Week 1 of college football is in the books with no major upsets. Week 2 is here with more top teams and players taking the field. The ACC kicks off with some solid matchups and the Big 12 takes on their first non-conference tests of the season. Below are some of the best games and players to watch on Week 2.
Games to Watch
Duke vs. Notre Dame
Date: Saturday, Sept. 12
Time: 2:30 p.m. ET
TV: NBC
Spread: Duke +19.5
Welcome to the ACC, Notre Dame! The Irish kick off their ACC schedule against a Duke team has some hype building around it thanks to the addition of Clemson transfer Chase Brice. Brice will team with Blue Devils’ head coach David Cutcliffe, who has a knack for being a quarterback whisperer.
However, breaking in a new signal caller against a Notre Dame defense with that has a veteran front seven could be an issue. The Irish return seniors Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Drew White and Kurt Hinish along with star defensive back Kyle Hamilton at the safety position giving them depth at every level.
Meanwhile, the offense should continue to hum with senior Ian Book back at quarterback and a veteran offensive line leading the way. Duke will likely have a few wrinkles in store for the Irish, but expect the talent of Notre Dame to carry them past the Blue Devils and secure a 1-0 start to their ACC season.
Louisiana vs. Iowa State
Date: Saturday, Sept. 12
Time: Noon ET
TV: ESPN
Spread: Louisiana +11.5
We might as well call this the “coaches bowl” with rising coaching stars Billy Napier and Matt Campbell leading their respective squads into what might be the best game on the Saturday slate. Napier is a great offensive mind and has a veteran team lead by senior quarterback Levi Lewis and the rushing tandem of Elijah Mitchell and Trey Ragas. The defense looks solid as well with all five starters returning in a secondary that allowed only 11 passing touchdowns last year.
The Cyclones are no slouches on defense themselves with players like Greg Eisworth, Lawrence White and JaQuan Bailey all with next-level aspirations. Ultimately, this game will likely come down to the offenses where Iowa State holds the trump card in junior quarterback Brock Purdy. As one of the country’s best signal callers, look for Purdy to make a couple of game breaking plays that put Iowa State over the top in what is likely to be a close game to the end.
Tulane vs. South Alabama
Date: Saturday, Sept. 12
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN2
Spread: South Alabama +8
South Alabama kicked off its season last week with an impressive win over Southern Miss. The Jaguars showed a balanced offensive attack led by a three-headed receiving monster that includes senior Kawaan Baker as well as Jalen Tolbert and Jalen Wayne, who both had over 100 yards against Southern Miss.
However, the Tulane defense is significantly stronger than Southern Miss and will present a significant challenge for Southern Alabama to move the ball. The Green Wave might not fare much better after having to replace their starting quarterback and top two wide receivers fromm 2019’s squad. Expect the score to remain close at the start with the Green Wave defense turning over the Jaguars and getting their offense an extra possession to pull away.
Clemson vs. Wake Forest
Date: Saturday, Sept. 12
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
TV: ABC
Spread: Wake Forest +33
College GameDay comes to town for a matchup of Clemson and Wake Forest that might look lopsided on paper but could turn into a solid game when it is all said and done. Dabo Swinney has done a great job recruiting and turning Clemson into a national power. Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne lead an explosive offense, and both are likely Heisman contenders throughout the season. The defense for Clemson is loaded with talent but will be looking for someone to break through and become a star.
Wake Forest has a few stars itself but will be without their best player Sage Surratt after he opted out to prepare for the NFL Draft. With Surratt gone, quarterback Sam Hartman will look to redshirt freshman Donavon Greene, who came on strong at the end of last season. Unfortunately for Wake fans, that will likely not be enough as Clemson just has too much talent.
Syracuse vs North Carolina
Date: Saturday, Sept. 12
Time: Noon ET
TV: ACC Network
Spread: Duke +22.5
Syracuse and North Carolina kickoff the ACC season with a meeting in Chapel Hill on Saturday. The Orange will hope to improve on last year’s 5-7 record and get back to their 2018 form when they won 10 games and nearly knocked off Clemson. Tommy Devito is back as a veteran quarterback and provides some leadership to ‘Cuse offense.
While Devito’s a solid player, it is his North Carolina counterpart Sam Howell that has been getting a ton of hype in the offseason. Howell is darkhorse Heisman contender surrounded by offensive skill talent. The Tar Heels return a pair of 1,000-yard receivers in Dazz Newsome and Dyami Brown and 1,000-yard rusher with Michael Carter in the backfield. This game could be a sneaky tight one for UNC early, but with an elite offensive unit and simply more talent on the roster, the Tar Heels should pull away and win by a couple scores.
Photo courtesy of Ann Curtis/The Observer
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