Pivotal conference contests have come early in SEC, Pac-12
Stanford’s Love gets a chance to assert himself vs. USC
A couple of early conference games are the only ones matching ranked teams in Week 2 of the college football season.
No. 3 Georgia faces what could be its toughest SEC East test when it goes to newly ranked and No. 24 South Carolina. In the Pac12, No. 17 Southern California goes to No. 10 Stanford in a rematch of the conference title game last season.
Otherwise the schedule is dominated by nonconference games, with some ranked teams hitting the road like No. 2 Clemson, No. 13 Penn State, No. 15 Michigan State and No. 18 Mississippi State.
Five things to know about college football’s Week 2.
BEST GAME: No. 15 Michigan State at Arizona State.
Clemson’s trip to Texas A&M is fascinating because it will be the first measuring stick for Jimbo Fisher’s Aggies, and it comes against the team and coach that yanked control of the ACC away from Fisher’s Florida State teams.
Penn State at Pittsburgh is a great old rivalry with a
chance to be high-scoring.
Both the ranked vs. ranked games could have the most long-term impact.
But Spartans at Sun Devils is intriguing on a few levels. Michigan State struggled at home last week against Utah State. Should there be real concern? Arizona State looked great in its first game with Herm Edwards as coach, beating UTSA. How seriously should we take that performance?
It’s a late kickoff on the East Coast at 10:45 p.m. so there is a chance for some quality #Pac12afterDark action.
HEISMAN WATCH: Stanford running back Bryce Love was held to 29 yards and 18 carries last week against San Diego State. He had 24 runs of at least 30 yards when he was Heisman Trophy runner-up last season.
Love has a chance to make up for the off game in a big way this week in prime time against the Trojans. In two losses to USC last season, Love ran for 285 yards. Last week, the Trojans allowed 308 yards rushing and more than 7 per carry to UNLV. NUMBERS TO KNOW:
9: Touchdown passes by Hawaii’s Cole McDonald in leading the Rainbow Warriors to a surprising 2-0 start. Rice visits Hawaii today, a chance for McDonald to put up more big numbers.
29: Consecutive games with a touchdown pass for Penn State’s Trace McSorley. That’s the longest current streak in FBS.
31: No. 25 Florida has won 31 straight games against Kentucky, the longest current winning streak between two teams in the country. The Wildcats visit the Gators.
1959: The last time Clemson won a game in Texas. The Tigers beat TCU in the Bluebonnet Bowl.
900: Ohio State needs one more victory to become the second school to reach 900 recognized by the NCAA. Michigan is the other. The Buckeyes host Rutgers.
OFF THE RADAR: Georgia Tech at South Florida.
ACC-AAC matchup, and one of several opportunities for Group of Five teams to make a statement this week by knocking off Power Five foes. In this one, it is also the first real test for USF’s Blake Barnett, the former blue-chip quarterback recruit. The Arizona State transfer, who started his career at Alabama, passed for 305 yards and three touchdowns last week against Elon of the FCS.
The Yellow Jackets had an easy victory against Alcorn State last week, putting up 439 yards rushing with its triple-option.
Other prime spots for a G5 over P5 victory include Arizona at Houston and Fresno State visiting Minnesota.
HOT SEAT WATCH: Kansas coach David Beaty is probably sitting on the hottest seat in the country with three victories in 37 games with the Jayhawks. Kansas began the season with yet another loss, this time to
FCS Nicholls.
Kansas is at Central Michigan today in what represents their best chance to snap the road skid and one of the few spots on the schedule where Beaty has a chance to build a little momentum.
IN-STATE: New Mexico Highlands seeks to go 2-0 for the first time since 2012 when it hosts Adams State today at 1 p.m. in Las Vegas, N.M. The game will air locally on Comcast Channel 26, whose Proview Network producers believe the live airing of a Division II game will be the first in state history. Danny Cameron threw for four touchdowns and Malik Brown was named RMAC defensive player of the week after Highlands’ 45-31 win Aug. 31 over Fort Lewis.
… Eastern New Mexico (0-1) also plays its home opener against No. 25 Colorado Mesa. Kickoff is 7 p.m. at Greyhound Stadium.
… Western New Mexico (0-1) after a 38-9 opening loss to FCS program San Diego, also plays up again today at 3 p.m. at FCS Idaho.