The beauty of college football is that chaos ensues on a weekly basis. Almost every game is a must-win situation for both teams and the playoff picture shifts with every single upset.
Teams are used to scheduling major games in the first week of the season, but it is becoming common to have bigger games later in the year. Teams can play easier opponents to get in a rhythm before being truly tested later in September.
Some of these games are against conference foes, and others are yearly rivalries. Some are simply home-and-home series between historic programs.
Fans have a fun slate of games for Week 2 of the NCAAF season. Here are your must-watch college football games during Week 2. Who has the edge? Why do these games matter? We have the answers.
Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Texas Longhorns
Saturday, September 10, 2022 – 12:00 PM EDT at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium
Tide vs. Longhorns Roster Highlights
This has the chance of being the best game of the season. Steve Sarkisian will be looking to beat his former boss Nick Saban. Quinn Ewers will be looking for a Heisman moment, but Bryce Young will be looking for a moment of his own.
Plenty of former Alabama players have transferred to Texas, including Jahleel Billingsley and Agiye Hall. Those players want revenge on Saban, but will they get it?
It is safe to say that most players on each team had offers to both schools. Alabama constantly recruits the state of Texas, and the Longhorns are trying to change that. Recruits will be watching this game, and the Longhorns have a chance to prove that they are worth choosing.
Tide vs. Longhorns History
The last time these teams played each other was in the national championship, and Alabama has won six titles since that season. The Longhorns haven’t been back for over a decade, but this is a chance at revenge.
We will see two great offenses and two elite quarterbacks. Alabama will be looking to make it back to the title game, and Texas wants to knock off the kings of college football. Either way, this is a great chance for two great teams to face off, and we will get a rematch in Tuscaloosa next season.
Iowa State Cyclones vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
Saturday, September 10, 2022 - 04:00 PM EDT at Kinnick Stadium
Cyclones vs. Hawkeyes Rivalry
There are not many strong rivalries that exist outside of conferences. It is too hard to schedule yearly games. However, one of the best exists in Iowa. The battle for the Cy-Hawk trophy is always fun to watch regardless of College Football Playoff implications.
Neither team has a great chance of winning their conferences, but this will be a great way of seeing how competitive each conference will be. The Big 12 has plenty of question marks this year, but the depth of the Big Ten behind Ohio State is worth questioning as well.
Either way, this rivalry has given fans plenty of great moments. If you love college football, you’ll love this NCAAF matchup. Most rivalry games are played in November, but you can see this one in September.
Kentucky Wildcats vs. Florida Gators
Saturday, September 10, 2022 - 07:00 PM EDT at Ben Hill Griffin
The Florida-Kentuchy Rivalry
The SEC East is Georgia’s to lose, but a few of the other teams in the division has a chance to be the second-best team. With a little luck, these teams could upset Georgia and make it to the SEC Championship.
Florida and Kentucky are both trying to do just this. Kentucky has Will Levis, the team’s best quarterback in recent memory. Florida has a new head coach, but the Gators still have high hopes with Anthony Richardson under center.
Who Is More Likely to Compete in the SEC East?
This rivalry used to be one-sided, but the Wildcats remain on the rise. A win here would be huge for the program, and the Wildcats have a good chance of doing so. We’ll find out in early September which team is ready to compete in the surprisingly deep SEC East.
This will be a great game between two future NFL Draft prospects. The loser of this game has almost no chance of winning the SEC East, but the winner stays alive before playing teams like Tennessee, South Carolina, and Georgia.
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
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