Powered Up: Week 2

This is a weekly article highlighting impressive team and player performances, presented in a short format for you to brush up on the college football landscape.

Big Results

Oregon 35 - 28 Ohio State

Dare I say the only important game of the week, it delivered as the best game, AND the most impactful. CJ Verdell decided it was his turn to run all over the Buckeyes, after we watched Mo Ibrahim of Minnesota do it last week, going for 161 yards and 2 TDs, with a 77 yard TD out of halftime being the highlight play of the day. Ohio State played from behind for the entirety of the game, and CJ Stroud just couldn't make up the defense's pitfalls with his own magic. This is not to say he was bad, he actually had a massive game with 484 yards and 3 TDs. The Buckeye defense (who struggled all game long) came up huge in the 4th, forcing multiple punts out of the Ducks, but it was a rough 3rd down interception that all but sealed it for Oregon. These two will be in the CFP conversation all year long. We've seen Ohio State lose early and still make the playoff before, they are by no means doomed. As for Oregon, this statement win gives them a ton of breathing room if they do drop a game to a Pac 12 foe.

Texas A&M 10 - 7 Colorado

Star Aggies RB Isaiah Spiller scored an 18 yard touchdown in the last few minutes to give A&M a win in a game they couldn't afford to lose. QB Haynes King was injured early, backup Zach Calzada had to step in. He did just barely enough, with a 49.9 QBR going 18/38 for 183 and a score. A defensive struggle game, Colorado gave the Pac-12 another sense of legitimacy, almost pulling even with the Aggies. Texas A&M is not the same team as last year after losing Kellen Mond, but if they're able to eek out more wins with a brutally loaded schedule, January football is on the table.

Washington 10 - 31 Michigan

This Washington team was not the marquee matchup that the Wolverines hoped for when scheduling. The Huskies were coming off a brutal home loss to Montana, and Michigan got to kick them while they're down. The game was tight and low scoring, until Michigan converted a fake punt attempt to give them a spark. The bright spots of the game were Michigan RBs Blake Corum and Hassan Haskins, who each carried the ball 20+ times for 150+ yards. Corum's 3 TDs were the big difference in the final outcome. Michigan has yet to be tested, they have handled business so far, and won't get tested until they take a trip to Madison. Upcoming schedule: v Northern Illinois, v Rutgers, @Wisconsin.

Toledo 29 - 32 Notre Dame

Notre Dame will lose very soon. After they snuck past an FSU team that just lost to Jacksonville State, the MACtion representatives of Toledo pushed the Irish to the wire. QB Jack Coan with a disgusting finger-dislocation/relocation before a game winning TD will go down in Notre Dame history, scoring with 1:09 on the clock while down 29-24. Toledo's opportunity for redemption was shut down via penalties and an unfortunate strip sack. Notre Dame hosts 2-0 Purdue, faces Wisconsin in Soldier Field, hosts Cincinnati, followed by a trip to Blacksburg vs the Hokies. This team is about to plummet if the last 2 weeks of results have told us anything.

Iowa 27 - 17 Iowa State

The Cy-Hawk Trophy stays with the Hawkeyes, in the first meeting between the two state rivals where both were ranked. Iowa's offense did just enough, but the defense's 4 turnovers that generated 20 points will be a deciding factor for most games. Iowa ended the dreams of two mediocre teams with a glimpse of success from 2020s chaotic season, and one can only expect more nightmares to come in Kinnick. Iowa State's trio of Breece Hall, Brock Purdy, and Charlie Kolar fell short. Matt Campbell and the Cyclones have disappointed this season, almost losing to Northern Iowa last week as well. They'll be out of the Top 25 quickly if they don't turn it around.

Texas 21 - 40 Arkansas

Good thing Texas is moving to the SEC to play bigger games against better opponents! Given an easy-on-paper matchup with Arkansas, the Longhorns got run all over by the Razorbacks. Rushing for 333 total yards, the Arkansas running back committee couldn't be stopped, with 4 separate players scoring a rushing touchdown. Arkansas looks to be a much improved team in 2021, one that will definitely cause some trouble among their fellow SEC West rivals.

Jacksonville State 20 - 17 Florida State

Florida State absolutely blew this game too, giving up a 60 yard touchdown as time expired on their home field. Jacksonville State pulls off an FCS-FBS upset, and maybe the ACC is just terrible. Florida State with two heartbreakers back-to-back.

USC 28 - 42 Stanford

The result of this game is more important than any summary. USC was one of the Pac-12 hopefuls this year, and a loss early to Stanford definitely ruins their payoff hopes. Quarterback Kedon Slovis is not as good as advertised, and I don't understand the NFL Draft buzz that he is getting. Committing 9 penalties for 100+ yards helps attribute to the loss, but credit must be given to QB Tanner McKee in his first college start, and Nathaniel Peat hitting an 87 yard run to open the scoring in the 1st quarter.

Big Picture

A relatively quiet Week 2 slate returned minimal results of value. Oregon established themselves as legitimate contenders with a gutsy road win vs Ohio State, all while down their best player in DE Kayvon Thibodeaux.

The Buckeyes loss opened the door for other Big Ten teams to make the playoffs. While the out-of-conference loss doesn't keep the Buckeyes from the Big Ten Championship game, a team able to top the Buckeyes and win 10 of their 11 other games can steal the bid from the former shoe-in. Teams like Penn State, Iowa, Michigan, Wisconsin, Michigan State all have a realistic shot to be the next Big Ten playoff representative. The Big Ten's depth and style of football provides a brutal schedule, I wouldn't expect any team to come out unbeaten.

None of the other contenders had any blemishes. Texas A&M battled adversity in a win over a good Colorado team, and Notre Dame's inevitable loss almost happened this week. Cincinnati couldn't get away from Murray State at first, but whooped them by the end.

The SEC elites are being challenged this upcoming week. Alabama has to travel to The Swamp to take on Florida, Georgia hosts South Carolina, and Auburn takes a trip north into Happy Valley for a Whiteout collision with Penn State.

The Heisman trophy is still wide open, nobody has a signature performance yet. Alabama QB Bryce Young would be the "favorite" as of now, but it's way too early to tell.

The Playoff starting today would definitely hold Alabama, Oregon, Georgia, and the 4th team is likely Oklahoma, but it's too early to tell. Lots of 2-0 teams with established backgrounds still loom, Iowa, Penn State, Texas A&M, Florida, Auburn, Ole Miss, South Carolina, UCLA, Kentucky, Mississippi State. Lots of football to be played.

The week 3 schedule is loaded, I hope you cleared your day for it!

Big Games Coming

All games in EST.

UCF @ Louisville, Friday 7:30 PM, ESPN

Nebraska @ Oklahoma, 12:00 PM, FOX

Cincinnati @ Indiana, 12:00 PM, ESPN

Alabama @ Florida, 3:30 PM, CBS

Mississippi State @ Memphis, 4:00 PM, ESPN2

South Carolina @ Georgia, 7:00 PM, ESPN

Auburn @ Penn State, 7:30 PM, ABC (This game is must-watch television, and I'll be there.)

Oklahoma State @ Boise State, 9:00 PM, FS1

Arizona State @ BYU, 10:15 PM, ESPN