Week 2 College Football Recap: A weak slate still produces compelling games

Week 1 had more marquee matchups than any opening week of college football ever. Week 2 was a joke on paper, but as usual in this sport, the cupcake games showed the true colors of the teams we weren’t really sure about. It also generated some truly amazing individual achievements from players, as well as muddied the water around the College Football Playoff picture. Check out my recap of week 2 below, as well as my bowl projections, Heisman watch, and which games to look forward to next week.

Top 25 Poll

Others receiving votes: Mississippi, Tennessee, UCLA, West Virginia

Dropped from the rankings: Oklahoma State (16), West Virginia (18), BYU (23)

25 (NR). Oregon (2-0) – The scores of their first two games have not been attractive, but the stats have been lopsided. The pieces are there, they just aren’t polished just yet.

24 (NR). Iowa (2-0) – The Hawkeyes did what so many Hawkeye teams haven’t been able to do in the past: put away archrival Iowa State.

23 (25). Nebraska (2-0) – They have had two lopsided wins against typically good Group of 5 schools.

22 (NR). San Diego State (2-0) – The longest win streak in America (other than Bama) continued with a win over California.

21 (22). Notre Dame (1-1) – The Irish have found their answer at quarterback. The loss to Texas stung, but they rebounded and took out Nevada in style.

20 (11). Georgia (2-0) – The Bulldogs narrowly escaped against pathetic FCS Nicholls State a week after winning an overrated game against North Carolina. They need to figure out their QB situation (play Jacob Eason all game) and just take this year as a learning experience. They are not good enough to compete in 2016.

19 (21). South Florida (2-0) – USF is a scary Group of 5 squad. They annihilated traditional MAC power Northern Illinois in Week 2.

18 (24). Utah (2-0) – The Utes took down BYU in the Holy War. It was an incredible game, and even though turnovers might be an issue for the team moving forward, they had one of the most impressive week 2 wins.

17 (20). Pittsburgh (2-0) – The Panthers have their best team in several years. They took down former archrival Penn State in a wild game that no one could have predicted would be a shootout.

16 (15). LSU (1-1) – The Tigers had Jacksonville State head to Death Valley after their ugly loss to Wisconsin, and they looked sluggish offensively once again. They absolutely need to solve that if they want to have a chance to have a successful season in SEC play.

15 (19). Oklahoma (1-1) – The Sooners rebounded well against ULM, a team that has traditionally given trouble to teams overlooking them.

14 (13). Baylor (2-0) – The Bears had a slow start before taking over against in-state foe SMU.

13 (17). Boise State (2-0) – The Broncos beat an incredible road team on the blue turf when they took down Washington State. They look balanced and like a really scary Group of 5 team.

12 (12). Stanford (1-0) – They beat K-State in week 1 before having a bye. They are going to be totally solid as long as they keep feeding the best player in the sport Christian McCaffrey.

11 (8). Clemson (2-0) – All 2-0s are not created equal. Clemson looked lousy against Troy after looking lousy against a terrible Auburn team. They still have the offensive talent to remain cautiously optimistic, but this doesn’t look like a contender right now.

10 (10). Texas A&M (2-0) – The Aggies followed up beating UCLA with a complete joke of a game, winning 67-0 against Prairie View.

9 (9). Texas (2-0) – The Longhorns appear to have found their future at quarterback. I’m hesitant to say that they are back, but they are absolutely the most improved team in the nation.

8 (14). Louisville (2-0) – I was wrong about this team. They are absolutely electric, and after winning huge in a building that has given several ranked teams trouble in the recent past, they are officially a real threat in the ACC.

7 (7). Wisconsin (2-0) – Wisconsin followed up their big win over LSU with an offensive explosion.

6 (4). Ohio State (2-0) – Their final scores aren’t indicative of how the Buckeyes played. JT Barrett has started incredibly slow in both weeks so far.

5 (5). Washington (2-0) – They have two straight efficient and dominating blowout wins. The defense is good enough to carry the team to the playoffs.

4 (6). Michigan (2-0) – It is difficult to not be completely impressed with Michigan, who have simply hammered and demoralized two straight opponents.

3 (3). Houston (2-0) – It was a difficult day for Houston after playing almost an entire quarter before having a nearly 4 hour weather delay, but that didn’t prevent Houston from holding Lamar to less than 100 yards and 0 points.

2 (2). Florida State (2-0) – Following their big comeback against Ole Miss, FSU wasted no time putting away a great FCS team in Charleston Southern.

1 (1). Alabama (2-0) – The Crimson Tide struggled for all of about 5 minutes against Western Kentucky before completely taking over and cementing their spot as the #1 team through 2 weeks.

Top 5 Games for Next Weekend

5. USC at Stanford (#12), 5:00PM ABC – This is always one of the most interesting games in Pac-12 play. Stanford had a week off, but they didn’t exactly look like world beaters in week one. USC took out their Bama frustration on Utah State. Stanford’s home field advantage is pedestrian. Upset?

PREDICTION: USC 23-20

4. Oregon (#25) at Nebraska (#23), 12:30PM ABC – Neither team is at the top of their game, but the matchup is absolutely compelling. Can Oregon win the type of game that they consistently lost a year ago? Can Nebraska actually win a big game in the non-conference?

PREDICTION: Nebraska 38-34

3. Alabama (#1) at Mississippi, 12:30PM CBS – The only team to beat Alabama in the regular season the last two years gets a home game against maybe the most obvious #1 team in the nation since…last year’s preseason Ohio State. If any team has a reasonable chance to beat Bama in the lousy SEC, it is Ole Miss.

PREDICTION: Alabama 24-9

2. Florida State (#2) at Louisville (#8), 9:00AM ABC – The best matchup in terms of rankings is the game that Gameday will be attending. I am not completely sold on Louisville’s chances to actually beat FSU, but Lamar Jackson against that defense is tasty.

PREDICTION: Florida State 48-27

1. Ohio State (#6) at Oklahoma (#15), 4:30PM FOX – The biggest game of the year was maybe the most anticipated game of the year…until Oklahoma got upended in week one. This is still the most interesting matchup. Can Ohio State withstand another slow start against a really powerful offense? We shall find out.

PREDICTION: Ohio State 42-28

Heisman Trophy Watch

5. Seth Russell, QB, Baylor – He is going to put up monstrous numbers in that offense that doesn’t show any sign of slowing up without Art Briles.

4. Greg Ward Jr, QB, Houston – He may have sat out week two with an “injury”, but the guy is perfect for the Tom Herman offense and will be in the discussion as long as they remain unbeaten.

3. Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford – He has only one week, but he absolutely looked the part of a Heisman contender in that week. His stats aren’t even as good as he played. He had a long punt return TD called back.

2. Deondre Francois, QB, Florida State – He has burst onto the scene as quickly as any new player in the nation. He has grasped the offense as well as Jameis Winston, but he also has wheels. He is a terrifying player in the ACC.

1. Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville – His stats are absolutely absurd. I don’t care about preseason favorites. Jackson is the obvious frontrunner after 2 weeks.

College Football Playoff Projections

Chik-fil-A Peach Bowl: Wisconsin over Clemson

Rose Bowl: Washington over Ohio State

Fiesta Bowl: Texas A&M over Texas

Sugar Bowl: Oklahoma over LSU

College Football Playoff Semifinal #1 (Orange Bowl): Michigan over Houston

CFB Playoff Semifinal #2 (Cotton Bowl): Alabama over Florida State

National Championship Game: Michigan over Alabama

Who are your top teams after the first couple weeks? Who is your Heisman favorite? What the hell happened to Northwestern?! Comment below.

Week 2 College Football Recap: Rankings, Heisman, BCS Projections

Week 2 was fairly uneventful. There was not a great slate of games, and yet a few of the good ones ended up being one-sided anyway. We learned that Texas is a fraud again. Cincinnati had one of the most confusing blowout losses I can remember, plus they potentially lost QB Munchie Legaux with a leg injury. We learned that the Oregon ground attack can go on the road and put up the same monster numbers. The Heisman Trophy race is wide open. Next week is a big one. We will start to see what some of the preordained contenders are made of. Check out my rankings below:

Top 25 Poll

Others receiving votes: Cincinnati, Florida, Fresno State, Georgia Tech, Marshall, Oklahoma, TCU

Dropped from the rankings: Cincinnati (12), Florida (20), Texas (22)

25 (NR). Arizona State (1-0) – They obliterated the competition on Thursday night, showing their stout defense and potent offensive attack. They could be the South representative with some luck.

24 (24). Northern Illinois (1-0) – They had the week off, but they are still one of those offenses that no one wants to play. Look for an impressive streak to come for the Huskies starting with their next game at Idaho.

23 (21). Texas A&M (2-0) – They once again showed that defense is going to be an issue for the team, but scoring is not. Manziel was on fire against Sam Houston State. I can’t wait to see him against Alabama this week.

22 (NR). Miami (2-0) – They got an important win against Florida, showing that Al Golden has actually somewhat gotten them back to competing. The ACC has shown some worth in these first two weeks, taking out the top of the SEC.

21 (19). Wisconsin (2-0) – They have not given up a point in their first two games against FCS competition, while running the ball down almost exclusively. Let’s see if they can throw to win a game before we anoint them as a contender.

20 (25). Nebraska (2-0) – The defense rebounded in a big way after the debacle against Wyoming. It sets up a nice game next week against UCLA in Lincoln.

19 (6). Notre Dame (1-1) –The defense got shredded through the air the majority of the game against Michigan. The offense is there and not there. They have a brutal stretch coming up. We will see what the Irish are made of.

18 (19). Mississippi (2-0) – I still like this team as a sleeper in the SEC. They had a bit of a letdown win vs SE Missouri State, but they are still an offense who can score on anyone. They are about ready to explode.

17 (17). Texas Tech (2-0) – The Red Raiders had another huge offensive display on Saturday. They are going to be scary for any Big 12 team to face.

16 (16). UCLA (1-0) – They took the week off in preparation for their huge trip to Nebraska. That is going to be quite a game.

15 (23). Northwestern (2-0) – Northwestern is one of those teams who always plays AQ conference foes in the non-conference season and always beat them. They probably have the most impressive pair of wins in the nation.

14 (11). South Carolina (1-1) – The Gamecocks came up short for the first time against Aaron Murray and Georgia, giving up points all over the place. That has got to be discouraging heading into the meat of their schedule.

13 (15). Georgia (1-1) – Georgia got their must-win game out of the way. Their defense is going to struggle all season, but that offense is a juggernaut even with their best WR or not.

12 (14). Oklahoma State (2-0) – Why was Oklahoma State playing at UTSA? They had an uneventful win, but JW Walsh showed that he is their guy and a dark horse Heisman candidate.

11 (13). Michigan (2-0) – Michigan was able to pick apart the strong Notre Dame defense in front of a record attendance at the Big House. The defense was shaky, but it was a rivalry game no matter what Brian Kelly says.

10 (10). Washington (1-0) – Washington suddenly has an interesting game traveling to Illinois next week after the Illini destroyed Cincinnati in the same building.

9 (NR). Baylor (2-0) – 139 points in two games? This offense is absurd. Watch out Big 12. The offense led by Bryce Petty and Lache Seastrunk might just be the best offense Baylor has had under Art Briles. They took apart that same Buffalo defense that Ohio State struggled to score against last week.

8 (8). Florida State (1-0) – If anything, the Seminoles gained some points in their week off with the ACC getting another win against the SEC.
7 (9). LSU (2-0) – The Cam Cameron passing attack gives LSU a dimension that I have never seen them have before. This could be a scary team.

6 (7). Louisville (2-0) – Teddy Bridgewater is not going to have much competition this year, and they are only hurt by Cincinnati’s blowout loss. He should still be in the Heisman conversation, but I now think that the Cardinals may need everyone to have two losses for them to get a chance at the BCS Championship Game.

5 (5). Ohio State (2-0) – After Braxton Miller went down, the offense suddenly took off. Yeah, I don’t get it either.

4 (4). Clemson (2-0) – Clemson’s offense is for real. They do not have a losable game until Florida State heads to Death Valley in late October.

3 (3). Oregon (2-0) – Marcus Mariota and De’Anthony Thomas are torching the competition. They play an improved Tennessee team next weekend. That could be a mini-test before hitting the tough Pac-12 conference schedule.

2 (2). Stanford (1-0) – The Cardinal played much better against San Jose State than they did last year. That linebacker group is the best there is in college football. I do not see them losing this year.

1 (1). Alabama (1-0) – Alabama seems to always have the clever scheduling that gives them a week off before their biggest games. How do they always know?

Top 5 Games for Next Weekend

5. Wisconsin(#21) at Arizona State (#25), 7:30PM ESPN – The two unbeaten teams who have yet to allow a score face off in a Pac-12/B1G clash. This should be a really competitive and nasty game.

4. Mississippi (#18) at Texas, 5:00PM Longhorn Network – We will see how good Ole Miss really is this year when they travel to Austin to play an angry Texas squad who got taken to the woodshed by an average running game at BYU. This should be a battle.

3. UCLA (#16) at Nebraska (#20), 9:00AM ABC – The game last year was high-scoring and filled with big plays. Expect the same this year. Who scheduled this at 9:00AM Pacific Time? UCLA kinda got screwed there…

2. Texas Tech (#17) at TCU, Thursday 4:30PM ESPN – This is going to be our first big Thursday night game. It should be an offensive show. TCU’s defense is not as strong as years past, but their offense is really coming on.

1. Alabama (#1) at Texas A&M (#23), 12:30PM CBS – Everyone has waited nine months to see the reigning Heisman winner take on the 2-time defending national champs. We get to see it at Kyle Field, one of the best venues in the country. If you are not watching this game Saturday afternoon, you are doing it wrong.

Heisman Trophy Watch

5. Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville – He is going to be able to put up whatever numbers Charlie Strong lets him, since they do not really have any marquee games on their schedule. A trip to an SEC school (Kentucky, but still) next week may give him a slight bump.

4. Lache Seastrunk, RB,Baylor – It appears that the offense is going to put up video game numbers, and he is going to be the beneficiary of that. It is scary to think if he was still enrolled at Oregon…

3. Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State – A week off, and people are still talking about him. He could be our next RGIII, but he is far better than the former Heisman winner was as a freshman.

2. Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M – He has been and is going to continue to be in the spotlight all year long. A win against the Crimson Tide on Saturday would almost guarantee his invitation back to New York.

1. Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon – If he played in the SEC, he would have won last year. He has only gotten better. Unless the Ducks lose a couple games, then he is going to remain the frontrunner.

BCS Projections

Rose Bowl – Oregon over Michigan

Orange Bowl – Clemson over Louisville

Sugar Bowl – Alabama over Ohio State

Fiesta Bowl – Oklahoma State over LSU

BCS Championship Game – Stanford over Florida State

What did you think of this weekend? Thoughts? Give me your rankings in the comments!