College football's best games today: Week 2 schedule, what to watch

What we're watching as the Week 2 college football schedule gets underway today across the country, and what you should, too.

What you should watch as the Week 2 college football schedule kicks off today. | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

As the Week 2 college football schedule gets underway today, we highlight those most important games that you should be watching this weekend.

Last weekend got all the attention given the marquee matchups that involved six top 10 teams facing each other on the same field in games that could have an influence on the shape of the College Football Playoff later on.

This weekend doesn’t appear to have those same high-quality matchups, at least on paper, but it’s often what looks like those sleepy Saturdays that turn into something magic.

Here are the most important games on the Week 2 college football schedule today that we’ll be watching, and that you should, too.

College football games today: Week 2 schedule, what you should watch

All times Eastern

Illinois at Duke

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Why watch? To see if Illinois can pass a major first test as a legitimate College Football Playoff contender and if it really deserves that No. 12 ranking against an up-and-comer in the ACC fielding a solid defense.

Both these teams played against FCS opponents last week. Illinois didn’t struggle in its matchup, but Duke played a little close in the first half before creating some distance.

Illinois comes in as one of college football’s most experienced teams on both sides of the ball but is going against a Duke secondary that will test its receivers, so we can expect the Illini to run the ball more to slow the game down as they look to revamp a receiver group that lost its two top wideouts from a year ago.

Darian Mensah can bring a new dimension to the Duke offense at the quarterback position, with a penchant for getting aggressive and moving the ball downfield.

But he’ll face an Illinois secondary that could really challenge the Blue Devils’ receivers in a way that makes Mensah have to supplement the lack of downfield plays with his legs.

When to watch: 12 p.m. on ESPN

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Iowa at Iowa State

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Why watch? To see one of college football’s better rivalry games and judge if the Cyclones can maintain their standing as an early Big 12 title contender.

The jury’s still out on whether Iowa can finally get something going in the air after bringing on offensive coordinator Tim Lester, now in his second season, and with new transfer quarterback Mark Gronowski at the helm under center.

He wasn’t really needed in the Hawkeyes’ opener, passing for just 44 yards while the ground game powered through for over 300 yards in a win over Albany.

That could be Iowa’s approach in this game in an effort to slow things down and burn the game clock while keeping what looks like an aggressive Cyclones offense off the field.

Rocco Becht set a school record by hitting 95 percent of his passes as Iowa State pounded South Dakota by a 55-7 count, and this Big 12 title contender is already one game up in the conference after beating Kansas State in the Week 0 game.

The road team has fared well in this series, winning four of the last five in the rivalry, and the Cyclones have taken two of the last three.

And these games have been very close, with the average margin of victory being just 4.2 points for the winner over the last five matchups.

When to watch: 12 p.m. on Fox

Iowa vs. Iowa State prediction by expert football model

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Ole Miss at Kentucky

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Why watch? To catch the SEC opener in a rematch of one of the biggest upsets in the conference last year and an early test to gauge Lane Kiffin’s roster-building prowess.

Kiffin’s 10-win team from a year ago looks very different all over the field, especially at quarterback as Austin Simmons replaces program-leader Jaxson Dart, and coming off a promising performance in a dominant win over Georgia State in the opener.

Kentucky’s offense may not be among the SEC’s most threatening, but could present something of a challenge when it runs the ball against an Ole Miss front seven alignment that, while it replaces several key inputs, is still considered a team strength.

UK handed the Rebels a stunning defeat in Oxford early last season, a result that definitely played some role in their being left out of the College Football Playoff, and the Wildcats look to hold off Ole Miss’ attempt at revenge.

When to watch: 3:30 p.m. on ABC

Ole Miss vs. Kentucky prediction by expert football model

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Michigan at Oklahoma

SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Why watch? To catch a marquee SEC vs. Big Ten matchup under the lights that will serve as an early litmus test for both conferences in college football’s only game where both teams on the field are ranked in the AP top 25 poll.

Bryce Underwood, the No. 1 overall recruit who Michigan flipped from LSU this offseason, had a good first start as the Wolverines held off New Mexico in the opener, and Alabama transfer back Justice Haynes ran for 3 touchdowns in that game.

Both will face a considerably tougher out moving against an Oklahoma front seven that looks like one of the best in college football, now playing under the direct management of head coach Brent Venables, one of the sport’s premier defensive strategists.

Likewise, the Sooners’ new-look offense will line up against a Michigan front that will be a challenge.

John Mateer, OU’s big transfer gain at quarterback this year, had a good first showing while passing for 392 yards, the most of any quarterback in an Oklahoma debut, but the ground game left a ton to be desired as it goes against UM’s talented run-stop.

When to watch: 7:30 p.m. on ABC

Oklahoma vs. Michigan prediction by expert football model

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