Expert Predictions for Week 2 of the 2017 College Football Season
With several battles between ranked teams on the docket for Week 2, B/R's college football experts reconvened for another batch of predictions.
There was only one Week 1-specific question in last week's panel, and all six experts—Matt Hayes, David Kenyon, Adam Kramer, Kerry Miller, Brad Shepard and Greg Wallace—were correct in their collective assumption that Alabama would beat Florida State.
This week, though, we're honing in on the biggest games and storylines for just Week 2.
• Will Auburn or Clemson win the battle of the Tigers?
• Could Stanford upset USC after opening the season in Australia?
• What's the biggest X-factor between Oklahoma and Ohio State?
• Is Texas doomed to miss bowl season for a second straight year?
Our experts are on the case to let you know.
What Will Be the Decisive Factor in No. 5 Oklahoma vs. No. 2 Ohio State?
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Matt Hayes — Follow @MattHayesCFB
Oklahoma's passing game. If the Sooners can protect QB Baker Mayfield, OU has wide receivers (and tight end Mark Andrews) who can win individual battles against Ohio State's lone weakness on defense: the secondary. The Sooners were embarrassed last year in Norman; expect a different attitude in Columbus.
David Kenyon — Follow @Kenyon19_BR
Two connected thoughts: Field goals are fine, but they double as mini-victories for the opposing team if the offense had a touchdown in sight. However, red-zone efficiency is too narrow because a 60-yard drive may stall outside of field-goal range. Coming away with any points in that situation would be a quality possession. Oklahoma had three drives end in Ohio State territory last year, for example. Maximizing scoring opportunities will be critical in Columbus.
Adam Kramer — Follow @KegsnEggs
Ohio State's offensive line. To me, this will be the key to the Buckeyes' entire season. If the front can move bodies and keep J.T. Barrett clean, they will probably win every game they play. Obviously, Barrett has to be more consistent as well—some of those tosses last Thursday night were not exactly on the mark—but the group in front can change the entire playbook if it continues to evolve and develop. I believe it will Saturday.
Kerry Miller — Follow @kerrancejames
Most will probably point to the matchup between Mayfield and Ohio State's young secondary, but I'm more interested to find out if Oklahoma's secondary can slow down Barrett this time around. He only threw for 152 yards in last year's matchup with the Sooners, but he had four passing touchdowns, rushed for another 74 yards and only took one sack. And Oklahoma's secondary took a bit of a hit this week with the news that Jordan Parker is out for the year with a knee injury. At less than full strength, they might get crushed by Barrett again.
Brad Shepard — Follow @Brad_Shepard
Mayfield has made a career out of extending plays, evading defenders and keeping his eyes downfield for big plays. He'll be pressured by the talented Ohio State defensive front, but if he can stand in there and make the type of plays for which he's known, I'm not sure the Buckeyes want to get in a shootout. If they get to Mayfield, it may get ugly.
Greg Wallace — Follow @gc_wallace
Sooners-Buckeyes should be a great game, although it's hard to glean much from OU's 56-7 rout of UTEP. One thing I know: The Buckeyes have playmakers, including Parris Campbell, Johnnie Dixon, J.K. Dobbins and Mike Weber (who sat out last week). In Columbus, Barrett will find ways to get all involved in the offense. Ohio State will make more big plays than the Sooners and win.
No. 13 Auburn vs. No. 3 Clemson. Who You Got?
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Matt Hayes
After the way Kelly Bryant played in the season opener, it's hard to pick against Clemson. I realize it was Kent State, but Clemson did what elite teams are supposed to do in cupcake games, and Bryant was nearly flawless. It's a big step up against Auburn's stout defense, but playing at home—and avoiding a brutal road environment—will be critical to continuing Bryant's development.
David Kenyon
Clemson by a nose—tackle? A clutch defensive stop will probably shape the outcome, and Clemson holds an important advantage. The interior duo of Dexter Lawrence and Christian Wilkins is a run-stuffing nightmare. History shows containing the running game is the blueprint to success against Auburn.
Adam Kramer
I'll take Clemson, but I believe it will be close. (Hint: Auburn covers the spread.) I expect this game to be much like last year's: a lot of defense and hitting and a great deal of offense on the ground. Clemson's interior defense will provide the ultimate edge, but Auburn will be up for this and push the defending national champions to the brink.
Kerry Miller
When in doubt, pick the home team. Give me Clemson in a low-scoring, defensive affair. But if this game were played at a neutral site, I'd be tempted to go with Auburn after watching the Tigers completely shut down a Georgia Southern rushing attack that is usually one of the best in the nation. Look for Clemson to get a lot more backfield pressure than it did in Week 1, though. The only reason Wilkins, Lawrence and Co. didn't get any sacks is because Kent State hardly bothered to attempt any passes.
Brad Shepard
Believe it or not, I'm going with Auburn. I'm still not a believer in Bryant, and this Auburn defense is the real deal. What a career transformation coordinator Kevin Steele is enjoying on the Plains. If Gus Malzahn doesn't get too cute (and that is a HUGE if), I like AU to head into Clemson and come away with one of the biggest upsets of the early season. This AU offense is going to look even better with Kamryn Pettway behind Jarrett Stidham.
Greg Wallace
This should be an excellent measuring stick for both sets of Tigers, who easily dispatched lesser foes last week. Neither team had to show much offensively, which won't be the case Saturday night. Stidham should be improved over his opening-week effort, but Bryant, Clemson's big-play offense and Death Valley's home-field environment will make the difference for the South Carolina-based Tigers.
Will Lamar Jackson Be the Clear Heisman Front-Runner (Again) After This Week?
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Matt Hayes
No. Like it or not, Jackson (and any returning Heisman winner) is graded at a higher level with limited room for mistakes. That won't change this week—or the rest of the season.
David Kenyon
Patience is a virtue, my friends. Only in special cases does a player emerge as the obvious leader in the Heisman Trophy race after two weeks. Jackson fit the mold in 2016, certainly, but he electrified the nation with 13 total touchdowns. Jackson would need 11 against North Carolina to match that mark. Let's just enjoy another week of excellence from Jackson and the other Heisman candidates.
Adam Kramer
Jackson will be very much in the conversation—he looked fabulous Saturday, by the way—but he was not alone in strong starts. Penn State's Saquon Barkley and Oklahoma State's Mason Rudolph also played fabulous openers, as did others who will factor in here. Jackson, of course, will have his say on the award. He will also post huge numbers against North Carolina; I just don't envision him pacing the field as he did a season ago.
Kerry Miller
I didn't catch much of Louisville's opener because most of that window was dedicated to Alabama vs. Florida State. But it seemed like every time I flipped back to the Cardinals game, Lamar Jackson was doing something incredible. What else is new? Given how dreadful North Carolina's passing defense was against California (363 yards, 4 TDs), I fully expect Jackson to have a monster performance to re-establish himself as the Heisman favorite. We're talking 530 combined passing and rushing yards with four touchdowns.
Brad Shepard
No. That is going to Barkley, who will run roughshod over Pittsburgh and post his second monster game in a row. Jackson will post his own big numbers against North Carolina, but the book on defending Jackson is out, and teams are at least slowing him down. He'll be in the top three or four until he plays a defense of consequence, and that isn't coming against UNC. But this is Barkley's trophy.
Greg Wallace
Louisville needed every bit of Jackson's 485 yards of total offense to hold off surprisingly game Purdue. North Carolina couldn't even hold down a first-time starter in Ross Bowers and Cal. The Cardinals will put up plenty of points on the Tar Heels, putting Jackson near (but not at) the top of the Heisman race. Scoring on Purdue and a down North Carolina team won't cut it with voters.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Does No. 14 Stanford Shock No. 6 USC on the Road?
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Matt Hayes
After the way USC played last week against Western Michigan, there has to at least be some pause when assessing this game. The Trojans will play better, and they will have the best quarterback in the game in Sam Darnold. In big games, more often than not, the best quarterback wins.
David Kenyon
Thanks to Western Michigan, Stanford has an even clearer idea of how to exploit USC's defense on the ground. The Cardinal also enjoyed an extra week of preparation after smacking Rice two weeks ago. Even though I put USC in the College Football Playoff, I picked Stanford to win this showdown before the season. This is the wake-up call that ultimately sparks the Trojans.
Adam Kramer
I feel like a USC rebound is coming—that the Week 1 jitters were only that. Darnold looked completely out of rhythm the entire game, which should also change. Ultimately, however, this will be decided with the running game. And as good as Bryce Love looked for Stanford in the opener, I see Ronald Jones being the star of the show here, carrying USC to a hard-fought win.
Kerry Miller
I'm going out on a limb and saying yes. Bryce Love is the truth at running back for Stanford, and Keller Chryst looked solid at QB in his return from a devastating knee injury in the Sun Bowl. I'm sure Darnold will be better in this game than he was in Week 1, but USC's run defense—which allowed 302 yards in last year's loss to Stanford—is the bigger concern after giving up 263 yards and two scores to a rebuilding Western Michigan.
Brad Shepard
This is the toughest game for me to pick this week because I'm one of the biggest David Shaw fans around. But I'm going to go with no. Darnold isn't going to play like he did Week 1 every time out; he's better than that. This will be a very close, very hard-fought game that will be decided by one possession. But I still like Darnold to make a big play when it matters most. Got to keep trotting USC out as winners because I have them in my playoff.
Greg Wallace
USC had a rather inauspicious debut against Western Michigan, going into the fourth quarter tied at 21 before pulling away. The Broncos lost plenty from their 13-1 Cotton Bowl team of 2016. Still, I think it will be a wake-up call for Darnold and Co. Stanford was sharp in pummeling Rice, but the Trojans will overpower the Cardinal in the Coliseum.
Will Fresno State Score a Single Point Against No. 1 Alabama?
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Matt Hayes
Sure. Against the third-team defense. Not only did Fresno State score 66 last week (OK, so it was against something called Incarnate Word), but first-year coach Jeff Tedford also knows offense and will find a way to score on the best defense in the game. Especially when that defense begins to let up in the fourth quarter of a rout.
David Kenyon
Yes! I believe in Chason Virgil to get Fresno State on the board. We're not talking much, but yes, the Bulldogs will score on Alabama. Is it a bold prediction if I say they'll kick a field goal in the first quarter?
Adam Kramer
If you are a Fresno State fan reading this, let me first apologize that you have to read these words about your football team. (The problem is that this is a fascinating, topical question.) Yes, Fresno State will score points. In fact, not only will Fresno State score points, but they will score six points.
Kerry Miller
On the one hand, it's hard to pitch a shutout in football. It only takes one fluky play for Fresno State to get into field-goal range or even score a touchdown. On the other hand, Alabama has shut out at least two opponents in each of the past six seasons, and this particular opponent failed to score more than 22 points in any of its final eight games last year. Coach Tedford may be an offensive wizard, but Nick Saban is a defensive warlock. Bama rolls 52-0.
Brad Shepard
Sure. The Bulldogs will score late in the game against the Crimson Tide's third- or fourth-team defense, but it will be inconsequential. Alabama can name its score against Fresno, and there's no way it's going to be close, even for a quarter. The bigger question is, "Has one team ever had a bigger weeklong gulf between opponents than Fresno going from Incarnate Word to the mighty Tide?" I don't think so.
Greg Wallace
Going from Incarnate Word to Alabama might make Tedford utter a few choice words on Bryant-Denny Stadium's sideline, but Fresno will break through at some point against the Tide. Western Kentucky and Chattanooga combined to score 13 points last year versus Alabama. Fresno will find a way to dent the scoreboard.
Which AP Top 25 Team Is Most Likely to Lose to an Unranked Foe?
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Matt Hayes
TCU. Arkansas beat TCU in double overtime last year, and the Hogs are better (and more efficient) offensively this season. QB Austin Allen is way undervalued and must cut down on interceptions (15 last year, one last week), but he will be the reason the Hogs get another win.
David Kenyon
Penn State, TCU and Washington State all lost to their upcoming opponent during the 2016 season. Now, while I'm not picking the Horned Frogs to lose, they're the most vulnerable Top 25 team because we never really know what to expect from the offense—and they're on the road at Arkansas. The opener was absolutely promising, but can TCU avoid mistakes consistently? The benefit of the doubt won't last long.
Adam Kramer
Given the buffet of exciting games featuring ranked teams, there aren't a plethora of options to pick from. But considering Louisville's sluggish opener against Purdue—albeit with another brilliant showing from Lamar Jackson—North Carolina seems capable of pulling off what would be a sizable upset. We're still feeling out the new offense, perhaps even more so after an opening loss to Cal, but there will be opportunities to put points up at home. Perhaps this will be enough.
Kerry Miller
If South Florida's road game were against just about any team other than Connecticut, it'd be tempting to pick against the Bulls after back-to-back poor performances to open the season. And Miami at Arkansas State might have been interesting if the game hadn't been canceled because of Hurricane Irma. However, the obvious pick is TCU on the road against Arkansas.
Brad Shepard
While that Washington State-Boise State game looks tasty for an upset by the Broncos, I really like the Cougars this year. So, I'll go with No. 23 TCU on the road against Arkansas. Sophomore running back Devwah Whaley has a huge helper in electrifying freshman Chase Hayden in the backfield, and the Razorbacks are going to be tough to handle at Razorback Stadium. I'm still not sold on the Horned Frogs.
Greg Wallace
South Florida was supposed to be the best Group of Five team, but the Bulls have looked pretty ugly in wins over San Jose State and Stony Brook. Now they get to go to UConn for a 10:30 a.m. kickoff Saturday morning thanks to Hurricane Irma. The Huskies are not a great team, but USF's sluggish start should create a serious upset alert.
Will Texas Recover from Its Disappointing Start?
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Matt Hayes
There's a reason Texas didn't have a winning record in any of the last three seasons. Depth is an issue, and just as damaging is the underlying mental obstacle of years of losing. This team expects bad things to happen instead of making good things happen.
David Kenyon
Heading into the season, eight wins seemed like a reasonable target for Texas. That's still a reachable mark, though the injury to quarterback Shane Buechele is concerning. Losing to Maryland stings, but what made Tom Herman great at Houston was his ability to rally an underdog team. The objective, of course, is to never be an underdog, but the Longhorns need to embrace that role in 2017.
Adam Kramer
Texas will certainly be better. Allowing a 50-burger at home to Maryland could very well be the low point of the year, and I believe a roster still ripe with young players will develop as the season progresses. But this will no doubt be an arduous process. More disappointment is certain to follow, especially with USC, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and others upcoming, but there will be tremendous growth made as well. This was never about a one-year vacuum. That said, the weeks to come are tremendously important.
Kerry Miller
There are just too many things wrong with this team. Despite an outstanding offensive tackle in Connor Williams and a stud linebacker in Malik Jefferson, the Texas O-line was abused by Maryland in both passing and running situations, and the defense was a complete mess. The Longhorns will win some games just because of Buechele, but six victories will be a stretch.
Brad Shepard
This weekend will look like a reprieve when the Longhorns trounce San Jose State, but fans need to enjoy every win they can get. It's going to get ugly quickly. The 'Horns have a lot of issues, and first-year coach Tom Herman already noted he doesn't possess a vat of fairy dust. With USC, Kansas State, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State all on the schedule before November, it's going to get much worse before it gets better.
Greg Wallace
The Tom Herman era got off to a major thud against Maryland, with the realization that the Longhorns' problems go deeper than just hiring a new coach and putting fancy new lockers in place. However, with San Jose State coming to town this week, they have a chance to get right. A trip to Southern California is daunting, but with Iowa State up after that, they could be 2-2 going into games against K-State and Oklahoma. So all could be well (enough) by the end of the month.
Will We See Another FCS over FBS Upset in Week 2?
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Matt Hayes
Yes, but only if you call Howard (which defeated UNLV last week) beating Kent State an upset.
David Kenyon
Bowling Green struggled to do much of anything in a 35-10 loss to Michigan State. Excluding the drive before halftime, only three of the Falcons' 13 possessions lasted more than five plays. South Dakota, on the other hand, just blitzed Drake for 77 points and 12 tackles for loss. Keep an eye on the Coyotes.
Adam Kramer
For kicks, give me Howard—led by quarterback Caylin Newton, brother of Cam Newton—over Kent State. I know that's not the sexiest pick, and there very well could be others, but I will stick with the hot right shoulder and legs of Newton here after his team pulled off one of the largest upsets in the sport's history.
Kerry Miller
By my count, there are 25 FCS vs. FBS games this week, and there were four FCS upsets in Week 1. The sheer odds of another upset not happening are probably astronomical. As far as a specific game goes, give me either South Dakota over Bowling Green or Weber State over California. Neither of those FBS schools was expected to be any good this year, and those two FCS schools won their Week 1 games by a combined score of 153-7.
Brad Shepard
Yes, I'm going to go with Villanova over Temple this week, just because of the Wildcats' defensive prowess, but South Dakota is another one to watch against Bowling Green. The Coyotes have a potent offense while the Falcons have been awful on defense the last two years and lost their season opener 35-10 to Michigan State. One of those two FCS teams will come away with a win; maybe both.
Greg Wallace
Paul Johnson wasn't happy about Georgia Tech playing FCS power Jacksonville State coming off Monday's loss to Tennessee, but I think the Yellow Jackets will find their way to a win. However, with Florida International vs. Alcorn State moved to Birmingham due to Irma, Alcorn will spring an upset on the Panthers, who lost 61-17 to Central Florida last week and will be playing away from home again on Friday night.
Who Will Put Up Week 2's Most Ridiculous Stat Line?
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Matt Hayes
Josh Allen, Wyoming. After an awful performance against a strong Iowa defense, Allen might throw for 500 yards against FCS Gardner-Webb.
David Kenyon
A.J. Brown, who led the nation with 233 receiving yards in Week 1, could have another monster day when Ole Miss hosts UT-Martin. But I'll turn to Tulsa running back D'Angelo Brewer. He'll be motivated for a bounce-back performance after getting shut down at Oklahoma State, and Louisiana should keep the score close enough that Tulsa won't have an opportunity to pull Brewer early.
Adam Kramer
I'll take Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert. The Oregon-Nebraska game could be point-filled, and many of those points will come from Herbert. Nebraska gave up 415 yards passing to Arkansas State QB Justice Hansen last week, which is not ideal heading into this significant road game. Look for Herbert to come close to matching those numbers in a sneaky good game this weekend.
Kerry Miller
My original pick here was Cam Akers. However, with Florida State's game among the several canceled due to Hurricane Irma, I'll double down on my Lamar Jackson optimism by saying he has the best performance of Week 2. North Carolina linebacker Andre Smith told Andrew Carter of the Charlotte Observer that it's not going to be the Lamar Jackson show, but he's wrong. No one gets torn to shreds by Ross Bowers and then shuts down the reigning Heisman winner.
Brad Shepard
Ole Miss quarterback Shea Patterson ripped South Alabama's secondary to shreds during the opening weekend, so just think what Oklahoma State signal-caller Mason Rudolph is going to do with all those weapons around him against the Jaguars. Man, it's going to be ugly. He'll probably play three quarters, finish with a clean jersey and have more than 400 passing yards and six touchdowns.
Greg Wallace
West Virginia QB Will Grier put up 371 yards and three scores in a loss to Virginia Tech. Now he gets to take on a bad East Carolina team that had 34 points put on it by FCS power James Madison. If Dana Holgorsen chooses to throw, throw and throw some more against the Pirates, Grier could go for 500 yards and five scores against ECU. Shiver me timbers, matey.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
