College Football Week 2 Schedule: Live Stream, TV Coverage for Top-25 Games
The opening week of the new college football season came and went without any major surprises. The upsets were more of the moderate variety, and while that's good news for the top contenders, it's only a matter of time before the first shocker arrives to shake up the rankings.
Perhaps it will happen in Week 2. There's certainly no shortage of chances, with the vast majority of the teams inside the Top 25 taking on unranked foes. Some will undoubtedly end up on upset alert, but the question will be whether any of the underdogs can finish the job.
Let's check out the complete schedule of action for Week 2 along with television and live stream information for each contest. That's followed by a preview of the biggest games.
Top-25 Schedule for Week 2
| - | Friday, Sept. 11 | - | - |
| 9 p.m. | Utah State vs. No. 24 Utah | ESPN2 | WatchESPN |
| - | Saturday, Sept. 12 | - | - |
| 11:30 a.m. | South Florida vs. No. 11 Florida State | ESPN | WatchESPN |
| 12 p.m. | Jacksonville State vs. No. 6 Auburn | SEC Network | WatchESPN |
| 12:30 p.m. | Appalachian State vs. No. 12 Clemson | - | ESPN3 |
| 3:30 p.m. | Tulane vs. No. 15 Georgia Tech | Fox Sports South | ESPN3 |
| 3:30 p.m. | No. 9 Notre Dame vs. Virginia | ABC | WatchESPN |
| 3:30 p.m. | Stephen F. Austin vs. No. 3 TCU | Fox Sports 1 | Fox Sports Go |
| 3:30 p.m. | Hawaii vs. No. 1 Ohio State | Big Ten Network | BTN 2 Go |
| 3:30 p.m. | Fresno State vs. No. 17 Ole Miss | ESPN2 | WatchESPN |
| 3:30 p.m. | No. 10 Georgia vs. Vanderbilt | CBS | CBS Sports Live |
| 4 p.m. | Middle Tennessee vs. No. 2 Alabama | SEC Network | WatchESPN |
| 4 p.m. | Toledo vs. No. 18 Arkansas | SEC Network+ | WatchESPN |
| 6 p.m. | No. 19 Oklahoma vs. No. 23 Tennessee | ESPN | WatchESPN |
| 7 p.m. | No. 22 Arizona vs. Nevada | CBS SN | CBS Sports Live |
| 7 p.m. | No. 21 Missouri vs. Arkansas State | - | ESPN3 |
| 7 p.m. | Ball State vs. No. 16 Texas A&M | ESPNU | WatchESPN |
| 7:30 p.m. | Lamar vs. No. 4 Baylor | FSN | Fox Sports Go |
| 8 p.m. | No. 7 Oregon vs. No. 5 Michigan State | ABC | WatchESPN |
| 8 p.m. | Idaho vs. No. 8 USC | Pac-12 Network | Pac-12 Live |
| 9:15 p.m. | No. 14 LSU vs. Mississippi State | ESPN | WatchESPN |
| 10:15 p.m. | No. 20 Boise State vs. BYU | ESPN2 | WatchESPN |
| 10:30 p.m. | No. 13 UCLA vs. UNLV | CBS SN | CBS Sports Live |
Preview of Key Games
No. 7 Oregon at No. 5 Michigan State
One year ago, Michigan State held a six-point halftime lead over Oregon in a battle of Top-10 teams. Marcus Mariota and the Ducks responded by outscoring the Spartans 28-3 in the second half en route to an eventual appearance in the inaugural College Football Playoff.
Michigan State, on the other hand, suffered one other loss, to eventual national champion Ohio State, and ended up in the Cotton Bowl. It's aiming for bigger goals this season, and quarterback Connor Cook states the loss to Oregon last year is still providing motivation, per Brian Hamilton of Sports Illustrated:
The overarching theme remains much the same. The Spartans defense must slow down the Ducks offense enough to give Cook and Co. a chance to keep pace. The good news for Michigan State is the fact that Oregon gave up 42 points to Eastern Washington in Week 1.
Along with Mark Dantonio's squad seeking revenge, the schedule once again sets up for a long winning streak ahead of a late-season clash with Ohio State. Win this game, and suddenly the outlook for the entire campaign becomes a lot more promising for the Spartans.
Of course, that's much easier said than done against an offensive juggernaut that seemingly didn't miss a beat as Vernon Adams Jr. took over for the NFL-bound Mariota.
No. 19 Oklahoma at No. 23 Tennessee
Oklahoma and Tennessee both opened their respective seasons against MAC opponents. They combined to score 100 points and gained more than 1,100 yards. Now it's time for a game that should give a better gauge of the direction the teams are heading this season.
The biggest concern for the Sooners coming out of the opener was their rush offense. While they moved the ball at will through the air, they averaged just three yards per carry. Getting more consistent contributions on the ground will be essential Saturday and heading toward Big 12 play.
The Volunteers gave up 30 points against Bowling Green, illustrating how much work there's left to do on that side of the ball. In the bigger picture, winning these games is essential for Tennessee and head coach Butch Jones to march back toward the top of the college football, as Brad Crawford of Saturday Down South explained:
"Tennessee coach Butch Jones is 1-16 against ranked teams, but I'm taking the Vols to beat Oklahoma by double-digits Saturday at Neyland.
— Brad Crawford (@BCrawfordSDS) September 7, 2015"
Similarly, Oklahoma struggled against elite opponents last season, going 0-4 against ranked teams. So this is truly a game where one of the teams is going to get a much-needed, confidence-boosting win that could spark a winning streak with a pair of navigate schedules on the horizon.
No. 14 LSU at No. 25 Mississippi State
Dak Prescott showed why he's in the Heisman Trophy conversation and one of the most vital players in the nation as Mississippi State opened with a 34-16 win over Southern Mississippi. The game was close until the coaching staff opened the playbook and let him loose, both through the air and on the ground.
The dual-threat quarterback threw for 237 yards and two touchdowns while also leading the team in rushing. Yes, football is a team game, but it's not a stretch to say the Bulldogs will go as far as Prescott can carry the offense this season.
Getting a defense some work before having to face a quarterback of that caliber is ideal. LSU didn't get that luxury after its opener against McNeese State got cancelled due to weather conditions. Les Miles certainly understands the impact, as Shea Dixon of 247Sports noted:
A lot of top teams struggled in the first half of Week 1 before coming alive over the final 30 minutes. Mississippi State must utilize the advantage of having a game under its belt to push the pace against LSU early, trying to gain the edge before the Tigers find their footing.
It's the first of seven games against currently ranked opponents for the Bulldogs. As a sleeper in the SEC, they are going to have a serious impact on the playoff race, one way or another. The intrigue begins on Saturday.
