A Complete Week Two Recap

The college football season is officially underway, and while week one didn’t bring many game-changing upsets or headline moments, week two certainly made up for it, delivering chaos and shaking up the college football landscape.

Texas-Michigan

After a lackluster offensive showing in their week one matchup against Fresno State, all eyes were on Ann Arbor to see how Michigan would fare against the third-ranked Texas Longhorns. Unfortunately for Wolverines fans, the result was one they would rather forget. Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers cemented his status as the Heisman frontrunner, picking apart a strong Michigan defense all game long. While Head Coach Steve Sarkisian is known for scheming up big plays, I found it interesting how much Ewers made plays out of the pocket, extended the play and found receivers down the field.

On the other side, Michigan's passing game was virtually non-existent. After losing a first-round quarterback and most of their receiving production from last season, and without making significant additions from the portal, I had questions about how this new-look offense would perform. Those concerns proved justified as Davis Warren struggled to find a rhythm, and bright spots on offense were hard to come by. While Texas looked every bit the national championship contender, Michigan now faces some serious questions if they hope to compete in the Big Ten this season.

Northern Illinois- Notre Dame

Yikes. After a huge road win at Texas A&M last weekend, Notre Dame returned home for what should’ve been a straightforward victory against Northern Illinois. Unfortunately for the Irish, it was anything but. What stood out most was how effectively the Huskies moved the ball on offense. Although they managed just 16 points, they racked up 388 total yards—something very few teams have done against Notre Dame in recent years. Northern Illinois averaged over 10 yards per pass attempt and, while they didn’t break many long runs, they consistently stayed ahead of the chains, avoiding third-and-long situations.

Now to the elephant in the room: the Notre Dame offense. While Riley Leonard’s mobility and ability to extend plays can generate positives, his struggles as a passer cannot be ignored. Throwing for just 163 yards on 32 attempts with two interceptions is poor by any measure, but doing so at home as a 28-point favorite is a new low for Leonard and Notre Dame. At this point, there is nobody else to blame. Offensive Coordinator Mike Denbrock was brought in after guiding Jayden Daniels to a Heisman Trophy, the run game with Jeremiyah Love is solid, and the receiving corps is arguably the best it’s been in recent years—yet the offense remains stagnant. Whether it’s a quarterback or schematic change, something has to give for the Irish, or they could be in for a long season in 2024.

NC State-Tennessee

Heading into this game, the matchup was intriguing due to the contrasting styles of play. Tennessee aims to spread defenses out and play with speed, while NC State relies on great defense and a methodically slow tempo. Early on, the Wolfpack's strategy was clear: run the ball, throw short passes, and control the clock to keep Tennessee's high-powered offense off the field. While this approach initially limited scoring, it also managed to slow down the game. However, this strategy only works if you can consistently block and run the ball—something NC State struggled to do. Tennessee's defensive line dominated the trenches, and once NC State’s offense stalled, the floodgates opened as the Vols pulled away with a 31-0 second half.

Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava didn’t have his best outing, but the Vols still ran the ball effectively with both Iamaleava and Dylan Sampson, setting up big plays in the passing game. Tennessee averaged nearly six yards per carry while stifling NC State’s ground attack to just 1.4 yards per rush. Overall, Tennessee displayed significant defensive improvements compared to the early seasons under Josh Heupel, and they’ll carry plenty of momentum into SEC play, where they have the potential to make some serious noise.

Colorado-Nebraska

Once again, the Colorado Buffaloes have been exposed as complete and utter frauds. In one of the most intense and highly anticipated rivalry matchups for both fanbases, Colorado fell behind early and never managed to recover. The dominance in the trenches was impossible to ignore throughout the game. While I do think Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders is a legit first-round talent, he was under constant pressure from Nebraska’s defensive line, leaving him with little chance to make plays. I also can’t help but question the Buffaloes offensive play calling. In the first half, Colorado ran the ball only four times. Four. I understand that they were struggling up front, but against a defense as strong as Nebraska’s, being one-dimensional is a recipe for disaster and it showed.

On the Nebraska side, it was a strong overall performance, but there were noticeable flaws in the second half. In the first half, the Huskers’ offensive line dominated, the run game was rolling, and quarterback Dylan Raiola was making simple reads to keep the offense rolling, resulting in a 28-0 halftime lead. However, the second half was a different story, with Nebraska’s offense becoming sloppy. Credit to Colorado for ramping up the pressure and playing tight man-to-man coverage on the outside, which slowed down the Huskers’ attack. Although Nebraska ultimately secured a much-needed signature win on a big stage, the second-half struggles are something to keep an eye on going forward.

Iowa state-Iowa

The annual rivalry matchup between Iowa and Iowa State never disappoints, and the 2024 edition was no exception. Iowa entered as slight home favorites, fueled by offseason buzz around their revamped offense, while Iowa State brought back a wealth of returning talent. That new-look Iowa offense looked great in the first half. Running back Kaleb Johnson was unstoppable all day, rushing for 187 yards and two touchdowns, while the Hawkeyes' defense was as stout as ever, holding Iowa State to just 109 yards and zero points.

However, the second half told a different story. Iowa quarterback Cade McNamara, who made smart decisions in the first half, saw the passing attack regress to the struggles of past seasons, managing only 21 passing yards and throwing two interceptions. Meanwhile, Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht showcased why there was so much preseason excitement around him. He began to exploit the Iowa defense with big plays, repeatedly connecting downfield, including a crucial 30-yard strike to Jaylin Noel that set up the game-winning 54-yard field goal with just five seconds remaining.

Kansas-Illinois

Prior to the game, Illinois Head Coach Bret Bielema highlighted in Thursday’s press conference that the key to victory would be forcing Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels to beat them through the air. Everyone knows how dangerous Daniels is with the ball in his hands and the impact of running back Devin Neal, but if Illinois could make Daniels rely on his arm, they believed they had a shot.

That game plan paid off. Despite Neal surpassing 100 yards and Kansas rushing for nearly 200 overall, Daniels struggled mightily as a passer. Throwing for just 141 yards on 32 attempts, along with three interceptions—one of which was returned for a touchdown—Kansas's aerial attack was lacking. On the offensive side, Illinois didn’t light up the stat sheet on the ground or through the air, but they capitalized on Kansas' mistakes. A +3 turnover margin and a standout performance from wideout Zakhari Franklin helped Illinois secure a huge win over the 19th-ranked Jayhawks.

Arkansas-Oklahoma state

This game might have signaled the beginning of the end of the Sam Pittman era at Arkansas. The Razorbacks did everything right—at least on paper. They outgained Oklahoma State with a staggering 648 yards of total offense compared to just 385 for the Cowboys. They held star running back Ollie Gordon to a mere 49 yards on 17 carries and even built a 21-7 lead at halftime. Yet, despite all of this, Arkansas couldn’t get out of its own way, and ultimately handed the game to the Cowboys. Three turnovers (including a costly pick-six), two missed field goals, ill-timed penalties, and twice failing to convert on fourth down in Oklahoma State territory left Razorback fans scratching their heads. It’s genuinely mind-blowing how Arkansas managed to lose this game and it all falls back to the coaching staff.

On the Oklahoma State side, my confidence in the Cowboys has been damaged despite the win. The receivers looked solid, but quarterback Alan Bowman left a lot to be desired. Though he threw for over 300 yards, it took 48 attempts, and his performance was anything but smooth. A few near interceptions and several missed throws nearly cost Oklahoma State multiple times, exposing an offense that struggles when the run game isn’t cooking. Defensively, the Cowboys were a mess—allowing 648 yards is unsustainable, and if this trend continues, Oklahoma State will find itself on the wrong side of many conference games.

Boise state-Oregon

After struggling against the lowly Idaho Vandals last week, all eyes were on Oregon to bounce back against Boise State. However, things didn’t go entirely as planned for the Ducks. While the offense appeared more explosive and quarterback Dillon Gabriel made some impressive downfield throws, issues with the offensive line and physicality persisted. Without two special teams return touchdowns, Boise State likely wins this game, leaving Oregon's vulnerabilities in plain sight.

One major concern was how Boise State’s defensive line pushed around Oregon’s front, sacking Gabriel four times and notching seven tackles for loss. The Broncos' dominance wasn’t limited to defense; they brought the same intensity on offense. Running back Ashton Jeanty proved once again why he’s one of the rare Group of Five players with a legitimate shot at the Heisman. Jeanty tore through Oregon’s defense, rushing for 192 yards and three touchdowns, building on his remarkable six-touchdown performance from last week. Overall, if Oregon wants to be considered a true national championship contender, they’ll need to shore up their issues in the trenches.