Predicting Week 2 including No. 3 Alabama vs No. 11 Texas
We are almost to what could be the biggest game of the college football regular season. The implications are endless. The No. 11 Texas Longhorns travel to Tuscaloosa to face the top team of the last decade and a half, the No. 3 Alabama Crimson Tide.
Texas limps into the game after a 37-10 win over the Rice Owls. And no, 37 points is not a satisfactory performance against a team like Rice.
The Longhorns entered the initial matchup against Alabama in the Nick Saban era in similar fashion. Prior to a national title clash between the two teams, Texas snuck past the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the 2009 Big 12 championship game. Texas won the game 13-12 on a walk off field goal.
Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian and company enter this game with as much doubt at that Longhorns squad if not more. Albeit, while it was a dynasty ending game for Texas that season, this year’s match could start a reversal of fortunes for the two teams.
Let’s predict the top games of Week 2.
No. 12 Utah 31, Baylor 24
Many are dismissing Baylor, but the Bears could catch Utah sleeping in this game. Bears head coach Dave Aranda gets his team prepared for the matchup, but the Utes are still too much.
No. 22 Colorado 42, Nebraska 31
Nebraska is still a bad football team, though some surprisingly expected new head coach Matt Rhule to make a fast turnaround. The Cornhuskers did show life in their first game against Minnesota. Ultimately, Colorado is too much.
No. 20 Ole Miss 49, No. 24 Tulane 45
Ole Miss doesn’t play a whole lot of defense, but Tulane doesn’t play a whole lot of premier opponents. The Rebels shut down a potential playoff case for the Tulane Green Wave.
No. 23 Texas A&M 28, Miami 7
Texas A&M is a legitimate SEC West contender in my estimation this season. The offense is different under new coordinator Bobby Petrino, but the defense has been present for awhile. The Aggies throttle the Hurricanes.
Iowa 16, Iowa State 10
This probably will be one of the more ugly games of Saturday. The rivalry matchup still commands our attention. If you love low scoring games, this slugfest is for you.
No. 18 Oklahoma 52, SMU 31
The Oklahoma offense rolled past Arkansas State to the tune of 73 points. While the SMU Mustangs have plenty of firepower of their own, the Sooners should outscore them.
No. 13 Oregon 41, Texas Tech 38
It’s possible Texas Tech overlooked Wyoming for Oregon. Certainly, they paid dearly. That said, the Red Raiders are a completely different team at home than they are on the road. Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire and company make this game interesting. Now, to our featured game of the week.
No. 11 Texas 31, No. 3 Alabama 27
Texas has the better offensive and defensive play caller. It also has the veteran presence to go on the road and win. Former all-SEC safety Jalen Catalon and past All-Americans Xavier Worthy, Jaylan Ford and Kelvin Banks will all play a role, but they aren’t the only reason the Longhorns can win. This game comes down to Steve Sarkisian scheming up a lead and Texas defensive linemen making sure they keep that lead.
