PREVIEWS AND PREDICTIONS: COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 2 EDITION

Week 2 is the first Saturday that feels like the season. No. 1 Ohio State goes to Austin. No. 11 Oklahoma walks into the Big House against a Michigan team still on our board at No. 23. And late Saturday, No. 13 USC (No. 14 AP) closes the nonconference schedule against Louisiana with our photograher Peter Zhan on site in LA.

#13 USC (No. 14 AP) (2-0) vs. Louisiana (1-0)

Saturday, Sept. 12 — 8:00 p.m. PT | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Live on: Big Ten Network
Photographer: Peter Zhan

PREVIEW:

Week 0 was a noon grind. Friday was the shutout. Saturday night is the last matchup before Big Ten play starts on the road at Rutgers for the Trojans.

No. 13 USC hosts Louisiana in the first meeting between the programs and the Trojans’ first game against a Sun Belt opponent since beating Arkansas State 55-6 in this building in 2015. Joint Forces Day and High School Band Day. Late window. The kind of Coliseum night Lincoln Riley’s roster is built for.

USC is 2-0 after beating San José State 42-26 and punching Fresno State in the mouth 39-0 on Friday. Jayden Maiava went 23-of-25 for 349 yards and three touchdowns against the Bulldogs, played one series after halftime, and never threw an interception. True freshman Trent Mosley caught four balls for 104 yards and two scores, including a 68-yarder down the middle. Kayden Dixon-Wyatt added six catches for 102 yards. Tanook Hines opened the night with an 8-yard touchdown. Waymond Jordan finished a 2-yard run and led the rushers with 67 yards. Deshonne Redeaux closed it with a 5-yard score.

Gary Patterson’s defense was the other half. Fresno State finished with 116 total yards — 49 through three quarters — and the Trojans recorded two safeties and two turnovers. Kennedy Urlacher’s sack in the end zone made it 16-0. Alex Graham added the second safety in the third. It was USC’s first shutout since Utah State, 48-0, on Sept. 7, 2024. Maiava left the weekend as AP National Player of the Week and Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week. The offense is averaging 40.5 points and 528.5 yards. The defense is giving up 13.0.

Louisiana opened with a 38-7 win over FCS Lamar and ran for five touchdowns doing it. Freshman Darrell Smith carried 10 times for 84 yards and two scores (2 and 25 yards). Quarterback Lunch Winfield went 16-of-22 for 189 yards, added 84 rushing yards and a 22-yard touchdown, and threw two interceptions. Anthony Reagan Jr. scored on an 11-yard run. Steven Blanco punched in a 1-yarder. Caden Jensen led the receivers with five catches for 77 yards. The Cajuns finished with 26 first downs, 243 rushing yards, and 467 total yards. Lamar’s only points were a 40-yard pick-six. Louisiana is also without linebacker Hayden Darbonne and defensive lineman Jeramiah Holts for the season.

That is a real rushing identity. It is also a quarterback who put two balls in the air for the other sideline against an FCS defense. Patterson’s front just posted two safeties against a Power program. The matchup is not subtle.

The Cajuns’ path is the same one every visitor brings to Troy in September: run it, stay on schedule, hope the moment gets loud enough to steal a quarter. USC’s path is simpler. Maiava has six touchdowns and as many incompletions through two games. Mosley has gone for 100 yards in both. The Coliseum at 8 p.m. is not where Sun Belt openers turn into problems.

PREDICTION:

Louisiana can move it on the ground for a drive or two. Then the speed gap shows up, Maiava finds Mosley or Dixon-Wyatt in space, and the second half looks like Friday night again.

JP’s Pick: Maiava stays surgical and the front seven closes the edges. USC 45, Louisiana 13.

OTHER SO CAL GAMES

UCLA (1-0) vs. San Diego State (1-0)

Saturday, Sept. 12 — 4:15 p.m. PT | Rose Bowl Stadium (Pasadena, CA)
Live on: Big Ten Network

Bob Chesney’s first win as UCLA’s head coach came on the road. The first home game of the era is Saturday in Pasadena.

The Bruins opened with a 45-24 win at California. It was not clean for three quarters. It was decisive in the fourth. Nico Iamaleava went 14-of-22 for 184 yards with one interception and added a 9-yard rushing score. Wayne Knight carried eight times for 71 yards and three touchdowns. Anthony Woods ran eight times for 118 yards and two scores, including the 53-yarder that closed it. Mikey Matthews caught four balls for 88 yards. UCLA finished with 277 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns. Ta’Shawn James intercepted two passes in the fourth. The Bruins used 37 new players in Berkeley.

San Diego State opened the rebuilt Pac-12 era with a 53-20 win over FCS Portland State at Snapdragon. The Aztecs trailed 6-0 after two early field goals, then scored 29 unanswered. Jayden Denegal went 12-of-17 for 137 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. Lucky Sutton carried 18 times for 58 yards and three rushing scores. DJ Kinnard added eight carries for 79 yards. The Aztecs ran for 238 yards on 42 carries. Jaylon Hawkins returned a kickoff 100 yards. Portland State actually outgained SDSU for most of the night (375-373 before a late fumble) and Gabe Downing went 31-of-52 for 280 yards with two interceptions.

This is the 25th meeting in the series and the first time UCLA has hosted the Aztecs since 2019. UCLA should be the better team. The question is whether the fourth-quarter version from Berkeley shows up for four quarters at home, or whether SDSU turns this into a physical, one-score game.

JP’s Pick: Knight and Woods set the tone in Pasadena. UCLA 31, San Diego State 17.

FIVE GAMES TO WATCH NATIONALLY

1. #1 Ohio State (1-0) at #4 Texas (1-0)

Saturday, Sept. 12 — 4:30 p.m. PT | Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium (Austin, TX)
Live on: ABC

This is the game the country circled in May. The rematch of last year’s 14-7 Ohio State win in Columbus.

Ohio State stayed No. 1 after a 56-3 opener over Ball State. Julian Sayin went 21-of-25 for 320 yards and three touchdowns, added a 3-yard rushing score, and came out midway through the third up 42-3. Jeremiah Smith caught eight balls for 151 yards and two touchdowns, including a 48-yard one-hander. Bo Jackson and Ja’Kobi Jackson each ran for 83 yards and a long score (65 and 49). The Buckeyes finished with 671 total yards (434 pass, 237 rush) and held Ball State to 165 yards and a 54-yard field goal.

Texas answered Texas State 59-7 in Austin. Arch Manning went 20-of-27 for 305 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception, then sat in the third quarter up 42-7. Ryan Wingo had 121 receiving yards. Cam Coleman caught two scores in his Longhorns debut (three catches, 70 yards). Hollywood Smothers led the rushers with 70 yards. Graceson Littleton returned a fumble 59 yards for a touchdown. Texas finished with 516 yards and forced three turnovers. Will Muschamp’s first game back on that sideline held Texas State under 350.

Texas is a slight home favorite. That is noise. The team that wins the line of scrimmage and does not give Manning or Sayin a short field leaves with the inside track at No. 1 next Tuesday.

JP’s Pick: Ohio State 27, Texas 23.

2. #11 Oklahoma (1-0) at #23 Michigan (1-0)

Saturday, Sept. 12 — 9:00 a.m. PT | Michigan Stadium (Ann Arbor, MI)
Live on: FOX

This is why Michigan is still on the JPWest Media board.

Oklahoma opened with a 51-0 shutout of UTEP. John Mateer went 11-of-17 for 225 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. Isaiah Sategna returned a punt 88 yards for a score and added three catches for 42 yards. Lloyd Avant ran for a touchdown. Rocky Beers caught a 40-yard score. Trell Harris hauled in a 48-yard touchdown. Mateer sat in the third quarter. The Sooners never trailed and never looked like a team that needed the fourth quarter.

Michigan escaped Western Michigan 13-12 on a 47-yard Hail Mary from Bryce Underwood to JJ Buchanan as time expired. Underwood finished 12-of-22 for 170 yards, one touchdown, one interception, and a lost fumble. He also ran nine times for 47 yards and a 1-yard score on the opening drive. Jordan Marshall carried eight times for 20 yards. Buchanan had the game-winner and finished with 126 receiving yards. Western Michigan never scored a touchdown — four Dieter Kelly field goals — and still led 12-7 with 35 seconds left. Attendance: 110,879. The AP dumped Michigan out of the Top 25. We dropped them seven spots to No. 23 and left them there.

Last year in Norman, Oklahoma won 24-13. Noon in the Big House is the return leg. If Mateer gets going early, this gets quiet. If Michigan’s front plays like the name on the helmet, it is a one-score game in the fourth.

JP’s Pick: Oklahoma 24, Michigan 17.

3. Iowa State (1-0) at #21 Iowa (1-0)

Saturday, Sept. 12 — 4:30 p.m. PT | Kinnick Stadium (Iowa City, IA)
Live on: NBC

Iowa opened with a 40-0 shutout of Northern Illinois, its first home shutout since Illinois State in 2024. Kamari Moulton ran 11 times for 183 yards and two touchdowns (16.6 per carry), including a 50-yard burst. Hank Brown started and went 12-of-20 for 129 yards and a touchdown to Tony Diaz (seven catches, 84 yards, one score). Xavier Williams added a receiving touchdown. Kaden Wetjen returned a punt 77 yards for a score. The defense held NIU to 120 total yards and less than a yard per carry.

Iowa State opened the Jimmy Rogers era with a 38-10 win over Southeast Missouri. Jaylen Raynor accounted for four touchdowns — two passing, two rushing. The Cyclones led 28-7 at half and closed it out at Jack Trice.

Iowa’s defense travels from one week to the next. Iowa State has to finish drives or this stays in the teens.

JP’s Pick: Iowa 23, Iowa State 13.

4. Arizona (1-0) at #15 BYU (1-0)

Saturday, Sept. 12 — 12:30 p.m. PT | LaVell Edwards Stadium (Provo, UT)
Live on: FOX

West Coast window. First real test for both.

BYU opened with a 63-7 rout of Utah Tech in front of 64,077. Bear Bachmeier went 16-of-20 for 198 yards and three touchdowns in the first half, added a 13-yard rushing score, and did not play after halftime. Freshman Legend Glasker scored three times on his first five touches, including a 9-yard run and touchdown catches of 26 and 33 yards. BYU finished with 521 yards (308 rush, 213 pass), 29 first downs, and zero turnovers. Utah Tech had 184 yards and four turnovers.

Arizona beat in-state FCS foe Northern Arizona 35-7. Noah Fifita went 22-of-29 for 262 yards and two touchdowns and ran five times for 24 yards. Kedrick Reescano led the rushers with 10 carries, 48 yards, and two scores. Gio Richardson caught eight balls for 98 yards. The Wildcats finished with 520 yards (314 pass, 206 rush) and went 7-of-12 on third down. Three turnovers kept it from being a laugher.

FOX has it in the afternoon slot, which is the right place for a game that can sneak up while Ohio State-Texas is still warming up.

JP’s Pick: BYU 31, Arizona 20.

5. Arkansas (1-0) at #20 Utah (1-0)

Saturday, Sept. 12 — 7:15 p.m. PT | Rice-Eccles Stadium (Salt Lake City, UT)
Live on: ESPN

Utah opened with a 66-14 win over Idaho in front of 51,444. Devon Dampier went 13-of-18 for 176 yards and three touchdown passes. Wayshawn Parker scored three times (9-yard catch, 21-yard run, 3-yard catch) and ran for 71 yards. LaMarcus Bell led the rushers with seven carries for 87 yards and a 34-yard score. Braden Pegan caught four balls for 81 yards and a touchdown. Byrd Ficklin added 93 passing yards and 70 on the ground in relief. Utah finished with 633 yards (364 rush, 269 pass), 33 first downs, and held Idaho to 225.

Arkansas opened Ryan Silverfield’s tenure with a 31-14 win over FCS North Alabama in front of 69,178. KJ Jackson threw for 267 yards. Braylen Russell led the rushers with 49 yards. Xavier Johnson had 82 receiving yards. The Razorbacks led 14-0 at half and pulled away late.

If you are already locked into the Coliseum at 8, keep a second screen on Salt Lake. A ranked Utah team that looks ordinary here changes the Week 3 conversation.

JP’s Pick: Utah 34, Arkansas 17.