College football games of note: Week 2

Week 1 of college football has come and gone, revealing some teams' true colors but also confirming things we already knew to be true. We learned that Nick Saban doesn’t like to take sides, LSU’s Mardi Gras chain glitters brighter than Miami’s turnover chain, Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray is athletic AF and Stanford has the ability to survive if Bryce Love rushes for only 29 yards. Virginia Tech’s defense is better than we thought, the Longhorn’s is worse and Washington may have been ranked a little too high, given the level of competition at the top. But we really shouldn’t read too much into Week 1, so let's look ahead to Week 2. 

Here are games of note for this weekend.

Colorado at Nebraska — There's a lot of anticipation surrounding this game, not just because of the revitalized rivalry but also due to the fact that we haven’t seen Scott Frost’s Huskers play yet. Nebraska’s first game, against Akron, was canceled due to heavy rain and lightning. Colorado, however, is coming off a 45-13 win over Colorado State. So which is better: a week’s worth of film or actual game experience? Time will tell. Both teams boast similar spread offenses and 3-4 defenses, which will aid Nebraska in preparation. But the youth on the Huskers' roster favors the Buffs, who held the Rams to just 13 points and made solid adjustments throughout their first game. The Buffs would rather be dead than red as this century-old rivalry is reignited.

Iowa State at Iowa — Another team that didn’t get to see action in Week 1 was Iowa State, whose season opener against South Dakota State was canceled due to lightning. The Hawkeyes, on the other hand, defeated Northern Illinois 33-7 with an impressive second-half effort. Iowa’s defense is strong up front and boasts a lot of length, which will be a challenge for Cyclones sixth-year senior quarterback, Kyle Kempt, in his first and only start against Iowa. Both teams are coming off eight-win seasons and bowl victories, and both have potential to outkick that coverage this season. The Super Bowl of the state is for bragging rights only though, and both teams need to escape the game unscathed for impending conference play.

No. 13 Penn State at Pitt — Here we have another in-state rivalry of epic proportions. The Nittany Lions outlasted Appalachian State 45-38 in overtime — not exactly an opening game that instills confidence, despite the perseverance factor. The Panthers handily defeated Albany 33-7, scoring 19 unanswered points to start the game. Last year, Penn State beat Pitt 33-14. The Panthers are a better team than they were last year, despite still committing costly turnovers, and this year’s Nittany Lions aren’t as good as last season’s despite boasting a Heisman favorite QB in Trace McSorley. Penn State’s defense allowed 28 points and 266 yards in the fourth quarter of its game against App State, and that inexperience will pose a problem against a more formidable Pittsburgh team.

No. 17 USC at No. 10 Stanford — It’s a Pac-12 North vs. Pac-12 South showdown of championship proportions, and we don’t even have to wait until December. Stanford has beaten USC six of the last eight times the two teams have met, but the Trojans defeated the Cardinal twice last year. Stanford is favored because the game is at home and because people were dazzled by K.J. and JJ (Costello and Arcega-Whiteside, respectively) who connected for 226 yards worth of catches and three touchdowns. USC hasn’t won in Palo Alto since 2014, but watch true freshman QB JT Daniels catch stride after an impressive second half against UNLV last weekend. But the Trojans also gave up 308 yards on the ground in that game, which bodes well for the return of Stanford running back Bryce Love. Should be a fun one on the Farm.

No. 21 Michigan State at Arizona State — The Sun Devils handled their business against Texas-San Antonio with a 49-7 victory, ushering in the Herm Edwards era with a bang. Michigan State’s 38-31 win over Utah State was more of a slow burn. The Spartans committed too many turners, something the Sun Devils can certainly capitalize on. Michigan State may have more experience and less of a learning curve, but ASU hit the ground running, hard — the defense recorded 10 sacks against UTSA, and senior quarterback Manny Wilkins threw four touchdowns, two to wide receiver N’Keal Harry, while running back Eno Benjamin ran for 131 yards and two touchdowns. Most people will be riding the Big Ten train in this game, understandably, but don’t sleep on this sneaky Herm Edwards squad.