After an opening weekend that gave us a few upsets but many predictable wins, what could Week 2 of the 2024 College Football season bring us? With only one place to start, how did the Texas Longhorns, Nothern Illinois Huskies, and Oklahoma State Cowboys, among others, fare?
A Big Win at the Big House for Texas
The number three-ranked Texas Longhorns are one of the favorites to win the national championship this year. After a successful 2023 season, during which they won their final Big 12 Championship before moving to the SEC, the Longhorns were able to develop a strong side for the future. They faced the defending national champions, the number ten-ranked Michigan Wolverines, at “The Big House,” in one of the season’s biggest games.
The Longhorns started very strong, with quarterback Quinn Ewers able to drive down to the field, scoring a TD on the game’s opening drive. Except, there was a holding penalty on the play against Texas, stripping that score from the board.
They would be forced to take a field goal attempt, where we would see a rare miss from Longhorns’ kicker Bert Auburn. However, the following two drives were successful for Texas, with Ewers finding Gunner Helm for a 21-yard score, and then Jerrick Gibson found the endzone for a 7-yard rushing TD.
Between these two scores, a struggling Wolverines offense scored a field goal. However, this would only temporarily relieve the struggles, as Michigan quarterback Davis Warren was intercepted on their next drive. The resulting Texas possession resulted in a successful field goal.
Michigan made another mistake on their next drive, with tight end Colston Loveland fumbling the ball, which the Longhorns scooped up. Texas’s following drive ended in another TD, and the Longhorns took a 24-3 lead at the half.
If the Wolverines were to win this game, they would need an incredible comeback in the second half. Unfortunately, a 52-yard field goal on their second drive of the half would not be what they wanted, especially when Ewers found Jaydon Blue for a 7-yard TD on the game’s next drive. This all but sealed the victory for Texas.
At the end of the game, Michigan had some luck, with Warren finding Semaj Morgan for a 31-yard touchdown. For some reason, the Wolverines attempted a two-point conversion, which failed. Ultimately, it would only be considered a consolation score, as the Texas Longhorns easily defeated the Michigan Wolverines 31-12.
For Texas, this is exactly what they wanted to happen. The team dominated on all sides of the ball and showed that they could compete with some of the best teams in College Football. Special mention needs to be given to Quinn Ewers. He went 24/36, throwing for 246 yards and scoring three touchdowns. This performance should put him into the conversation for the Heisman Trophy this year and as the number-one pick of the 2025 NFL draft.
Embed from Getty ImagesIt went all wrong for the Wolverines, and it shows us just how reliant they were on McCarthy and Corum last year. This was their first defeat since their 2022 Fiesta Bowl loss to the TCU Horned Frogs and the first in the regular season since 2021 when they lost to the Michigan State Spartans.
Next week, Texas faces the UTSA Roadrunners, while Michigan faces Arkansas State.
An upset that will never be forgotten
The meeting between the number five-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Northern Illinois Huskies was a game on nobody’s radar. Both teams had won their opening games last week, and everyone expected that the powerhouse that is Notre Dame Football would easily handle the team from the Mid-American Conference.
The match started as planned, with Notre Dame scoring on the game’s opening drive. This came from Fighting Irish QB Riley Leonard, who ran it into the endzone for an 11-yard TD. However, what people did not expect was for the Huskies to come back as quickly as they did.
On a drive that started from their two-yard line, the Northern Illinois offense took the ball to their 17-yard line. From here, Huskies quarterback Ethan Hampton threw an 83-yard touchdown pass to Antario Brown to tie the score. Then, the Huskies would take the lead with a 42-yard field goal.
Notre Dame would try to reply, but Leonard’s pass would be intercepted. This mistake proved costly for the Fighting Irish, as Northern Illinois would score another field goal. But, they could have done much better, having been down at the Irish’s 4-yard line. However, they would have the lead at the break.
The Huskies tried to extend this surprise lead at the beginning of the second half, but Woodill missed from 53 yards. In reply to this, the Notre Dame offense finally woke up. From the Huskies’ 34-yard line, running back Jeremiyah Love found the endzone for a 34-yard rushing touchdown to give the Fighting Irish the lead back.
Embed from Getty ImagesFor most of the second half, both sides would struggle to do anything on offense. However, this is exactly what Notre Dame wanted, as Northern Illinois was not scoring. Then, on the Fighting Irish’s 49-yard line with six minutes left, a play would happen that would change the game and affect a team’s whole season.
Riley Leonard was intercepted, and the Huskies’ defense would return the ball to the 50-yard line. They would then slowly advance down the field to the Notre Dame 19-yard line. From here, Kanon Woodill was given a 35-yard field goal attempt to hand the lead back to Northern Illinois. He was successful with this kick, and with 31 seconds left on the clock, Notre Dame would need a fast-moving drive to get them into field goal territory to hand them one attempt to avoid a massive upset.
Leonard struggled to move the ball far in this drive, forcing Fighting Irish kicker Mitch Jeter to make a 62-yard field goal. This would be the longest kick in his career. His kick was blocked by Cade Haberman, and the Northern Illinois Huskies had delivered one of the biggest upsets in College Football, defeating the number five ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish 16-14.
Nobody expected this. This is the biggest win in the history of the Northern Illinois program, which came into the game as a 28-point underdog. This victory is all on them, as they outperformed Notre Dame.
Embed from Getty ImagesComing into the season, fans had concerns over Riley Leonard. He wasn’t the best at Duke, and his performance in this game (20-32, 163 yards 1 TD, 2 Interceptions) shows he has not improved as much with the Fighting Irish. As for their chances to make the playoffs, one-loss teams will make the playoffs. However, one-loss teams where the loss is against an unranked team from the MAC are likely to struggle to make it.
Next week, Northern Illinois opens its MAC campaign against the Buffalo Bulls, while Notre Dame hopes things will improve against state rivals Purdue.
Overtime for Oklahoma State
The number 16 ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys made the Big 12 championship game last season, where the Texas Longhorns defeated them. Most of this team, including quarterback Alan Bowman and running back Ollie Gordon, have returned to Stillwater, OK. Now, in a conference without Texas, they are one of the stronger teams, can return to the championship game, and even have a spot in the CFP. This week, they face the SEC side, the Arkansas Razorbacks, who had a poor season last year and will want to improve their 4-8 record.
While the Cowboys started their opening drive strong, Arkansas was able to get the first score of the game from a drive of their own. This came from a 5-yard rushing TD from Ja’Quinden Jackson. The Razorbacks would increase their lead on their next drive, as Jackson would again find the end zone from five yards out.
However, Arkansas was unable to make it a score on three consecutive drives. Razorbacks’ QB Taylen Green brought his offense down to the Cowboys’ 29-yard line. From here, Green’s pass was intercepted by Kale Smith, who returned the ball to the endzone for a 73-yard pick-six to put Oklahoma State on the board.
But this smaller lead did not last long. A couple of drives later, Jackson would again find the endzone. His third TD of the half came from 11 yards out, giving Arkansas a 21-7 lead at halftime.
Embed from Getty ImagesOklahoma State needed to start the second half strong if they would stay in this game and avoid a shock upset. They got some points on the board in their first drive of the half. This came from a 45-yard field goal from kicker Logan Ward, which put a small dent in the Razorbacks’ lead.
On the game’s next drive, the usually reliable Ja’Quinden Jackson fumbled the ball, which was then scooped up by the Cowboys’ defense. They were again able to get some points from this drive, Ward kicking a 35-yard field goal.
Arkansas had an eight-point lead going into the final quarter, and the Cowboys could not afford any mistakes or poor drives. This is exactly what they did to begin the half, but there was a happy ending for them. Oklahoma State punted the ball to the Razorbacks, with the receiver fumbling the ball on the return. The Cowboys then scooped it up at the 25-yard line, putting them in a strong position for a score to tie the game.
Bowman could move the offense down to the Razorbacks’ 7-yard line, and from here, he found Brennan Presley for the 7-yard TD pass. This pair with a successful two-point conversion meant that the scores were all tied with nine minutes left on the clock.
The teams would then trade TDs before a successful field goal from Logan Ward gave Oklahoma State a three-point lead with less than a minute to do. The Razorbacks needed to score to stay in the game. With time running out, Arkansas kicker Kyle Ramsey was successful with a 45-yard field goal, meaning that we were going to overtime.
In the first period of OT, both teams missed field goal attempts. In the second period, Ollie Gordan scored a 12-yard rushing TD to give the Cowboys the lead. The Razorbacks had to reply but could not, meaning Oklahoma State held on for a 39-31 victory.
Embed from Getty ImagesThis was a tight game where either team could have easily won. I believe that Arkansas, despite losing, would benefit more from its performance than Oklahoma State would. They were not expected to be able to compete with the Cowboys, so taking them to double OT periods would be seen as a minor win for them.
Next week, Oklahoma State faces Tulsa, while Arkansas plays UAB.
What happened to the other ranked Teams?
Tennessee Tech @ #1 Georgia
The number one-ranked Georgia Bulldogs continued their strong start to the season. After last week’s convincing victory over the ranked Clemson Tigers, they had an easier test against the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles, who were playing their backup QB. The Bulldogs easily defeated the Golden Eagles, with Bulldogs QB Carson Beck scoring five TDs in the 48-3 victory.
Western Michigan @ #2 Ohio State
The number two-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes faced the Western Michigan Broncos in another easy game for the national championship contenders. Former Ole Miss running back Quinshon Judkins scored two touchdowns as the Buckeyes easily defeated the Broncos 56-0.
South Florida @ #4 Alabama
The number four-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide faced the South Florida Bulls in the second game of the Kalen DeBoer era. Similarly to the meeting between these teams from last season, it was a close game, and there was a chance that we would see another one in a weekend of upsets. That was until the fourth quarter, when Alabama scored four TDs, giving them a 42-16 victory.
Middle Tennessee @ #6 Ole Miss
The number six ranked Ole Miss Rebels faced the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders this week in another easy game for Lane Kiffin’s team. Rebels running back Henry Parrish Jr ran for 165 yards and scored four touchdowns in the 52-3 victory.
Embed from Getty ImagesBoise State @ #7 Oregon
Last weekend, the number 7 ranked Oregon Ducks struggled in their victory. I said they would fall in the rankings, and I was right, going from number 3 to number 7. They faced the Boise State Broncos this weekend, and the same thing happened. It took a game-winning field goal from Ducks’ kicker Atticus Sappington to give them a slim 37-34 victory. If they are struggling against these teams, the Ducks do not have a chance against the SEC or Ohio State.
Bowling Green @ #8 Penn State
The number eight-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions did not have it against the Bowling Green Falcons. At halftime, the Falcons had a four-point lead, but two second-half touchdowns from Nicholas Singleton helped Penn State to a narrow 34-27 victory over Bowling Green.
Buffalo @ #9 Missouri
The number 9 ranked Missouri Tigers, led by quarterback Brady Cook, are becoming known for their strong offense. The Tigers’ game against the Buffalo Bulls was another example of this. Missouri scored five rushing TDs in their 38-0 victory, meaning that they have scored 89 points this season so far and conceded none.
Baylor @ #11 Utah
Last week, we saw the return of Cam Rising. This week, he did not last long in the number 11-ranked Utah Utes game against the Baylor Bears. Rising had a successful first half, scoring two touchdowns, but near the end of the half, he injured his throwing hand. He would later be seen in street clothes, out of the game. Luckily, his injury was reported to be not that serious, and Utah held on for a 23-12 victory over the Bears.
Florida A&M @ #12 Miami
After destroying one Florida team last week, the number 12 ranked Miami Hurricanes faced the Florida A&M Rattlers. Hurricanes’ QB Cam Ward had another strong day, throwing for 304 yards and scoring three touchdowns as the ‘Canes cruised to a 56-9 victory. Two Florida teams down, two to go (South Florida and Florida State)
Utah State @ #13 USC
After their last-second victory over the LSU Tigers last weekend, the 13-ranked USC Trojans faced the Utah State Aggies. This game was a lot easier than last week’s. USC running back Quinten Joyner scored two touchdowns as the Trojans defeated the Aggies 48-0.
#14 Tennessee @ #24 NC State
In what could have been a close game, the number 14-ranked Tennessee Volunteers faced the number 24-ranked NC State Wolfpack. In reality, this game was a blowout. Tennessee dominated the Wolfpack, with QB Nico Iamaleava going 16-23, throwing for 211 yards and scoring 2 TDs in the Volunteers’ 51-10 victory.
Embed from Getty ImagesHouston @ #15 Oklahoma
The 15th-ranked Oklahoma Sooners faced the Houston Cougars in a game last year between two Big 12 teams. Despite now being an SEC team, the Sooners are still playing like a Big 12 team. It was a very close game, albeit low-scoring. Oklahoma held on for a 16-12 victory.
#17 Kansas State @ Tulane
The 17th-ranked Kansas State Wildcats faced the Tulane Green Wave in a back-and-forth affair. The scores were tied with 11 minutes to go in the fourth quarter. But a late fumble return touchdown from Jack Fabris gave the Wildcats a 34-27 victory.
Nicholls @ #18 LSU
The number 18 ranked LSU Tigers needed a big win against the Nicholls Colonels to avenge their last-second loss to the USC Trojans last weekend. This is what they were able to do, with Tigers’ QB Garrett Nussmier scoring six TDs in the 44-21 victory. However, LSU should be concerned about their defense. A ranked SEC program should not concede 21 points against an FCS program.
#19 Kansas @ Illinois
The number 9 ranked Kansas Jayhawks faced the Illinois Fighting Illini, who were wearing their throwback helmets. For the first three quarters, the Jayhawks were winning. Unfortunately, this sport is four quarters. In the final quarter, the Fighting Illini scored ten unanswered points to defeat the Jawhawks 23-17.
Embed from Getty ImagesNorthern Arizona @ #20 Arizona
The number 20-ranked Arizona Wildcats faced the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks. While they were not as dominant as last week, the Wildcats won easily, 22-10.
Iowa State @ #21 Iowa
It was the battle of Iowa this weekend as the number 21 ranked Iowa Hawkeyes faced the Iowa State Cyclones. Last week, the Hawkeyes suddenly developed an offense, and we saw it again during the first half of this game. But, by the second half, it has disappeared into a cornfield. The Cyclones came back, and Cyclones kicker Kyle Konrady would score the game-winning 54-yard field to give Iowa State a 20-19 victory over Iowa.
Jacksonville State @ #22 Louisville
The number 22 ranked Louisville Cardinals faced the Jacksonville State Gamecocks. Quarterback Tyler Shough threw for 349 yards and scored two touchdowns as the Cardinals defeated the Gamecocks 49-14.
#23 Georgia Tech @ Syracuse
The number 23-ranked Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets had a good start to the season, defeating the now unranked Florida State Seminoles in Ireland; this week, they faced the Syracuse Orange, led by former Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord. Buckeyes fans will wonder why McCord did not play like this when he was in Columbus, as the Orange quarterback threw for 281 yards and scored four touchdowns. Yellow Jackets QB Haynes King also had a good game, but Syracuse held on for a 31-28 victory.
Appalachian State @ #25 Clemson
The number 25-ranked Clemson Tigers faced the Appalachian State Mountaineers and needed to win the game to show that last week’s big defeat at the hands of the Georgia Bulldogs was due to the strong Bulldogs’ team and not them. Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik scored 5 TDs and 35 points in the first quarter alone as Clemson cruised to a 66-20 win.
That was week two of the 2024 College Football Season. Next week, the Alabama Crimson Tide will face their first test under Kalen DeBoer as they face the Wisconsin Badgers. They will see how the now-ranked Northern Illinois Huskies will fare against Buffalo.