College football Week 2 trends, stories: Familiar foes, must-see receivers,
Believe this weekend’s college football slate can’t perhaps top the enjoyment of a Week 1 that extended into Week 2 because of the vacation? How can it beat the “Florida State is back” headline? Or the Duke upset of Clemson? And finally, no chance it can top the Colorado/Deion launching, right?But Deion and his gifted No. 22-ranked Buffaloes are at house today, facing a team with which Colorado fans are familiar, Nebraska(twelve noon ET on Fox ). Likewise at midday ET, No. 10 Notre Dame seeks to improve to 3-0 when it plays NC State (ABC). At 3:30 p.m., No. 20 Ole Miss travels to No. 24 Tulane (ESPN2)and No. 23 Texas A&M faces Miami (Fla.) in Coral Gables(ABC). Saturday’s prime-time match, No. 3 Alabama-No. 11 Texas( 7 p.m. ET, ESPN), includes future SEC opponents.Our reporters sneak peek this weekend’s games with a look at familiar faces on opposing sidelines, teams primed to manage upsets, wide receivers breaking through and some of the week’s best quotes. Familiar enemies in Week 2 Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images Steve Sarkisian vs. Nick Saban(Texas at Alabama)The statistics aren’t quite for former
Saban assistants, and Sarkisian is well aware.Only two times since Saban has actually been at Alabama( returning to 2007)has one of his former assistants beaten him– both losses coming in 2021 with Texas A&M and Jimbo Fisher distressing Alabama throughout the regular season in College Station and after that Georgia and Kirby Smart removing the Crimson Tide in the College Football Playoff Championship game game. Saban is 28-2 versus his previous assistants.Sarkisian’s action, and a reasonable one:” What’s the record for all the guys who aren’t previous assistants against Nick Saban?” Texas ‘visit to Alabama will be Sarkisian
‘s first return to Bryant-Denny Stadium given that the 2020 season, when he won the Broyles Award as the top assistant
coach in college football. He has stated Saban saved his career after providing him a second possibility following Sarkisian’s battles with alcohol and being fired from his head coaching job at USC. Sarkisian made the most of that second opportunity and headed an explosive Alabama offense that was second nationally in scoring (48.5 points per game)as the Crimson Tide went through an All-SEC schedule during the COVID-impacted 2020 season and won Saban’s most recent national championship.What that record-setting season likewise did was open the door for Sarkisian to get the Texas job.” I would not be the head coach at Texas if it weren’t for Nick Saban,” Sarkisian stated last year.
“He offered me a chance when I had a tough time getting an interview, never mind a task. “What Saban hasn’t done is lose to one of his previous assistants at home. In truth, Alabama hasn’t lost to any person in the house because 2019, a 46-41 obstacle to ultimate national champion LSU.Sarkisian, in his 3rd season at Texas, is searching for his
very first signature win and first over a top-10 group. The Longhorns came agonizingly close a year ago against Alabama in a 20-19 loss in your home when the Tide kicked the winning basket in the final seconds.
Bryce Young pulled a Houdini-like act in Alabama’s final drive, and Texas played with its backup quarterback much of the way after Quinn Ewers was knocked out with a shoulder injury at the end of the very first quarter. Ewers is back and Young is now playing in the NFL.This is Texas’ last chance to make a run at the College Football Playoff as a member of the Big 12. The No. 11 Longhorns transfer to the SEC next season. This looks to be their best and most talented team under Sarkisian. “Every game takes on a life of its own,
“Sarkisian said.”We’ve got to play much better than we did a year ago. Clearly, that wasn’t good enough. “– Chris Low AP Photo/LM Otero Former Big 12 opponents satisfy(Nebraska at Colorado) Both programs have actually been primarily irrelevant because their departures from the Big 12, where they likewise left one of thebetter competitions in
college football. Rest assured, the fan bases have not
forgotten and the bitterness still exists. And in spite of having played twice in nonconference games just recently– CU wins in 2018 and 2019– this one feels various. This one has the country’s attention. Colorado chose Deion Sanders to reanimate its program in the offseason, while Nebraska employed Matt Rhule to craft a turn-around similar to what he did at Temple and Baylor.”Rivalries are competitions– there’s some more extreme than others, “Sanders stated this week.”I think everywhere you go coach from high school on up or from youth league on up, you’re gon na have competitions and simply discovering [
what] the dynamics of the different competitions are. I like it. It’s wonderful. So I’ve learned the intensity, the severe nature of this rivalry and I’m embracing it one hundred percent. This is individual. That’s the message of the week. This is individual. “For the Buffs, a loss would be deflating. They are the talk of the nation after their upset of national runner-up TCU in Week 1, and head into their home opener a favorite( -2.5)to stay unbeaten. With a win, the hype train will only gain more steam On the other hand, Nebraska’s lethargic 13-10 loss to Minnesota moistened Rhule’s Huskers’debut. Can the offense make strides in game No. 2?– Kyle Bonagura
AP Photo/Butch Dill High school teammates square off( Auburn at Cal) Payton Thorne and Sam Jackson V last shared a field together on Nov. 3, 2018, when Naperville Central High School (Illinois)lost in the 2nd round of the Class 8A postseason.Jackson, a quarterback, played pass receiver as a sophomore during Thorne’s senior year– capturing 50 passes for 847 yards and 14 touchdowns. With aid from Jackson, Thorne established a school record with 40 goal passes.Saturday night in Berkeley, California, Thorne and Jackson will reunite, though this time as opposing QBs.Thorne was 10-of-17 passing for 141 lawns and a goal in the Tigers’ 59-14 victory over UMass recently, while Jackson (3-of-4 death, 33 backyards and a TD)left the very first half of Cal’s 58-21 victory over North Texas with what coach Justin Wilcox called an upper-body injury. Jackson, who was replaced by Ben Finley, is thought about daily. Thorne, a two-year starter at Michigan State, transferred to Auburn in
May. Jackson moved from TCU to Cal in January.– Blake Baumgartner Texas State coach G.J. Kinne bet– and versus– UTSA coach Jeff Traylor in high school. Raymond Carlin III/USA TODAY Sports Reuniting with previous player … as opposing coach(UTSA vs. Texas State)When UTSA and Texas State fulfill Saturday( 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+), there will not be much need for intro. Not just because they’re separated by about 50 miles on I-35, either.UTSA will be a double-digit favorite, however Roadrunners coach Jeff Traylor knows not to ignore Bobcats coach G.J. Kinne. He’s lost to him before, in 2005 when Traylor was the coach at Gilmer High School, which he had actually built into an
East Texas powerhouse, and Kinne was down the roadway at Canton, betting his dad, Gary Joe Kinne. “He beat me his junior year 61-58, “Traylor stated this summer.”We had the better group, and he’s the factor we lost.” Simply months earlier, in April
2005, the unimaginable had actually happened: A dissatisfied parent of a freshman player went to the high school and shot Gary Joe. The coach survived and led Canton to a 12-2 record, including the playoff win over Gilmer, then left Canton for a job at Baylor.G.J. Kinne decided to relocate to Gilmer to complete his high school profession– he wished to bet Traylor.
They fulfilled at a Dairy Queen to talk it over, and Kinne took control of as his quarterback, throwing 47 TDs to just one interception. They lost in an upset in the state playoffs, but Kinne and Traylor are bonded for life. Kinne was in the wedding event party of Traylor’s boy, Jordan, this summer season.”Whatever he asked me to do, I did it,”Traylor said.” You can’t help however enjoy the kid. He’s got the entire bundle
. I understand you’re not supposed to state that due to the fact that I’m contending against him. But I’m just informing you, I think the world of him.”– Dave Wilson Receivers to see in Week 2 Ron Jenkins/Getty Images Travis Hunter, Colorado: Hunters’FBS debut was one of the most outstanding in college football history. Complete stop. He captured 11 passes for 119 backyards as a receiver, while also standing out as the very best protective player on the field. This is not typical. It’s
fair to question for how long he can keep going almost full-time on both sides, but there’s every indication that that’s the strategy.– Bonagura Tre Harris, Ole Miss: Ole Miss and Lane Kiffin, aka the Website King, understood what they were getting when they landed Harris. He was an all-conference entertainer at Louisiana Tech and had nine catches of 30-plus backyards last season. However no one could have anticipated the show the 6-foot-2, 205-pound Harris put on in his Ole Miss launching. His very first 3 catches chose touchdowns in the Rebels’season-opening 73-7 rout of Mercer, and he set an Ole Miss single-game record with four goal catches.
What does he do for an encore? It ought to be amusing since the Lafayette, Louisiana, item goes back home this Saturday when Ole Miss takes a trip to nationally ranked Tulane.– Low Keon Coleman, Florida State: It is tough to select anyone aside from Coleman after his efficiency versus LSU in Week 1. Coleman had 9 catches for 122 lawns and 3 goals, offering the Seminoles an extra measurement to an already skilled receiver group. He was the very best player on offense versus the Tigers and how he continues to mesh and develop as the season progresses will supply Florida State a lot more options on the outside. Florida State plays Southern Miss today, and while the game will not have the exact same high profile as last week, it is very important to keep an eye on how this group reacts.– Andrea Adelson Xavier Worthy, Texas: Last year against Alabama, Worthy caught 5 passes for 97 lawns as Quinn Ewers came out hot against the Tide, going 9-of-12 for 132 backyards (consisting of a drop of a TD go by Worthy )prior to leaving with an injury. Steve Sarkisian exposed this spring that Deserving played the majority of last season with a hurt hand, which led to a small drop-off in production. In the Longhorns ‘opener recently against Rice, Worthy was once again Ewers ‘top target(10 efforts ), capturing 7 passes for 90 yards. The Longhorns will require his speed to open the death game, and while Ewers has actually been struggling on deep balls, Worthwhile has the attention of Alabama’s banged-up secondary.– Wilson KeAndre Lambert-Smith, Penn State: The chemistry between Drew Allar and Lambert-Smith for Penn State was undeniable in last week’s win over West Virginia. Lambert-Smith captured 4 passes for 123 yards and 2 touchdowns in the 38-15 victory. Lambert-Smith is already halfway to his touchdown overall(4)and 266 backyards away from his getting total(389)in 2015. As Allar continues to get his feet damp for the Nittany Lions in the post-Sean Clifford era, will that connection preserve versus Delaware?– Baumgartner Distressed watch Coming off Colorado’s Deion launching and Duke’s stunner versus Clemson, which team is primed
to manage an upset in Week 2? Miami: There are a few possibilities this week in the ACC, but we will go with Miami, which hosts No. 23 Texas A&M at home. The game in between these two teams last year was not precisely an offending display– the Aggies won 17-9– however Miami was just 3 games into the Mario Cristobal period and has made significant changes to both its lineup and coaching staff ever since. Miami revealed motivating signs in the opener against Miami(Ohio)with its run game– a significant focus heading into the season. Miami hurried for 250 yards behind an enhanced offending line. If Miami can establish the run early in this game and play physically up front, the Hurricanes will offer themselves an opportunity to win. Watch on Virginia also versus James Madison.– Adelson Editor’s Picks 2 Associated Purdue: Ryan Walters and Purdue need to be champing at the bit after losing in the house to Fresno State last week. Texas transfer Hudson Card was 17-of-30 passing for 254 yards and 2 TDs in his Boilermakers debut, however the defense gave up 487 overall backyards. The safeguarding Huge 10 West champs take a trip to Blacksburg to deal with Virginia Tech, which went 3-8 in 2022. The Boilermakers can’t manage a 0-2 start, with Syracuse, Wisconsin and Illinois up next.– Baumgartner Cal: As Auburn coach Hugh Freeze himself said, it’s never ever ideal to need to take a trip throughout the country to play a football game that starts about the time many
people are
beginning to go to bed. That’s the obstacle that awaits Auburn when it checks out Cal in Berkeley this week. The Tigers looked strong in Freeze’s debut recently, a 59-14 pummeling of UMass. Cal likewise scored a lots of points in its opener in a 58-21 roadway win at North Texas. Auburn has a possibility to make significant strides in this first season under Freeze. However going so far away to play a road game in Week 2 might be too much for the Tigers, who will be playing only their 3rd regular-season contest on the West Coast.– Low Washington State: WSU scored 50 points in its opener against Colorado State and is a 6.5-point underdog at home versus a group(Wisconsin)it beat on the road in 2015. ESPN analytics offer the Cougars a 36.5 %possibility of winning outright, which feels a bit low considering how good QB Cameron Ward looked recently and how underwhelming QB Tanner Mordecai was for the Badgers. Texas Tech: The Red Raiders came into the season with high hopes as one of this year’s sleeper groups, but were distressed by Wyoming in Laramie last week in overtime, while No. 15 Oregon scored 81 points in a win against Portland State. But the
Red Raiders, under first-year coach Joey McGuire, were tough in Lubbock last season, where they were 6-1, consisting of overtime wins against both Texas and Oklahoma(very first time in school history they’ve beaten both in the exact same season). Texas Tech has a 23-game winning streak in house openers, the Red Raiders have made several arena enhancements in the last few years and with a sellout crowd on hand, the atmosphere will be rockin ‘in West Texas.– Wilson Quotes of the week Johnny Hodges: TCU’s linebacker didn’t hold back in the postgame interview after the national runner-up Horned Frogs were stunned by a Colorado team that went 1-11 a year ago.”I guess you can say it’s a wake-up call. I do not know how losing in the championship game by 60 isn’t a wake-up call. Right now we’re absolutely the laughingstock of college football.”Brian Kelly: LSU’s coach was as stunned as anybody about the Tigers’second-half crisis in a 45-24 loss to Florida State.” For some factor, we thought we were somebody else. We believed we were the two-time nationwide champ Georgia Bulldogs or something. I don’t know what we thought, however we were mistaken.”Jaheim Bell: The Florida State tight end lined up as a running back and discarded LSU defensive back Zy Alexander as he crossed the objective
line on his 4-yard touchdown run.”A great deal of people are asking me why I did that … that’s simply how I play. I play really physical, and I simply had to ensure they felt it.”