Headlined by No. 3 Texas at No. 10 Michigan, college football Week 2 slate should feature plenty of drama. But several other games could keep fans glued to their tablets, phones and TVs.
Here are four underrated games:
Arkansas vs. No. 16 Oklahoma State
Oklahoma State's College Football Playoff quest begins against SEC foe Arkansas. Because of a dismal 4-8 season for the Razorbacks last year, head coach Sam Pittman is desperate to turn the temperature down on his seat.
"I'm popular now, just the wrong way ... I'm hot," Pittman admitted at SEC media day in July.
Despite the No. 16 Cowboys boasting Heisman candidate Ollie Gordon II, Arkansas held Pine Bluff to just 7 yards rushing in Week 1. Arkansas leads the all-time series 30-15-1, so this could turn into a classic in Stillwater.
No. 23 Georgia Tech vs. Syracuse
Saturday will be Georgia Tech's first opportunity to prove its win over a seriously overrated Florida State squad was not just the luck of the Irish. The Yellow Jackets are 2-0 for the first time since 2016 and ranked for the first time since 2015.
"If you wanna play 15 games in a season, you better not be peaking at Week 1 or 2," head coach Brent Key said Tuesday. "No one really cares what you do in September. People care what you do as the season goes on. You’ve gotta continue to build and get stronger as a football team."
A win over Syracuse would lend serious legitimacy to Georgia Tech's ranking. On the other hand, the Orange's schedule past this point offers a potential 9-0 start in a weak ACC. So, a win at home against a ranked team would make them a true dark horse to try and challenge No. 12 Miami for the conference crown.
Iowa State vs. No. 21 Iowa
This rivalry game, which hands out the Cy-Hawk Trophy to the winner, was first played in 1894 with Iowa leading the series 47-23. Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht will be looking for redemption after throwing a game-clinching pick-six in last year's 20-13 loss to the Hawkeyes.
"I wasn't down on myself ... because I know I'm better than that," Becht told Cyclone Fanatic's Rob Gray. "We love this matchup. It’s gonna show who we really are."
Iowa dropped 41 points on FCS Illinois State in Week 1, but expect the Cyclones to put up a much tougher fight on Saturday after holding North Dakota to just three points in their season opener.
Mississippi State vs. Arizona State
Arizona State has never beaten an SEC team in program history with its last attempt coming in 2015 when it fell 38-17 to Texas A&M. After dropping 48 points on Wyoming in Week 1, Mississippi State will offer stiffer competition. However, Sun Devil head coach Kenny Dillingham hopes the heat and a potential record-setting student attendance in Tempe, Ariz., could prove too much for the Bulldogs.
"I want to have more students that’s ever been at a game," said Dillingham, per azcentral.com. "Let’s make this the best environment in college football this weekend."
Mississippi State quarterback Blake Shapen has thrown a touchdown pass in 12 straight games going back to his time with Baylor. That streak could be in danger against ASU's defense which had a pick-six in Week 1.
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The Oregon Ducks got a big-time commitment from five-star interior offensive lineman Immanuel Iheanacho on July 3. Iheanacho is the second-best recruit in his home state (Maryland) and the best interior offensive lineman recruit in the country, per 247Sports composite rankings. He is also the eighth overall recruit in the nation, regardless of position. Despite committing to the Ducks in July, Iheanacho is set to take some visits to other schools this fall. According to On3/Rivals' Steve Wiltfong, the Auburn Tigers are going to keep pushing for Iheanacho, and he wouldn't be surprised to see Iheanacho commit inside the Tigers' stadium this fall. "Chad Simmons reported this week that five-star Oregon offensive tackle commit Immanuel Iheanacho plans on taking visits this fall to LSU, Penn State, and Maryland. I know he has remained in contact with Auburn, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Iheanacho commit inside Jordan-Hare Stadium at some point this fall. LSU was the runner-up on July 3, but Iheanacho did put a keen eye on the Tigers during his original recruitment, and they will keep pushing," Wiltfong wrote, via On3/Rivals. Iheanacho would be a massive get for the Tigers and especially head coach Hugh Freeze. This is a big season for him since his first two years at the helm have been up-and-down. Freeze has a combined 11-14 record going into his third season as head coach. The Tigers will open the 2025 college football season on August 29 against the Baylor Bears. Kickoff will be at 8 p.m. ET.
The first week of the 2025 NFL preseason is officially in the books. Even though the games and results do not matter, there is still reason to pay attention to standout performances from around the league. Here are some of the best from this week's games. TreVeyon Henderson, RB, New England Patriots The Patriots need some game-changers on offense, and they may have found one in second-round pick TreVeyon Henderson. Henderson put on an immediate show in the Patriots' preseason opener, returning the opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown, rushing for 18 yards on his only carry and catching three passes. Skylar Thompson, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers Thompson is not likely to make the Steelers roster, but that doesn't mean he can't find a spot on another team. Especially if he puts together a strong preseason performance. He did exactly that on Saturday night against the Jacksonville Jaguars, completing 20-of-28 passes for 233 yards and three touchdowns. With Aaron Rodgers unlikely to play in the preseason and Will Howard injured, Thompson should get plenty of reps to audition for other teams. Tanner McKee, QB, Philadelphia Eagles Following the offseason trade of Kenny Pickett, McKee is now pretty much cemented in as the Eagles' backup, and he had to give them a lot of confidence in his ability following his preseason performance against the Bengals. McKee torched the Bengals defense to the tune of 20-of-25 passing for 252 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions. It is a nice continuation for McKee following his promising debut a year ago when he threw for 323 yards, four touchdowns and zero interceptions in his two appearances. Blake Corum, RB, Los Angeles Rams The Rams already have a starting running back in Kyren Williams, but there is nothing wrong with having a second productive player at the position. Corum didn't make the expected impact in his rookie season, but he had a promising preseason debut this year with two touchdowns in the first quarter against the Dallas Cowboys. Rookie quarterbacks Cleveland's Shedeur Sanders got the week off to a promising start by throwing two touchdowns against Carolina, taking a big step forward in his quest to win the team's starting quarterback job and to silence the critics following his slide in the draft. Jaxson Dart, one of the Giants' first-round picks, also had a strong showing by going 12-of-19 with 154 yards and a very impressive touchdown pass. Tennessee Titans rookie quarterback Cam Ward, the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, also had a strong debut by leading a touchdown drive and developing an instant connection with veteran wide receiver Calvin Ridley. Abdul Carter, DE, New York Giants Carter did not play a ton of snaps for the Giants, but he was a force when he did play. He recorded a quarterback pressure on all three of his pass-rush snaps and showed the type of quickness and speed that made him one of the best players in the 2025 NFL Draft class. Cam Little, K, Jacksonville Jaguars Look, when you kick a 70-yard field goal, you deserve to get some added recognition, whether it counts as an official league record or not. Little made all four field goal attempts, as well as an extra point, in the Jaguars' preseason debut.
20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer will return to the tennis court to play one more match at this year’s Shanghai Masters. Federer, who celebrated his 44th birthday on Friday, played his final match on the professional scene in September 2022 at the Laver Cup. It was an emotionally intoxicating doubles match in which Federer reunited with his great rival, Rafael Nadal. Roger Federer Announces Tennis Return Three years on from his retirement, Federer plans to grace the courts in Shanghai to play a celebrity doubles match. The tournament confirmed on X that the legendary Swiss will return to China at the start of October, when this year’s edition will be up and running. “Roger Federer is coming back to Shanghai. Join us on October 10th for the @rogerfederer and Friends Celebrity Doubles Match!” The tournament relayed the news. While the full schedule of who Federer will partner or play with is unknown for now, that match will take place two days before the singles final of the 2025 Shanghai Masters. In a short video announcing his return for one more doubles match, the two-time Shanghai champion said, “Hello, this is Roger. I’m really happy to be returning to the Qizhong Stadium in Shanghai for the Rolex Shanghai Masters. Shanghai has always been a special place for me, with great fans and unforgettable memories, and a real love for the game. I look forward to seeing you there on October 10th. Shanghai, let’s meet.” Why Shanghai? Shanghai is the penultimate Masters 1000 on the calendar and has previously been voted as the best ATP tournament of the year by players. The tournament represents some of the world’s best brands, including Rolex, which is its title sponsor. The Swiss watchmaker company is one of Federer’s most valuable sponsors. Federer has endorsed Rolex since 2001, and that partnership continues to grow stronger post-retirement. Federer has visited Shanghai in each of the last two years and has toured the Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena, which serves as the main court in the tournament. In 2023, he was presented with the Icon Athlete Award by the tournament in honor of his illustrious career in front of a packed stadium. And last year, Federer watched on from the stands as Jannik Sinner defeated one of his former rivals, Novak Djokovic, in the final.
The Dallas Cowboys have not been able to come to an agreement with Micah Parsons on a long-term contract extension, but that does not mean the team has any plans to shop the star pass-rusher in trade talks. Parsons, who is making just over $24M in the final year of his rookie contract this season, publicly requested a trade from the Cowboys on Aug. 1. There have now been questions about whether he will report to work before Week 1. While Parsons has refused to practice in training camp, he traveled to Los Angeles with the Cowboys for their preseason game against the Rams on Saturday night. Before kickoff, Dallas executive vice president Stephen Jones said he was pleased with Parsons' decision to join the team. Jones also said the Cowboys "have no intention of trading Micah." It is a positive sign for the Cowboys that Parsons chose to be on the sideline for Saturday's exhibition game. The 26-year-old has also been with his teammates at training camp, though he has not been practicing. From a contractual standpoint, Parsons has very little leverage. He would have to forfeit game checks if he were to skip regular-season games, and his contract would eventually toll and carry over into 2026 if he were to sit out long enough. The Cowboys also still have the franchise tag available to use on Parsons in both 2026 and 2027. All Parsons can do is create a headache for the Cowboys, which has been a successful strategy for many players in the past. For what it's worth, a different Dallas star who had a contract standoff with the team last year believes the situation will eventually be resolved. Jones and his father, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, have made it clear that they will not entertain trade offers at this time. Parsons had 12 sacks in 13 games last season, so there is no question the team is better with him on the field. He has 52.5 sacks in 63 career games and is arguably the best pass-rusher in the NFL when healthy.