was amazing in the first half. Ohio State running back Bo Jackson rushed for 74 yards. Texas running back Hollywood Smothers also rushed for 74 yards. Smothers had two touchdowns. Texas was decent in third down efficiency at 9-of-16. Ohio State wasn’t so good at 6-for-14. The game was practically free of penalties. Ohio State had four and Texas had two. Texas had two turnovers and Ohio State had one. Ohio State had a better passing game. Texas had a stronger running game. Attendance in Auston: 105,044

 

RUNNER-UP: Boomer boomed out – Oklahoma 17, Michigan 10 (Touchdown Tom said: Oklahoma 21, Michigan 13). Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer had a terrible game. Although with 45 yards rushing, he ended up being OU’s best rusher. Likewise, Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood was the Wolverines’ best rusher with 87 yards. There wasn’t a lot of offense. Both teams each had less than 290 total yards. Oklahoma had two turnovers and Michigan had none. OU was only 3-of-13 on third down efficiency. Michigan wasn’t much better at 4-of-13. Lots of penalties. Michigan had 11 and Oklahoma had 9. So, does the OU loss put Brent Venables on the hot seat? Attendance in Ann Arbor: 111,240

 

REST OF THE BEST: A Cat fight – BYU 28, Arizona 17 (Touchdown Tom said: BYU 24, Arizona 23). Arizona led at halftime 17-14. The Wildcats trailed after three quarters 21-17. But the game was still close. BYU added a touchdown in the 4^th quarter to go up by 11 points. BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier passed for 217 yards and three touchdowns. Cougars running back L.J. Marin rushed for 98 yards. Both teams  passed well, but BYU was definitely the better running team. Attendance in Provo: 64,409

 

Sun Devils made too many mistakes – Texas A&M 48, Arizona State 20 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas A&M 28, Arizona State 23). This was a tight game through three quarters. A&M led 24-20 as the 4^th quarter began. And that’s when it all changed. The Aggies outscored the Sun Devils 24-0 in the 4^th quarter. ASU quarterback Cotter Boley threw two interceptions. However, he was on target with his receiver Reed Harris. Harris had 9 receptions for 189 yards. Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed threw three touchdown passes. He threw one interception. ASU actually had more rushing and passing yards than Texas A&M. But the Sun Devils had four turnovers. That was their demise. They also had 9 penalties to just one for A&M. Both teams were 3-for-12 in third down efficiency. Attendance in College Station: 107,523

 

Bama continues its dominance over Kentucky – Alabama 45, Kentucky 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Alabama 28, Kentucky 15). Kentucky fans were fired up for this game and so were the Wildcat football players. Kentucky scored first and except for a 7-7 tie late in the first quarter, Kentucky led throughout the first half. But it was a different story in the second half. Kentucky lost its fire. It was all Alabama in the third and fourth quarters. Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell threw two interceptions. Bama running back Daniel Hill rushed for 104 yards and one touchdown. Alabama dominated the passing and rushing stats. Both teams had eight penalties. Both teams had three turnovers. Bama’s record against Kentucky is now 40-2-1. Attendance in Lexington: 61,820

 

Going to be a long season for the Razorbacks – Utah 43, Arkansas 10 (Touchdown Tom said: Utah 28, Arkansas 18). Arkansas scored first and last. In between Utah scored 6 times for 43 points. The Utes led 29-3 at halftime. Utah quarterback Devon Dampier passed for 261 yards and two touchdowns. Dampier rushed for 50 yards and two more touchdowns. The Utah defense held Arkansas to 61 rushing yards. The Utes rolled up 442 total yards. Attendance in Salt Lake City: 51,532

 

Truman controls the border – Missouri 38, Kansas 21 (Touchdown Tom said: Missouri 30, Kansas 27). Scoreless in the first quarter, both teams added two touchdowns each in the second quarter. At 14-14, we had ourselves a ball game. The contest was still close after three quarters, although Missouri had a 28-21 lead. Then it was all Tigers in the fourth quarter, with Missouri outscoring Kansas 10-0. Kansas quarterback Isaiah Marshall had a rough game, throwing two interceptions and only completing 43% of his passes. Missouri quarterback Austin Simmons was on target, throwing three touchdown passes and completing 66% of his throws. Missouri had 469 total yards compared to 255 yards for Kansas. The Missouri defense held Kansas to 81 yards rushing. The Jayhawks had three turnovers. Attendance in Lawrence: 32,000

 

Dookies get revenge – Duke 31, Illinois 27 (Touchdown Tom said: Illinois 21, Duke 11). Illinois led at halftime, 24-21. Duke limited the Banned Indians to a single field goal in the second half. Duke quarterback Walker Eget passed for 206 yards and three touchdowns. Dookies running back Nate Sheppard rushed for 147 yards and one touchdown. Illinois quarterback Katin Houser passed for 271 yards and three touchdowns. He also threw an interception. Illinois receiver Collin Dixon had 11 receptions for 166 yards. Illinois was the better passing team. Duke was the better rushing team. Duke had 11 penalties for 112 yards. Attendance in Champaign: 60,670

 

Nothing Gold about the Gopher – Mississippi State 38, Minnesota 13(Touchdown Tom said: Minnesota 20, Mississippi State 19). Miss State just may be a sleeper team this year. Be on alert. The Bulldogs built up a 28-6 halftime lead over Minnesota and continued to outscore the Gophers in the second half. Miss State’s real surprise and threat is quarterback Kamario Taylor. He’s a sleeper. He’s good too. Taylor passed for 227 yards and three touchdowns. Bulldogs running back Fluff Bothwell rushed for 113 yards and two touchdowns. Miss State receiver Anthony Evans had 7 receptions for 121 yards and one touchdown. Miss State had 479 total yards. Minnesota was flat on offence. The Gophers only had 13 yards rushing. It may be about that time for Minnesota to get rid of coach P.J. Fleck. The Gophers suffered from 12 penalties. Attendance in Minneapolis: 48,048

 

No Buzz – Tennessee 45, Georgia Tech 24  (Touchdown Tom said: Tennessee 27, Georgia Tech 14). Tech led 10-7 after the first quarter. The Vols led 24-10 at halftime. Tennessee expanded its lead in the second half. Tennessee’s strength was its running game. DeSean Bishop rushed for 147 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Daune Morris rushed for 98 yards and one touchdown. Tech was the better passing team. The Vols were the better running team. Tennessee had 14 penalties for 142 yards. Tech suffered from two turnovers. Attendance in Atlanta: 52,113

 

 

YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

 

The Deacons were pulpit bullies – Wake Forest 38, Purdue 36 (OT) (Touchdown Tom said: Purdue 27, Wake Forest 26). This game was basically close throughout, but Wake had three 10-point leads – 17-7 in the 2^nd quarter, 20-10 in the third quarter and 23-13 in the 4^th quarter. Purdue then scored 10 points in the final 3:53 of the game. The Boilers final score came as time expired – a 20 yards field goal. The teams continued to fight it out through two overtimes with Wake finally succeeding. The Deacons made their two-point conversion and Purdue didn’t. Purdue quarterback Ryan Browne passed for 329 yards and one touchdown. Purdue running back Fame Ijebol rushed for 114 yards. The Boilers racked up 455 total yards. Purdue was the better passing team. Wake was the better running team. The game was turnover free. Attendance in West Lafayette: 50,363

 

I think Uga got into the game – Georgia 70, Western Kentucky 20 (Touchdown Tom said: Georgia 52, Western Kentucky 10). Another good warm up game for the Dawgs. They should be pretty warm by now. Georgia led 49-6 at halftime and coasted in the second half. Dawgs quarterback Gunner Stockton passed for 234 yards and 5 touchdowns. Two other Georgia quarterbacks played as well. Georgia rolled up 493 total yards – about half passing and half rushing. There were 6 turnovers in the game – 4 by WKU and 2 by Georgia. Attendance in Athens: 93,033

 

Mountaineers had Martin smartin’ – West Virginia 52, UT Martin 7 (Touchdown Tom said: West Virginia 42, UT Martin 14). WVU managed to play two halves this week – 28 points in the first half and 24 points in the second half. WVU’s defense kept UT Martin scoreless. The Skyhawks lone touchdown was a fumble return for a TD. It came late in the 4^th quarter. WVU quarterback Michael Hawkins had 155 yards passing and two touchdowns. He also had 96 yards rushing and two more touchdowns. WVU played three quarterbacks. The Mounties racked up 525 total yards. It was basically a penalty-free game – 6 on UT Martin and 2 on WVU. Attendance in Morgantown: 47,049

 

Guess what day of the week it is – Florida 52, Campbell 3 (Touchdown Tom said: Florida 49, Campbell 12). Nothing like playing the Fighting Camels. I didn’t know Camels fought. From the looks of the score, I don’t think they do. Gators led 45-3 at halftime and coasted through the second half with subs. Gators quarterback Aaron Philo passed for 242 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Jadan Baugh rushed for 136 yards and two touchdowns. Receiver Dallas Wilson had 5 receptions for 104 yards. Florida had 24 first downs to 11 for Campbell. The Gators had 514 total yards to 210 yards for Campbell. The Camels were limited to 62 yards rushing. Both teams had two turnovers. Attendance in Gainesville: 88,863

 

Stayin’ alive! Huskers must have thought they were playing the Bee Gees – Nebraska 56, Bowling Green 7 (Touchdown Tom said: Nebraska 52, Bowling Green 14). I knew the Huskers would find the Falcons easier prey than the Bobcats. The Huskers got off to a stronger start this week, scoring 35 points in the first half. Then Herbie took a nap in the 3^rd quarter, before waking up in the 4^th to score another 21 points. Nebraska quarterback Anthony Colandrea passed for 222 yards and four touchdowns. Running back Jamal Rule rushed for 88 yards. Receiver Jacory Barney had 8 catches for 115 yards. Nebraska had 28 first downs to 9 for BG. Huskers racked up 546 total yards to 169 for the Falcons. BG had less than 90 yards rushing and less than 90 yards passing. Attendance in Lincoln: 86,193

 

Week 2 Results:  11 winners, 4 fumbles (73.3 percent)

For the Season:  27 winners, 8 fumbles (77.1 percent)

 

 

ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA:

 

Miami 77, Florida A&M 7 – Attendance in Miami Gardens: 63,618

South Florida 28, Army 24 – Attendance in West Point: 23,670

 

Pitt 12, UCF 7 – Attendance in Pittsburgh: 45,926

Bethune-Cookman 43, Stetson 18 – Attendance in Daytona Beach: 3,921

 

FIU 33, Buffalo 20 – Attendance in Miami: 18,202

Florida Atlantic 38, Navy 30 – Attendance in Boca Raton: 22,273

 

 

Superlatives

 

Week Two’s Best Passers:

 

TCU’s Jordan Craig – 24-31-0-391 (4TDs); Florida Atlantic’s Caden Veltkamp – 27-32-0-386 (5TDs); FIU’s J.J. Kohl – 21-36-0-367 (3TDs); Colorado’s Julian Lewis – 17-23-0-366 (4TDs); Maryland’s Malik Washington – 34-41-0-347 (2TDs); Hawaii’s Micah Alejado – 33-45-0-346; SMU’s Kevin Jennings – 14-16-0-337 (5TDs); Louisville’s Lincoln Kienholz – 16-21-0-332 (2TDs), and Purdue’s Ryan Browne – 32-42-0-329 (1TD).

 

Also, Virginia Tech’s Ethan Grunkemeyer – 31-42-0-327 (2TDs); Fresno State’s Jayden Mandal – 23-26-0-316 (2TDs); South Alabama’s Bishop Davenport – 22-32-0-296 (2TDs); Missouri’s Austin Simmons – 19-29-0-292 (3TDs); NC State’s C.J. Bailey – 13-17-0-281 (1TD); Penn State’s Rocco Becht – 21-27-0-268 (3TDs); Jacksonville State’s Caden Creel – 18-24-0-265 (1TD), and USC’s Jayden Maiava – 19-29-1-261 (5TDs).

 

Also, Missouri State’s Skyler Locklear – 17-20-0-258 (1TD); Notre Dame’s C.J. Carr – 16-20-0-253 (4TDs); Miami’s Darian Mensah – 14-15-0-252 (3TDs); Toledo’s John Alan Richter – 15-24-0-252 (3TDs); Cincinnati’s J.C. French 21-24-0-245 (2TDs); North Carolina’s Billy Edwards – 15-20-0-244 (2TDs); Florida’s Aaron Philo – 16-21-0-242 (2TDs); South Florida’s Michael Van Buren – 19-30-0-239 (2TDs), and UTEP’s E.J. Colson – 14-21-0239 (4TDs).

 

Also, Georgia’s Gunner Stockton – 13-16-0-234 (5TDs); Miami of Ohio’s David McComb – 13-13-0-234 (3TDs); North Texas’ Tayven Jackson – 15-26-0-233 (2TDs); Mississippi State’s Kamario Taylor – 16-22-0-227 (3TDs); Akron’s Cibastian Broughton – 23-27-0-227 (4TDs); Ole Miss’s Trinidad Chambliss – 23-26-0-225 (2TDs); Nebraska’s Anthony Colandrea – 20-24-1-222 (4TDs); BYU’s Bear Bachmeier – 16-26-0-217 (3TDs), and Western Michigan’s Broc Lowry – 14-20-0-212 (3TDs).

 

Also, Louisiana’s Lunch Winfield – 16-22-0-212 (1TD); Duke’s Walker Eget – 15-21-0-206 (3TDs); Texas Tech’s Will Hammond – 20-27-0-189 (1TD);  California’s Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele – 21-34-0-182 (2TDs); James Madison’s Camden Coleman – 12-18-0-171 (1TD); Virginia’s Beau Pribula – 12-14-1-162 (3TDs); UMass’s William Watson – 9-10-0-152 (1TD); Wyoming’s Tyler Hughes – 18-26-0-149 (2TDs), and Arkansas State’s Trey Owens – 13-17-0-132 (2TDs).

 

Week Two’s Best Rushers:

 

Tulane’s Jaylin Lucas – 214 yards (1TD); Boise State’s Dylan Riley – 206 yards; Colorado State’s Mel Brown – 171 yards (2TDs); San Jose State’s Jabari Bates – 163 yards; Michigan State’s Cam Edwards – 152 yards (2TDs); Texas State’s Torrance Burgess – 149 yards; Duke’s Nate Sheppard – 147 yards (1TD); Tennessee’s DeSean Bishop – 147 yards (2TDs), and Miami’s Javian Mallory – 142 yards (2TDs).

 

 

Quotes of the Week

 

“In college football’s player compensation era, Power Four and FCS programs are barely playing the same sport. So what’s the point of playing against each other?” CBS Sports columnist David Cobb, after Miami beat Florida A&M, 77-7.

 

“That’s what college football is all about. You want to see a great product on the field. I want to see insane fans in the stands,” Kentucky coach Will Stein, telling Kentucky fans to scream obscenities at Alabama.

 

“Go old school and sneak booze into Kroger Field. Sneak a flask in. Do whatever you got to do,” Kentucky coach Will Stein, advising Kentucky fans before the Alabama game.

 

“This one hurts.” Ohio State coach Ryan Day, after the Texas game.

 

Touchdown Tom

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

 

P.S.

 

Not exactly college football related, but in mid-September as the college football season was underway, the number one song in the country…

 

…85 years ago, this week in 1941, was “Green Eyes (Aquellos Ojos Verdes)” by Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra

 

…80 years ago, this week in 1946, was “Five Minutes More” by Frank Sinatra

 

…75 years ago, this week in 1951, was “Because Of You” by Tony Bennett

 

…70 years ago, this week in 1956, was “Hound Dog/Don’t Be Cruel” by Elvis Presley and “My Prayer” by The Platters

 

…65 years ago, this week in 1961, was “Michael” by The Highwaymen

 

…60 years ago, this week in 1966, was “You Can’t Hurry Love” by The Supremes

 

…55 years ago, this week in 1971, was “Go Away Little Girl” by Donny Osmond

 

…50 years ago, this week in 1976, was “(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty” by KC and The Sunshine Band

 

…45 years ago, this week in 1981, was “Endless Love” by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie

 

…40 years ago, this week in 1986, was “Take My Breath Away” by Berlin

 

…35 years ago, this week in 1991, was “The Promise Of A New Day” by Paula Abdul

 

The next CFW – Week 3 Forecast – will be posted Thursday morning, September 17.

 

 

CFW Week 2 Forecast - Manning, Texas looking for revenge

 CFW Week 2 Forecast – Manning, Texas looking for revenge

The week of conference challenges:

Big Ten vs. SEC and Big 12 vs. SEC

 

One week down, already four coaches are in trouble

 

Just one week into the season and already three coaches have established they are going to get fired this season – Rutgers’ Greg Schiano, Wisconsin’s Luke Fickell and Florida State’s Mike Norvell. And a fourth – Michigan’s Kyle Whittingham – had fans chanting for his firing during his debut game with the Wolverines. There are three Big Ten coaches in that group. Last year, the SEC had a kettle full of firings. Looks like it could be the Big Ten this year.

 

Speaking of the Big Ten and SEC, this is the week of the Big Ten-SEC challenge – Ohio State at Texas, Oklahoma at Michigan and Mississippi State at Minnesota.

 

Ohio State at Texas is the Game of the Week. The Longhorns will be out for revenge. Ohio State has defeated Texas twice in the last 21 months. Arch Manning will be out for revenge. Will Bevo go on a Buckeye diet?

 

Oklahoma at Michigan is the Runner-Up to the Game of the Week. Will we hear, “Fire Kyle, fire Kyle” from the fans in the stands this week? Oklahoma better take its own clock keeper to the game. The Big 12 better take its own referees too. Mississippi State at Minnesota is under the radar, but one or both of these teams could be better than expected. And this could be one heck of a ball game.

 

It’s also the week of the Big 12-SEC challenge – Arizona State at Texas A&M, Arkansas at Utah and Missouri at Kansas. Arizona State at Texas A&M could be a slaughter for the Aggies. But there is no guarantee of that. Arizona State fans must be wondering, “Why did we ever let Sam Leavitt go?”

 

Arkansas at Utah should answer the question, “Are the Razorbacks really as bad as everyone thinks they are.” Conversely, it should answer the question, “Is Utah as good as everyone thinks the Utes are.” Tune in and find out. Missouri at Kansas revives an old, old rivalry from the Big Eight and original Big 12 days. The Tigers and the Jayhawks don’t care for each other. Let me rephrase that – the Tigers and the Jayhawks don’t like each other.

 

We’ve got two excellent intra-conference affairs this week. Arizona at BYU in the Big 12 and Alabama at Kentucky in the SEC. BYU is a co-favorite to win the Big 12. Arizona is considered a dangerous dark horse. This contest has the potential to be an exciting game.

 

Alabama at Kentucky is one of those curious games. The Crimson Tide are favored, but first-year Kentucky coach Will Stein supposedly has the Wildcats fired up – big time. At the SEC Media Days when Stein was asked why Kentucky will win this season, he quickly and boldly responded, “Because of me.” Who knows? Kentucky may surprise Alabama on offense.

 

And last but not least, we’ve got a good SEC-ACC battle, along with an ACC-Big Ten encounter. Tennessee travels to Atlanta to take on Georgia Tech. After losing a game they should have won last week, the Yellow Jackets should be fired up. But the Vols showed lots of potential in their opener last week.

 

Last year, Illinois cleaned Duke’s clock. So, the Dookies will be out for revenge – big time. However, will that revenge have enough force behind it? At the least, Duke at Illinois should be an interesting affair.

 

There is an eleventh game that almost made the Top 10 – UCF at Pitt. UCF put 73 points on the board last week. Pitt quarterback Mason Heintschel put seven touchdown passes and 453 yards in the record books last week. In his second year coaching UCF, does Scott Frost have the Knights ready to compete? UCF at Pitt could turn out to be one of the better games of the week.

 

Two of those four troubled coaches – Mike Norvell and Luke Fickell – get a break this week. Florida State has the week off and Wisconsin hosts Western Illinois. But two of the four – Kyle Whittingham and Greg Schiano – will be sweating bullets. Michigan hosts Oklahoma and Rutgers plays at Boston College.

 

In the wake of Michigan’s controversial win over Western Michigan last week, the NCAA has established a new and standardized protocol for clock timing across all conferences. The new policy mandates that the clock embedded in the broadcast feed serve as the official clock for replay reviews. Under the new policy, Western Michigan would have won the game against Michigan last Saturday. There would not have been a second Hail Mary pass. Last week, the clock embedded in the broadcast feed showed 0:00 remaining when the Western Michigan defender touched the ball from the back of the end zone on the Hail Mary pass attempt. However, when the Big Ten officials viewed the replay, they used their own clock to determine that there was still one second left.

 

NBC rules expert and former NFL official Terry McAulay didn’t understand how Big Ten officials found enough evidence to put one second back on the clock. “The ball isn’t even close to touching the player when the clock goes to zero,” McAulay said. “Their system either had a different sync, or whatever, and they came up with one second. I don’t see that happen. The ball was clearly still in the air when the embedded broadcast clock went to zero. The Big Ten is going to have to tell us how they got one second left on this play.”

 

Personally, I don’t understand why Big Ten officials, instead of MAC officials, were being used in the game. The visiting team is supposed to have the choice of using their officials or the home team’s officials. Certainly, as the visiting team, Western Michigan would have chosen MAC officials.

 

The drama is over in Baton Rouge. The LSU roster will be locked for the season after adding two players, but not the two ex-NFL players who were attempting to play for Lane Kiffin. The two former NFL players will not be added to LSU’s final 105-man roster. The roster is now locked for the 2006 season. Apparently, the suits and threats from the SEC and its commissioner Greg Sankey worked.

 

The pregame shows on Saturday morning: ESPN’s College GameDay is in Austin, Texas, for the Ohio State-Texas game. FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff is in Ann Arbor, Michigan, for the Oklahoma-Michigan game. SECN’s SEC Nation is in Lexington, Kentucky, for the Alabama-Kentucky game. ACCN’s ACC Huddle is in Atlanta, Georgia, for the Tennessee-Georgia Tech game.

 

My primary viewing this weekend will be Missouri-Kansas on Friday night. Then on Saturday, a 12 noon split between Arizona State-Texas A&M and Oklahoma-Michigan. Alabama-Kentucky and Arizona-BYU split at 3:30 pm. Ohio State-Texas at 7:30 pm. When Ohio State-Texas ends, I’ll join the Arkansas-Utah game in progress to finish out the night.

 

September 10, 2026

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

 

Touchdown Tom’s Predictions for

Week Two’s 10 Biggest and Most Intriguing Games….and then some

 

GAME OF THE WEEK: 1. #1 Ohio State (1-0) at #4 Texas (1-0) – (Big Ten vs. SEC) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – Ohio State won last year in Columbus in a low-scoring affair – 14-7. I think the offenses will open it up more this year. Both offenses are stronger. Both offenses have almost everyone back from last year. They are loaded with experience. Texas has a more experienced defense. Ohio State has a rebuilt defense. But the talent is there. Neither team can afford to make a mistake. Mistakes could determine who wins, who loses. The attention will be on Texas quarterback Arch Manning and Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin. Their receivers have to help them out. Texas has Cam Coleman and Ryan Wingo. The Buckeyes counter with Jeremiah Smith. The running backs have to help out too. Ohio State has Bo Jackson. The Longhorns counter with Raleek Brown and Hollywood Smothers. From a coaching perspective, the pressure will be on Texas’ Steve Sarkisian. He lost last year. Ohio State coach Ryan Day should be more relaxed. This game is a classic. Bevo spits out Buckeyes – Texas 23, Ohio State 21.

 

RUNNER-UP: 2. #11 Oklahoma (1-0) at #28 Michigan (1-0) – (SEC vs. Big Ten) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, FOX – Michigan’s performance last week took some of the glam out of this game. Still, it should be a good one. Against Western Michigan, the Wolverines obviously had Oklahoma on their minds. Michigan could lose this game because the poor performance against WMU may still be wearing on their minds. This is a game of psychology and emotions. It’s mental. But coaches have a way of dealing with those things. The good ones do. And we’re dealing with two good coaches here. The concern for Michigan has to be its offense. It was non-existent against Western Michigan. The defense was there but the offense wasn’t. Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood needs to step up. OU quarterback John Mateer is the better of the two. Oklahoma won this game in Norman last year – 24-13. The Sooners will do it in Ann Arbor this year. The Sooners clock the Wolverines – Oklahoma 21, Michigan 13.

 

REST OF THE BEST: 3. #29 Arizona (1-0) at #15 BYU (1-0) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, FOX – BYU is loaded on offense and defense. Arizona is good, but the Wildcats aren’t loaded. BYU’s offense stands out with quarterback Bear Bachmeier and running back L.J. Martin. Martin was on several preseason All-American teams. Arizona’s only hope is quarterback Noah Fifita. He’s good. But he doesn’t have the talent around him that Bachmeier does. BYU also has the home field advantage. Arizona could keep it close. It’s a Cougar day in Provo – BYU 24, Arizona 23.

 

4. #41 Arizona State (1-0) at #10 Texas A&M (1-0) – (Big 12 vs. SEC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ABC – Texas A&M is heavily favored. But Arizona State is capable of keeping this game close. The Aggies have quarterback Marcel Reed and receiver Mario Craver. They are good – very good. ASU has a totally new and totally rebuilt offense. But the Sun Devils have a good coach in Kenny Dillingham. Mike Elko is a good coach too. The Aggies are out to prove something because they feel like they are underrated in the polls. Aggies take the Sun out of the Devils – Texas A&M 28, Arizona State 23.

 

5. #12 Alabama (1-0) at Kentucky (1-0) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – In the series history, Alabama is 39-2-1 against Kentucky. The last time the Wildcats beat the Crimson Tide was in 1997. In the last five meetings between the schools, Alabama has won by scores like 63-3, 48-7, 34-6, 49-21 and 38-20. So not only does Kentucky almost always lose to Alabama, but Kentucky almost always gets clobbered by Alabama. Most likely this year, Kentucky will lose to Alabama. Whether the score will be close or not remains to be seen. Alabama’s offense may not be all that better than Kentucky’s offense. But Alabama’s defense is far superior to Kentucky’s defense. Still, Kentucky will put up a fight. New coach Will Stein has inspired the Wildcats. He was an offensive coordinator at Oregon. However, Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer wants to make a statement this year. The Tide turns the blue grass red – Alabama 28, Kentucky 15.

 

6. Arkansas (1-0) at #20 Utah (1-0) – (SEC vs. Big 12) – 10:15 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – Arkansas is under a new coach – Ryan Silverfield. And the Razorbacks are supposed to be the worst team in the SEC this season. Utah is under a new coach too – Morgan Scalley. But the Utes are supposed to be one of the better teams in the Big 12 this season. We’ll find out Saturday just how good Utah is and how bad Arkansas is. Utah’s threat is quarterback Devon Dampier. Also, his backup Byrd Ficklin. Arkansas doesn’t have any known threats. But the unknown can be dangerous sometimes. The Utes lead the Pigs to the slaughter – Utah 28, Arkansas 18.

  

7. #23 Missouri (1-0) at Kansas (1-0) – (SEC vs. Big 12) – 8 pm ET, Friday, FOX – This game is called the “Border War.” The teams first met in 1891. Missouri leads the series 57-55-9. That’s a pretty close series. Missouri and Kansas stopped playing each other in 2012. This is the second of a two-game series that began last year. In last year’s game, Missouri won 42-31. So this is the Jayhawks last chance to get back at the Tigers until 2031 when they are next scheduled to meet for a two-game series. Missouri All-American running back Ahmad Hardy, who suffered a leg injury during the offseason, will not be back for the Kansas game. That gives the Jayhawks an advantage. However, Missouri has the upper hand at quarterback with Austin Simmons. Missouri’s defense is considered a weak spot for the Tigers. So many unknowns in this contest. Truman rocks – Missouri 30, Kansas 27.

  

8. Duke (1-0) at #37 Illinois (1-0) – (ACC vs. Big Ten) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, FS1 – Last year, Illinois beat Duke big time – 45-19. It was an embarrassing loss for the Dookies. Both teams have transfer quarterbacks. Illinois goes with East Carolina transfer Katin Houser. Duke has San Jose State transfer Walker Eget. Houser is probably the better of the two. The Dookies hope to make amends for last year’s loss. That’s a tough assignment. The Devil can’t find his blue dress – Illinois 21, Duke 11.

  

9. Mississippi State (1-0) at #38 Minnesota (1-0) – (SEC vs. Big Ten) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, CBS – These may not be two of the better teams playing this weekend, but this could be one of the better and/or more exciting games. In Week 1, both teams showed signs of improvement over last year. Miss State has an intriguing quarterback in Kamario Taylor. He could be a surprise this season. Minnesota has experience with quarterback Drake Lindsey and running back Darius Taylor. Goldie holes Bully – Minnesota 20, Mississippi State 19.

 

10. #18 Tennessee (1-0) at Georgia Tech (0-1) – (SEC vs. ACC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – Georgia Tech’s loss to Colorado took some of the luster off this game. However, that loss should have the Yellow Jackets inspired and fired up to play better this week. Tennessee could have their hands full. At least for a while. Ultimately, the strength of Tennessee should prevail. Tennessee’s freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon looked good in the Vols opener. So did running back DeSean Bishop. Granted the competition wasn’t the toughest, but Brandon and Bishop played well. Tennessee offers more on offense than does Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets had no running game against Colorado. The Vols take the sting out of Buzz – Tennessee 27, Georgia Tech 14.

 

 

YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

 

Wake Forest (1-0) at Purdue (1-0) – (ACC vs. Big Ten) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, FS1 – Purdue looked like an improved football team in its opener. The passing game of quarterback Ryan Browne looked good. The defense looked good. But Wake Forest will be tougher than Indiana State. The Demon Deacons looked good passing and running in their opener. This game will be a good test for both teams. It should be a close and exciting game. Neither team should run away from the other. The Deacons get steamed – Purdue 27, Wake Forest 26.

 

Western Kentucky (0-1) at #2 Georgia (1-0) – (C-USA vs. SEC) – 12:45 pm ET, Saturday, SECN – Georgia had it easy in its opener. The Dawgs won’t have it any tougher this week. Well maybe a smidgeon tougher. So Western Kentucky will basically be another scrimmage game for Georgia. The Dawgs played four quarterbacks in their opener. They should play at least three, if not four, quarterbacks this week. They might even play the cheerleaders. WKU was blown off the field by Nevada in its opener. Uga pops the Toppers – Georgia 52, Western Kentucky 10.

 

UT Martin (1-1) at West Virginia (1-0) – (OVC vs. Big 12) – 1 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN+ – The test for WVU this week is to see if the Mountaineers can play two halves instead of just one half. Last week, WVU’s offense and defense were invincible in the first half. They were invisible in the second half – non-existent. UT Martin should be an easier opponent than Coastal Carolina. Quarterback Michael Watkins and running back Cam Cook should shine against the Skyhawks. Mountaineers knock the Hawks out of the sky – West Virginia 42, UT Martin 14.

 

Campbell (2-0) at #27 Florida (1-0) – (CAA vs. SEC) – 5:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN+ – Florida was awesome last week, especially the offense. The Gators’ offense hasn’t looked that good in a long, long time. They racked up 624 total yards. Quarterback Aaron Philo came through and running back Jadan Baugh was amazing. Baugh rushed for 160 yards. Campbell will be an easier opponent than Florida Atlantic. So this one should be another romp in The Swamp. Albert goes for a Camel ride – Florida 49, Campbell 12.

 

Bowling Green (0-1) at Nebraska (1-0) – (MAC vs. Big Ten) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, FS1 – The Huskers will find this MAC team easier than last week’s MAC team. Bowling Green isn’t as good as Ohio. Ohio gave Nebraska a tough time of it for a while. The Huskers didn’t get their act together until the second half. Last week, Bowling Green lost to Tarleton State by 7 points. The Falcons will lose a lot worse to Nebraska this week. Last week, Nebraska displayed a good mix of running and passing. Quarterback Anthony Colandrea and running back Jamal Rule looked good. They likely will look better this week. Herbie goes bowling on the Green – Nebraska 52, Bowling Green 14.

 

 

ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA:

 

Florida A&M (1-1) at #7 Miami (1-0) – (SWAC vs. ACC) – 8 pm ET, Thursday, ACCN….

South Florida (1-0) at Army (1-0) – (AC vs. AC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, CBSSN….

 

UCF (1-0) at #33 Pitt (1-0) – (Big 12 vs. ACC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN2….

Stetson (1-1) at Bethune-Cookman (0-1) – (Pioneer vs. SWAC) – 4 pm ET, Saturday….

 

Buffalo (1-0) at FIU (0-1) – (MAC vs. C-USA) – 6 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN+….

Navy (1-0) at Florida Atlantic (0-1) – (AC vs. AC) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, ESPNU….

 

 

Quotes of the Week

 

“Thank you for staying here,” Florida coach Jon Sumrall to his running back Jadan Baugh.

 

“I love being a Gator,” running back Jadan Baugh, responding to Florida coach Jon Sumrall.

 

“He’s the best back in the country,” Florida wide receiver Bailey Stockton, on Gators running back Jadan Baugh.

 

“If I see any College GameDay signs with my name, image or likeness on them, we are kicking ESPN out of the SEC,” SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey.

 

Touchdown Tom

https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com

 

The next CFW – Week 2 Results – will be posted Monday morning, September 14.