NCAAF · 9 minutes ago

Ranking My Top 10 Bold Predictions for College Football Week 2

TJ Inman

Host · Writer

10. Utah Throttles Arkansas by Three Scores
The Arkansas Razorbacks won game number one of the Ryan Silverfield era. Still, the running game is an extreme concern after they managed only three yards per carry on 49 rushes against North Alabama. That’s not going to cut it against quality defenses, and they’ll face that this Saturday night at Utah. The Utes are a tough out, and they have dynamic quarterbacks and running backs that can dice up the Hogs on defense. Without a quality running game to lean on, Arkansas will struggle to stay competitive, and Utah pulls away for an easy victory.
1. Oklahoma Suffocates UM's Offense and Wins by 10+
Where to Watch Oklahoma at Michigan
- Date: September 12
- Time: 12:00 PM ET
- TV: FOX
- Stadium: Michigan Stadium
- Location: Ann Arbor, MI
The Oklahoma Sooners looked like one of the nation’s best teams on opening weekend. At the same time, Michigan needed some very timely intervention by the Big Ten to miraculously survive the Western Michigan Broncos. Michigan’s offense was toothless, and WMU managed to possess the ball for 40 minutes of the game. Officially, Michigan is 1-0 with a 13-12 victory. That doesn’t change the fact that they were held to 275 total yards and just 106 yards on the ground. Overall, the defense was pretty good, but they allowed WMU to hold the ball for more than 40 minutes and go 8-18 on third down.

Bryce Underwood’s footwork looked as shaky as ever, and there is clearly still very little confidence in his passing. The offensive line wasn’t dreadful against the Broncos, but it did not look like a strength, and Oklahoma has one of the nation’s best defenses. The world is on Oklahoma, and that can be dangerous, but give me the Sooners to limit Michigan’s anemic offense to less than 20 points in a double-digit victory.
2. Arizona Stuns BYU in Provo
Where to Watch Arizona at BYU
- Date: September 12
- Time: 3:30 PM ET
- TV: FOX
- Stadium: LaVell Edwards Stadium
- Location: Provo, UT
The BYU Cougars beat Utah Tech in a game that we can’t take anything from, while Arizona handled Northern Arizona. So, two games against a pair of FCS foes give us no data, and Arizona now brings veteran quarterback Noah Fifita to Provo as 7.5-point underdogs. Fifita and the Wildcats think they are better in 2026 than they were a season ago. What happened in 2025? Arizona won their last five regular-season games and took BYU to two overtimes before falling 33-27. If Arizona is truly better and can handle the road environment, the Wildcats could pull off the upset. In last season’s game, the teams were pretty darn even, and Fifita gets a signature victory with a big upset win.
3. North Texas Beats UNLV in Denton
Where to Watch UNLV at North Texas
- Date: September 12
- Time: 3:45 PM ET
- TV: ESPNU
- Stadium: DATCU Stadium
- Location: Denton, TX
The UNLV Rebels began year two of the Dan Mullen era with a loss to Memphis. What really stood out in the defeat was the Tigers' success on the ground as Memphis ran for 195 yards on 34 carries. That’s 5.7 yards per rush, and it could be trouble for the road team in this matchup. The North Texas Mean Green are a mostly new team under the direction of Neal Brown after Eric Morris bolted for Oklahoma State, taking a whole lot of the roster with him. They began the season with a tough test at Indiana and fell 52-16, but there was a lot to like about the offense's performance. Tayven Jackson had a quality day, and Jaheim White looked healthy. White is one of the best running backs in the American Athletic Conference, and he could have a big day. I don’t really trust UNLV quarterback Jackson Arnold on the road, so I like North Texas to pull off the upset.
4. Georgia Southern Pushes Clemson
Where to Watch Georgia Southern at Clemson
- Date: September 12
- Time: 7:30 PM ET
- TV: ACC Network
- Stadium: Memorial Stadium
- Location: Clemson, SC
It is incredibly unlikely that Georgia Southern can knock off Clemson. After all, the line here is nearly three touchdowns. That written, Max Johnson is a power conference transfer with a ton of experience and is leading the Georgia Southern offense while Clemson is spending the week licking their wounds after being humiliated by the LSU Tigers in Week One. What if Clemson doesn’t rally? What if, instead, they crumble and come out disinterested and without any answers along the offensive line or at quarterback or on the defensive line? I won’t go all the way to predicting the Georgia Southern win, but this is a one-possession game late in the fourth quarter.
5. Air Force Runs for 250+ Yards and Beats NDSU
Where to Watch North Dakota State at Air Force
- Date: September 12
- Time: 10:00 PM ET
- TV: FS1
- Stadium: Falcon Stadium
- Location: USAF Academy, CO
A service academy at home and getting points? Yes please. North Dakota State is already proving they belong in the FBS, and the Bison could be a legitimate contender to reach the College Football Playoff if they can catch a couple of breaks. After beating Jacksonville State and Fordham, things ratchet up as they take on an experienced and dangerous Air Force Academy team. The Falcons are led by Liam Szarka and a slew of options to get the ball to, and they hope the defense has significantly improved. The box score from Air Force’s 34-0 victory over Duquesne is fun to look at as 18 different Falcons got at least one carry. Air Force had 71 rushes for 431 yards! The box score will look significantly different this week with fewer players getting the ball and more passes mixed in, but the ground success will remain. This is an under-the-radar gem in Week 2, and I love the home underdog.
6. Wake Forest Steamrolls Purdue
The Purdue Boilermakers are one of the nation’s worst power conference teams. They beat Indiana State (a fairly bad FCS team) 44-19, but the game was only 16-6 at halftime, and the Sycamores managed to gain 284 yards, including 218 through the air. The Boilermakers were comfortable but not dominant, which spells trouble going against a solid Wake Forest squad. Gio Lopez is the quarterback for the Demon Deacons, and I think they will overwhelm Purdue on the lines of scrimmage, rolling to a double-digit victory in West Lafayette.
7. Kamario Taylor Accounts for 4 TDs in Big Win
If you don’t know about Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor just yet, you’re going to find out very soon. The dynamic sophomore is one of the nation’s most exciting young players, and he leads the Bulldogs into Minneapolis in a really fun Big Ten versus SEC clash against Minnesota. Both teams opened with resounding wins against overmatched opponents in Week One, but I think Jeff Lebby’s group is ready to take off. Mississippi State gets 300+ yards and four touchdowns from Kamario Taylor (at least one on the ground) and wins on the road against the Golden Gophers. In between the big games at noon and in primetime, this is one to watch.
8. Faizon Brandon Has Huge Game in Atlanta
Georgia Tech was pretty unimpressive, particularly along the offensive line, in a sloppy season-opening loss at home to Colorado. Next up for the Yellow Jackets? A date with the Tennessee Volunteers. The Vols hammered Furman in Week 1, but the notable part of that game was the performance of freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon. Brandon was 13-17 for 226 yards along with 68 yards on the ground and five total touchdowns. Georgia Tech really struggled to stop Colorado’s running game, and Tennessee is significantly stronger in that area than the Buffaloes. Brandon will have another big day, and Tennessee will run all over Georgia Tech.
9. Texas Wins Cagey Affair in Austin
One of the games of the year will take place in Austin on Saturday night as the Texas Longhorns and Ohio State Buckeyes meet in a top-five battle. Last season, Ohio State won a bit of a snoozer as neither head coach appeared to trust the young quarterbacks, and the Buckeyes won 14-7. Arch Manning and Julian Sayin are much more experienced now, but I don’t think either offense will be able to find top gear in this battle. There will be more than 21 points scored, but this game goes well under the total of 49 points as Texas wins a squeaker at home.
10. Utah Throttles Arkansas by Three Scores
The Arkansas Razorbacks won game number one of the Ryan Silverfield era. Still, the running game is an extreme concern after they managed only three yards per carry on 49 rushes against North Alabama. That’s not going to cut it against quality defenses, and they’ll face that this Saturday night at Utah. The Utes are a tough out, and they have dynamic quarterbacks and running backs that can dice up the Hogs on defense. Without a quality running game to lean on, Arkansas will struggle to stay competitive, and Utah pulls away for an easy victory.
1. Oklahoma Suffocates UM's Offense and Wins by 10+
Where to Watch Oklahoma at Michigan
- Date: September 12
- Time: 12:00 PM ET
- TV: FOX
- Stadium: Michigan Stadium
- Location: Ann Arbor, MI
The Oklahoma Sooners looked like one of the nation’s best teams on opening weekend. At the same time, Michigan needed some very timely intervention by the Big Ten to miraculously survive the Western Michigan Broncos. Michigan’s offense was toothless, and WMU managed to possess the ball for 40 minutes of the game. Officially, Michigan is 1-0 with a 13-12 victory. That doesn’t change the fact that they were held to 275 total yards and just 106 yards on the ground. Overall, the defense was pretty good, but they allowed WMU to hold the ball for more than 40 minutes and go 8-18 on third down.

Bryce Underwood’s footwork looked as shaky as ever, and there is clearly still very little confidence in his passing. The offensive line wasn’t dreadful against the Broncos, but it did not look like a strength, and Oklahoma has one of the nation’s best defenses. The world is on Oklahoma, and that can be dangerous, but give me the Sooners to limit Michigan’s anemic offense to less than 20 points in a double-digit victory.