Week 2 has no shortage of games with real weight to them, and this slate already feels like it could shape the way playoff selectors view the season down the line.
Start with Oklahoma and Michigan, a blue-blood matchup in a classic college football setting that carries plenty of SEC vs. Big Ten intrigue.
The Sooners still have to prove their offense has actually turned a corner after last season, when it ranked among the country’s worst in blocking, passing, and rushing, even with that punishing playoff defense helping carry the load. Michigan, meanwhile, opened the year looking flat on offense against Western Michigan.
It got so ugly that the coach openly questioned whether his quarterback would keep the job, and the Wolverines still would have lost if not for one controversial second and a Hail Mary for the ages.
Another game worth circling pits two of the Big 12’s most intriguing teams against each other, and it could matter in the conference championship race as well as the playoff picture. Arizona and BYU both come in after easy 2026 openers, and both have quarterback talent that jumps off the page, with Noah Fifita leading the Wildcats and Bear Bachemer running the show for the Cougars. These teams went to double overtime last season, and Arizona also has a chance to show it’s more than just a preseason darling in a tricky road spot.
Kentucky gets a much clearer read on Will Stein next. The new head coach arrived with plenty of buzz, and the opener was a strong first step: a 45-13 win over Youngstown State in which Kenny Minchey threw for more than 300 yards without a turnover.
That’s encouraging, but Alabama is a different animal. The Tide defense can really come after the passer, and Kentucky’s new-look tacklers will also be tested by Keelon Russell, who put up 342 all purpose yards in his debut.
Boise State and Memphis bring a different kind of significance, but one that still matters in the broader playoff conversation. Both are early standouts among Group of Six teams.
Boise State pushed No. 2 Oregon to the limit in a 7-point loss to open the season, while Memphis piled up 335 rushing yards last week after its statement win over playoff hopeful UNLV.
The result here could help shape the top of the G6 picture when selection time arrives.
Then there’s Texas and Ohio State, a game loaded with extra edge. For Arch Manning, this is a chance at revenge after his first start against the Buckeyes a year ago went so badly that it knocked the hype off course.
He has come a long way since then, but this still looks like one of the hardest tests he’ll face. Ohio State’s defense has lost a lot of the production it had on the field that day last August, but the Buckeyes still bring plenty of offensive punch, and Jeremiah Smith is back to line up against Texas transfer Cam Coleman in a matchup that could turn into a shootout.
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