ESPN College Gameday 2023: Location, TV Schedule and Week 2 Predictions
The crew from ESPN's College Gameday rolls into Tuscaloosa for a big week two showdown between No. 11 Texas and No. 3 Alabama.
A potential revenge game for the Longhorns following last year's one-point loss to the Crimson Tide in which quarterback Quinn Ewers was knocked out of the game early, the showdown is the first really high-stakes game of the college football season.
One loss can spoil the National Championship aspirations of either team, heightening the significance of a victory.
Who wins, why, and what other outcomes should college football fans expect in the second week of competition?
Find out with this preview of Saturday's Gameday and predictions for all top 25 action.
College Gameday Information
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Location: Denny Chimes in Tuscaloosa
Time: 9:00 a.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Streaming: ESPN+
Panel: Reece Davis, Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard, and Pat McAfee
Top 25 Schedule and Predictions
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Saturday, September 9
No. 1 Georgia vs. Ball State (12:00 p.m., SEC Network, prediction: Georgia)
No. 2 Michigan vs. UNLV (3:30 p.m., CBS, prediction: Michigan)
No. 4 Florida State vs. Southern Miss (8:30 p.m., ACC Network, prediction: Florida State)
No. 5 Ohio State vs. Youngstown State (12:00 p.m., Big Ten Network, prediction: Ohio State)
No. 6 USC vs. Stanford (10:30 p.m., Fox, prediction: USC)
No. 7 Penn State vs. Delaware (12:00 p.m., Peacock, prediction: Penn State)
No. 8 Washington vs. Tulsa (5:00 p.m., Pac-12 Network, prediction: Washington)
No. 9 Tennessee vs. Austin Peay (5:00 p.m., ESPN+/SECN+, prediction: Tennessee)
No. 10 Notre Dame at NC State (12:00 p.m., ABC, prediction: Notre Dame)
No. 12 Utah at Baylor (12:00 p.m., ESPN, prediction: Utah)
No. 13 Oregon at Texas Tech (7:00 p.m., ESPN, prediction: Oregon)
No. 14 LSU vs. Grambling (7:30 p.m., ESPN+/SECN+, prediction: LSU)
No. 15 Kansas State vs. Troy (12:00 p.m., FS1, prediction: Kansas State)
No. 16 Oregon State vs. UC Davis (9:00 p.m., Pac-12 Network, prediction: Oregon State)
No. 17 North Carolina vs. Appalachian State (5:15 p,m., ACC Network, prediction: Appalachian State)
No. 18 Oklahoma vs. SMU (6:00 p.m., ESPN+, prediction: Oklahoma)
No. 19 Wisconsin at Washington State (7:30 p.m., ABC, prediction: Wisconsin)
No. 20 Ole Miss at No. 24 Tulane (3:30 p.m., ESPN, prediction: Tulane)
No. 21 Duke vs. Lafayette (6:00 p.m., ESPN+/ACCNX, prediction: Duke)
No. 22 Colorado vs. Nebraska (12:00 p.m., Fox, prediction: Colorado)
No. 23 Texas A&M vs. Miami (Fla) (3:30 p.m., ABC, prediction: Miami)
No. 25 Clemson vs. Charleston Southern (2:15 p.m., ACC Network, prediction: Clemson)
No. 11 Texas Longhorns at No. 3 Alabama Crimson Tide
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A season ago, Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers was on his way to a defining performance against the Crimson Tide before linebacker Dallas Turner ended his day with a hit that resulted in a broken clavicle.
Saturday's game is a chance at revenge for Ewers and Texas, who get Alabama on the heels of a season opener where they lost defensive backs Jaylen Key and Malachi Moore, and Kool-Aid McKinstry took a shot to the head that led to his exit.
As it stands now, the only DB the team will definitely be without is veteran Devonta Smith, but having a defensive backfield that is not completely healthy is not a position head coach Nick Saban and Alabama want to find themselves in, especially against a competent young quarterback and his top weapon, wide receiver Xavier Worthy.
For Ewers to truly take advantage of Alabama's weakness Saturday, though, he has to have time to find his wideouts. Therein lies where the Crimson Tide has its greatest shot at victory.
The Longhorns gave up eight pressures and three sacks against a not-very-good Rice team in week one. If they did that against a noncompetitive opponent, imagine what the Alabama defense is going to be able to accomplish Saturday in Tuscaloosa.
If Texas does not shore up its offensive line, and cannot get blocking help out of its backs, Ewers will spend more time evading the pass rush than actually completing passes that allow his receivers to take advantage of a potentially unhealthy secondary.
The pass rush, plus an Alabama team that feels like it is being underrated by the public, makes for a potent one-two punch that the Longhorns will have trouble ducking.
Alabama wins here, thanks to its front seven and a young quarterback in Jalen Milroe who can make plays with his legs when all else breaks down.
Prediction: Alabama wins by 10
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