Every season, there are weeks in the college football schedule that look a bit lacking for top-end matchups. Week Two is unfortunately one of those slates. However, we’ve learned time and time again that the most surprising results and entertaining moments come when we least expect it. So I’m looking forward to this weekend’s action.
The big game of the week is of course Michigan’s visit to Norman to face Oklahoma. Outside of that, we’ve got some pretty fascinating matchups on tap. The Cy-Hawk game is always a war, Illinois faces a tricky trip to Duke, and Kansas and Missouri will renew one of the sport’s most underrated rivalries. There’s more, too.
Without further ado, here are some of my big, bold, smoldering-hot takes going into Week Two.
The winner of Michigan @ Oklahoma will make the College Football Playoff.
A victory in this spot would be a massive notch on the belt of whoever takes it. I’m calling this a “Proof of Concept” game. If Michigan wins, it’ll be proof that Bryce Underwood is the real deal and capable of leading the Wolverines to wins in hostile environments. If he’s already at that level, Michigan is a playoff-caliber team.
On the flip side, an Oklahoma win would prove that their revamped offense is working. We know the Sooners’ defense is solid, but having an offense to match would cement OU in the playoff race. Success against Michigan’s solid defensive unit would go a long way.
Either way, I currently have Oklahoma in the playoff with only three Big Ten teams in the field. The math is pretty easy to work out if Michigan wins.
James Madison will upset Louisville on Friday night.
If JMU is going to make the College Football Playoff, it needs to pull a major upset against Louisville. My primary line of thinking with putting the Dukes in the field is that I thought they would have a legitimate chance to beat Louisville, which figures to be a competitive ACC team.
By default, I almost have to make this prediction. Part of my playoff prediction hangs on it.
All the talk going into the game has been about Louisville’s explosiveness on offense. But what if the Dukes can keep up with that? It’s hard to take season-long conclusions from an FCS game, but JMU’s offense looked just as good as Louisville’s against similar competition.
Iowa State will enter the playoff discussion.
I have been extremely impressed with Iowa State so far. With a quality conference win under their belt, the Cyclones have a chance on Saturday to stick it to their in-state rivals. I fully expect them to do so. While Iowa State may not have top-end firepower at the skill positions, their defense has played extremely well in games against Kansas State and a South Dakota team that is pretty good by FCS standards.
On the other side, Iowa was less than convincing in its win over Albany last week. The Hawkeyes ran all over the place, but new quarterback Mark Gronowski threw for less than 50 yards. If Iowa State is allowed to zero-in on the run game and dare Gronowski to throw, Iowa could be in trouble.
I’m all over the Cyclones this week. The line is 3.5, and I expect them to blow that out of the water in Ames.
Kansas will revive the Big 12.
Kansas has looked pretty impressive in its first two games. Granted, Fresno State and Wagner aren’t exactly Missouri. However, the Jayhawks have had an extra game to get into mid-season shape, and Central Arkansas isn’t exactly Kansas either.
Missouri’s vaunted defense faces a real challenge with this Kansas offense. The Jayhawks have real playmakers all over the field, and Jalon Daniels has shown glimpses of what made him a Heisman dark-horse in 2022. On paper, Missouri should still have one of the best defenses in college football, but Kansas is no joke.
On the flip-side, Beau Pribula had a really solid debut as the Tigers’ starting quarterback. But again, he’s facing a much tougher test. Can he consistently throw the ball at this level, or will his limitations from Penn State crop up again? I have a feeling it might be the latter. If Kansas can get this done, it would be a massive result not just for the Jayhawks but for the entire Big 12.
Other Key Games to Watch
I can’t get a great read on a lot of this week’s slate but there are still some very interesting games I’ll be watching closely:
Illinois @ Duke: A difficult trip for the Illini. However, if ticket sales are any suggestion, the travel might be more daunting than the atmosphere. If Illinois has designs on an at-large playoff bid, it needs to win games like this one.
Baylor @ SMU: There will be a lot of disappointment in Waco if the Bears lose this game and start 0-2. SMU can recreate a lot of the issues that plagued Baylor in its opener, but can its defense get stops? Baylor’s offense should be able to keep up. I have no clue who will win, but I expect a shootout.
Arizona State @ Mississippi State: I have a horrible feeling about this one for my Sun Devils. After Kenny Dillingham’s comments earlier in the week were misconstrued and taken as an attack against the entire south, MSU fans are treating this like their most important game of all time. I don’t think Mississippi State is very good at all, but I don’t have a ton of faith in this front-running ASU team going into an hornet’s nest like Starkville, which right or wrong has been stirred this week.
South Florida @ Florida: I’m keeping my eye on how this one develops pretty closely. South Florida is riding high after dominating Boise State. I’m not sure they will win, but the Bulls can take another step forward in the G5 playoff race even if they lose close. See Boise State last year. Florida should win handily, but if it struggles with Byrum Brown, and/or if DJ Lagway struggles, it could be time to pump the brakes on the sky-high expectations in Gainesville.
Picks of the Week
If you enjoy wagering United States Dollars on college football, these are for you.
Baylor @ SMU: Over 62.5
It’s a really high line, but I’m not sure either defense will be able to get any stops.
Oklahoma State @ Oregon: Oregon -27.5
The Cowboys will go to Zane Flores at quarterback after an injury to Hauss Hejny. Oklahoma State was already a struggling team with Hejny in the lineup. Give me the Ducks, who will be looking to make a statement.
Iowa @ Iowa State: Iowa State -3.5
I alluded to it earlier, but I have a good feeling about Iowa State. I have the opposite feeling about Iowa.
South Florida @ Florida: South Florida +17.5
This line just seems too big. I do not think USF will win the game, but if it can keep things close going into the second half, rear-ends could start to get tight on the other side.
Arizona State @ Mississippi State: Mississippi State +6.5
Moral hedge.
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One response to “CFB Week Two: Bold Predictions for Cy-Hawk, Sooners, and More”
[…] As predicted, Week Two of college football did not disappoint despite the relatively lackluster slate. Four ranked teams lost, and quite a few schools categorized themselves as contenders, pretenders, or just flat-out failures.Let’s discuss the state of things after the second week of the season. […]