Week 1 in college football provided upsets galore and some absolutely epic endings. The first week with fans back in stadiums was everything we wanted it to be, and it only gets better from here. Unfortunately, in week 2, there aren’t as many high-profile Top 25 matchups as week 1, but there are still a couple of fantastic games. We know from week 1 that the Pac 12 and ACC have to step it up if they don’t want to be the laughingstock of the sport. Let’s dive into the top 3 games of week 2.
No. 11 Oregon vs No. 4 Ohio State
Both Oregon and Ohio State had early scares in their games during week 1. Ohio State kicked off their season on Thursday with Minnesota and it took a while to turn on the jets, but when they did it looked like a typical Ryan Day team. Twitter had labeled CJ Stroud a bust until the second half when the guy wouldn’t stop dropping bombs and it seems like he is back in good graces. Oregon had a different start to their game. They jumped out to a huge lead against a Fresno State team that I had high hopes for. The Bulldogs had to wake up and leave their crates, but when they did, they started chasing the Ducks. In the end, they allowed too many points in the first half and couldn’t complete the comeback and wound up losing by seven points. The Ducks escaped without getting caught looking ahead, but it came at the price of potentially losing defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux for a few games. He sprained his ankle and is day-to-day, but I can’t imagine he suits up. Ohio State is rightfully favored, and I think we are about to find out that Oregon is a bit overrated this year. Prediction: Ohio State
No 18. Iowa vs No. 7 Iowa State
The Cyclones let me down in week 1. I have been talking up this squad all offseason and I thought this was going to be a year where they could win the Big 12 and make a run at the College Football Playoff. So, imagine my surprise when I saw them narrowly defeat Northern Iowa by just six points. NI limited running back Breece Hall to just 69 yards on 23 carries and the Cyclones had a really tough time punching it into the endzone. I am nervous that Iowa has too much steam moving into this game. They are coming off a massive 34-6 win against an Indiana team that everyone fell in love with last season. The defense was dominant, and the offensive line already looked like a classic Hawkeye O-line, blocking for a rushing group that went over 150 yards and two scores. But the turnovers are what proved to pave the way for Iowa as they picked off Michael Penix Jr. three times. Cyclone coach Matt Campbell’s biggest issue so far has been one big loss every season, and this could be the one in 2021. Prediction: Iowa
No. 24 Utah vs BYU
Ah, the Mormon bowl. This game won’t be as highly viewed as the other two games on this list because teams from the west just don’t bring in that type of national audience. However, this should be an excellent matchup. BYU clearly missed Zach Wilson in their first game without him. But the biggest issue was their defense, allowing nearly 350 yards through the air against a bad Arizona team. Utah quarterback Charlie Brewer is legit, and he can burn defenses just like he did last week against Weber State. The Baylor transfer wants to play in the NFL and will need a big performance against a BYU team to grab some more eyeballs. I expect Utah to strike early and often to take advantage of a young BYU defense. This will be the first real test for Cougar quarterback Jaren Hall who looked good but also looked like a game manager. Utah is ranked for a reason. Prediction: Utah