Week 2 delivered one of the wildest Saturdays of the young season, highlighted by a historic comeback in Austin and a pair of major upsets that dramatically changed the national picture.
Game of the Week: Texas stuns Ohio State
No. 4 Texas 24, No. 1 Ohio State 23
Texas erased a 20-point fourth-quarter deficit, scoring three unanswered touchdowns to shock the defending top-ranked Buckeyes. Arch Manning orchestrated the comeback, while Hollywood Smothers provided the decisive touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
Ohio State appeared firmly in control for most of the night, but Texas’ late-game execution turned the contest into an instant classic. The result puts Texas in position to challenge for the No. 1 ranking in the next AP poll.
Biggest Upset: Oklahoma State over Oregon
Oklahoma State 39, No. 6 Oregon 31
Oklahoma State produced the other signature upset of the weekend, knocking off Oregon and ending a lengthy losing streak against FBS opponents. Drew Mestemaker threw for 317 yards and two touchdowns and added a 75-yard rushing touchdown, powering the Cowboys to a statement victory.
Michigan knocks off Oklahoma
Michigan 17, No. 11 Oklahoma 10
Michigan’s defense controlled the game as the Wolverines defeated Oklahoma in Ann Arbor. Bryce Underwood contributed a 38-yard rushing touchdown and 87 rushing yards, while Michigan held the Sooners to 10 points and forced two turnovers.
It was an important bounce-back result for Michigan after the controversy surrounding its Week 1 finish.
Other major results
Georgia 70, Western Kentucky 20 — The Bulldogs continued their dominant start behind five touchdown passes from Gunner Stockton.
Notre Dame 52, Rice 0 — A complete performance from the Fighting Irish, who improved to 2-0.
Utah 43, Arkansas 10 — Utah dominated the Razorbacks, outgaining Arkansas 442-305.
Alabama 45, Kentucky 17 — Alabama pulled away after halftime and improved to 2-0.
Tennessee 45, Georgia Tech 24 — The Volunteers overcame an early deficit with a powerful rushing attack.
USC 49, Louisiana 30 — USC remained unbeaten at 3-0, with Jayden Maiava throwing five touchdown passes.
Iowa 16, Iowa State 13 — The Hawkeyes won another hard-fought rivalry game on a late field goal.
Houston 77, Southern 6 — Houston’s offense exploded in a dominant performance.
Week 2 Winners
Texas: The biggest winner of the weekend. A comeback over No. 1 Ohio State changes the national championship conversation.
Oklahoma State: Beating No. 6 Oregon gives the Cowboys immediate credibility.
Michigan: A defensive-minded victory over a ranked Oklahoma team gets the Wolverines back into the national discussion.
Utah: The Utes looked like a serious Big 12 contender against Arkansas.
USC: At 3-0, the Trojans are building significant momentum.
Biggest Losers
Ohio State: Losing a 20-point fourth-quarter lead will dominate the discussion in Columbus.
Oregon: The loss to Oklahoma State represents a major setback and is expected to send the Ducks tumbling in the rankings. .
Oklahoma: Falling to Michigan leaves the Sooners at 1-1 and facing questions about their offense.
Iowa State: The Cyclones were competitive throughout the Cy-Hawk rivalry but couldn’t finish the job.
Week 2 MVP
Arch Manning, Texas
Manning didn’t have enormous raw passing numbers, but his leadership during Texas’ fourth-quarter rally was the defining performance of the weekend. His ability to keep the Longhorns composed while trailing by 20 transformed the game.
Early National Picture
After Week 2, the College Football Playoff race has already become much more complicated. Texas has emerged as a legitimate No. 1 candidate, while Ohio State, Oregon and Oklahoma now have to recover from significant setbacks.
The biggest lesson from Week 2: no lead is safe, and the national championship race is wide open.
