CFB Week 2 Recap

 

College Football Week 2 Recap: Chaos Arrives Early

Week 2 of the college football season delivered everything fans could have asked for: shocking upsets, massive comebacks, statement wins and several teams completely changing the narrative surrounding their seasons.

But there was one game that stole the entire weekend.

Texas Pulls Off an All-Time Comeback

The biggest story of the weekend came from Austin, where No. 4 Texas erased a 23-3 deficit against No. 1 Ohio State to win 24-23.

The Longhorns looked dead in the water for three quarters, but Arch Manning and the Texas offense finally came alive in the fourth. Texas scored 21 unanswered points, with Hollywood Smothers punching in the game-winning touchdown late in the fourth quarter.

The comeback was historic, becoming the largest fourth-quarter comeback against an AP No. 1 team.

For Ohio State, it was a devastating collapse. The Buckeyes controlled the game for nearly three quarters before completely losing momentum when it mattered most. Jeremiah Smith was outstanding with 164 receiving yards and a touchdown, but it wasn't enough.

Texas has now put itself firmly into the national championship conversation, while Ohio State suddenly has plenty of questions to answer.

Oklahoma State Shocks Oregon

If Texas-Ohio State was the biggest game, Oklahoma State's 39-31 win over No. 6 Oregon was the biggest surprise.

The Cowboys entered the game coming off an embarrassing Week 1 loss to Tulsa, but responded with one of the biggest wins of their season. Quarterback Drew Mestemaker threw for 317 yards and two touchdowns while also adding 109 rushing yards and a touchdown.

Oregon simply couldn't slow down Oklahoma State's offense.

For the Ducks, this is a brutal result. Oregon entered the season with legitimate College Football Playoff expectations, but after struggling in Week 1 and now losing to Oklahoma State, the Ducks have fallen dramatically in the national picture.

Michigan Gets Its Statement Win

Michigan also flipped its Week 1 narrative by defeating No. 11 Oklahoma 17-10.

After a controversial and disappointing start to the season, the Wolverines played much better defensively and made the biggest plays when they needed them.

Freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood wasn't asked to throw the ball all over the field, but he made plays with his legs, finishing with 87 rushing yards and a touchdown.

Michigan is now 2-0 and suddenly looks like a team that could become a major factor in the Big Ten.

Oklahoma, meanwhile, has a lot to figure out after dropping its first major test of the season.

Notre Dame and Georgia Make Statements

Not every top team had to sweat on Saturday.

No. 3 Notre Dame completely dominated Rice, winning 52-0. CJ Carr threw four touchdown passes, while the Irish defense forced four turnovers and held Rice to only 128 total yards.

Notre Dame looked every bit like a College Football Playoff contender.

Georgia was just as dominant, destroying Western Kentucky 70-20. Gunner Stockton threw five touchdown passes, and the Bulldogs piled up nearly 500 yards of offense.

While neither opponent was expected to seriously challenge the Irish or Bulldogs, both teams handled business exactly the way championship contenders are supposed to.

Tennessee, Utah and USC Keep Rolling

Tennessee also improved to 2-0 with a 45-24 win over Georgia Tech. The Volunteers overcame an early deficit and dominated the second half behind a strong rushing attack.

Utah continued its impressive start by crushing Arkansas 43-10, while USC defeated Louisiana 49-30.

USC's offense was particularly impressive. Quarterback Jayden Maiava threw five touchdown passes, helping the Trojans remain undefeated and strengthen their early-season résumé.

Week 2's Biggest Takeaways

1. Texas is officially a national championship contender.
Beating the No. 1 team is impressive. Coming back from 20 points down in the fourth quarter is something else entirely. Texas has announced itself as one of the teams to beat.

2. The Big Ten took a major hit.
Ohio State and Oregon both lost, while Michigan was the conference's biggest bright spot. The results could have major consequences for the conference's playoff hopes.

3. Don't judge teams too quickly after Week 1.
Oklahoma State went from losing to Tulsa to beating Oregon. Michigan went from struggling in Week 1 to beating Oklahoma. College football changes quickly.