College Football Week 2 Picks & Predictions // 2024

what up guys the bench buddi here back with our week two preview and picks of the college football season as always I have Ty joining me here to break down this week's games but before we get into it we got to talk about last week's locks Tai got me last week I went 4- two uh only losses were the West Virginia spread against Penn State you know that didn't go so well they were in it going into the fourth quarter but just fell apart then that LSU game I thought LSU would actually come out and play how we should expect him to play but under Brian Kelly and going back 5 years they just can't win that first game yeah and for mine I mean I think you would have had a lot of fun if you bet all of these straight up because the only one I lost was Florida and they got their doors blown off it was over Midway through the third so honestly you would have had five really close wins and a loss that you never even had to sweat out so pretty happy with my start here let's keep it going yeah and then this week I'm going with Michigan with seven and a half at home verus Texas um Oklahoma State 7 and a half at home verus Arkansas I think I think they can win that game by way more than that uh the two lane plus 10 at home versus Kansas State I think that's a huge Trap game for kansa state so I think that spread uh definitely could be in effect there and yeah I'm going that under in the Iowa State Iowa game under 35 it just seems like the the lower the number the even lower the points are in the Iowa game it doesn't matter the Colorado Nebraska going to be completely opposite I think there's going to be no defense played both the teams ending up in the 30s and then Boise State plus 20 on the road at Oregon uh if Oregon has half of a performance uh what we saw last week a half of that performance we saw last week There's No Doubt Boise State can easily cover that yeah for sure uh and for mine you know I got three dogs on here that I think are all gonna actually win their games I think Dukes Syracuse uh and Mississippi State are actually going to win all those games outright so I feel pretty good about the spreads there um I think Georgia Tech uh getting or giving points is surprising to me I think if people watch Florida State play their second game uh maybe they shouldn't be quite as high on Georgia Tech now having you know barely got by Florida State who obviously is not very good uh and I think Wake Forest at home two points it just kind of seems like a gim me Virginia still sucks uh Colorado Nebraska I really like the over Colorado's going to make a lot of big plays and they're going to give up a lot of big plays and pretty much every game uh and then Maryland minus 9 Michigan State I think is one or two years away and Maryland is a decent team so let's ride with those six this week and then we got our picks last week the results good week from you nine- two uh you know that loss was Florida obviously that was your only solo loss and then we both lost on LSU and then obviously I was on the opposite end of a field goal kick and then Texas A&M just not playing well in the fourth quarter but you know pretty good start for both of our season if you're taking straight money lines yeah I agree I'd say my main takeaway is I'm really impressed with USC I think they could make a run at the Big 10 this year A lot of people are down on them and Lincoln Riley but yeah they look pretty good I think they can make a run then our first game of the week it's a game that I don't think too many people are looking forward to this week because you know there's some NFL football on it this time for college football standpoint I think this is a big game for both these teams uh SMU in the ACC big out of conference game BYU in The American or sorry the Big 12 uh that's a big out of conference game for them as well on the road but give me the Mustangs at home I think they're going to be 3 and0 heading into ACC play yeah I agree I mean it's not crazy to think SMU could win the ACC this year at least play Miami in the ACC Championship uh but we'll see if they can get back on track struggled with Nevada in week one so I think they need kind of a dominant Victory here to get back on track they moving to Saturday of course we got to talk about our favorite team playing probably the biggest game until the game at the end of the year Michigan at home against Texas and as much as my heart is saying with Michigan you know the logical pick here I feel like is Texas just cuz what we've already seen in one week uh the big storyline there for Michigan is obviously the quarterback room how is that game going to be determined this week you know the defense is going to show up and play well of course but if the offense can't get it rolling early in the first half there might be a quarterback change in the second half um I'm hoping that this is going to be an ugly grinded out 13- 10 game and Michigan walks away with the win yeah I mean I hope so I I'm not very confident in this pick uh probably the least confident I've been going into a Michigan game and I don't know probably since the Georgia game in 21 so it's been a while uh there's a path you know we're at home proud energy uh huge game at the Big House defense if they play like the best defense in the country which they might be and the offense can run the ball well the offensive line holds up there's a chance here I know everyone's already writing them off there is a chance uh but like you said it's going to have to be 174 1310 a typical Michigan game of the last few years uh maybe it'll poor that would also help but yeah there's a path but and then if you're not into really good football games so here's an okay football game Pittsburg Cincinnati now I think this game could really dictate both of these team Seasons I know it's a little early to say something like that but for Cincinnati you know joining the Big 12 this year in the first year uh and you know going against an ACC opponent I think that is a big game for Cincinnati at home I think they're going to win that game as well get to 2 and0 and really um get some confidence going into the Big 12 Play yeah this is a big game for both teams because uh I don't see them making a whole lot of noise in either of their conferences uh so they need all the wins they can get here in the early season but I think Cincinnati at home gets it done I think these teams are pretty equal this year both kind of towards the bottom of their conference but the home field advantage will be enough for Cincinnati and more than likely you'll be flicking back from that Texas Michigan game to this one the Georgia Tech Syracuse I don't think anyone had this one circled on their calendar in week two already but for me I'm big on Syracuse this year I think Kyle McCord is going to light up uh the ACC cuz you know what we what he did last year at Ohio State in the Big 10 it's still pretty good numbers and now you go to a weaker conference to someone that actually wants you to be their quarterback give me the orange at home the carrier dome's going to be rocking and kind of like you said earlier I think Georgia Tech might be a little overrated already in the season just because you know that win against Florida State could have easily been a loss yeah it definitely could have and you know obviously now that win doesn't look as good with them being 0 and two and like you said I think McCord has a lot to prove now uh kind of a chip on his shoulder and I think Syracuse is another team that could compete in the very weak C and I think they'll approve that Saturday when they take down a ranked Georgia Tech and then on ABC again at 12 you got Arkansas and Oklahoma State and if you want to watch probably the best running back in the country this is your game Ali Gordon I think is just going to not light up the Arkansas defense but he's going to have himself a great game at home and I think the logical pick is just to go Oklahoma State at home they have the most experience they have a better head coach and frankly I think even if this game was at Arkansas I'd still go with Oklahoma State I don't think the environment matters too much for both of these teams playing in huge conferences and you know big games all the time but I do like the Cowboys at home Pro to cover this one as well yeah I do think this will be a close game I almost had Arkansas in one of my locks to cover but I do think Oklahoma state gets the win here like you said best running back in the country probably and I think that'll be the difference they can just continue to run the ball impose their will uh and they'll get the win and still on the 12:00 games hopefully you got YouTube TV so you can watch all four at the same time Kansas State and two lane and yeah you see that I'm going with the Green Wave at home pulling off a huge upset win and I think this could be my non power five school to earn that conference Championship right to get into the playoff because you know two lane has it set up I think they have Oklahoma next week as well so let's say they don't win this one but then they beat Oklahoma they have two shots at really being that team that can go to the college football playoffs and I think this is the week that they have the best chance to do it because they're at home and I think they're going to do it yeah I do think Tain is one of the best group of five teams if not the best team uh but this is just more a testament to Kansas State I think they're going to end up in the Big 12 Championship this year against Utah uh and this win will really propel them to a big uh Big 12 season this this is a tough road game for them uh the crowd's going to be rocking for toan but I think Kansas state does come out with the win in a close game and then finally moving to the 330 slate you got Iowa State Iowa obviously this game is great every single year it's a close game more than likely if you want to watch points you're going to have to flick to something else because you know I already took the under in this game historically this game is a low-scoring game um I can't remember when both these teams scored in the 30s in this rivalry it has to be at least 10 years it feels like maybe maybe Brock P's like freshman year something five years ago but I think this game makes too much sense for it to be an under and Iowa cover so maybe this is one of those years where all of a sudden the gates break loose and it's a high-scoring affair but you know on paper you got to go with the Hawkeyes yeah you got to give Iowa Credit they own their Rivals here in Iowa State they have just been dominating them in this last decade uh and I think that'll continue here it seems like this game is always very close but Iowa just always finds a way to win it and this year playing it at home I think that'll continue I will say Kade mcam looked pretty good in week one Iowa might actually have a quarterback this year uh maybe some wide receivers too who knows uh but I think they're just gonna win a dog fight here then moving to 7 o'clock you got Kansas and Illinois and Kansas being five and a half favorites on the road to Illinois really speaks to how this Illinois program has started to turn around here in these last few years um you know Illinois could be a very solid eight and four team in the Big 10 this year but I think they're going to suffer their first loss to Kansas on the road I just think jayen Jaylen Daniels is too much talent for that Illinois team to stop yeah I agree Jaylen Daniels coming back is huge for Kansas um and it's crazy to say they're too good to lose this game on the road I mean a couple years ago they won two games in Lance life's first year now uh they could be Big 12 contenders and I think this week will show that uh with a big Road win then at 7:30 I'm sure this is the game everyone's going to be watching at night got Tennessee NC State playing at a neutral site in Carolina and if we see half of a performance of what Tennessee was last week against Chattanooga um I think they're still going to blow the doors off NC State because NC State struggled at home against Western Carolina last week until the fourth quarter they finally figured it out and if they've won quarter like that against Tennessee I think the voles are just going to throttle them and you know as long as that kid Nico is the quarterback for this Tennessee team they're going to be very tough to beat yeah I I think if anything you take Tennessee to cover in this game I don't see this getting within eight points really I just think Tennessee is more talented at pretty much every position in this game NC State you know they've been consistent uh it seems like every year eight and four nine and three they don't really have that down year but they also haven't really had a breakthrough and you know they'll be looking for here but I don't think they're going to get it like I said too much talent for Tennessee and then also at 7:30 Colorado Nebraska and you know if you saw my predictions video at the beginning of the year you know why I'm going with Nebraska in here I think Dylan riola is just going to be a potential Heisman candidate and I know it's only one weekend in the season Nebraska has found their guy Matt rule has found their guy and if they win this game which I'm projecting them to win I think Nebraska might be ranked next week just because they were pretty close to getting ranked this week and if they can beat a rival at home in a big Prime Time environment in Rola really shows up in that first game uh Nebraska might be a tough out this year in the Big 10 yeah I'll say I'm really excited this might be the second most exciting game for me this week outside of the Michigan game so many storylines here obviously you know Deion Sanders shadur Sanders uh for Colorado can they have their breakthrough this year uh and then you got Nebraska who you know for seemingly 20 years has been waiting for that breakthrough waiting to get back to relevance and now like you said they've a five-star quarterback uh and both of these teams have struggled for so long and feel like they can turn things around this year so this will be a huge rivalry game uh at night and I think Nebraska finally gets that big win that they've been looking for uh and they kind of silen the noise from Colorado and then at 10:00 the last game of the week I will say you know obviously the obvious pick here is Oregon but I will say you know I'm taking that Boise State spread at plus 20 and I heard today Joe clatt was talking Boise State's three and 0 all time against Oregon they played him in a back-to-back in 0708 then they played in a bowl game in 17 and Boise State came out with a win each time so I think that's interesting to take note of you know if Oregon can somehow figure it out throw last week's film and that whole game out and let's say they're that projected team that we all thought they would be at the beginning of the year there's no doubt this Oregon team could just throttle them and possibly put up 28 in one quarter yeah they could um but I do think Boise state is they're my pick to come out of the group of five this year I think they're going to be the team that makes the playoff this is a really good team uh in Boise State this is no pushover at all and you know like you said Oregon 24 to 14 win last week over FCS Idaho so nothing really to write home about there um so you know 20-point line this is a really tough one obviously Zach you took Boise State to cover but I could see you know Oregon winning by 40 in this game or I could see this coming right down to the wire uh because of how talented Boise state is as a group of five uh but Oregon I think kind of got a wakeup call in week one and that'll carry over to this week and they'll you know kind of run away with it in the fourth quarter and that's going to be it for our week two preview and picks check back next week to see how we did on our locks and how all the games went and then obviously we'll be be breaking down the best games next week but until the next time the bench buddies are out [Music]