Week 2 Predictions – 2022
Last Week: Everything in the preseason implied Ohio State would drive, drive on down the field every time they had the ball. They were not able to do that against the Irish but at this point, we don’t know just how good Notre Dame will be in 2022. And the Buckeyes are still the only team in the country with a win over a top ten team. Very disappointing they dropped in the polls but it is early and they have plenty of time to prove their place. So let’s just call it a solid win in their 21-10 victory. As for our staff predictions, none of us predicted Florida would beat Utah, let’s see if we get fooled any this week.
This Week’s Games: Ohio State gets a few weeks to correct anything they found in last week’s game film. What better way to do that than taking on a Sun Belt squad like Arkansas State. We know who will win, but will the Buck learn anything in the process? …. The big game of the weekend will be Alabama making a rare appearance in non-conference road game. Saban takes the boys to Texas to face the Longhorns in Austin. Can Quinn Ewers find a way to beat the number 1 team in the country? …. Another SEC team going on the road will be Tennessee heading north to face Pittsburgh. Can the Panthers eek out another non-conference victory? …. Two SEC teams staying in conference this weekend is Kentucky and Florida. This looks to be the making of a great litmus test in the SEC East. Can the Gators earn a second straight quality win to kick off this young season? …. BYU will take on the Baylor Bears this weekend. Will the Cougars be this year’s non-power 5 team to challenge the playoff barrier like Cincinnati was last season?
Buckeye Greats: As in the past, we will continue to include former Buckeye players in our prediction fun and we are thrilled to have Vaughn Broadnax back with us as a regular participant for the eighth straight year.
Here we go with our Week 2 Picks – Good Luck to All – Gregg
Arkansas State @ (3)Ohio State
Vaughn Broadnax (OSU 1980-83): OSU explodes offensively and dominates Arkansas State 65-10
Coach Rick: Ohio State
Cory: Ohio State flashed a power running game and an improved defense in its win over Notre Dame last week. As for the passing game, well, there is room for improvement there. CJ Stroud’s numbers ended up good against Notre Dame but go back and watch the first half – you’ll see some of the same hesitation we saw at the beginning of last season. A tune up against Arkansas State this week should help the Buckeyes iron out some issues, but the early signs indicate a much more well-rounded Ohio State team has arrived. Ohio State 52 Arkansas State 10
Dave: Ohio State 42 Arkansas State 10
Gregg: It seems like since Tressel brought Youngstown State into the ‘Shoe for the Penguin althetic deparment fund raiser about a dozen years ago, the OSU Athletic office has been scheduling a ‘scratch your head’ game evey year. Florida Atlantic in 2019, Tulane in 2018, Army in 2017, you get the idea. This year is no different as Arkansas State will be coming to Columbus for a first time ever match-up with the Red Wolves. The Buckeye offcie will have a lot of things to prove and I have no doubt they will righ the ship this week. The defense was solid in the first half and nearly flawless in the second have against the Irish so they only thing they will be fighting this week is boredom. I expect to see big number games from CJ Stroud and Treveyon Henderson (and hopefully Williams since I am starting him in our fantasy league this week) and they entire defensive front. The Buckeyes set their own score this weekend and take care of business. Ohio State 63 Arkansas State 3
Jason: The Buckeyes are coming off a win vs a top 5 opponent but it didn’t look like what everyone expected. It was the defense that was the story while the offense sputtered at times without Jackson Smith-Njigba, who was hurt early in the game. However, when it needed to put the game away, the offense went on a game securing 95 yard drive in the fourth quarter. The much maligned defense run by new D Coor Jim Knowles exceeded all expecations, holding Notre Dame to just 253 yards, including 6 straight punts on their last 6 possessions. Enter Arkansas State, a game that is a cash grab for the Red Wolves, but they do enter off a dominant performance in their opener against Grambling State, holding the Tigers to just 102 yards. QB James Blackman is a Florida State transfer and won’t be intimidated by the environment. But….this isn’t Grambling State. Yes the Buckeye offense didn’t put up huge numbers in the opener, but that was a legitimate D on the other side that was ranked #5 in the country. Bottom line, the offense isn’t any concern long term and defensively, there’s a swagger about this group and a confidence not seen in the ‘Silver Bullets’ in some time. Arkansas State will struggle to move the football and the Buckeye offense will unleash its true power and it won’t be close. Ohio State will score early and often and bury the Red Wolves by halftime. Stroud will throw for well over 300 by the time he exits early in the third quarter and the Buckeyes cruise to 2-0. Ohio State 63 Arkansas State 3
Joe-S-U: OSU over Arkansas State – I was reasonably impressed with the Red Wolves’ 58-3 drubbing of Grambling last week ’til I remembered that Grambling is coached by Hue Jackson. Anyhoo, let Njigba rest, clear the bench and move on to Toledo
John: Looking at message boards and on-line sport sites, two take aways from last weeks win. 1) People are making too much out of the passing game not being sharp. 24-34, 2 TDs and no picks versus the #5 team in the country doesn’t suck. 2) People are making too much out of the D’s performance. Yes, the D look much improved, but Notre Dame’s game plan was so vanilla as to make Tresselball look like a run and shoot. Oh, yeah, Bucks win bigly this week. Ohio State 59 Arkansas St 3
Josh: The test for the Buckeyes in this game isn’t if they can win this game or cover the spread, the test will be if they can get themselves focused after the entertainment Mecca that was last weekend against Notre Dame. This will be under the sun at noon, and the Buckeyes will most likely be without Jaxon Smith-Njigba for a week or two before the Wisconsin game on September 24th. CJ Stroud should be able to pad his stats into the third quarter in this game, and expect to see Kyle McCord in come in the game to fill in as closer. The defense will need to step up against James Blackman and former Buckeye Brian Snead, but this should be no contest. Ohio State 56 – Arkansas State 7
Steven: Once again, the beginning of the season surprised me. We always seem to be blinded by how the last season ended and tend to forget each new year starts with a new team. For all of us predicting the continuation of the offensive dominance by Ohio State, this will be our week, (or couple of weeks as Toledo next week should be similar). Ohio State’s defense definitely didn’t disappoint against Notre Dame, especially in the second half. We don’t really know how good the Irish offense is, so using them as a measuring stick will take at least a few weeks. Ohio State’s CJ Stroud seemed to be just a tad bit off in the first quarter, but soon got his mojo back, ending the game with a 70.6 completion percentage and a QBR of 89.5. With CJ a bit off, and the loss of star wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, committing to the run stabilized the offense. Other than false starts by right tackle Dawand Jones, the O line was dominant, especially in the second half. A road grading offensive front will serve us well throughout the season. Arkansas State comes into the Shoe 1-0 after dismantling Grambling 58-3. QB James Blackman scored pairs of touchdowns passing and rushing, so shutting him down will be key to an Ohio State win. A mobile QB will be a new test as Notre Dame’s quarterback Tyler Buckner was never a serious run threat, having gained only 18 yards on 11 carries, 12 of those coming on one play. Even with the Red Wolves offensive firepower, this week should be a blowout win. Tweaks will be made, both the run game and the passing game will get going, and everyone gets a touchdown, including the defense. OSU 51-12
Trout: This game won’t be close. I know some people might be worried that the offense wasn’t flashy against Notre Dame, but I chalk that up to first game rust, and Notre Dame having a better than expected defense. Ohio State will win this game with little to no issues. Most likely we will see Kyle McCord play a good portion of the second half. The Buckeyes are better at every aspect of the game than the Red Wolves, and I don’t see the game being close at all. This game, along with next week’s game against Toledo are just warm up games for the real challenge at the end of the month in Wisconsin. Ohio State wins in a blow out. (Ohio State, 55-10)
Final Score: Ohio State 45 Arkansas State 12
(1)Alabama @ Texas
Vaughn Broadnax (OSU 1980-83): Alabama edges Texas 35-27
Coach Rick: Alabama
Cory: Former Buckeye Quinn Ewers made his first start last week in Texas’ Louisiana-Monroe and he looked OK. He was 16-of-24 for 224 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. He showed his potential at times but did miss on some throws. He will need to grow up in a hurry as Texas plays host to Alabama this week. Alabama looked as expected in its dominating win over Utah State last week. Bryce Young threw for 195 yards and five touchdowns, and he added 100 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Texas has some talent but overall they are just not on the same level as Alabama this week. I’m not sure playing at home will be that much of an advantage, either. Alabama 42, Texas 17
Dave: Alabama 42 Texas 21
Gregg: With the arrival for Coach Sarkisian, the Longhorns are starting to re-stock their locker room with the talent that has escaped them since Mack Brown left. But the do not yet have the talent they will need to keep up with Alabama. Hopefully they get it more improvement before they actually join the SEC. Alabama 45 Texas 24
Jason: The Longhorns attempt to take a big step in announcing their presence to the country that they are ‘back’ on Saturday in Austin. Coach Steve Sarkisian boasts some of the best skill talent in college football with Bijan Robinson in the backfield and WR Xavier Worthy catching passes from highly touted Ohio State transfer QB Quinn Ewers. They have the ability to score and they have to with a very pedestrian defense. In comes mighty Alabama, ranked #1 in the country and may be the most talented team in the country on paper. Texas should be able to put up a few points, but the Bama defense is a tough nut to crack consistently. Oh yea, Bama can score too. Behind Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young, who is the front runner to become the 2nd two time winner in college football history, Alabama can and will score. Texas will hang around for a quarter or two, but the Tide machine will take over in the second half and make things very uncomfortable for Ewers in the pocket and Bama will pull away, sending Texas down to what has become an annual early season loss. Bama 42 Texas 20
Joe-S-U: Alabama over Texas – These 2 teams haven’t played in the regular season since Ohio Stadium’s inaugural year of 1922. Which is coincidentally the last time Alabama played a true road non-conference game. The only benefit of a noon start on this one is McConaughey won’t have as long to get looped
John: Mullet head is going to wish he’d stayed in Columbus as a backup when this one is over. Alabama 35 Texas 10
Josh: For Steve Sarkisian, this will be a litmus test of when his team is at compared against the top end talent of the College Football landscape. They had a good win last week the get some confidence, but I have a feeling there will be a Quinn Ewers sized imprint in the field in Austin left by Will Anderson. This one will be close for a few series, but the Crimson Tide will pull away by the second quarter, and Nick Saban will move to 3-0 in true non-conference road games since starting his head coaching career at Alabama. Alabama 42 – Texas 14
Steven: Can Texas QB Quinn Ewers do us a solid? He did fine last week with 225 yards, 2 TDs and one INT against ULM. I’m sure Ewers and the Longhorn offense will try to do its part, but slowing down Crimson Tide QB Bryce Young will be the game’s deciding factor. Can the Texas defense slow down Young and Alabama’s high-powered offense? Survey says, “No”. There might as well be a buzzer going off and a big red X flashing in the middle of your television screen. Saban once again will flex his dominance over his former assistants by boat racing the Longhorns. ‘Bama 45-28
Trout: Ewers is going to have a tough time against the Crimson Tide. I don’t think it’s going to work out in his favor. The Crimson Tide is head and shoulders above Texas at this point. Maybe eventually Texas will be back to a level of relevancy, but I don’t see it being this year. I honestly don’t believe in Steve Sarkisian as a head coach. He was a disaster at USC, and the only reason he was hired for Texas is because he was a coordinator under Saban. This game may be close to start with, but I Alabama will pull away in the second half. I just don’t see the Quinn Ewers being able to mount a comeback. This is only his second start as a college quarterback. Alabama wins this game comfortably. (Alabama, 42-21)
Final Score: Alabama 20 Texas 19
(24)Tennessee @ (17)Pittsburgh
Vaughn Broadnax (OSU 1980-83): Tennessee wins a shootout over Pittsburgh 41-38
Coach Rick: Pittsburgh
Cory: Tennessee finds itself with a number next to its name, and the Volunteers also find themselves with a big road matchup this week at Pitt. The Panthers gutted out a win over rival West Virginia in the Backyard Brawl last week, whereas Tennessee is coming off a big win over Ball State. Pitt played on Thursday so the Panthers will come into this game with a few extra days of rest compared to Tennessee, and they will need it. Tennessee has a very dynamic offense led by playmaking quarterback Hendon Hooker. Hooker completed 72 percent of his passes last week. Hooker will be key in this game as Pitt features a much tougher defense than Ball State. As long as Hooker can avoid big mistakes I think Tennessee can win this game. Tennessee 28, Pitt 24
Dave: Tennessee 32 Pittsburgh 28
Gregg: SEC rules in this one, I don’t think the Panthers are the same team that won the ACC last year. The Volunteers are not the top of their conference which shows you how far the Atlantic Coast has fallen. Tennessee 27 Pittsburgh 17
Jason: The Panthers opened the year with a huge rivalry win at home over West Virginia and behind USC transfer Kedon Slovis at QB, Pitt showed they can fling it around despite the lack of a consistent running attack. The Panthers can rush the passer and make things difficult for opposing offenses to explode, but Tennessee’s offense is a big upgrade over WVU. The Vols defense isn’t overly dominant so Pitt should be able to score, but can Pitt slow the Tennessee offense enough to pull out the win? Not likely. This has a making of a high scoring affair, but Hendon Hooker is the difference maker in this one, throwing a pair of late TD passes to pull out the win on the road and sending the Panthers to their first loss in 2022. Tenn 45 Pitt 31
Joe-S-U: Pitt over Tennessee – 4th-ever meeting between these two, Panthers have won all 3 thus far. I’m rolling the dice that they make it 4, I’m just not sold on the Vols.
John: Vegas is drinking the ESS-EEE-SEE Kool-Aid I see, as the Vol’s are a 6 point favorite on the road. Both teams won last week, but Pitt had the tougher test. Tennessee has been such a basket case in recent years that they will have to show me they are for real before I pick them. Pitt in the minor upset. Pittsburgh 24 Tennessee 21
Josh: Pittsburgh had an epic clash the previous week against rival West Virginia as Kedon Slovis made his debut as the Pitt quarterback. He has a decent game with 308 yards, but only 1 touchdown. The Pitt defense I think will be the key to this game if they can slow down Volunteer’s quarterback Hendon Hooker who made quick work against Ball State in their opening game with 2 touchdowns in the air and on the ground. Tennessee 35 – Pitt 31
Steven: Despite the win against West Virginia last week, Pitt certainly didn’t bowl you over with offensive efficiency. Panther QB Kedon Slovis outdueled fellow USC alum JT Daniels, but his 16-24 for 304 yards and one TD won’t win him a Heisman anytime soon. But, he did account for 80% of Pitt’s offense. Tennessee’s offense broke out for 569 yards in a win over Ball State. Certainly the competition wasn’t close to what Pitt faced, but the Vols do have a running game, albeit it’s a group effort. If Tennessee can limit Panther RB Rodney Hammond Jr. they should be able to pin their ears back to key on attacking Slovis. Liking Tennessee’s chances. Vols 34-21
Trout: I am picking the Panthers in this game. I don’t know how good they will end up being this year, but I think they have way more upside than the Volunteers. Tennessee always comes in with so much hype and ends up having a mediocre to terrible season. I just feel like that’s going to be the case this year too. The game will be really close. I fell like these teams are on par skill-wise, so they should be able to match each other blow for blow. But I see the Panthers just doing enough to get ahead on the scoreboard and pulling off the upset. It’ll be a close low scoring game, with the Pittsburgh Panthers standing victorious at the end. (Pittsburgh, 21-17)
Final Score: Tennessee 34 Pittsburgh 27
(20)Kentucky @ (12)Florida
Vaughn Broadnax (OSU 1980-83): Kentucky loses to Florida barely 28-24
Coach Rick: Florida
Cory: A lot of eyes will be on this SEC matchup between Kentucky and Florida. Florida pulled off a big win by beating Utah last week, whereas Kentucky looked OK in a 37-13 win over Miami of Ohio. Will Levis now leads Kentucky at quarterback and he is a good threat in the passing game, but against Florida the Wildcats will need to be more versatile. In the win over Miami, Kentucky combined for 50 rushing yards. That just won’t cut it against Florida. The Gators have a dynamic quarterback of their own in Anthony Richardson, and containing him will be difficult. Florida 31 Kentucky 20
Dave: Kentucky 28 Florida 21
Gregg: Only in the SEC can you go from unrated to to ranked #12 on the strength of one win. Maybe we will just say that Florida was under ranked to start the season. I do think it was an impressive victory over the Utes and I think they keep that momentum going this week too. I think Kentucky is overrated this season so far but the good news is one of these SEC schools will get their first lose of the season. Florida 31 Kentucky 28
Jason: A big early SEC East matchup that doesn’t include Georgia. The Wildcats aren’t spectacular on either side of the football but they are solid on both sides. They have the ability to get stops and force their opponents to play at their pace. Florida QB Anthony Richardson will try to escape the pocket and use his legs, but the Cats D will contain with a solid set of linebackers. Offensively, QB Will Levis has turned into a bonafide pro prospect and is coming off a 300+ yard passing performance last week. Florida is coming off a survive and advance type home win over highly regarded Utah and a lot of that had to do with Richardson and his ability to keep plays alive, but their run game was the surprise, rushing for near 300 yards against a very good Ute D. They may have another shootout on their hands in the Swamp and once again, the Gators will survive thanks to a late stop, moving to 2-0 and getting a big conference W. Florida 38 Kentucky 31
Joe-S-U: Florida over Kentucky – It’s Labor Day evening as I make these picks, so on one hand when the AP poll comes out tomorrow I fully expect Florida to go from unranked to #5. But on the other hand the Gators don’t play Alabama, so there’s really no need to inflate Florida’s ranking.
John: A big game in week two in the SEC East. Loser will have a hard time making to Atlanta in December. Game is in Florida, so that will be the difference. Florida 28 Kentucky 20
Josh: Florida pulled off a gusty win against a higher ranked Utah team in their home opener, and Anthony Richardson “AR15” made a statement win to not only help the Gators jump to the 12th ranked team in the AP poll, but also show to be a potential challenger to Georgia for the SEC East this year. Kentucky struggled in the beginning with their home win against Miami (OH) with Will Levis throwing for 303 yards and 3 touchdowns. With this one being at night in the Swamp, the Gators have the advantage, and will get their second ranked win of the season against the Wildcats. Florida 24 – Kentucky 17
Steven: Florida is riding high after surviving a late drive by Utah last week. National pundits will love to point to a win over a (probably optimistically rated) top 5 team in Utah as proof that the Gators are BACK! Let’s slow our roll a bit. The Gator defense gave up 466 yards. Of course, this was against Utah, a team that boasts one of the best offenses in college football… but still. Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson accounted for 168 yards in the air, 108 on the ground and 3 rushing touchdowns. While not bad stats, you’re not going to win many games basically playing single wing football. Methinks we may see Florida swap in Ohio State transfer Jack Miller III if the lack of a passing game continues. For this game, I think it will be a bit of a wakeup call for Florida, and a QB switch isn’t out of the realm of possibility. On the other side, I do like Kentucky QB Will Levis. He’s solid, and while he may not be the most dazzling quarterback, he should be able to exploit the Gator defense enough to earn a Wildcat win. UK 31-24
Trout: I see the Gators winning this game, but I think it’ll be close. I don’t think either team is going to be good. Granted, Florida just beat a Utah team that is thought to be a potential favorite to win the PAC-12 this year. But honestly, we don’t know how good they are either. The Utes could have been a one year wonder, and now are back to mediocrity. As I’ve said many times, Florida just has not been the same since Urban left. They’ve gotten close a few times, but they haven’t reached the level that this program hit in the Meyer/Tebow era. Having said all that, I think they will probably be a little better than the Wildcats. Kentucky makes some noise every once in a while, but they are never really a true threat in the SEC. I see the game being low scoring with a lot of turnovers. Florida will score late and pull ahead wit h the Wildcats unable to answer. Florida wins in a close one. (Florida, 28-24)
Final Score: Kentucky 26 Florida 16
(9)Baylor @ (21)BYU
Vaughn Broadnax (OSU 1980-83): Baylor edges BYU 28-24
Coach Rick: Baylor
Cory: While some other games this week will get more national attention, perhaps the best game of them all will be between Baylor and BYU. Baylor enters as the No. 9 team in the country but because the Bears play in the Big 12, any hopes of getting into the College Football Playoff ride on getting a win in this game. BYU is no pushover either – the Cougars have a terrific offense led by quarterback Jaren Hall. In last week’s win over South Florida, Hall completed 78.1 percent of his passes with two touchdowns. Even more impressive is that the Cougars racked up 312 rushing yards. This matchup is close enough that I will give the edge to the home team. BYU 30 Baylor 28
Dave: BYU 21 Baylor 18
Gregg: BYU was 4-0 against the Pac-12 and have 19 starters back, including the entire Defense. The Cougars get the win and start early playoff buzz in Provo. BYU 35 Baylor 24
Jason: Baylor’s defense is most definitely the strength of the Bear squad and QB Blake Shapen has an ability to make big plays but they are about to face a BYU team that has as good as an offensive line as they will see all year. QB Jaren Hall can fling it around and they certainly look the part of a Big 12 opponent, which they will become soon. Baylor will need to play ball control and ground and pound to survive a night game in a hostile environment, which is not necessarily their strength. The Cougars will rise to the challenge at home behind their crowd and pull out what will likely become a dog fight well into the fourth quarter and BYU will announce their presence to all of the Big 12 that Provo is a difficult a place to play as there is in the conference, where they will be in 2023. BYU 27 Baylor 21
Joe-S-U: Baylor over BYU – I was really, really hoping we would pick the Cincinnati/Kennesaw State game. Cincinnati was the 1st Major League baseball franchise, and Kenesaw Mountain Landis was baseball’s first commissioner. What all that has to do with Baylor/BYU is beyond me.
John: Vegas has BYU a 3 ½ point favorite at home. Not much respect for the #9 Bears. I’m just guessing here, but I’m going to go with the pollsters over the bettors here. Baylor 38 BYU 31
Josh: Both team came off of impressive warm up wins to start their season. BYU is looking to be this years Cincinnati as a potential non-Power 5 team to break into the 4 team playoff. Baylor is looking to challenge as the Big 12 champion for the second straight year, and a win this week could give them a lot of confidence for a schedule that sets up nicely to continue to build on their success from last year. BYU is the home underdog in this game, and I expect the Bears to get the win on the road with their defense. Baylor 27 – BYU 17
Steven: This one is intriguing. Both teams accounted for 573 yards last week, with Baylor gaining about 50 more yards in the air and BYU skewed 50 more yards on the ground. They both allowed under 280 total yards. Just by virtue of BYU having played and dominated better competition in USF, versus Baylor’s blowout win over Albany, I’m going to go with the home team. I won’t be surprised if Baylor pulls an upset. This will be close, and will go a long way to determining who will stay in the hunt for a playoff berth, even though the odds for both of these teams are extremely long. BYU covers the 3 point spread 33-28. If this happens, and Texas goes down to Alabama, you can pretty much stick a fork in the Big 12.
Trout: Baylor will most likely win this game, but I can see Cougars making it difficult for them. I think I am giving the edge to the Bears because of what they did last year. I think Aranda has this team going in the right direction. I don’t know if they are ready for the playoffs this year, but they could be a dark horse pick to win the Big 12. However, BYU is no slouch. They have never been a powerhouse, but they have always been decent. Both teams have shown that they can put up some points, so I think this game will be a bit of a shootout. With Baylor having slightly better skills I just see them pulling ahead and the Cougars being unable to catch up. Baylor wins in a close shootout. (Baylor, 56-49)
Final Score: BYU 26 Baylor 20
Upset Special
Josh: Appalachian State vs Texas A&M – Texas A&M had a slow start, including a rain delay, against an inferior opponent in Same Houston. The Aggies only had a 17 point lead going into half time, and a lord part of that had to do with the ineptitude of the Bearkats offense. Appalachian State started their season with a home loss to North Carolina in a dramatic shootout where they had to come from behind to only lose by 2 points when it went into overtime. Chase Brice should challenge the Aggie defense a little more and if the Mountaineers want to have a chance they have to keep with a shootout in this one. App State 48 – Texas A&M 42