Best Head-to-Head College Football Battles in Week 2
The second week of the 2015 college football season isn't likely to go down as the best of the year, but it's not without its intriguing matchups. That's the case not just from a team standpoint but also when it comes to individual players who face a tough assignment from the other side of the field.
It's still a team game, where all 11 players must work together to achieve a common goal, though certain players' efforts matter more than those of others.
We've identified several head-to-head matchups from this week's slate of games that should stand out from the crowd. Each pairing should end up having a big impact on how its game unfolds this weekend.
Utah State LB Nick Vigil vs. Utah RB Devontae Booker
1 of 6
When: Friday, Sept. 11; 9 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN2
The renewal of one of the oldest rivalries in college football includes a great head-to-head matchup to get Week 2 started, with an underrated mid-major linebacker tasked with trying to slow down an incredibly productive running back.
Utah State's Nick Vigil was one of the few standouts for the Aggies last week in their ugly 12-9 win over Southern Utah, as the 6'2" junior had 13 tackles and two tackles for loss. That's a normal night for him, as last year Vigil had 123 tackles and 17 TFL while also rushing for three touchdowns in limited action on offense.
His experience as a rusher should help him figure out where Utah's Devontae Booker is heading on each of what should be a large number of carries, as well as the best way to try to take him down. Booker, who ran for more than 1,500 yards in 2014, had 69 yards and a TD on 22 carries for the Utes in their season-opening win over Michigan.
Booker has averaged 25.7 carries per game over his last 11 starts, and with seven catches for 55 yards last week, he's developing into one of the most versatile backs in the country.
San Diego State CB Damontae Kazee vs. California QB Jared Goff
2 of 6
When: Saturday, Sept. 12; 5 p.m. ET
TV: Pac-12 Network
San Diego State had one of the best pass defenses in FBS in 2014, allowing 178.5 yards per game with just 10 touchdowns against 14 interceptions last year. That carried over to the start of this season, with the Aztecs picking off five San Diego passes in a 37-3 victory.
Three of those interceptions were by Damontae Kazee, a 5'11" junior who came in with only two career picks. He and the rest of SDSU's secondary will have their work cut out for them against the quarterback Bleacher Report NFL draft expert Matt Miller tweeted was "the best pro prospect I saw at QB" in the first week of the 2015 season.
Jared Goff threw for 309 yards and three touchdowns on 24-of-32 passing last week against Grambling, giving him 7,770 yards and 56 TDs in 25 career games. The junior has thrown only 18 interceptions in 1,130 pass attempts.
Oklahoma LB Eric Striker vs. Tennessee RBs Lamar Hurd and Alvin Kamara
3 of 6
When: Saturday, Sept. 12; 6 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
When Tennessee played at Oklahoma last season, it had a good team but also a young one that wasn't ready to compete with the Sooners. Flash forward a year, and the Volunteers are bigger, faster, stronger and more experienced. They're now ready to pay Oklahoma back for the 24-point loss last September.
But Oklahoma linebacker Eric Striker doesn't plan on just handing over a victory on the road, and he's anxious to quell all of the talk of the SEC's superiority in the process.
"I hope SEC players don't let it go their heads," Striker said, per Guerin Emig of the Tulsa World. "Because this is how you get beat. I look forward to it. Gas 'em up. Bring 'em back down to earth."
Striker had two tackles for loss in last year's 34-10 home win, though Tennessee running back Jalen Hurd did rush for 97 yards on 14 carries. Now the Vols are doubly strong in the backfield, with Hurd joined by ex-Alabama prospect Alvin Kamara for a tandem that's coming off a huge debut.
Kamara ran for 144 yards and two touchdowns, while Hurd added 123 yards and three scores in Tennessee's 59-30 victory over Bowling Green.
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Oregon OT Tyler Johnstone vs. Michigan State DE Shilique Calhoun
4 of 6
When: Saturday, Sept. 12; 8 p.m. ET
TV: ABC
Prior to the 2014 season, anticipation of the big matchup between Michigan State and Oregon included how it would look when MSU's top edge-rusher would be handled by Oregon's stout offensive line. But a preseason knee injury to Ducks tackle Tyler Johnstone robbed us of seeing how he'd fare against MSU end Shilique Calhoun last September.
Not this time around. Johnstone is back and at full strength after missing the 2014 season. Despite admitting he and his line teammates were "very tired," per Ryan Thorburn of the (Eugene) Register-Guard, during Oregon's 61-42 win over Eastern Washington, the junior seems ready for the challenge of slowing down Calhoun.
Calhoun, a 6'5" senior, had four tackles in last year's 46-27 loss at Oregon amid a season when he had eight sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss.
LSU RB Leonard Fournette vs. Mississippi State LB Richie Brown
5 of 6
When: Saturday, Sept. 12; 9:15 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
The amazing effort by Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott is what first stands out when reflecting on the Bulldogs' upset win at LSU. Just as important to the result was how MSU handled LSU's run game, holding the Tigers to 89 yards on 35 carries.
The total and 2.54 yards-per-carry average were each the second lowest by LSU in 2014, when it averaged 4.7 yards per rush and 224.5 yards per game. Leonard Fournette, who set a school freshman record with 1,034 yards, had only 38 yards on seven carries.
Fournette figures to be the Tigers' offensive focus this time out, especially with sophomore quarterback Brandon Harris making his second career start. Also, LSU's opening game against McNeese State was canceled because of lightning, leaving the team without any assessment of how the 2015 lineup looks on offense.
MSU has a good idea of how its top linebacker, junior Richie Brown, will look this year. Last week, he had 11 tackles and an interception in a road win over Southern Mississippi. Look for him to be the defender who ends up getting involved in most of the tackles when Fournette gets the ball.
Boise State S Darian Thompson vs. BYU QB Tanner Mangum
6 of 6
When: Saturday, Sept. 12; 10:15 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN2
Following his Hail Mary touchdown pass to help BYU upset Nebraska last week, quarterback Tanner Mangum has become an instant star in Provo as well as across college football. His play late in that game has helped softened the blow of losing starter Taysom Hill to a third season-ending injury in four years.
The Cougars now get a second opportunity to make a major splash on the national landscape, hosting Boise State in a game that can help both teams' resumes. And for Mangum, it will give him a chance to perform against one of the top ball hawks in FBS.
Boise senior Darian Thompson intercepted his 15th career pass in last week's 16-13 win over Washington. It was his eighth since the start of the 2014 season, including one against BYU last October in a 55-30 home victory.
Statistics provided by CFBStats.com.
Follow Brian J. Pedersen on Twitter at @realBJP.
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