Week 2 CFB Games To Watch

Royce Freeman rushed for 180 yards and 3 TDs Week 1 vs Eastern Washington

(7) Oregon vs (5) Michigan State (8:00 pm EST on ABC) - In the first Top-10 match up of the season, the Spartans will try to avenge last season's 19 point loss to the Ducks in Spartan Stadium. Michigan State held Western Michigan to 18 total yards rushing and intercepted two passes. For the Ducks, this will be the first test for 1st year starter Vernon Adams Jr. Adams went 19-25 with 246 yards and 2 touchdowns in his debut versus FCS Eastern Washington. A key match up will be sophomore running back Royce Freeman against a Michigan State run defense that allowed 88.5 yards per game last season (#1 in NCAA).  If Michigan State wants to keep this game close they must control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball and control the clock on offense. Oregon will use their high tempo offense to put up big points and force opposing offenses into making mistakes with the ball downfield.

 

Joshua Dobbs had 294 all-purpose yards and 3 TD vs Bowling Green

(19) Oklahoma vs (23) Tennessee (6:00 EST on ESPN) Since 2008 The Sooners are 2-1 verses SEC opponents; including a 34-10 win over the Volunteers last season. Junior quarterback Baker Mayfield went 23 for 33 with 388 yards and 3 touchdowns in the week one 41-3  win verses Akron. Tennessee returns 17 starters to a team who is ranked for the first time since week 1 of last season. Alvin Kamara rushed for 144 yards and 2 touchdowns against Bowling Green last week. Kamara led a rushing attack that ran for 399 total yards and 6 touchdowns a week ago. In order for Tennessee to pull off the upset they must improve on their pass defense; allowing 433 passing yards against Bowling Green. 

Leonard Fournette averaged 5.5 yards per carry and scored 10 TDs in this freshman season.

(14) LSU vs (25) Mississippi State (9:15 EST on ESPN) LSU opens the season on the road against and SEC West rival with questions at the quarterback position. Sophomore Brandon Harris will get the start tonight over Anthony Jennings. Harris last season played in 8 games throwing for 452 yards with 6 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Mississippi State will play their first home game of the season after a unimpressive 34-16 win over Southern Miss. Dak Prescott shouldered the offensive load for the Bulldogs with 309 total yards and 3 touchdowns last week. Defensively, Mississippi State must improve from a week ago; allowing 413 yards against an offense ranked 106 in the nation a year ago. Both teams would like to start off their SEC campaigns off with a win in what looks to be a close contested match up.