College football takeaways: The low and high of Week 2

Well, Week 2 didn’t go the way a couple of top-25 teams believed it would. Notre Dame’s stunning, last-minute loss to Northern Illinois threatened the Irish’s playoff hopes, a top-10 Oregon group hardly beat Boise State at home, and Cal signed up with Miami as the 2 ACC schools with the greatest nonconference wins of the early season.Can things reverse for Notre Dame after this weekend’s difficult loss? How can Oregon improve its line play after losing key players to the NFL and injuries? Can Cal enhance its run game while remaining dominant on defense?Our college football specialists break down key takeaways from Week 2 efficiencies. It’s too early to compose teams off in the CFP race Everybody take a deep breath. The Notre Dame loss to Northern Illinois was devastating to the Irish’s playoff hopes. It was a bad loss, and there’s no sugar-coating it. The very same can be stated for Michigan’s humiliating home loss to Texas. Neither team looks worthy of a playoff area, but that doesn’t mean the photo can’t alter. Specifically in a 12-team format that’s brand name new to everybody– consisting of the 13 committee members entrusted with ranking the teams.The concern is how much better Notre Dame and Michigan can be– if they can prove to the committee, they’re worth a spot. For the independent Irish, their only course is among the seven at-large bids. Not only do they need to play considerably better, they need to run the table and beat some ranked opponents along the method so that their resumé and efficiencies are much better than other one-loss competitors. Strength of schedule is essential for playoff groups, but both Notre Dame and Michigan need to fret more about looking the part, no matter which teams they face.– Heather Dinich No offense, punters Brent Venables might be a former defensive organizer, however even he had problem seeing Oklahoma battle to a 16-12 win over Houston on Saturday night. The very first

hint was early in his postgame news conference.” Luke Elzinga was wonderful,”Venables said, taking a beat and shaking his head before hearing himself.”Come in here to journalism conference and extol our punter … however he deserves it.” Venables stated the Sooners were fortunate to win, primarily due to the fact that of a field-position fight, thanks to Elzinga pinning 3 of his 8 punts inside the 10-yard line and two more inside the 20. New offending planner

Seth Littrell has quite an obstacle ahead: The offensive line struggled, sophomore QB Jackson Arnold was irregular, and the Sooners balanced just 4.1 lawns per play. There’s another nonconference game next week against a Tulane team that lost a fourth-quarter lead to Kansas State before Tennessee and previous Sooners QB and organizer Josh Heupel concerns town. There has actually been much made about how tough Oklahoma’s first SEC schedule is. It can’t afford for the punter to be its star.– Dave Wilson Pathway to the playoff for Tennessee is paved with defense After installing 51 points on an NC State group that went into Saturday night’s game ranked No. 24 nationally, Tennessee coach Josh Heupel– never ever a huge talker– had a message for anybody who cared to listen following the Vols’ 51-10 demolition of the Wolfpack

in Charlotte, North Carolina. “Let me simply state another thing,”Heupel said as a reporter was about to ask another concern.”The standard at Tennessee is to be elite on defense. This is the home of Reggie White, Al Wilson, Eric Berry.”Editor’s Picks 2 Related Heupel tapped his finger and surveyed the space as he delivered his message, one that was driven home in dominant style on the field.

Tennessee’s defense has actually now gone 12 straight quarters without quiting a goal going back to the regular-season ending last season against Vanderbilt. And for all the speak about quarterback Nico Iamaleava’s elite arm talent and Heupel’s powerful, breakneck offense,

it’s Tennessee’s defense that has this program in position to make a serious perform at an SEC championship, a College Football Playoff look and perhaps even more. It’s the inmost and most talented defensive front the Vols have had since the John Henderson and Albert Haynesworth days in the early 2000s. In its thrashing of NC State, Tennessee taped 13 deals with for loss and 16 various players had at least 0.5 deals with for loss. The Wolfpack handled just 27 backyards of total offense in the 2nd half, and the Vols rotated defensive linemen at an excessive pace.The true tests will can be found in the SEC. That’s always the case, and the SEC opener on the roadway versus Oklahoma on Sept. 21 looms big. However through two games, this is a Tennessee group that appears to have the pieces in location to overwhelm opponents on offense and draw the life out of them on defense.– Chris Low The Huge 12 is the league you need to be enjoying every weekend Get Rid Of Utah and Baylor’s nonconference matchup between conference opponents from the equation, and the Big 12 went 8-5 in Week 2.

In a wonky, mixed-bag weekend for the new-look, 16-team league, we saw precisely why the Huge 12 is must-watch television in 2024. There were highs on Saturday: the field goal from Iowa State’s Kyle Konrardy that moved Iowa State past Iowa, Oklahoma State’s double-overtime win over Arkansas and Arizona State’s late-night win against Mississippi State. Week 2 in the Huge 12 delivered lows of varying degrees, too, from Kansas State’s narrow escape at Tulane to losses for Colorado, Kansas and Texas Tech to Cincinnati’s fourth-quarter collapse versus Pittsburgh. Along the method, we learned that Houston– in a 16-12 loss at Oklahoma– most likely falls someplace in between the team that got trounced by UNLV in Week 1 and the one that almost disturbed the Sooners in Norman on Saturday.Perhaps the Big 12 does not have the lineup of box office matchups we’ll see across the SEC and Big 10 from now to late November. However from the excellent in the red to the ugly, Week 2 provided a window into just why the league assures to be the one you simply won’t have the ability to take your eyes off this fall, in part due to the fact that we do not know if the Big 12 consists of just numerous CFP competitors or 7.– Eli Lederman The Kyle McCord-Syracuse pairing looks as advertised Syracuse QB Kyle McCord has actually had successive games of 250 passing lawns and four goals. Mark Konezny-Imagn Images Kyle McCord was the centerpiece of Fran Brown’s transfers entering into his first year as Syracuse’s head coach. Through two games, McCord hasn’t disappointed.McCord ended up being simply the third ACC quarterback over the previous twenty years with consecutive games of 350 passing yards and 4 touchdowns. In the Orange’s 31-28 win over No. 23 Georgia Tech, McCord finished 32 of 46 passes for 381 backyards and four touchdowns.It’s not a shock that McCord not only seems comfy however is likewise having a

fun time with the Orange given some of the feelings displayed in Saturday’s game. McCord matured in New Jersey and has understood both Brown and quarterbacks coach Nunzio Campanile(who also served as interim head coach last season )for a years. He also has ties with first-year offensive coordinator Jeff Nixon.McCord told ESPN’s Pete Thamel before the season that he wished to take a real shot at the NFL.”I have another chance to go out and truly devote myself, and going through the process, I was looking at schools where I ‘d

have a possibility of winning right away,”he said.” And with the pieces going there, I’ll absolutely have that choice. “It’s a small sample, but the vision Brown had for his group (a vision that McCord likewise saw )entering this season looks excellent through 8 quarters of football.– Harry Lyles Jr.Colorado does not look any different than last year The supposedly enhanced offensive line for Colorado looks every bit the catastrophe of the version that was scapegoated for the Buffaloes’ last-place finish in the Pac-12 last year. During the offseason, Colorado coach Deion Sanders spoke several times about the improved talent of the offending line and coaching he expected those players to get this year.

That combination, it was indicated, would keep quarterback Shedeur Sanders upright, thus fixing among the significant problems that afflicted the team in 2015. After seeing Shedeur Sanders invest the afternoon under constant pressure against Nebraska on Saturday, it’s difficult to see much– if any– enhancement. He was sacked 5 times, the Buffs were incapable of running the ball,

and they managed just 10 points.For all the buzz Sanders brought when he was employed as the coach, this team looks no closer to being competitively relevant. It was lucky to get a win versus FCS North Dakota State in Week 1 and frantically needs to beat Colorado State this week to avoid beginning Big 12 play as an afterthought.– Kyle Bonagura Defense gives Nebraska a chance to compete Nebraska coach Matt Rhule understood Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter would command all the attention when Colorado concerned Lincoln and applauded them as potential top-five NFL draft chooses throughout the week. However all along, Nebraska’s head coach knew he might depend on his defense to appear. “Everyone kept discussing this guy, that guy, that guy,”Rhule stated. “I kept saying, ‘Hey, they’re forgetting our defense. They’re forgetting the Blackshirts. ‘”Nebraska’s defense is the genuine offer. Tony White worked wonders with this group in his very first year as defensive organizer and is rolling with a starting lineup of 7 senior citizens and four juniors, led by an outstanding D-line. Its experience appeared over and over in its 28-10 win Saturday night, from all the sacks and pressures generated by four-man rushes to cornerback Tommi Hill’s early pick-six to the minimal explosive plays, with Sanders striking simply one pass of 30 or more yards.Two games in, the Huskers rank among the leading 10 in the FBS in sacks and deals with for loss. They’re an AP Top 25 team for the very first time because 2019, and the schedule ahead looks manageable. Could this team be 7-0 when it travels

to Ohio State at the end of October? If so, we’ll know why.”Our defense is the best in the nation,” Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola stated.”I believe that. “– Max Olson Cal conserves the day for the ACC NC State had the big nationwide spotlight game against an SEC opponent in Week 2 the method Clemson did

in Week 1. Neither team played well. Combined rating in two losses: 85-13. Good thing Cal was there to save the day Saturday, joining Miami with the 2 biggest ACC nonconference wins in the early season.That is not a typo.Yes, the brand-new kids on the ACC block waved that #goacc flag happily after a 21-14 win at Auburn. Cal won with a ruthless protective effort, requiring 5 turnovers, consisting of four interceptions, and holding Auburn to 286 yards. Transfer linebacker Teddye Buchanan was a force with 11 deals with, two sacks and three deals with for loss.Cal benefited from clutch plays made by quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who began the game 19-of-21 before ending up with 233 backyards and two passing touchdowns.Cal won with punter

Lachlan Wilson, who assisted give the Bears a benefit in field position with four punts inside the 20. Possibly most excellent, Cal did it all without its run game, which lots of thought about to be the strength of the team entering into the season. With preseason All-ACC option Jaydn Ott banged up and an injury-depleted offending line, Cal discovered hard sledding in the trenches. Everyone else played great complementary football, and it ended up not mattering.It is

early, however Cal has hit on 2 locations it

knew it needed to improve this season: winning close games and its turnover margin. Cal now sits at plus-8 in the latter category.But as Cal coach Justin Wilcox cautioned after the game,” This ca

n’t be the very best we play all year. We’ve got to continue to grind and improve. We’ll commemorate however we have actually got a game next week. We

‘ve got a lot of

football delegated play. “Cal is 2-0 with San Diego State up next and another flight east the following week to Florida State. The ACC appears broad open in the early going. Perhaps Cal can find its way into the mix.– Andrea Adelson Texas signs up with Georgia, Ohio State in the leading tier With a big win over Michigan, Quinn Ewers and the Longhorns showed they’re nationwide title contenders. Gregory Shamus/Getty Images The crammed Bulldogs and Buckeyes were viewed as the clear leading two teams entering the season. However after a dominant efficiency at Michigan, the Longhorns should have to be in the same conversation as Georgia and Ohio State.Texas throttled the defending nationwide champs in every facet for a win that never felt in doubt. Quinn Ewers was spectacular, ending up being the only quarterback given that the start of last season to toss 3 goals without an interception versus several top-10 challengers(Ewers led Texas to a win at Alabama

last season, too ). Texas has playmakers everywhere around Ewers, with an offending line that is ready to go toe-to-toe with the very best in the SEC. Defensively, the Longhorns are physical

and fast.Texas made the playoff last year. The Longhorns showed Saturday that they’re now all set to win it all.– Jake Trotter No one understands anything( primarily)Here’s the dirtiest secret of the college football rankings: There aren’t that numerous groups that genuinely stick out

. And as a minor variation to this point, each conference may have a various tally of genuinely good groups, however comparing total conferences is a fool’s errand.As one Power 5 coach informed ESPN,”Every year there are five or 6 excellent groups, 5 or

6 more great-but-flawed groups, and the next 30 are all about the same.” Want proof?Through two weeks, here’s how the Power 5(which, for the functions of conversation, will consist of Washington State, Oregon State and Notre Dame)conferences accumulate in nonconference games versus other Power 5 teams.ACC: 5-5 Huge 12: 5-6 Big Ten: 4-4 Notre Dame: 1-0 Pac-12: 1-0

SEC: 5-6 Of those 21 games, only 7 were chosen by more than a goal, and 5 of those were delivered by among the little cadre of groups that most likely are in the elite (or near-elite )tier of the sport.We can feel respectable about Georgia, Texas, Tennessee and Miami, for example, but Illinois’six-point win over Kansas, Duke’s double-overtime win over Northwestern and Arizona State’s narrow escape from Mississippi State’s late resurgence effort probably say absolutely nothing about any conference and little about the groups themselves beyond noting they’re pretty evenly matched– one team just made a couple of more plays at defining moments than the other.As the season advances, we’ll get more information points that assist paint a clearer image of college football’s hierarchy, and a couple groups we might not have considered elite today will emerge(and a couple others might topple from the leading tiers ). The arguments will improve the even more we enter into the

season. However it’s likewise crucial to

identify what matters from the sound, and as much enjoyable as it may be to make fun of Auburn or the SEC’s misfortune in Week 2, the reality is, a seven-point loss to Cal probably does not state much at all about who is worthy of an area in the 12-team playoff by year’s end.

— David Hale Oregon needs to improve from the within out after surviving Idaho schools Oregon hasn’t suffered a loss like Notre Dame did, or two, like Florida State, however the Ducks have not resembled

a severe national title contender, either. Fortunately is Oregon sits at 2-0 and won’t have to deal with any more teams from the state of Idaho. The games against Idaho and Boise State had some clear differences, but Oregon’s issues along the offending

and protective
lines stuck out in
both outings.For all the flash around Oregon– Nike branding, ever-changing uniforms, speedy players and splashy

transfers and employees– coach Dan Lanning and his predecessor, Mario Cristobal, both have actually highlighted line play as a program pillar. But Lanning’s 3rd Ducks group seems to be doing not have on the interior of

both lines. Oregon is replacing center Jackson Powers-Johnson, the Rimington Prize winner and an NFL second-round draft pick, and has actually been without guard Matthew Bedford due to the fact that of an injury. The Ducks, who likewise lost appreciated running back Bucky Irving to the NFL, are balancing simply 3 yards per rush.”It doesn’t appear like that O-line has the very same sort of pop and juice they did last year,”a former Pac-12 workers director told me Sunday.” Powers-Johnson appeared like the leader

, and he’s a stud, too.” Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty will make a great deal of defenses look bad, but Oregon is permitting 5.1 backyards per bring in its first two games. The Ducks ‘protective front has some transfers– Jamaree Caldwell, Derrick Harmon– who still may click, but it has actually been a rough start.Oregon’s efficiency today at rival Oregon State seems particularly crucial, and the actions to improvement need to come from the inside out.– Adam Rittenberg The second-best team in the Big Ten is ____. While the SEC can boast six teams in the top 10 since today’s AP poll, the Big Ten knows only its finest team with some level of certainty: Ohio State.Penn State,

ranked 5 spots behind the Buckeyes, had a hard time to beat Bowling Green this

weekend, while Oregon, which nearly lost to Idaho and hardly beat Boise State in Eugene on Saturday night, continues to plunge down the rankings. The Ducks started at No. 3 as the presumptive most significant conference competitor to the Buckeyes, and yet they’re now ranked ninth and have not precisely inspired any self-confidence that they’re up for the job. Michigan, on the other hand, allowed Texas to come into the Big House and expose them on both sides of the ball.Surprisingly, USC has actually been one

of the few groups in the conference that has actually won its very first two games decisively, consisting of a statement win over LSU last week. Today, USC didn’t play down to its challenger, Utah State, and instead continued to showcase that it might be a more total team than most believed headed into the season. It was the first time its defense held a group to absolutely no points given that 2011. Beyond the Trojans, Nebraska has appeared like an entirely revitalized program under Matt Rhule and with Dylan Raiola at quarterback, while Jonathan Smith’s Michigan State is likewise 2-0 with quarterback Aidan Chiles impressing up until now. Washington and brand-new coach Jedd Fisch are likewise undefeated early on. Penn State and Oregon must (focus on needs to )have the talent to recover and likely be amongst those groups nipping at Ohio State’s heels once conference play begins in earnest, but for now, the top of the new-look conference is broad open.– Paolo Uggetti