The 2024 college football season rolls on this weekend with a packed slate of games on the Week 2 schedule. All 25 teams in the AP poll are in action, including two contests that pit one ranked team against another.
None are bigger than No. 3 Texas’ trip to No. 10 Michigan. It’s on the short list of the most impactful games of the entire season and features two of college football’s most prestigious programs: Texas, trying to follow its 2023 College Football Playoff appearance with even more, and Michigan, which went 15-0 en route to a national title last season but has to replace plenty of prominent figures from that team.
Not that there aren’t other great games throughout the day. Iowa State and No. 21 Iowa are set to add another result to Cy-Hawk history, and No. 14 Tennessee and No. 24 NC State will clash in primetime from Charlotte, North Carolina, at Bank of America Stadium.
One game worth staying up for might be Boise State at No. 7 Oregon. The Broncos have their eyes set on the Group of Five’s playoff spot, and the Ducks look a little more vulnerable after a shaky season-opening win against Idaho.
Be sure to stick with CBS Sports all day Saturday for college football coverage from the opening kickoff onward. Let’s take a look at our expert picks for the best games in Week 2.
Odds via SportsLine consensus | All times Eastern
No. 14 Tennessee at No. 24 NC State
7:30 p.m. | ABC, fubo (Try for free) — Tennessee never seems to have problems scoring, and that shouldn’t be an issue against an NC State squad that appears to have taken a step back. The Vols scored on their first seven drives last week and Nico Iamaleava completed 2 of 4 passes of more than 20 air yards. The Vols have too much firepower and a solid defense with multiple NFL prospects. If NC State struggles on offense early, Tennessee may pounce on a double-digit lead quickly. The Wolfpack need QB Grayson McCall and the receivers to step up for what could develop into a shootout. Pick: Tennessee -7.5 — Brandon Marcello
Boise State at No. 7 Oregon
10 p.m. | Peacock — The Ducks didn’t look impressive last week, but they were missing key parts of their offensive line and should be closer to full health in this spot. Plus, how much were the Ducks looking to put on tape with far more difficult opponents to come on the schedule? I don’t think this team is nearly as bad as it looked last week and expect a bounce-back performance. The Broncos offense went crazy last week, but it’ll be much more difficult to do so against this Oregon defense. We also shouldn’t overlook that while Boise scored 56 points, it allowed 45 on defense. Pick: Oregon -19.5 — Tom Fornelli
No. 3 Texas at No. 10 Michigan
Noon | Fox, fubo (Try for free) — Nothing Michigan showed in its Week 1 victory over Fresno State suggested the Wolverines are going to be making many offensive outbursts in 2024. The Wolverines went eight straight possessions without a touchdown at one point against a Mountain West team. But Michigan still appears to have a pretty good defense. Texas quarterback’s Quinn Ewers’ chemistry with a new group of pass-catchers will be tested in one of the sport’s most hostile environments. Touchdowns will be rare for both teams. Pick: Under 43 — David Cobb
Iowa State at No. 21 Iowa
3:30 p.m. | CBS, Paramount+ with Showtime, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App — On paper, these two teams seem fairly evenly matched, but Iowa has one glaring advantage: the run game. Hawkeyes backs Kaleb Johnson and Kamari Moulton combined for 185 yards rushing in the Week 1 win against Southern Illinois. Iowa State allowed 174 yards on the ground against North Dakota, while only running for 86 of its own. Iowa also has a strong secondary that should be able to at least limit the Cyclones’ passing attack and take some of the explosiveness away from receivers like Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins. As long as the Hawkeyes can limit glaring errors, they’ve got a good chance of winning a tight one. Pick: Iowa -3 — Will Backus
Which college football picks can you make with confidence in Week 2? Visit SportsLine to see which teams will win and cover the spread — all from a proven computer model that has returned over $2,000 in profit since its inception — and find out.