After a long offseason, college football returns. There are always things to watch every week of the season. Here are 5 things to watch in college football week 2.
1. Alabama-Texas Rematch
Last season, Alabama and Texas played a game that went down to the wire. Alabama won on the road 20-19. The teams have a home-and-home deal, so this year the return game is in Tuscaloosa. There are more doubts about Alabama, considering a lot of roster turnover and inexperience at the quarterback position. On the flip side, Texas has plenty more hype this season after having a solid season last year.
Alabama is playing what they call “joyless murderball” this season. They will run the football, lean on their talented offensive line and try to play great defense as a result of controlling the clock. Texas, with former Alabama offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian as head coach, has talented receivers and will try to air the ball out. It will be a battle of styles. Both teams are 1-0 with hopes of making the College Football Playoff. The game is one of the most hyped-up ones of the season.
2. Notre Dame’s Offense vs. NC State’s Defense
In 2022, Notre Dame had trouble passing the football with consistency. They went to the transfer portal to lure Sam Hartman to lead the offense. He has looked good in his first few games, helping Notre Dame get easy wins against Navy and Tennessee State. Hartman has passed for 445 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions on 82.5 percent completion. That is encouraging for the Notre Dame offense, but it will be interesting to see what he can do against a better defense.
NC State will host Notre Dame in week 2. They allowed 14 points in their season opener at UConn. After their solid outing, they will have a bigger test against the Fighting Irish, but they have some talented players to help. Linebacker Payton Wilson is very experienced, while cornerback Aydan White had nine passes defended and four interceptions last year. Their defense could make this game pretty interesting.
3. Texas A&M’s Offense vs. Miami’s Defense
Week 2 features a few games where it will be important to note how certain units look. Texas A&M struggled on offense last season. They hired Bobby Petrino to be their offensive coordinator this offseason and the offense did well in week 1, as they scored 52 points on New Mexico. It was a good look after last season, but now they can test themselves against a better defense.
Miami played Miami Ohio in week 1 and held the RedHawks to just three points. The Hurricanes have plenty of skilled players on defense who could be future early-round draft picks. Leonard Taylor on the defensive line and Kamren Kinchens at safety are both impact players who could help the Hurricanes put up some resistance against the Aggies.
4. Tulane’s Upset Bid
Tulane lost two games during the 2022 season, but were able to make a New Year’s Six Bowl as a group of five representative. Some players have left, but there is still reason to believe this can be a good season. Michael Pratt is back at quarterback after a good season and they defeated a tough South Alabama team in week 1. The challenge gets tougher in week 2 as Tulane travels to Ole Miss.
The Rebels had an efficient week 1, as they defeated Mercer 73-3. They started last season off hot before tailing off late in the year. Getting this win could help them finish with a better record this season. Jaxson Dart reclaimed the starting quarterback job after a few transfers entered the mix and played well in week 1. Running back Quinshon Judkins is one of the best in the country. Bigger questions lie on defense and this game will let fans see more of them.
5. Colorado’s Follow-Up
In week 1, Colorado shocked the world as they upset TCU on the road after being over 20 point underdogs. Shedeur Sanders passed for 510 yards, while Travis Hunter dazzled playing both ways for most of the plays of the game. Deion Sanders was able to get plenty of players from the transfer portal to come together early for a big win, so how do they follow that up?
The week 2 matchup for the Buffaloes is a home game against an old rival, the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Nebraska lost in heartbreaking fashion in week 1 on the road against Minnesota. Matt Rhule also hit the transfer portal, but has some work to do before Nebraska could really make a push in the Big Ten. The odds have drastically shifted from the Cornhuskers being favored to the Buffaloes now being in the driver’s seat. Can Colorado perform now that an even bigger target is on their back?
Make sure to check out our college football page for more content like 5 things to watch in college football week 2!
You can like The Game Haus on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for more sports and esports articles from great TGH writers!