What to watch: Week 2 college football viewing guide

Nick Bromberg

It's time for our first top-10 matchup of the season.

Week 2 boasts a game between two of the four playoff teams from a season ago as Texas visits Michigan. The game is the first of a home-and-home series between the two college football powerhouses as Michigan heads to Austin in 2027. In between, Texas has two games against Ohio State.

That's not the only intriguing matchup of the weekend, either. While there is just one other game between teams ranked in the AP Top 25, there's a game that could be a first-round College Football Playoff preview in Eugene and a fascinating matchup between old Big 12 rivals looking to make a bowl game this season.

Here are the five biggest games of the weekend.

(All times are Eastern and all odds are from BetMGM.)

ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - AUGUST 31: Head coach Sherrone Moore of the Michigan Wolverines reacts to a third down sack while playing the Fresno State Bulldogs at Michigan Stadium on August 31, 2024 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Michigan pulled away in the second half against Fresno State in Week 1. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) (Gregory Shamus via Getty Images)

Time: Noon | TV: Fox | Line: Texas -7.5 | Total: 42.5

Yes, the defending national champions are underdogs by a touchdown at home. It’s a line that you don’t see often in college football, but there’s a good reason for Texas being favored in the biggest matchup of the weekend.

The Longhorns looked fantastic in their Week 1 win over Colorado State. A remade receiving corps was led by five-star freshman Ryan Wingo (four catches, 70 yards) and Alabama transfer Isaiah Bond (five catches, 61 yards), while coach Steve Sarkisian made sure to get plenty of players reps in the run game after preseason injuries thinned Texas’ running back depth.

Michigan, meanwhile, leaned on its defense in a 30-10 win over Fresno State. The Wolverines led just 13-3 at the end of the third quarter before blowing the game open in the fourth with the help of a Will Johnson pick-six. The Michigan defense is once again going to be very, very good this season.

The biggest question against the Longhorns is the passing game. Davis Warren is set to get the start for a second straight week but averaged just 4.7 yards a pass against the Bulldogs. He was 15-of-25 passing for 118 yards and a TD and an interception, while Alex Orji completed a 3-yard TD pass and carried the ball five times. Expect to see another timeshare under center for the Wolverines, but there have to be some explosive plays in the pass game to take the pressure off the defense.

Time: 3:30 p.m. | TV: CBS | Line: Iowa -3 | Total: 35.5

Iowa’s offense got off to a sluggish start against FCS opponent Illinois State in Week 1 before scoring 34 second-half points in a 40-0 win. The 251 passing yards Cade McNamara put up in the victory are the most passing yards Iowa has had in a single game dating back to Oct. 1, 2022.

The Iowa offense isn’t suddenly one of the most explosive in college football, but an average pass game will go a long way to opening things up for a run game that averaged six yards a carry in Week 1.

Iowa State, meanwhile, held North Dakota to under 300 total yards in a 21-3 win over the Fighting Hawks. Rocco Becht had just six incompletions and found Jaylin Noel eight times for 135 yards and a TD.

Iowa has won seven of the last eight matchups in the series and recent history says the under is in play. Iowa won last year’s matchup 20-13 and four of the last five games have had 35 or fewer points. However, we think both offenses are good enough that this game goes over.

Here are the five best games to watch in college football Week 2. (Amy Monks/Yahoo Sports illustration)
Here are the five best games to watch in college football Week 2. (Amy Monks/Yahoo Sports illustration)

Time: 7:30 p.m. | TV: NBC | Line: Nebraska -7.5 | Total: 58.5

These two old Big 12 rivals are facing off for the fourth time since both were in the same conference for the final time in 2010. Now the Buffs are back in the Big 12 as Nebraska looks to become relevant in the Big Ten under Matt Rhule.

The Huskers showed serious signs of life in Week 1 as true freshman QB Dylan Raiola had a fantastic college debut in a 40-7 win over UTEP. Raiola was 19-of-27 for 238 yards and two TDs as Nebraska put up 30 points in the first half. The big lead allowed Raiola to watch much of the second half from the sidelines.

Colorado had a hard time putting away FCS powerhouse North Dakota State in Week 1 and many of the things that plagued the Buffaloes in Deion Sanders’ first season were on display to start 2024. The Buffs couldn’t run the football, the defense got gashed on the ground in the first half and forced just four total incompletions. And there was even a bizarre clock-management mistake that gave NDSU a last-ditch shot to steal the win.

Whoever wins this game will be feeling exceptionally good about their chances of a bounce-back season in 2024.

Time: 7:30 p.m. | TV: ABC | Line: Tennessee -7.5 | Total: 61.5

Both teams got wins over FCS opponents in Week 1 but they were drastically different. NC State struggled mightily against Western Carolina on Thursday before a 21-point fourth quarter propelled them to a 38-21 win. Western Carolina averaged over six yards a carry against the Wolfpack.

Tennessee, meanwhile, blitzed Chattanooga and quickly made it clear the Mocs had no chance. QB Nico Iamaleava was 22-of-28 passing for 314 yards and three TDs in the first half and didn’t throw a pass in the second half. The Vols racked up over 700 yards of total offense.

NC State’s chances hinge on its defense playing much better than it did in Week 1. The Wolfpack lost leading tackler Payton Wilson from a unit that’s allowed less than 21 points per game in each of the last three seasons. Given Tennessee’s passing attack, NC State could really miss DB Devan Boykin in this game. He’s out through September after sustaining an ACL injury in December of 2023.

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Time: 10 p.m. | TV: Peacock | Line: Oregon -19.5 | Total: 61.5

Yes, one of the biggest games of the weekend isn’t on linear TV as Oregon is now a part of the Big Ten. At least more people have access to Peacock than the Pac-12 Network.

Both teams had more trouble than expected against their opponents in Week 1. Boise State needed a 21-point run in the fourth quarter to put Georgia Southern away in its 56-45 win while Oregon dropped four spots in the AP Top 25 after beating FCS opponent Idaho 24-14.

The Broncos and star running back Ashton Jeanty ran wild against the Eagles. Boise State rushed 35 times for 371 yards as a team as Jeanty had 20 carries for 267 yards and six touchdowns. He averaged 13.4 yards a rush and his backup Sire Gaines had 12 carries for 110 yards and a TD. Oregon’s defensive focus will undoubtedly be on stopping the run.

We’re also looking for Oregon’s passing offense to go down the field more often. New QB Dillon Gabriel was 41-of-49 passing but averaged just 7.6 yards an attempt. The Ducks were also just 7-of-16 on third downs against the Vandals and committed eight penalties.

Arkansas at No. 16 Oklahoma State (Noon, ABC): Both teams had impressive Week 1 wins over FCS foes. Oklahoma State had no trouble against defending FCS champion South Dakota State and Arkansas scored 10 TDs in 10 drives against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. A season ago, Oklahoma State lost at home to South Alabama in Week 2.

No. 17 Kansas State at Tulane (Noon, ESPN): The Green Wave beat Kansas State in Manhattan two years ago and now it’s the Wildcats’ turn to go on the road in this series. Tulane started QB Darian Mensah ahead of returning QB Kai Horton and Oregon transfer Ty Thompson in its opener against Southeastern Louisiana. Kansas State averaged over nine yards a carry against Tennessee-Martin in Week 1.

Baylor at No. 11 Utah (3:30 p.m., Fox): It’s a big test for the changes at Baylor after a disappointing 2023. Toledo transfer Dequan Finn had three touchdowns in his Baylor debut in Week 1. Utah, meanwhile, has a fully healthy Cam Rising at QB and he threw for five touchdowns on just 15 passes in the Utes’ season-opener.

South Florida at No. 4 Alabama (7 p.m., ESPN): Alabama’s passing stats were comical against Western Kentucky in Week 1. Jalen Milroe was 7-of-9 for 200 yards and three touchdowns and the Tide also rushed for 334 yards. USF is a contender in the AAC and lost just 17-3 to the Tide a year ago, though Milroe didn’t play after he was benched following Alabama’s loss to Texas.

No. 19 Kansas at Illinois (7 p.m., Fox Sports 1): Kansas’ 34-23 win over Illinois a season ago was a statement for a Jayhawks team that went on to finish the regular season at 8-4. Saturday night’s game is set to be the first sellout at Illinois’ Memorial Stadium since North Carolina visited in 2016.

Appalachian State at No. 25 Clemson (8 p.m., ACC Network): This isn’t an easy rebound game for Clemson after the Tigers’ 34-3 loss to Georgia in Week 1. App State is one of the favorites in a tough Sun Belt. At the very least, Clemson needs to show some offensive improvement after the Tigers were stifled by Georgia’s defense.