What To Watch For In Week 2 Of The 2022 College Football Season

Three ranked matchups and Alabama's first non-conference road game in more than a decade lead the way this weekend.

Author:
Andrew Lind
Sep 9, 2022 3:29 PM EDT

In this story:

The first full weekend of the 2022 college football season did not disappoint, with a top-five matchup between two of the game’s most historic programs, an unranked team upsetting No. 7 at home and several close finishes.

Week 2 figures to be more of the same, with three matchups between ranked teams on tap and the nation’s top-ranked team going on the road for a non-conference matchup for the first time in more than a decade.

With that said, here’s what to watch for in Week 2 of the 2022 college football season:

No. 1 Alabama at Texas - 12 p.m. on FOX

While quarterback Quinn Ewers threw for an easy 225 yards and two touchdowns in his Texas debut, a 52-10 win over Louisiana-Monroe last weekend, top-ranked Alabama is quite the step up in competition.

It helps that head coach Steve Sarkisian spent three seasons on Nick Saban’s staff and that the Longhorns have a trio of Crimson Tide transfers on the roster. But will that be enough for them to compete for a full four quarters – or, even crazier, spring an upset?

No. 24 Tennessee at No. 17 Pittsburgh - 3:30 p.m. on ABC

If this game is anything like last year’s matchup in Knoxville, we’re in for a treat. Tennessee took a 10-0 first-quarter lead, but Pittsburgh stormed back with 27 points before halftime on the way to a 41-34 victory.

The Panthers’ offense is much different this year, with quarterback Kenny Pickett or wide receiver Jordan Addison no longer on the roster. The Volunteers and quarterback Hendon Hooker will gladly take another shootout, meanwhile.

No. 20 Kentucky at No. 12 Florida - 7 p.m. on ESPN

Florida is riding high after upsetting then-seventh-ranked Utah at home in Week 1, and quarterback Anthony Richardson (168 passing yards, 106 rushing yards and three touchdowns) will look to carry that momentum into Saturday night’s game against Kentucky.

The Gators have won 39 of the last 42 meetings between the two programs, though they’ve split the last four. The Wildcats replaced a lot from last year’s 10-win squad, so projected first-round quarterback Will Levis will have to put up big numbers to come out of The Swamp with a victory.

No. 10 USC at Stanford - 7:30 p.m. on ABC

While head coach Lincoln Riley is known for his offensive prowess, USC actually returned three interceptions for touchdowns in his debut, a 66-14 blowout of Rice. Stanford doesn’t figure to be as careless on that side of the ball, however, so points should be a little tougher to come by this Saturday.

The Cardinals will rely heavily on running back E.J. Smith, the son of NFL legend Emmitt Smith, who rushed for 118 yards and two touchdowns in the season-opening win over Colgate. But will they be able to keep pace with Caleb Williams, who completed 86.3 percent of his passes for 249 yards and two scores against the Owls?

No. 9 Baylor at No. 21 BYU - 10:15 p.m. on ESPN

Baylor, the defending Big XII champion, hits the road on Saturday night for its second meeting in as many seasons with BYU, which is set to join the conference next season. It also marks the return of Bears offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes, who held the same position with the Cougars for three seasons (2018-20).

BYU is much healthier than it was in last year’s 38-24 loss in Waco, while the home environment has carried to the Cougars to some impressive wins in recent seasons. Can Baylor survive or will they suffer the same fate as Arizona State, Utah and Virginia last season?

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