Thursday night was a big night in the city of San Antonio. UTSA, in only their fourth year playing football, hosted the Arizona Wildcats from the PAC 12. The whole city was getting behind the Roadrunners, in what they wanted to be an “Orange out” for the big game. Many expected for Arizona to run all over the Conference USA school, but the Roadrunners put up a fight.
It was a great battle, as the Alamodome was painted orange, and it was loud. It started as a 10-0 game, and it looked like the predictions would come to be. UTSA clawed back though. They took the lead after two touchdowns and a safety. The Alamodome was rocking the entire game, trying to push their team to an upset. In the second half, Arizona had control, but again UTSA stayed in the game. They kept it close until the end, but a missed field goal, and two interceptions late really cost them. Arizona came out on top 26-23. This game should really put UTSA on the map, as no one expected this close a game. This was a great game to get week 2 of the college football season started.
This Saturday was filled with blowouts. #4 Oklahoma won in Tulsa, 52-7, against the Golden Hurricane. In a possible upset game, #24 Missouri took care of the doubters with a 49-24 rout in Toledo. #2 Alabama rolled over the Florida Atlantic Owls in Tuscaloosa, 41-0. SEC sleeper, #15 Ole Miss, just tore apart Vanderbilt in Nashville, 41-3. Notre Dame and Michigan finished off a great rivalry in South Bend, with Notre Dame winning 31-0. #1 Florida State won again, with a 37-12 smashing of Citadel. Meanwhile in Austin, BYU came in and stomped all over the Longhorns, 41-7.
Although there were many blowouts, there were of course some good games. #20 Kansas State had quite the exciting game, barely escaping Ames with a 32-28 win over Iowa State. In Lincoln, Nebraska, FCS school Mcneese State, almost pulled out one of the biggest upsets ever, losing only 31-24, on a last minute touchdown. #14 USC, and #13 Stanford had a defensive showdown in Palo Alto, with USC pulling out a 13-10 win. For the second straight week, #11 UCLA was tested throughout the game, this time by Memphis. The game was tied late, but the Bruins again hung on for the 42-35 win over Memphis.
The Marquee game of the day was #7 Michigan State, visiting Eugene to face the #3 Oregon Ducks. It was a close game through the half, but playing in the raucous Autzen Zoo was too much for the visiting Spartans, as the Ducks ran away with a 46-27 victory.
The big upset of the week, and possibly the year, was in Columbus, Ohio, as the unranked Virginia Tech Hokies marched into the Horseshoe and stunned the #8 Ohio State Buckeyes.
After the first week didn’t prove much about clear front runners in college football, week two provided some information on some non contenders. The BIG 10 had a brutal day, with three possible playoff contenders in Michigan, Michigan State, and Ohio State, all losing. That’s the first time those schools all lose on the same day since 1998. Plus, the Big 10 had losses from Purdue, as well as near collapses from Iowa and Nebraska, showing that it’ll be a struggle this year in the Big 10 country. The SEC and PAC 12 had strong days, with some big victories.