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College Football Picks: Week 2 Predictions for Every Game
September 8, 2016College Football Picks: Week 2 Predictions for Every Game
The first week of the 2016 college football season may go down as the best ever, at least as far as opening slates go. Seven ranked teams fell, quality matchups lived up to their hype and the action was nonstop over a five-day span.
The Week 2 lineup? Eh, not so much.
But it still has its share of worthwhile games. There aren't any matchups of Top 25 teams, but there are some notable conference clashes on the schedule, a few rivalry games and several quality nonconference games between Power Five conference opponents, including one that will be played at a race track before the largest crowd in college football history.
Oh, and there are another 29 matchups of FBS teams with FCS opponents, with the latter trying to add to the tally of four lower-division teams that toppled FBS foes in Week 1.
We've made predictions for all 75 Week 2 contests. Check them out and let us know what you think in the comments section.
Note: All team rankings are from the AP Top 25 poll.
UCF at No. 5 Michigan
When: Saturday, Sept. 10, noon ET
Last meeting: None
What to watch for
UCF (1-0) ended a 13-game losing streak and made head coach Scott Frost a winner in his debut, beating South Carolina State, 38-0. The Knights ran 91 plays—26 above last season's average—and allowed their fewest yards since November 2014.
Michigan (1-0) rolled to a 63-3 win over Hawaii, thanks to three passing touchdowns from Wilton Speight and 112 rushing yards and two scores from freshman Chris Evans. The Wolverines held an opponent to fewer than 300 yards for the fourth time in six games.
Prediction: Michigan 49, UCF 12
FINAL: Michigan 51, UCF 14
Lamar at No. 6 Houston
When: Saturday, Sept. 10, noon ET
Last meeting: Houston beat Lamar 42-35 in September 1983.
What to watch for
Lamar (0-1) opened the season with a 38-14 loss to Coastal Carolina.
Houston (1-0) scored arguably its biggest win in program history Saturday, a 33-23 triumph over third-ranked Oklahoma at NRG Stadium. For those who didn't know about the Cougars beforehand, they do now. Quarterback Greg Ward Jr. threw for 321 yards and two touchdowns but is nursing a shoulder injury this week.
Prediction: Houston 58, Lamar 17
FINAL: Houston 42, Lamar 0
Nicholls State at No. 9 Georgia
When: Saturday, Sept. 10, noon ET
Last meeting: None
What to watch for
Nicholls State went 3-8 last season, including shutout losses at Louisiana-Monroe (47-0) and Colorado (48-0). The Colonels have three wins against FBS opponents.
Georgia (1-0) opened with a 33-24 win over North Carolina in Atlanta, thanks to the stellar return of running back Nick Chubb and a strong debut from true freshman quarterback Jacob Eason. Chubb, who suffered torn ligaments in his knee last October, ran for 222 yards and two touchdowns, while Eason completed eight of 12 passes for 131 yards and a touchdown.
Prediction: Georgia 61, Nicholls State 13
FINAL: Georgia 26, Nicholls State 24
Prairie View A&M at No. 20 Texas A&M
When: Saturday, Sept. 10, noon ET
Last meeting: None
What to watch for
Prairie View (1-0) opened with a 29-25 win over Texas Southern for its eighth consecutive win.
Texas A&M (1-0) squandered a 15-point fourth-quarter lead but managed to pull out a 31-24 overtime win over UCLA last week. Oklahoma transfer Trevor Knight threw for 239 yards and a touchdown and ran for two scores (including the game-winner). The Aggies defense notched five sacks, 10 tackles for loss, three interceptions and seven QB hurries.
Prediction: Texas A&M 59, Prairie View A&M 18
FINAL: Texas A&M 67, Prairie View A&M 0
Central Michigan at No. 22 Oklahoma State
When: Saturday, Sept. 10, noon ET
Last meeting: Oklahoma State won 24-13 at Central Michigan last September.
What to watch for
Central Michigan (1-0) rolled to a 49-3 win over Presbyterian last week behind three Jahray Hayes rushing touchdowns. The Chippewas have beaten three power-conference teams since 2009 but are 0-3 against the Big 12.
Oklahoma State (1-0) crushed Southeastern Louisiana 61-7, thanks to four first-quarter touchdowns and four forced turnovers, ending a three-game skid. The Cowboys are 5-0 all-time against the Mid-American Conference.
Prediction: Oklahoma State 44, Central Michigan 20
FINAL: Central Michigan 30, Oklahoma State 27
North Carolina State at East Carolina
When: Saturday, Sept. 10, noon ET
Last meeting: East Carolina beat North Carolina State 42-28 in November 2013.
What to watch for
North Carolina State (1-0) beat William & Mary 48-14 behind three touchdowns from Jaylen Samuels and two from Matthew Dayes, part of a 521-yard output. The Wolfpack have won their last nine regular-season nonconference games.
East Carolina (1-0) overwhelmed Western Carolina 52-7 in Scottie Montgomery's coaching debut, with former Minnesota and Rutgers quarterback Philip Nelson throwing for 398 yards and five touchdowns with a rushing score. The Pirates have 43 wins against ACC teams, with 12 coming against NC State.
Prediction: East Carolina 45, North Carolina State 40
FINAL: East Carolina 33, North Carolina State 30
Penn State at Pittsburgh
When: Saturday, Sept. 10, noon ET
Last meeting: Pittsburgh beat Penn State 12-0 in September 2000.
What to watch for
Penn State (1-0) beat Kent State 33-13 after being tied at 13 late in the first half, boosted by a 30-yard interception return from Amani Oruwariye early in the third quarter. The Nittany Lions registered seven sacks, their most since October 2011.
Pittsburgh (1-0) beat Villanova 28-7 as James Conner returned from a torn knee ligament and cancer to score rushing and receiving touchdowns. The Panthers held the Wildcats to 172 yards and notched six sacks.
A heated rivalry that went away for 15 years has quickly rekindled, with Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi closing practice and keeping his players from the media. The Panthers will come out of those secretive workouts with tricks that will lead to victory.
Prediction: Pittsburgh 24, Penn State 20
FINAL: Pittsburgh 42, Penn State 39
Cincinnati at Purdue
When: Saturday, Sept. 10, noon ET
Last meeting: Cincinnati beat Purdue 42-7 in August 2013.
What to watch for
Cincinnati (1-0) trailed 7-6 at halftime before pulling away for a 28-7 win over Tennessee-Martin, despite three turnovers. The Bearcats are 19-52-3 against current Big Ten schools, with nine of those wins coming against fellow former Big East school Rutgers.
Purdue (1-0) beat Eastern Kentucky 45-24, getting 145 rushing yards and a touchdown from Markell Jones, while David Blough threw a TD pass and ran for two more. The Boilermakers haven't started 2-0 since 2007.
Boilermakers coach Darrell Hazell is 7-30 in three-plus seasons but will earn one of his most significant wins yet.
Prediction: Purdue 34, Cincinnati 28
FINAL: Cincinnati 38, Purdue 20
Rice at Army
When: Saturday, Sept. 10, noon ET
Last meeting: Rice beat Army 38-31 last October.
What to watch for
Rice (0-1) fell 46-14 at Western Kentucky to open the season with a Conference USA loss. The Owls gave up 649 yards but allowed only 3.2 yards per carry.
Army (1-0) won 28-13 at Temple behind Andy Davidson's 121 rushing yards and two touchdowns. The Black Knights, who haven't started 2-0 since 1996, ran for 329 yards.
Prediction: Army 27, Rice 19
FINAL: Army 31, Rice 14
Boston College at Massachusetts
When: Saturday, Sept. 10, noon ET
Last meeting: Boston College beat Massachusetts 30-7 in August 2014.
What to watch for
Boston College (0-1) lost 17-14 to Georgia Tech in Dublin, its ninth consecutive loss. The Eagles have gone 11 games without scoring at least 20 points.
Massachusetts (0-1) fell 24-7 at Florida in its first game as an independent, managing only 187 yards. The Minutemen haven't beaten Boston College since 1978, losing the last eight meetings by an average of 20.6 points.
Prediction: Boston College 21, Massachusetts 14
FINAL: Boston College 26, Massachusetts 7
Wyoming at Nebraska
When: Saturday, Sept. 10, noon ET
Last meeting: Nebraska beat Wyoming 37-34 in August 2013.
What to watch for
Host Wyoming (1-0) outlasted Northern Illinois 40-34 in triple overtime in a game that didn't end until 2:35 a.m. local time because of weather delays. The Cowboys have lost their last seven road games.
Nebraska (1-0) rolled to a 43-10 home win over Fresno State, during which it honored punter Sam Foltz by taking a delay-of-game penalty on its first punt attempt. The Cornhuskers got three total touchdowns from quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr. and two rushing scores from Devine Ozigbo.
Prediction: Nebraska 42, Wyoming 17
FINAL: Nebraska 52, Wyoming 17
Howard at Rutgers
When: Saturday, Sept. 10, noon ET
Last meeting: Rutgers beat Howard 38-25 in September 2014.
What to watch for
Howard (0-1) lost its opener 52-13 at Maryland, falling behind 45-0 and allowing 519 yards to drop to 0-13 against FBS competition.
Rutgers (0-1) fell 48-13 at Washington in Week 1, giving up 24 first-quarter points and not reaching the end zone until the fourth quarter. The only bright spot was Janarion Grant, who had 160 all-purpose yards, which included a 10-yard touchdown run.
Prediction: Rutgers 47, Howard 16
FINAL: Rutgers 52, Howard 14
Indiana State at Minnesota
When: Saturday, Sept. 10, noon ET
Last meeting: Minnesota beat Indiana State 27-10 in September 1993.
What to watch for
Indiana State (1-0) opened with a 41-25 win over Butler behind 315 passing yards and two touchdowns from Isaac Harker.
Minnesota (1-0) scored a 30-23 home win over Oregon State last week. The most interesting thing was coach Tracy Claeys' choice to go for two after Mitch Leidner's second rushing touchdown put the Golden Gophers up seven with 1:27 left. The conversion failed but didn't come back to bite them.
Prediction: Minnesota 37, Indiana State 20
FINAL: Minnesota 58, Indiana State 28
Troy at No. 2 Clemson
When: Saturday, Sept. 10, 12:30 p.m. ET
Last meeting: Clemson beat Troy 43-19 in September 2011.
What to watch for
Troy (1-0) beat Austin Peay 57-17 for its highest point total in three years, gaining 706 yards and getting three total touchdowns from quarterback Brandon Silvers. The Trojans haven't beaten a power-conference team since downing Oklahoma State in 2007.
Clemson (1-0) held on for a 19-13 win at Auburn, thanks to 174 receiving yards from Mike Williams, who missed nearly all of 2015 with a neck injury. The Tigers failed to score 20 points for the first time since November 2014.
Prediction: Clemson 55, Troy 14
FINAL: Clemson 30, Troy 24
Charleston Southern at No. 3 Florida State
When: Saturday, Sept. 10, 12:30 p.m. ET
Last meeting: Florida State beat Charleston Southern 62-10 in September 2011.
What to watch for
Charleston Southern (1-1) beat Kentucky State 57-7 after opening the season with an overtime loss at five-time defending FCS national champion North Dakota State.
Florida State (1-0) pulled off a massive comeback to beat Ole Miss 45-34 on Labor Day in Orlando, Florida, scoring 33 straight points after falling behind 28-6. Redshirt freshman quarterback Deondre Francois threw for 419 yards and two touchdowns, while Dalvin Cook had 192 all-purpose yards.
Prediction: Florida State 57, Charleston Southern 20
FINAL: Florida State 52, Charleston Southern 8
Stony Brook at Temple
When: Saturday, Sept. 10, 1 p.m. ET
Last meeting: None
What to watch for
Stony Brook (1-0) beat North Dakota 13-9 to open the season, scoring on a blocked punt midway through the fourth quarter.
Temple (0-1) lost 28-13 at home to Army in its opener, the Owls' third consecutive loss. Running back Jahad Thomas' absence due to a hand injury had a major impact, as Temple gained only 251 total yards and turned it over three times.
Prediction: Temple 29, Stony Brook 16
FINAL: Temple 38, Stony Brook 0
Utah State at USC
When: Saturday, Sept. 10, 2 p.m. ET
Last meeting: USC beat Utah State 17-14 in September 2013.
What to watch for
Utah State (1-0) rolled over Weber State 45-6 behind 208 rushing yards and three touchdowns from Devante Mays. The Aggies last beat a Pac-12 team in 2012, knocking off rival Utah in overtime.
USC (0-1) lost to Alabama 52-6 in Arlington, Texas, the Trojans' worst loss in 50 years. The setback was made worse by the fact that it came partly at the hands of former head coach Lane Kiffin, Alabama's current offensive coordinator.
The Trojans, losers of three in a row, last opened 0-2 in 1997.
Prediction: USC 30, Utah State 20
FINAL: USC 45, Utah State 7
Georgia State at Air Force
When: Saturday, Sept. 10, 2 p.m. ET
Last meeting: Air Force won 48-38 at Georgia State in September 2014.
What to watch for
Georgia State (0-1) lost 31-21 at home to Ball State. The Panthers were outgained, 455-272. The Panthers were 4-2 on the road last season.
Air Force (1-0) beat Abilene Christian 37-21 in its opener, piling up 401 rushing yards and notching their 13th home win in a row. The Falcons now get to break out their killer new "shark tooth" uniforms.
Prediction: Air Force 51, Georgia State 23
FINAL: Air Force 48, Georgia State 14
Youngstown State at West Virginia
When: Saturday, Sept. 10, 2 p.m. ET
Last meeting: West Virginia beat Youngstown State 27-7 in October 1938.
What to watch for
Youngstown State (1-0) opened with a 45-10 win over Duquesne, racking up 610 yards including 394 on the ground for former Nebraska coach Bo Pelini.
West Virginia (1-0) scored a solid 26-11 home win over Missouri but now has injury issues to deal with. Rushel Shell ran for 90 yards and a touchdown but missed the second half because of leg cramps, while quarterback Skyler Howard injured his ribs. The Mountaineers also lost offensive lineman Yodny Cajuste to a season-ending knee injury.
Prediction: West Virginia 27, Youngstown State 17
FINAL: West Virginia 38, Youngstown State 21
Ohio at Kansas
When: Saturday, Sept. 10, 2:30 p.m. ET
Last meeting: Ohio beat Kansas 30-15 in October 1967.
What to watch for
Ohio (0-1) lost 56-54 in triple overtime at home to Texas State, despite 393 passing yards and four touchdowns from Greg Windham. The Bobcats haven't started 0-2 since 2008.
Kansas (1-0) ended a 15-game losing streak by crushing Rhode Island, 55-6, the Jayhawks' highest point total since November 2007, prompting a tepid field-storming. The Jayhawks haven't won consecutive games since starting 2-0 in 2011.
Prediction: Kansas 44, Ohio 40
FINAL: Ohio 37, Kansas 21
Mercer at Georgia Tech
When: Saturday, Sept. 10, 3 p.m. ET
Last meeting: Georgia Tech beat Mercer 19-0 in October 1938.
What to watch for
Mercer (0-1) lost 24-23 at home to The Citadel to open 2016, rallying from 18 points down but falling on a late field goal.
Georgia Tech (1-0) won 17-14 over Boston College in Dublin in Week 1, taking an early lead in the ACC Coastal Division after going 1-7 in the league in 2015. The Yellow Jackets won despite rushing for just 119 yards.
Prediction: Georgia Tech 43, Mercer 16
FINAL: Georgia Tech 35, Mercer 10
Western Kentucky at No. 1 Alabama
When: Saturday, Sept. 10, 3:30 p.m. ET
Last meeting: Alabama beat Western Kentucky 35-0 in September 2012.
What to watch for
Western Kentucky (1-0) opened the defense of its Conference USA title with a 46-14 win over Rice, getting 517 passing yards and three touchdowns from South Florida transfer Mike White. The Hilltoppers have wins over SEC teams in three of the last four seasons, winning at Vanderbilt to open 2015 and beating Kentucky in 2012 and 2013.
Alabama (1-0) destroyed USC in a 52-6 blowout, buoyed by true freshman Jalen Hurts' four total touchdowns. The Crimson Tide have won 13 straight games and haven't fallen to a non-Power Five team since 2007, when Nick Saban's first Tide squad dropped a 21-14 decision to Louisiana-Monroe.
As impressive as White's performance was against Rice, he won't get enough time to come close to that number against Alabama.
Prediction: Alabama 46, Western Kentucky 20
FINAL: Alabama 38, Western Kentucky 10
Tulsa at No. 4 Ohio State
When: Saturday, Sept. 10, 3:30 p.m. ET
Last meeting: None
What to watch for
Tulsa (1-0) beat San Jose State 45-10, thanks to 164 rushing yards and three touchdowns from D'Angelo Brewer. The Golden Hurricane's last win over a power-conference team was against Iowa State in the 2012 Liberty Bowl.
Ohio State (1-0) dominated Bowling Green 77-10, gaining a school-record 776 yards with J.T. Barrett throwing for 349 yards and six touchdowns, tying his own school mark (shared with Kenny Guiton). The Buckeyes haven't lost to a non-Power Five team since Air Force beat them in the 1990 Liberty Bowl.
Prediction: Ohio State 58, Tulsa 21
Akron at No. 10 Wisconsin
When: Saturday, Sept. 10, 3:30 p.m. ET
Last meeting: Wisconsin beat Akron 38-17 in August 2008.
What to watch for
Akron (1-0) beat VMI 47-24 behind 407 passing yards and six touchdowns from Thomas Woodson. The last power-conference team the Zips beat was Pittsburgh in 2014, but they are 1-27 against the Big Ten, beating Ohio State in 1894.
Wisconsin (1-0) beat LSU 16-14 in Green Bay on Rafael Gaglianone's 47-yard field goal with 3:47 left, the program's second win over an SEC team in the last three seasons. The Badgers haven't fallen to a non-Power Five program in the regular season since losing to UNLV in September 2003.
Prediction: Wisconsin 38, Akron 14
FINAL: Wisconsin 54, Akron 10
Nevada at No. 18 Notre Dame
When: Saturday, Sept. 10, 3:30 p.m. ET
Last meeting: Notre Dame beat Nevada 35-0 in September 2009.
What to watch for
Nevada (1-0) needed overtime to beat Cal Poly 30-27, getting 123 rushing yards and two touchdowns (including the game-winner) from James Butler. The Wolf Pack allowed 383 rushing yards.
Notre Dame (0-1) lost 50-47 in double overtime at Texas on Sunday, rallying from a 31-14 deficit, thanks to DeShone Kizer's six total touchdowns, including five passing scores. The Fighting Irish haven't started 0-2 since 2011, when they lost at home to South Florida and then at Michigan.
Prediction: Notre Dame 48, Nevada 17
FINAL: Notre Dame 39, Nevada 10
SMU at No. 23 Baylor
When: Saturday, Sept. 10, 3:30 p.m. ET
Last meeting: Baylor won 56-21 at SMU last September.
What to watch for
SMU (1-0) won 34-21 at North Texas to win its first season opener since 2009. The Mustangs gained 572 yards and got three touchdown catches from Courtland Sutton.
Baylor (1-0) blitzed Northwestern State 55-7 in its first game under interim coach Jim Grobe. According to CoachingSearch.com's Chris Vannini, it's the most points a Grobe-coached team has ever scored and only the sixth time in 227 games he's had a team reach 50.
The Bears have won the last 12 meetings against their former Southwest Conference foes, averaging 43 points in those wins.
Prediction: Baylor 59, SMU 28
FINAL: Baylor 40, SMU 13
Kentucky at Florida
When: Saturday, Sept. 10, 3:30 p.m. ET
Last meeting: Florida won 14-9 at Kentucky last September.
What to watch for
Kentucky (0-1) blew a 35-10 lead, falling 44-35 at home to Southern Mississippi. The Wildcats had the ball for less than 20 minutes and ran 14 plays in the second half. They've lost 29 straight to Florida, last winning in Gainesville in 1979.
Florida (1-0) slugged to a 24-7 win over Massachusetts, but Oregon State/Alabama transfer Luke Del Rio threw for 256 yards and two touchdowns in his Gators debut. They held UMass to 187 yards, their best effort since last November's 9-7 win over Vanderbilt.
Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops entered the year on the hot seat, likely needing to get into a bowl game to keep his job. Late-season collapses have been his problem of late, but now he'll have to dig out of an early hole.
Prediction: Florida 34, Kentucky 16
FINAL: Florida 45, Kentucky 7
Connecticut at Navy
When: Saturday, Sept. 10, 3:30 p.m. ET
Last meeting: Navy won 28-18 at Connecticut last September.
What to watch for
Connecticut (1-0) rallied to beat Maine 24-21 at home, thanks to a field goal with 11 seconds left. Quarterback Bryant Shirreffs tallied 257 of the Huskies' 362 yards of total offense.
Navy (1-0) beat Fordham 52-16 behind 427 rushing yards and six touchdowns on the ground, with quarterback Tago Smith gaining 97 yards with two scores. But Smith tore his ACL during the game and is lost for the season, putting Will Worth in charge.
Prediction: Navy 30, Connecticut 20
FINAL: Navy 28, Connecticut 24
Wake Forest at Duke
When: Saturday, Sept. 10, 3:30 p.m. ET
Last meeting: Duke won 27-21 at Wake Forest last November.
What to watch for
Wake Forest (1-0) beat Tulane 7-3 in its opener, gaining a mere 175 yards in the process. The Demon Deacons have won a game without reaching 10 points in each of the last three seasons.
Duke (1-0) rolled to a 49-6 win over North Carolina Central behind three total touchdowns from first-time starter Daniel Jones and 115 yards and two rushing scores from Jela Duncan. The 112 yards the Blue Devils allowed were the fewest in David Cutcliffe's nine seasons in Durham.
Both teams can defend, but only one can move the ball.
Prediction: Duke 26, Wake Forest 10
FINAL: Wake Forest 24, Duke 14
Old Dominion at Appalachian State
When: Saturday, Sept. 10, 3:30 p.m. ET
Last meeting: Appalachian State won 49-0 at Old Dominion last September.
What to watch for
Old Dominion (1-0) got four touchdown passes from David Washington and 110 rushing yards from Ray Lawry in a 54-21 win over Hampton. The Monarchs gained a total of 464 yards against the Pirates.
Appalachian State (1-0) led 13-3 at Tennessee but fell 20-13 in overtime, missing out on its first win over a power-conference team since joining the FBS ranks in 2014. The Mountaineers are 9-3 at home since rising from the FCS.
Prediction: Appalachian State 50, Old Dominion 17
FINAL: Appalachian State 31, Old Dominion 7
North Dakota at Bowling Green
When: Saturday, Sept. 10, 3:30 p.m. ET
Last meeting: None
What to watch for
North Dakota (0-1) lost 13-9 at Stony Brook to open the season, giving up a touchdown on a blocked punt in the fourth quarter.
Bowling Green (0-1) was outgained 776-244 in a 77-10 loss at Ohio State, its first game under new coach Mike Jinks. The Falcons led 7-0, thanks to a Brandon Harris pick-six, but it was all downhill after that.
Prediction: Bowling Green 53, North Dakota 24
FINAL: Bowling Green 27, North Dakota 26
Illinois State at Northwestern
When: Saturday, Sept. 10, 3:30 p.m. ET
Last meeting: Northwestern beat Illinois State 37-3 in September 2010.
What to watch for
Illinois State (1-0) beat Valparaiso 50-13 to open the season, allowing only 130 yards.
Northwestern (0-1) lost 22-21 at home to Western Michigan for its second home loss to a Mid-American Conference team in the last three seasons. The Wildcats got 124 rushing yards and three touchdowns from Justin Jackson, but their defense allowed three scoring drives that lasted at least 12 plays and six-and-a-half minutes, resulting in a nearly 2-to-1 deficit in time of possession.
Prediction: Northwestern 26, Illinois State 17
FINAL: Illinois State 9, Northwestern 7
Eastern Illinois at Miami (Ohio)
When: Saturday, Sept. 10, 3:30 p.m. ET
Last meeting: None
What to watch for
Eastern Illinois (0-1) opened with a 38-21 home loss to Western Illinois.
Miami (Ohio) (0-1) lost 45-21 at Iowa but outgained the Hawkeyes and pulled to 35-21 after trailing 21-0 in the first quarter. Quarterback Billy Bahl had a career-high 266 yards and two touchdowns on 19-of-29 passing.
Prediction: Miami (Ohio) 33, Eastern Illinois 20
FINAL: Eastern Illinois 21, Miami (Ohio) 17
Wofford at No. 19 Ole Miss
When: Saturday, Sept. 10, 4 p.m. ET
Last meeting: None
What to watch for
Wofford (1-0) won 21-7 at Tennessee Tech to open 2016, rushing for 346 yards.
Ole Miss (0-1) squandered a 28-6 first-half lead and fell 45-34 to Florida State in Orlando, Florida, on Labor Day. The Rebels allowed 580 yards while committing four turnovers, three on Chad Kelly interceptions.
Prediction: Ole Miss 60, Wofford 14
FINAL: Ole Miss 38, Wofford 13
Ball State at Indiana
When: Saturday, Sept. 10, 4 p.m. ET
Last meeting: Ball State beat Indiana 41-39 in September 2012.
What to watch for
Ball State (1-0) won 31-21 at Georgia State, thanks to 325 rushing yards, 160 of that coming from James Gilbert along with two touchdowns. The Cardinals last beat a power-conference team in 2013 at Virginia.
Indiana (1-0) got a pair of pick-sixes in a 34-13 win at Florida International. The Hoosiers have won seven consecutive regular-season nonconference games.
Prediction: Indiana 37, Ball State 20
FINAL: Indiana 30, Ball State 20
UTSA at Colorado State
When: Saturday, Sept. 10; 4 p.m. ET
Last meeting: Colorado State won 33-31 at UTSA last September.
What to watch for
UTSA (1-0) beat Alabama State 26-13 in coach Frank Wilson's debut, getting 274 passing yards and two touchdowns from Dalton Sturm. The Roadrunners, in their fifth season of FBS play, have won 11 of their 24 road games.
Colorado State (0-1) lost 44-7 to rival Colorado in Denver, its worst loss in the series in 60 years. The Rams last started 0-2 in 2013 but finished with eight wins.
Prediction: Colorado State 34, UTSA 24
FINAL: Colorado State 23, UTSA 14
Middle Tennessee at Vanderbilt
When: Saturday, Sept. 10, 4 p.m. ET
Last meeting: Vanderbilt won 17-13 at Middle Tennessee last October.
What to watch for
Middle Tennessee (1-0) beat Alabama A&M 55-0 for its first shutout victory since November 2013. Brent Stockstill threw for 329 yards and five touchdowns, part of a 681-yard day for the Blue Raiders.
Vanderbilt (0-1) lost 13-10 at home to South Carolina in an SEC game, the Commodores' fifth consecutive season-opening loss. Despite a 10-0 lead paced by quarterback Kyle Shurmur, coach Derek Mason inserted Wade Freebeck in the second quarter and the offense either punted, turned it over on downs or missed a field goal on every possession thereafter.
Mason doesn't believe the move impacted the team, telling Joe Rexrode of the Tennessean, "You guys are talking about something that's nonexistent." Decisions like that are why Vandy is 7-18 under Mason and will start 0-2 for the third straight season.
Prediction: Middle Tennessee 28, Vanderbilt 19
FINAL: Vanderbilt 47, Middle Tennessee 24
Portland State at San Jose State
When: Saturday, Sept. 10; 4:30 p.m. ET
Last meeting: None
What to watch for
Portland State (1-0) beat Central Washington 43-26 to open the season. The Vikings won at both Washington State and North Texas in 2015, doubling their all-time win total against FBS schools.
San Jose State (0-1) lost 45-10 at Tulsa on Saturday, committing three turnovers and giving up 512 yards. The Spartans allowed 200-plus rushing yards for the ninth time since last September.
Prediction: Portland State 28, San Jose State 27
FINAL: San Jose State 66, Portland State 35
Idaho at No. 8 Washington
When: Saturday, Sept. 10; 5 p.m. ET
Last meeting: Washington beat Idaho 42-23 in September 2009.
What to watch for
Idaho (1-0) beat Montana State 20-17 thanks to Aaron Duckworth's 108 rushing yards and two touchdowns. The Vandals, who are set to move down to the FCS in 2018, haven't started 2-0 since 1998 and last beat a power-conference team in 2000.
Washington (1-0) scored 24 first-quarter points en route to a 48-13 home win over Rutgers, getting 287 passing yards and three touchdowns from Jake Browning. Five of the Huskies' six TDs were at least 38 yards long.
Prediction: Washington 59, Idaho 14
FINAL: Washington 59, Idaho 14
Idaho State at Colorado
When: Saturday, Sept. 10; 5:30 p.m. ET
Last meeting: None
What to watch for
Idaho State (1-0) opened with a 47-3 win over Simon Fraser, getting 338 passing yards and three touchdowns from Tanner Gueller.
Colorado (1-0) cruised to a 44-7 win over rival Colorado State in Denver on Friday, its biggest win in the series since 1956. Quarterback Sefo Liufau threw for 318 yards and a TD in becoming the Buffaloes' career passing leader. Phillip Lindsay also had two rushing TDs, and Colorado's defense forced four turnovers for the first time since September 2013.
Prediction: Colorado 49, Idaho State 20
FINAL: Colorado 56, Idaho State 7
Florida Atlantic at No. 25 Miami (Florida)
When: Saturday, Sept. 10; 6 p.m. ET
Last meeting: Miami won 44-20 at Florida Atlantic last September.
What to watch for
Florida Atlantic (1-0) edged Southern Illinois 38-30 thanks to two touchdown passes from Jason Driskel and two rushing scores by Gregory Howell Jr. The Owls are 1-29 against power-conference teams, their lone win coming against Minnesota in 2007.
Miami (1-0) beat Florida A&M 70-3 to make March Richt's coaching debut a dominant one. Brad Kaaya had four TD passes, and Mark Walton ran for 116 yards and a TD, part of 523 yards for the Hurricanes.
Prediction: Miami 51, Florida Atlantic 20
FINAL: Miami 38, Florida Atlantic 10
Morgan State at Marshall
When: Saturday, Sept. 10; 6 p.m. ET
Last meeting: None
What to watch for
Morgan State (0-1) opened with a 51-24 home loss to Holy Cross.
Marshall is the only FBS team that has yet to play, getting an ill-timed Week 1 bye that will be followed by games on 12 consecutive weeks. The Thundering Herd were 10-3 last season, their third consecutive year with at least 10 wins, but have to replace 11 starters.
Prediction: Marshall 44, Morgan State 14
FINAL: Marshall 62, Morgan State 0
Elon at Charlotte
When: Saturday, Sept. 10; 6 p.m. ET
Last meeting: Elon beat Charlotte 20-13 in September 2014.
What to watch for
Elon (0-1) lost 31-6 at home to Gardner-Webb to open 2016.
Charlotte (0-1) lost its 11th straight game, 70-14 at Louisville last Thursday, making plenty of highlight shows because of the eight first-half touchdowns the 49ers allowed to Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson. Their quarterback, former Miami recruit Kevin Olsen, threw for 141 yards and a touchdown, but the defense allowed 663 yards.
Prediction: Charlotte 31, Elon 18
FINAL: Charlotte 47, Elon 14
North Carolina A&T at Kent State
When: Saturday, Sept. 10; 6 p.m. ET
Last meeting: None
What to watch for
North Carolina A&T (1-0) opened with a 62-0 win over St. Augustine's, a Division II school.
Kent State (0-1) lost 33-13 at Penn State but was tied at 13 midway through the second quarter. The Golden Flashes have lost six straight games, getting shut out three times and failing to score more than 17 points in that span.
Prediction: Kent State 34, North Carolina A&T 21
FINAL: North Carolina A&T 39, Kent State 36 (4 OT)
UTEP at No. 11 Texas
When: Saturday, Sept. 10; 7 p.m. ET
Last meeting: Texas beat UTEP 64-7 in September 2009.
What to watch for
UTEP (1-0) beat rival New Mexico State 38-22 behind 229 passing yards and three touchdowns from Zack Greenlee and 249 rushing yards with two scores from Aaron Jones. The Miners' last win over a current power-conference school came in 1997 against TCU.
Texas (1-0) vaulted into the polls after its impressive 50-47 double-overtime win against Notre Dame on Sunday. The two-quarterback approach that Notre Dame struggled with was masterful for the Longhorns, using freshman Shane Buechele as the thrower (280 yards and two touchdowns, plus a rushing score) and Tyrone Swoopes as the short-yardage and goal-line guy.
Prediction: Texas 58, UTEP 21
FINAL: Texas 41, UTEP 7
Louisiana-Monroe at No. 14 Oklahoma
When: Saturday, Sept. 10; 7 p.m. ET
Last meeting: Oklahoma beat Louisiana-Monroe 34-0 in August 2013.
What to watch for
Louisiana-Monroe (1-0) beat Southern 38-21 in head coach Matt Viator's debut, with quarterback Garrett Smith accounting for 358 yards of total offense and three touchdowns. The Warhawks are 0-10 all-time against Big 12 schools.
Oklahoma (0-1) lost 33-23 to Houston at NRG Stadium, dropping its opener for the first time since 2009. Baker Mayfield threw for 323 yards on 24-of-33 passing, but head coach Bob Stoops felt his quarterback played poorly.
"I don't like to throw players [under the bus] or name names, but at times, Baker held on [to the ball] and instead of taking what was open and what was there in his first read, was waiting for something different," Stoops said, per ESPN.com's Jake Trotter.
Prediction: Oklahoma 60, Louisiana-Monroe 14
FINAL: Oklahoma 59, Louisiana-Monroe 17
Arkansas at No. 15 TCU
When: Saturday, Sept. 10; 7 p.m. ET
Last meeting: Arkansas beat TCU 22-21 in October 1991, when both teams were in the Southwest Conference.
What to watch for
Arkansas (1-0) escaped with a 21-20 home win over Louisiana Tech to avoid another September home loss like it had last year against Texas Tech. The Razorbacks didn't lead until midway through the fourth quarter and managed only 297 yards, their fewest in a win since shutting out LSU in November 2014.
TCU (1-0) dodged its own potential disaster by scoring 35 second-half points to beat South Dakota State 59-41. Texas A&M transfer Kenny Hill dazzled in his first start, with 484 yards of total offense and five total touchdowns, but the Horned Frogs gave up 461 yards and committed 12 penalties.
Frogs coach Gary Patterson said Arkansas might record "1,000 yards and 1,000 points" if his team's defense doesn't improve, per Carlos Mendez of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Prediction: TCU 41, Arkansas 31
FINAL: Arkansas 41, TCU 38 (2 OT)
Georgia Southern at South Alabama
When: Saturday, Sept. 10; 7 p.m. ET
Last meeting: Georgia Southern beat South Alabama 55-17 last November.
What to watch for
Georgia Southern (1-0) ran for 420 yards in a 54-0 win over Savannah State, with quarterback Favian Upshaw throwing two touchdown passes and rushing for two scores. The Eagles have now topped 400 yards on the grounds eight times since last September.
South Alabama (1-0) scored its biggest win in program history, a 21-20 victory at Mississippi State in which Dallas Davis hit Gerald Everett on a four-yard touchdown pass with 57 seconds left. Davis threw for 285 yards and two scores for the Jaguars.
Georgia Southern is among the favorites in the Sun Belt, but could South Alabama be a sleeper?
Prediction: Georgia Southern 34, South Alabama 21
FINAL: Georgia Southern 24, South Alabama 9
Northern Illinois at South Florida
When: Saturday, Sept. 10; 7 p.m. ET
Last meeting: South Florida beat Northern Illinois 27-3 in the 2010 International Bowl.
What to watch for
Northern Illinois (0-1) lost 40-34 at Wyoming in triple overtime early Sunday morning, a game that didn't end until after 2:30 a.m. local time. Drew Hare threw for 329 yards and three touchdowns, but the Huskies dropped their fourth straight and risk starting 0-2 for the first time since 2008.
South Florida (1-0) beat Towson 56-20 thanks to four total TDs from Quinton Flowers. The Bulls have scored 35 or more points in five straight games.
Prediction: South Florida 33, Northern Illinois 24
FINAL: South Florida 48, Northern Illinois 17
South Carolina at Mississippi State
When: Saturday, Sept. 10; 7 p.m. ET
Last meeting: South Carolina beat Mississippi State 34-16 in November 2013.
What to watch for
South Carolina (1-0, 1-0 SEC) rallied for a 13-10 win at Vanderbilt last Thursday to open the Will Muschamp era with a league victory. The Gamecocks won despite only 308 yards and two turnovers, going scoreless until midway through the third quarter.
Mississippi State (0-1) lost 21-20 at home to South Alabama, blowing a 20-7 lead and then missing a field goal in the final moments. The Bulldogs hadn't lost at home to a non-power team since Houston beat them in Starkville in 2009.
"For all the remarkable things he's accomplished—and six consecutive bowl games coming out of the SEC West is mind-blowing at Mississippi State—(Dan) Mullen has raised expectations to the point where a bad season won't be well-received by the fan base...," USA Today's Dan Wolken wrote.
The Bulldogs haven't started 0-2 since 2006, but South Carolina has won seven in a row over Mississippi State.
Prediction: Mississippi State 24, South Carolina 17
FINAL: Mississippi State 27, South Carolina 14
McNeese State at Louisiana-Lafayette
When: Saturday, Sept. 10; 7 p.m. ET
Last meeting: McNeese State beat Louisiana-Lafayette 38-17 in September 2007.
What to watch for
McNeese State (1-0) opened with a 33-3 win over Division II Tarleton State, racking up 564 yards in the process.
Louisiana-Lafayette (0-1) lost 45-10 at home to Boise State on Saturday, giving up 584 yards, and coach Mark Hudspeth canned defensive coordinator Melvin Smith the following day. The Ragin' Cajuns have dropped five in a row, their worst skid since a seven-game losing streak in 2010 before Hudspeth took over.
Prediction: Louisiana-Lafayette 29, McNeese State 24
FINAL: Louisiana-Lafayette 30, McNeese State 22
North Carolina Central at Western Michigan
When: Saturday, Sept. 10; 7 p.m. ET
Last meeting: None
What to watch for
North Carolina Central (0-1) lost 49-6 at Duke, making the Eagles winless in nine meetings with FBS opponents.
Western Michigan (1-0) scored one of the biggest wins in program history, a 22-21 victory at Northwestern that was its first against a power-conference team since 2008. The Broncos had the ball for nearly 40 minutes, putting together three long scoring drives including a 12-play, 75-yarder that ate 6:35 of time in the fourth quarter and was capped by Jamauri Bogan's one-yard touchdown run.
Prediction: Western Michigan 56, North Carolina Central 13
FINAL: Western Michigan 70, North Carolina Central 21
Bethune-Cookman at North Texas
When: Saturday, Sept. 10; 7 p.m. ET
Last meeting: None
What to watch for
Bethune-Cookman's season opener against Alcorn State was canceled on Sunday because of poor weather conditions in Florida. The Wildcats are 2-5 against the FBS level with both wins over Florida International (in 2013 and 2014).
North Texas (0-1) lost 34-21 at home to SMU last week, spoiling coach Seth Littrell's debut. The Mean Green allowed 572 yards, the sixth time they've yielded 500-plus since the start of the 2015 season that resulted in a 1-11 record and Dan McCarney's midseason firing.
Prediction: North Texas 41, Bethune-Cookman 24
FINAL: North Texas 41, Bethune-Cookman 20
Savannah State at Southern Mississippi
When: Saturday, Sept. 10; 7 p.m. ET
Last meeting: None
What to watch for
Savannah State (0-1) lost 54-0 at Georgia Southern to open 2016, making it 0-10 against the FBS.
Southern Mississippi (1-0) scored 34 unanswered points to turn a 35-10 deficit at Kentucky late in the first half into a 44-35 victory, its first over a power-conference team since 2011 and first against the SEC since beating Alabama in 2000. Nick Mullens shook off three interceptions to throw for 258 yards and two touchdowns along with two rushing scores, while Ito Smith ran for 173 yards and a TD.
Prediction: Southern Mississippi 63, Savannah State 13
FINAL: Southern Mississippi 56, Savannah State 0
Maine at Toledo
When: Saturday, Sept. 10; 7 p.m. ET
Last meeting: None
What to watch for
Maine (0-1) lost 24-21 at Connecticut last week, leading midway through the fourth quarter but falling on a last-second field goal to end up 3-16 against FBS competition.
Toledo (1-0) rolled to a season-opening 31-10 win at Arkansas State, its sixth straight road win and ninth consecutive victory outside of the Glass Bowl. Logan Woodside threw for 371 yards and three touchdowns, while the Rockets defense limited Arkansas State to 266 yards.
Prediction: Toledo 33, Maine 14
FINAL: Toledo 45, Maine 3
South Carolina State at Louisiana Tech
When: Saturday, Sept. 10; 7 p.m. ET
Last meeting: Louisiana Tech beat South Carolina State 38-3 in the 1982 FCS quarterfinals.
What to watch for
South Carolina State (0-1) lost 38-0 at UCF last week, making the Bulldogs 0-13 against the FBS in their history.
Louisiana Tech (0-1) gave up a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter to fall 21-20 at Arkansas, missing out on its first win over an SEC team since 2008. The Bulldogs held the Razorbacks to 297 yards and intercepted two passes, while new quarterback J'Mar Smith threw for 212 yards and had a rushing score.
Prediction: Louisiana Tech 37, South Carolina State 14
FINAL: Louisiana Tech 53, South Carolina State 24
Iowa State at No. 16 Iowa
When: Saturday, Sept. 10; 7:30 p.m. ET
Last meeting: Iowa won 31-17 at Iowa State last September.
What to watch for
The Cy-Hawk Trophy goes to the winner of the annual game between Iowa's two FBS programs, which have played 63 times since 1894. Iowa has a 41-22 edge and has claimed eight of the last 13, but the last four meetings have been won by the road team.
Iowa State (0-1) comes in limping after a 25-20 home loss to Northern Iowa in Matt Campbell's debut, the Cyclones' third loss to an FCS school in the last four seasons. Four turnovers contributed to the defeat.
Iowa (1-0) cruised to a 45-21 win over Miami (Ohio), its 13th consecutive regular-season victory, thanks to five rushing touchdowns and three takeaways.
The home loser streak ends.
Prediction: Iowa 33, Iowa State 20
FINAL: Iowa 42, Iowa State 3
Jacksonville State at No. 21 LSU
When: Saturday, Sept. 10; 7:30 p.m. ET
Last meeting: None
What to watch for
Jacksonville State (1-0) opened with a 31-12 win over North Alabama, getting three rushing touchdowns from former Auburn running back Roc Thomas. The Gamecocks, who lost at Auburn in overtime last season, are 5-19 against FBS competition but could be ripe to pull the upset.
LSU (0-1) lost 16-14 to Wisconsin in Green Bay for its first regular-season nonconference defeat since 2002 and the first season-opening loss under coach Les Miles, who is back on the hot seat.
"The speculation can begin on whether Miles will survive the season," Bleacher Report's Christopher Walsh wrote.
Leonard Fournette ran for 138 yards but didn't score for only the second time in his last 15 games, while quarterback Brandon Harris had another poor performance with 131 yards and two interceptions, including a bad one in the final minute that sealed the loss.
Prediction: LSU 41, Jacksonville State 20
FINAL: LSU 34, Jacksonville State 13
North Carolina at Illinois
When: Saturday, Sept. 10; 7:30 p.m. ET
Last meeting: North Carolina beat Illinois 48-14 last September.
What to watch for
North Carolina (0-1) lost 33-24 to Georgia in Atlanta on Saturday, its third straight defeat after winning 11 in a row to make the ACC title game. Stopping the run continues to be the Tar Heels' biggest flaw, as they allowed 200 or more rushing yards for the 10th time in the last 15 games.
Illinois (1-0) crushed Murray State 52-3 in Lovie Smith's college head-coaching debut, outgaining the Racers 515-165 and forcing three turnovers. Wes Lunt threw three touchdown passes, and Kendrick Foster ran for 118 yards and two scores.
The Fighting Illini last beat a nonconference power opponent in 2011.
Prediction: Illinois 34, North Carolina 28
FINAL: North Carolina 48, Illinois 23
Arkansas State at Auburn
When: Saturday, Sept. 10; 7:30 p.m. ET
Last meeting: Auburn beat Arkansas State 38-9 in September 2013.
What to watch for
Arkansas State (0-1) lost 31-10 at home to Toledo, outgained 556-266 in the process. The Red Wolves haven't beat a power-conference team since opening the 2008 season with an 18-14 win against Texas A&M.
Auburn (0-1) turned the quarterback position into a revolving door in a 19-13 home loss to Clemson, constantly rotating between senior Jeremy Johnson, junior college transfer John Franklin III and sophomore Sean White. Not surprisingly, they combined to complete 15 of 30 passes for 175 yards with two interceptions.
"If Auburn's staff doesn't see it was the biggest problem and that it prevented White, John Franklin III and Jeremy Johnson from getting into grooves against Clemson, then that staff doesn't deserve to be employed at the FBS level," Bleacher Report's Barrett Sallee wrote.
Prediction: Auburn 37, Arkansas State 13
FINAL: Auburn 51, Arkansas State 14
BYU at Utah
When: Saturday, Sept. 10; 7:30 p.m. ET
Last meeting: Utah beat BYU 35-28 in last season's Las Vegas Bowl.
What to watch for
The Holy War is among the most underrated rivalry games in college football, at least outside the state of Utah. Within those borders, though, it's a series that divides church (the LDS-backed BYU) and state (public institution Utah) and has been played 96 times since 1896.
BYU (1-0) beat Arizona 18-16 in Glendale, Arizona, on a field goal by Jake Oldroyd with four seconds left. That capped a victory that saw a pair of Cougars stars make triumphant returns. Quarterback Taysom Hill threw for 202 yards and a touchdown after suffering a third season-ending injury in 2015, while Jamaal Williams ran for 162 yards after sitting out last year for personal reasons.
Utah (1-0) breezed to a 24-0 win over Southern Utah, allowing only 158 yards and getting 272 passing yards and two TDs from former Washington QB Troy Williams. The Utes posted their first shutout since August 2012.
BYU has lost five straight to Utah and hasn't won in Salt Lake City since 2006, but Hill and Williams' return will end the Cougars' drought.
Prediction: BYU 24, Utah 23
FINAL: Utah 20, BYU 19
Eastern Michigan at Missouri
When: Saturday, Sept. 10; 7:30 p.m. ET
Last meeting: Missouri beat Eastern Michigan 44-24 in September 1997.
What to watch for
Eastern Michigan (1-0) beat Mississippi Valley State 61-14, its most points since 2004. The Eagles are 0-53 all-time against teams from power conferences.
Missouri (0-1) lost 26-11 at West Virginia in Dave Odom's coaching debut, running 100 plays but managing only 4.62 yards per snap. That's still better than 2015, when the Tigers averaged 4.38 per play and 13.6 points per game.
Prediction: Missouri 34, Eastern Michigan 14
FINAL: Missouri 61, Eastern Michigan 21
UNLV at UCLA
When: Saturday, Sept. 10; 8 p.m. ET
Last meeting: UCLA won 37-3 at UNLV last September.
What to watch for
UNLV (1-0) beat Jackson State 63-13 thanks to three long touchdown passes from Johnny Stanton to Devonte Boyd. The Runnin' Rebels last started 2-0 in 1999 and last beat a power-conference team in 2008 when they knocked off Iowa State and Arizona State in consecutive weeks.
UCLA (0-1) battled back from down 15 in the fourth quarter to force overtime but lost 31-24 at Texas A&M. Josh Rosen was intercepted three times, giving him seven picks in his last three games.
The Bruins haven't started 0-2 since 2010.
Prediction: UCLA 48, UNLV 16
FINAL: UCLA 42, UNLV 21
New Mexico at New Mexico State
When: Saturday, Sept. 10; 8 p.m. ET
Last meeting: New Mexico beat New Mexico State 38-29 last October.
What to watch for
New Mexico (1-0) beat South Dakota 48-21 thanks to 181 rushing yards and two touchdowns from Teriyon Gipson and Austin Apodaca's 172 passing yards and two scores. The Lobos last started 2-0 in 2006.
New Mexico State (0-1) lost 38-22 at UTEP, badly missing running back Larry Rose III, who is recovering from sports hernia surgery. The Aggies have started 0-2 three times since 2010.
Prediction: New Mexico 40, New Mexico State 33
FINAL: New Mexico State 32, New Mexico 31
Southern at Tulane
When: Saturday, Sept. 10; 8 p.m. ET
Last meeting: Tulane beat Southern 37-19 in August 2002.
What to watch for
Southern (0-1) opened with a 38-21 loss at Louisiana-Monroe despite 161 rushing yards from Lenard Tillery, making the Jaguars 0-13 against FBS opponents.
Tulane (0-1) lost 7-3 at Wake Forest last Thursday in coach Willie Fritz's debut with the Green Wave despite outgaining Wake 280-175 and winning time of possession.
Prediction: Tulane 27, Southern 16
FINAL: Tulane 66, Southern 21
Texas Tech at Arizona State
When: Saturday, Sept. 10; 10 p.m. ET
Last meeting: Texas Tech beat Arizona State 37-23 in the 2013 Holiday Bowl.
What to watch for
Texas Tech (1-0) rolled Stephen F. Austin 69-17 behind 540 yards of offense and six total touchdowns from Patrick Mahomes II. The Red Raiders gained 758 yards and topped 50 points for the seventh time since the start of 2015.
Arizona State (1-0) scored 34 points in the final 22-plus minutes to beat Northern Arizona 44-13, getting 269 yards of total offense from Manny Wilkins. The Sun Devils are 13-4 against the Big 12, but their last win came in 1999 against Texas Tech.
With Tech's offensive firepower and ASU's reputation for giving up big plays—31 of 40 or more yards since the start of last season—this has all the makings of a shootout...and a very late finish.
Prediction: Texas Tech 51, Arizona State 47
FINAL: Arizona State 68, Texas Tech 55
Sacramento State at Fresno State
When: Saturday, Sept. 10; 10 p.m. ET
Last meeting: None
What to watch for
Sacramento State (0-1) opened with a 38-30 home loss to Western Oregon but got 370 passing yards and three touchdowns from Nate Ketteringham.
Fresno State (0-1) lost 43-10 at Nebraska but trailed only 14-10 at halftime. The Bulldogs ran for only 31 yards on 26 carries. They also allowed four sacks and had two interceptions.
Prediction: Fresno State 39, Sacramento State 25
FINAL: Fresno State 31, Sacramento State 3
Washington State at Boise State
When: Saturday, Sept. 10; 10:15 p.m. ET
Last meeting: Washington State beat Boise State 41-20 in September 2001.
What to watch for
Washington State (0-1) lost 45-42 at home to Eastern Washington, the second year in a row it's opened with a loss to an FCS school. Luke Falk threw for 418 yards and four touchdowns on 41-of-51 passing, but the Cougars were torched for 606 yards.
Boise State (1-0) blew out Louisiana-Lafayette 45-10 on the road. Brett Rypien threw for 347 yards and two TDs while Jeremy McNichols had three total TDs. The Broncos have outscored opponents 140-40 during a three-game win streak.
Not having safety Dylan Sumner-Gardner (suspended four games for academic issues) will be a much bigger deal against Wazzu's pass-heavy attack.
Prediction: Washington State 43, Boise State 39
FINAL: Boise State 31, Washington State 28
Virginia at No. 24 Oregon
When: Saturday, Sept. 10; 10:30 p.m. ET
Last meeting: Oregon won 59-10 at Virginia in September 2013.
What to watch for
Virginia (0-1) lost 37-20 at home to Richmond, spoiling Bronco Mendenhall's debut with the Cavaliers. East Carolina transfer Kurt Benkert threw for 264 yards and three touchdowns for Virginia, but four turnovers and 524 yards allowed dictated the result.
Oregon (1-0) beat UC Davis 53-28 thanks to 271 passing yards and four total TDs from Dakota Prukop and Royce Freeman's two rushing scores. The Ducks defense found a new star in freshman linebacker Troy Dye, who had 4.5 tackles for loss.
Mendenhall, who spent 11 years at BYU before going to Virginia, beat teams from Oregon three times while with the Cougars. He'll make sure this long trip is at least entertaining.
Prediction: Oregon 51, Virginia 31
FINAL: Oregon 44, Virginia 26
California at San Diego State
When: Saturday, Sept. 10; 10:30 p.m. ET
Last meeting: California beat San Diego State 35-7 last September.
What to watch for
California (1-0) got a week off after opening the season with a 51-31 win over Hawaii in Australia, when Texas Tech transfer Davis Webb debuted with 441 passing yards and four touchdowns. That made the Golden Bears 64-16-1 against current Mountain West teams.
San Diego State (1-0) beat New Hampshire 31-0 thanks to 283 passing yards and two touchdowns from Christian Chapman, its first shutout win since 2010. The Aztecs, winners of 11 straight, have 24 wins against Pac-12 teams but none since they beat Washington State in 2011.
Cal's suspect defense will have its hands full with SDSU's Donnel Pumphrey, the FBS active rushing leader, while the Aztecs' strong pass defense should slow down Webb and the Golden Bears.
Prediction: San Diego State 30, California 21
FINAL: San Diego State 45, California 40
Grambling State at Arizona
When: Saturday, Sept. 10; 10:45 p.m. ET
Last meeting: None
What to watch for
Grambling (1-0) opened with a 72-12 win over Lynchburg (Virginia), getting three total touchdowns from former Ole Miss quarterback DeVante Kincade.
Arizona (0-1) lost 18-16 to BYU in Glendale, Arizona, on Saturday, falling on a last-second field goal after the Wildcats rallied from down 15-3 thanks to two Nick Wilson TD runs in the fourth quarter.
Prediction: Arizona 47, Grambling State 21
FINAL: Arizona 31, Grambling State 21
Tennessee-Martin at Hawaii
When: Saturday, Sept. 10; 11:59 p.m. ET
Last meeting: None
What to watch for
Tennessee-Martin (0-1) lost 28-7 at Cincinnati to open the season but led 7-6 at halftime. The Skyhawks dropped to 1-21 against FBS schools.
Hawaii (0-2) plays its first home game after playing in Australia and Michigan and losing by a combined 80 points (114-34). The Rainbow Warriors have allowed 1,172 yards and turned it over five times so far—not the kind of start new coach Nick Rolovich was hoping for.
Prediction: Hawaii 38, Tennessee-Martin 24
FINAL: Hawaii 41, Tennessee-Martin 36
Maryland at Florida International
When: Friday, Sept. 9, 7:30 p.m. ET
Last meeting: Maryland beat Florida International 43-10 in August 2013.
What to watch for
Maryland (1-0) opened with a 52-13 win over Howard in D.J. Durkin's coaching debut with the Terrapins. They got two touchdowns from Virginia Tech transfer Trey Edmunds, including one on a blocked punt. With this win, the Terps won consecutive games for the first time since September 2014.
Florida International (0-1) lost 34-13 at home to Indiana, turning it over three times with two interceptions returned for touchdowns. The Golden Panthers are 1-28 against power-conference teams.
Prediction: Florida International 27, Maryland 23
FINAL: Maryland 41, Florida International 14
No. 13 Louisville at Syracuse
When: Friday, Sept. 9, 8 p.m. ET
Last meeting: Louisville beat Syracuse 41-17 last November.
What to watch for
Louisville (1-0) blitzed Charlotte 70-14 behind 405 yards of total offense in the first half and eight first-half touchdowns from quarterback Lamar Jackson—six through the air and two on the ground. The Cardinals gained 663 yards and scored their highest point total since beating Florida International 72-0 in September 2013.
Syracuse (1-0) spotted Colgate a 7-0 lead and then cruised to a 33-7 win in head coach Dino Babers' debut, gaining 554 yards and running 81 plays. The Orange averaged 62.6 plays per game in going 4-8 last season but look to have bought into Babers' uptempo attack.
An early road test for Heisman hopeful Jackson and ACC dark-horse contender Louisville will be a challenge, with lots of points.
Prediction: Louisville 41, Syracuse 29
FINAL: Louisville 62, Syracuse 28
Statistics provided by CFBStats.com.
Follow Brian J. Pedersen on Twitter at @realBJP.