College Football Week 2 starts on Thursday, Sep. 7 when the Oklahoma State Cowboys battle the South Alabama Jaguars. OKST looked great in their Week 1 win. Can they keep it going? I take a look at the Oklahoma State versus South Alabama match up as well as every big game in College Football Week 2.
Check it out!
2017 College Football Week 2 Preview
Thursday, Sept. 7
11 Oklahoma State -28 at South Alabama +28
Oklahoma State pummeled Tulsa 59 to 24 as a -19.5 home favorite in Week 1. QB Mason Rudolph was fantastic. He completed 83.3% of his passes, and threw 3 TDs. He threw for 303 yards. I like OKST to keep the good times rolling. The Cowboys might be the best team in the Big 12. They should cover the spread.
Pick: Oklahoma State -28
Saturday, Sept. 9
Cincinnati +34.5 at 9 Michigan +34.5
Michigan did beat Florida 33 to 17 as a -4.5 favorite in Week 1. The victory was impressive. But, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. The Wolverines spanked a Florida team that was missing 10 players. Florida Coach Jim McElwain had suspended 10 players for the game versus the Wolverines.
Michigan QB Wilson Speight threw 2 pick sixes. He only completed 44% of his passes. The win over Florida was nice, but it wasn’t an indication that Michigan could cover a -34.5 spread against Cincinnati. That’s a lot of points to give to a Bearcats squad that’s much better than what they showed in Week 1.
Cincinnati is 7-3-1 ATS in their last 11 after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game. Michigan is 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games following an against the spread win.
I’m taking the points.
Pick: Cincinnati +34.5
Florida Atlantic +31.5 at 10 Wisconsin -31.5
The Owls lost 19 to 42 to Navy in their first game of the season. FAU shouldn’t have been on the same field as the Midshipmen. Things could get worse for FAU against the Wisconsin Badgers in Week 2.
Wisconsin was brilliant when trouncing Utah State 59 to 10 in their first game. Badgers QB Alex Hornibrook completed 65% of his passes. That’s not bad. Hornibrook also threw 3 TD passes. The fact that Wisconsin’s rushing offense blasted Utah State for 234 yards, means the Owls don’t have much of shot of keeping this one close.
Laying the 31.5 makes sense.
Pick: Wisconsin -31.5
17 Louisville -10 at North Carolina +10
Louisville was favored by 25.5 points to put a serious beating onto Purdue in Week 1. The Cardinals were all out to just beat Purdue by 7 points, 35 to 28. Louisville’s offense looks decent. The defense is a mess.
I believe the Cardinals might be in some trouble this Saturday. North Carolina lost 30 to 35 to California in their first game. California isn’t a bad team. NC can stick with Louisville on the scoreboard. I’m taking the 10 points on the home dog.
Pick: North Carolina +10
Charlotte +36.5 at 19 Kansas State -36.5
Kansas State QB Jessee Ertz was ultra-impressive in K-State’s Week 1 win over some school named CARK. Ertz threw for 33 yards. He tossed 4 TD passes. But, Charlotte is an actual school with an actual football program.
The 49’ers shouldn’t pull a Liberty and beat Kansas State straight up. The 49’ers will, though, keep it closer than 36.5 points.
Pick: Charlotte +36.5
East Carolina +24 at 20 West Virginia -24
West Virginia failed to cover the spread as a +5 dog versus Virginia Tech on the road in Week 1. The Mountaineers played well, though. That’s why they’re huge favorites over the East Carolina Pirates. Can West Virginia beat East Carolina by 3 touchdowns, 3 extra points, and a field goal?
Based on how East Carolina played in their first game of the season, yes, the Mountaineers can. While West Virginia battled the VA Tech Hokies in Blacksburg, one of the toughest places to play college football, East Carolina lost to James Madison 14 to 34 as a 1 point favorite.
Losing to James Madison is ridiculous. Losing by 20 to James Madison is super ridiculous. The Mountaineers roll.
Pick: West Virginia -24
21 South Florida -17.5 at Connecticut +17.5
Ranked South Florida already has 2 wins on the season. The Bulls beat San Jose State 42 to 22 on August 26. On September 2, South Florida beat Stony Brook 31 to 17. The Bulls failed to cover in both games. South Florida was a -21 favorite over San Jose State. They were a -35 favorite over Stony Brook.
Will South Florida make it 3 straight up wins to go along with 3 losses ATS in a row on Saturday? I believe they will. I’m backing the Huskies against the spread.
Pick: Connecticut +17.5
Pittsburgh +20.5 at 6 Penn State -20.5
This might be my pick of the week. I understand that it was Akron whom Penn State throttled 52 to 0 in Week 1. I also know that Pittsburgh beat the Nittany Lions 42 to 39 last season. But, Penn State returns way too many experienced players on a terrific defense to go along with Saquon Barkley, who rushed for 172 yards on only 14 carries against Akron, and QB Trace McSorley on offense.
I like the Lions to take it to Pittsburgh big time in this game. Pitt only beat Youngstown State 28 to 21 as a -13 favorite in Week 1. Penn State rolls.
Pick: Penn State -20.5
18 Miami -14.5 at Arkansas State +14.5
Arkansas State is a decent football team. The Red Wolves lost by only 9 points, 36 to 43, to Nebraska in Lincoln in Week 1. Nebraska was favored by 14. Could the Red Wolves play the Miami Hurricanes tough in Week 2?
Miami appears to be one of the better teams in the ACC. The Canes did dominate Bethune-Cookman 41 to 13 in their first game of the season. But, Miami was a -50 favorite over Bethune-Cookman.
I believe Miami is in tough on Saturday. Arkansas State figures to have some success passing the football. If Miami allows Arkansas State QB Justice Hansen to get into a rhythmn, this game’s going to be much closer than most football handicappers believe it will be.
Pick: Arkansas State +14.5
Fresno State +43.5 at 1 Alabama -43.5
Alabama is easily the best team in the nation after they pummeled then 3-ranked Florida State 24 to 7. Bama just wore down FSU’s defense. That appears to be Bama’s strategy on offense this season: use the rushing attack to set up play-action passing.
That should be the case in this game versus Fresno State on Sep. 9. I believe Alabama blows out Fresno State. I don’t believe they blow them out by more than 42 points. I’ll take FRNST to get the job done against the spread.
Pick: Fresno State +43.5
Nebraska +13.5 at Oregon -13.5
Nebraska had trouble covering a spread versus Arkansas State. Oregon played much better defense than they have in recent years when shellacking Southern Utah University 77 to 21. Which team gets the nod in this game in Week 2?
I like Oregon. If the Ducks play even a quarter better on defense this season from last season, they should beat the Cornhuskers by close to 21 points. Nebraska’s offense can’t keep up with Oregon’s while Nebraska’s defense had trouble stopping Arkansas State.
The Huskers get Ducked in this one.
Pick: Oregon -13.5
UL-Monroe +32.5 at Florida State -32.5
Sure, UL-Monroe lost 29 to 37 to Memphis on August 31. No worries. UL-Monroe was supposed to lose by at least 27 points. The Warhawks aren’t a bad football team.
That should make it tough for Florida State to cover a ridiculous -32.5 spread. The Seminoles might be close to 33 points better than UL-Monroe if they were at 100%. The Seminoles aren’t at 100%. FSU lost QB Deondre Francois for the season.
I’m taking the points in this match up.
Pick: UL-Monroe +32.5
Auburn +6 at Clemson -6
The Auburn Tigers played Clemson perilously close last season. Auburn only lost by 6, 13 to 19. Could the Auburn Tigers play the Clemson Tigers close again this season? I don’t think so. Sure, Auburn faced QB DeShaun Watson last season, and won’t face him this season.
But, Clemson gets Auburn at home in Death Valley. It’s difficult seeing Auburn not losing this game by at least 10 points. Clemson looked like a machine in their 56 to 3 win over Kent State in Week 1. Auburn dominated Georgia Southern. But, again, Clemson is difficult to do much against at home.
Pick: Clemson -6
Oklahoma +7.5 at Ohio State -7.5
Ohio State entered halftime of their blowout win over Indiana in Week 1 behind a point. The Buckeyes ended up spanking the Hoosiers 49 to 21. Ohio State must now contend with Oklahoma.
I believe Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield is one of the best, if not the best, in college football. I believe Mayfield is the difference in this game. He should do plenty to keep Ohio State’s offense chasing Oklahoma’s on the scoreboard all afternoon.
I’m going with the Sooners to pull off the money line upset.
Pick: Oklahoma money line
Stanford +7 at USC -7
USC pulled away from Western Michigan on September 2 to win 49 to 31. Stanford beat Rice 62 to 7. I don’t understand why Stanford is a 7 point dog. I like the Cardinal to beat USC straight up. The main reason is because USC’s offensive line hasn’t gelled. USC’s center kept hiking footballs above QB Sam Darnold’s head.
If USC pulls those shenanigans against Stanford, the Cardinal will easily win.
Pick: Stanford money line
Utah +1.5 at BYU -1.5
BYU looked terrible in their 0 to 27 loss to LSU in their second game of the season. On August 26, the Cougars beat Portland State 20 to 6 as a -35 favorite. It could be that BYU steps it up in Provo in Week 2. Or, it could be that BYU just isn’t a very good football team.
I’m going with the latter. Utah beats the Cougars by at least a field goal.
Pick: Utah money line
Boise State +10 at Washington State -10
Yeah, so for the first time in a long time Boise State doesn’t look like one of the better non-Big 5 Conference Teams in the nation. The Broncos only beat Troy 24 to 13.
Washington State should have no trouble trouncing Boise State in this game based on Boise’s performance versus Troy. I think the Cougars win by over 20 points. Washington State QB Luke Falk is the real deal. He’ll have Boise’s defense on its heels all night long.
Pick: Washington State -10