What We Learned About College Football in Week Two
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Texas Slays A Goliath
The Longhorns have beaten nearly perfect the last few seasons outside of two behemoths – Georgia and Ohio State. They finally were able to slay one of their giants with a thrilling 24-23 comeback victory over the Buckeyes. It did not come easy at all, as Texas found itself behind 23-3 in the fourth quarter. But Arch Manning caught fire just in time, as the Ohio State offense suddenly became stagnant, finding it hard to move the ball unless it was in Jeremiah Smith’s hands. Texas has a brutal schedule the rest of the way, but this is the kind of game that will make them believe they should beat whoever lines across the field from them on any given week.
The Curse of #2
Penn State opened 2025 ranked #2 thanks to a loaded roster and an experienced quarterback. Oregon found itself in the same spot for the same reasons in 2026. They also are off to a disastrous start that could spell doom for a season with major expectations. Despite having nearly all of its key players back on both sides of the ball, the Ducks look like a completely different team. The offense has been inconsistent at best, while the defense has found trouble getting off the field against Boise State and Oklahoma State. The loss in Stillwater was a complete stunner, as Oklahoma State had lost its last 12 games to FBS programs before upsetting #6 Oregon. The Ducks have their work cut out to fix so many early-season issues, especially with a trip to red-hot USC coming up in two weeks.
Texas Tech Defense in Trouble?
The Red Raiders were the runaway favorites to win the Big 12 heading into the season. Their performance against Oregon State on Saturday suggests the race may be more open than we thought. Not only did Texas Tech find itself down in the fourth quarter, they also allowed nearly 500 yards and over 400 passing yards. They lost some serious talent to the NFL in 2025, including the #2 overall pick in pass rusher David Bailey. While the Red Raiders may have a massive payroll, the new additions from a highly-rated portal class may not connect this time around.
Michigan Bounces Back
I’m still not sure what to take from Michigan’s win over Oklahoma. The Wolverines took a giant step after a disastrous performance against Western Michigan in week one. However, Oklahoma and Michigan seem to be mirrored versions of each other. Both have stingy defenses that make it difficult for anyone to find yards, while you just cross your fingers and hope the offense can come up with a big play here and there without the ability to move the ball consistently. It also seems clear that Michigan will need to rely on Bryce Underwood running the ball regularly to have any chance on offense. He had 16 rushing attempts against the Sooners, which will likely be a regular trend as long as he is under center. Is that a winning formula to get through the entirety of the Big Ten schedule?
Bad Vibes in the Big Ten
Penn State wasn’t the only team who did not look as impressive in week two. Iowa needed to overcome a 10-0 deficit and a last-second field goal to get past Iowa State. Washington struggled against Utah State in a 16-14 victory. Others weren’t as fortunate. Minnesota was soundly defeated by Mississippi State at home. Purdue lost in triple overtime to Wake Forest. And Rutgers fell to 0-2 after a loss to Boston College. It was not a banner day for the Big Ten, especially with Ohio State and Oregon getting tripped up.
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