Week 2 in college football did what it always does: it handed out a few big wins, then left a handful of fan bases stewing in the wreckage. Ohio State, Oregon, Oklahoma and Minnesota all took their share of the pain, and the reactions were every bit as loud as the results.
Ohio State’s day was the sharpest kind of gut punch. The Buckeyes were on their way to a dominant 23-3 win over Texas before it flipped into a 24-23 loss.
That kind of collapse doesn’t just sting - it lingers. Ryan Day’s team is now 1-3 in its last four games, and the frustration around Columbus was impossible to miss.
“Ryan Day I love him. Love the culture he brings to Ohio State.
But he needs to get angry. He needs to be like Indiana.
Even if your winning by 40 pts doesn’t matter if it’s a bottom feeder or the #1 ranked team, your on the side lines flailing your arms spittin and screaming. …”
Another fan pointed to the recent run against ranked opponents and saw a pattern that’s becoming hard to ignore.
“Ohio State has lost their last three games against ranked teams - Texas, Miami, and Indiana. And they’ve all been pretty similar losses! He’s not learning at all but we’ll hear the same canned answers about toughness and being tested and whatever.”
The comparison to past Ohio State coaches was just as blunt.
“Last 3 Ohio State coaches to lose 3 of the last 4 games: John Cooper (1999)Luke Fickell (2011)Ryan Day (2026)Not good company. #ohiostate #buckeyes #espn #osu”
Oregon’s frustration came from a different kind of disaster. The Ducks didn’t lose to a powerhouse; they fell to an 0-1 Oklahoma State team that had just been rocked by Tulsa and hadn’t shown a pulse in several seasons. Oklahoma State nearly doubled Oregon in yardage and pulled out a 39-31 upset that left Dan Lanning’s roster looking a lot less polished than expected.
The reaction was immediate and harsh.
“No accountability. Very sad to hear this from Dan after this offseason hype tour.
This product is embarrassing to Oregon fans. Zero excuses.
Fix it.”
Another fan went straight to the deepest fear.
“It honestly wouldn’t surprise me if we have half of our team transfer out after this year. It’s going to make me really sad but I would 100% understand it.
Oregon will truly never win a national championship. Ever.
We don’t have the culture for it.”
And then came the shot at the program’s construction.
“Saw this coming when we hired two inexperienced coordinators from inside the program. Oregon will continue to be an unserious program for a very long time. We might as well keep that 0 on the helmets”
Oklahoma’s loss was quieter on the scoreboard but no less ugly for the people wearing crimson. The No.
11 Sooners faced a Michigan team that needed a very helpful bit of timekeeping to get past Western Michigan in Week 1, so the setup looked manageable. Instead, Oklahoma fell 17-10, and much of the anger centered on John Mateer, who was viewed as pedestrian at best.
One fan admitted the game had them holding back.
“I have had a lot I want to say about today’s game, probably best to bite my tongue. I’m just afraid the future at Oklahoma isn’t looking bright, hope it’s not true but we need a major turn around and we need it soon. Sad.”
Another put the emotion right out there.
“My rant is over, this game made me so sad. I don’t know why I continue to buy into the Oklahoma hype train every offseason.”
And one more took aim at both Mateer and Arbuckle.
“I love Oklahoma football but I will not be sad to see Mateer & Arbuckle seek opportunities elsewhere. I can’t remember when we were good on both sides of the football.”
Minnesota’s weekend didn’t come with the same ranking-related spotlight, but the pain was still obvious. The Gophers lost 38-13 at home to a Mississippi State team described as fairly unremarkable, and the numbers told the story: Minnesota was outrushed 252-13 and got pushed around in the trenches.
The reaction from one fan was as dramatic as it was direct.
“That’s it, I am SAD. I’ve been a Minnesota Fan since 2019, and this is the final straw. Until PJ “fraud” Fleck is deported to Ghana by ICE I will no longer be supporting this team.”
Another saw the bigger picture and called for a change.
“Minnesota needs to bite the bullet and move on from the PJ Fleck era. It's year 10 in the program and while he's brought it some consistency, our ceiling should not be 8-9 wins. I know he does a great job developing talent, but wins are too important to ignore any longer.”
And one last post tried to clear the air after all the heat.
“For the record. THIS was NOT me! 🤣 https://t.co/xfbf79wieW”
In Other News...
Oklahoma Just Lost Its Defensive Safety Net At The Worst Spot
Kip Lewis injury landed at a brutal moment for Oklahoma, because the Sooners were already trying to settle things on the second level of the defense. The senior linebacker and captain suffered a serious right knee injury against Michigan, and Brent Venables said he is expected to miss some time, leaving a noticeable hole in a group that has been central to the defenses communication and stability.
James Nesta stepped in and handled his snaps well, which at least gave Oklahoma something to build on from the game. But Owen Heinecke and Cole Sullivan were also pushed into linebacker duty with mixed results, and the larger issue now is how the Sooners patch together that spot before the next stretch of games begins to test their depth even more. [Read more 🡒]
Lincoln Riley Just Added A Defensive Name Oklahoma Fans Know Too Well
Gary Patterson is back on the sidelines, and Oklahoma fans know the name well enough to understand why it matters. After a three-year break from coaching defense, the newly elected Hall of Fame coach has taken on a defensive coordinator role at USC, a notable return after leaving TCU in 2021 and spending the last stretch as a special assistant at Texas and a consultant at Baylor.
Pattersons move also reunites him with Lincoln Riley, giving USC a veteran defensive voice Riley had tried to add before. Patterson previously turned down a coaching opportunity to preserve his Hall of Fame eligibility, so this latest step adds another layer to a career that had seemed headed in a different direction just a short time ago. [Read more 🡒]
John Mateer Just Fueled An Oklahoma Quarterback Debate
John Mateers first marquee test in an Oklahoma uniform came with plenty of familiar quarterback flash, but also enough rough edges to keep the Sooners conversation going. In a 17-10 loss to Michigan, Mateer finished 17 of 33 for 189 yards with a touchdown and an interception, and the bigger issue was how often the offense stalled around him. Accuracy and timing were inconsistent, and Oklahoma never quite found the rhythm it needed as the game tightened.
The offensive line shuffle didnt help, either, with the rebuilt front affecting both the running game and the overall flow of the offense. Mateers fourth-quarter interception came at a particularly costly moment and only sharpened the debate about what Oklahoma wants at quarterback as the season moves forward. For a team trying to define itself against elite opposition, the opener offered just enough promise to keep hope alive and just enough frustration to keep the questions coming. [Read more 🡒]