College Football’s Best Predictions Against the Spread for Top Week 2 Games

The No. 1 ranking in the next AP poll is on the line as the college football Week 2 action gets underway, with Ohio State looking to preserve its place atop the rankings but facing a massive road test against Texas in a rematch of the season opener a year ago.

Up north, another consequential SEC vs. Big Ten battle finds newly-unranked Michigan playing host to an Oklahoma team that beat them a year ago, and the Wolverines coming off a controversial, if also miraculous, last-second victory but with huge questions around this offense against a tough OU defense.

College Football’s Predictions Against the Spread for Week 2

Lines are courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

Alabama at Kentucky

College Football’s Best Predictions Against the Spread for Top Week 2 Games — USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Line: Alabama -10.5

Don’t overreact to Kentucky’s dominant debut against Youngstown State in Will Stein’s first game as head coach, but the Wildcats’ defense completely bottled a good mobile quarterback.

That will be the plan against Keelon Russell, the Alabama five-star who led the Tide in rushing last week, and DeBoer’s offense could have some trouble building his ground offense against a good UK front seven. Alabama wins 24-20.

ATS pick: Kentucky +10.5

Oklahoma at Michigan

Line: Oklahoma -5.5

Whoever deserved to win that game, the one thing we learned was that Michigan had a serious issue running the football. And if Western Michigan proved an obstacle, then the Sooners’ ferocious front seven will only do more damage. And if the Wolverines put the game in the hands of Bryce Underwood, that could be an issue.

Oklahoma’s offense was among the nation’s worst at blocking and rushing a year ago, but has made some minor but potentially serious adjustments, ones that better protected quarterback John Mateer and enabled the Sooners to run the ball well against UTEP, but Michigan’s front tacklers are a legitimate threat themselves. Oklahoma wins 27-13

ATS pick: Oklahoma -5.5

Arizona at BYU

Line: BYU -7.5

These teams played a double overtime thriller last season, one that ultimately helped propel the Cougars into contention for the Big 12 championship, and this rematch bodes well for a BYU side that returns some eight starters on a very solid defense, in particular a group of secondary tacklers who can credibly test an able Arizona vertical threat. BYU wins 28-20

ATS pick: BYU -7.5

Ohio State at Texas

Line: Texas -1.5

Few teams have been able to corral Jeremiah Smith, but Texas is one of them, holding him to under 50 combined yards in two career appearances, even if this version of the secondary is comprised mostly of new inputs, who should emerge as Ohio State’s primary target as it looks to build an early lead and spread the field.

Arch Manning could prove decisive. A green, inexperienced quarterback against a very stout Buckeye defense last August, he’s now someone with a year of increasingly better play, wins against several ranked SEC opponents, and surrounded by a cadre of blue chip targets, but is also working behind a modified offensive line. Texas wins 24-21

ATS pick: Texas -1.5

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