Horns Up, Sooners, Down, and You SEC Week 2 Overreactions

Horns Up, Sooners, Down, and You SEC Week 2 Overreactions

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Horns Up, Sooners, Down, and You SEC Week 2 Overreactions
Horns Up, Sooners, Down, and You SEC Week 2 Overreactions
Fans celebrate with Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) following the NCAA football game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas on Sept. 12, 2026. Texas won 24-23. Photo Cr… | Source: Lastwordonsports.com – Kate Pearson Halyburton, Editor
Hello sunshine, what are we yelling about from SEC Week 2? Yes, we are borrowing that lovely phrase from Alexi Lalas, but if the shoe fits. We might as well wear it in the league where we still debate whether it (still) just means more. The league beat their chest about going 16-0 last week; we did our best to correct them. Perfection wasn’t possible, even with BBN sneaking in Booze to Kroger Field. So, the league had to settle with a 13-3 record. It was nice, not thrilling, but nice. Let’s start yelling.

SEC Week 2 Overreactions

Horns Up

Can we finally let Ted Cruz off the hook? The Senator from Texas is an easy target for blame when he attends athletic events in Texas and those teams lose. The “Cruz curse” is real; you can see his not-so-warm welcome on GameDay yesterday morning, or the (tongue-in-cheek) resolution introduced last year calling for a ban on the Senator from attending Texas, Texas A&M, and Baylor games because of their 1-8 record when he attends. Times might be a changing, Senator.
The “Cruz curse” looked real in the first half in Austin last night. Texas had two crazy turnovers in its first five possessions, putting it in a 20-3 hole at halftime. The same old Sark and Arch narratives were out. A 21-3 second half that was capped by a Longhorn touchdown with 25 seconds left gave Arch, Sark, and Texas the statement win that they needed to put the “overrated” chants to bed.
The Longhorns’ loss to Ohio State last year was cited as a reason Texas missed the CFB Playoff. That overlooks the horrific loss in the Swamp to a bad Florida Gators team, which was probably the better culprit, but why let facts ruin a shaky narrative?  CFB needs more matchups like these and less Georgia scoring 70 on some FCS or overmatched G6 team. It gives the conference bragging rights. It helps with strength of schedule and the SEC Week 2 narrative. But let’s be honest. It’s more fun; just see the Longhorns’ victory post.

Sooners Down

Why did Brent Venables get an extension? We were shocked when it was announced just before the season and made our case for why BV hasn’t really done anything of substance to deserve the extension.  We can add one more exhibit and start screaming into the void with what took place in Ann Arbor in the B1G Noon kickoff. Oklahoma came in as a 4.5-point favorite. That seemed weird, especially with the Sooners looking dominant in their opening Week 1 win over UTEP. We get it was UTEP (sorry Miners), but Michigan (allegedly) needed all the clock operators, B1G officials,  and seconds in the world to beat a directional Michigan school from the MAC.
This game should have been a statement matchup for the Sooners. Oklahoma dominated Michigan last year in Norman. With all of the uncertainty surrounding the Wolverines, their quarterback, and an anemic offense, the Sooners were poised to start the day off with a bang. Instead, it was a thud. The offenses on Saturday were down right offensive in Ann Arbor. Bryce Underwood threw for 111 yards, but used his legs to get Michigan out early. John Mateer remains more sizzle than steak. The OU QB threw a last interception that set the Wolverines up for the winning score. The running game also remains a mystery for the Sooners. Mateer led the team on Saturday with just 45 yards… Where is that dynamic offense we were promised when Mateer and OC Ben Arbuckle were brought in last year?
Horns Up, Sooners, Down, and You SEC Week 2 Overreactions
Photo Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

The Good

  • MIZ bangs the drum: “I got to go make sure we don’t have anything stupid happen here.” Eli Drinkwitz is always a great postgame quote. Drink told this to the sideline reporter following the Tigers’ 38-21 Border War win over Kansas. In the next shot, Missouri football players were seen with a Kansas drum and beating it. Kansas may be yelling, but who cares. This again is why we love CFB.
  • Vols light up the ATL: Tennessee continued its hot start on the road in the ATL. The Vols dismantled Georgia Tech at Bobby Dodd 45-25 on Saturday night. DeSean Bishop was cooking for the Vols, rushing for 147 yards and two touchdowns. Josh Heupel’s teams are at their best when the running game is going in Knoxville.
  • StarkVegas shines on CBS: It must have felt like old times for Brent Musburger on Saturday afternoon. The SEC on CBS returned, if only for Saturday, and did not disappoint. Mississippi State dismantled Minnesota 38-13 in Minneapolis. Kamario Taylor continues to announce his presence with authority. The sophomore threw for 227 yards and three touchdowns against the Gophers.

The Ugly

  • Sleepy Bama: Don’t let the final score fool you. Sure, Alabama won 45-17. That looks great. But, good lord, it’s like clockwork. A Kalen DeBoer team tends to start slow, and sometimes that costs them; see Vanderbilt in 2024. For half the game, it looked like Kentucky fans might have reason to celebrate. They hung in and led big bad Alabama. Turnovers and too much talent proved the difference in the outcome. Maybe we are asking too much, but these are the types of games where Saban was locked in and left no doubt. This has us yelling.

Main Photo: Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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