Last Updated 4:18 PM, September 10, 2023
NCAA.com

Texas and Miami make statements, as Oregon and UNC survive close calls in Week 2 of college football

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2:35 pm, September 8, 2023

📺 Schedule, TV channels, matchups for the AP Top 25

College football's Week 2 blesses fans with another loaded slate, as every AP top 25 team takes the field for the second consecutive week.

Follow along right here for scores, stats and TV information for all top 25 games in Week 2. Check out a live scoreboard here. All times ET.

College football top 25 schedule, scores for Week 2

Saturday, Sep. 9

📺 Click or tap here for the full college football TV schedule for Week 2 

2:45 am, September 10, 2023

🌙 Nightly recap: Breaking down the most shocking scorelines

🤯 UPSET: No. 11 Texas stomps out No. 3 Alabama 34-24 

Texas FB catch

The Longhorns ran away with a huge upset, all the action going down in a thrilling fourth quarter. Texas asserted an early dominance with back-to-back touchdowns before Bama responded with a 39-yard TD pass and two-point conversion that lessened the Texas lead to 27-24. The Longhorns pulled away with a 39-yard TD pass of their own, prevailing with a 34-24 victory.

🦆 No. 13 Oregon sneaks off with a 38-30 win over Texas Tech 

The Ducks played a game of tug-of-war with both teams posting points on the board in three out of four quarters. The Raiders held much of the momentum into the fourth quarter with a strong 9-point lead and then tacked on a 45-yard field goal inside the fourth. But Oregon was not finished. A field goal followed by a 45-yard interception return for a touchdown wrapped up the win for the Ducks.


👀 Washington St. takes down No. 19 Wisconsin 31-22

Unranked Washington St. played host to its first Power Five nonconference opponent since 1998 on Saturday, and it did not go the way Wisconsin had hoped. The Cougars took a 24-9 lead into the second half and would not relinquish it. The closest the Badgers came to catching up was back-to-back touchdowns in the third quarter making it a two-point game. The Cougars, however, assured the win on a 1-yard touchdown run with 5:30 remaining, rounding out the scoring to a 31-22 upset. 

1:51 am, September 10, 2023

🚨4th quarter update: Texas leads Alabama 27-16 after INT

Bama scored its first touchdown of the game to close the third but the Longhorns immediately reclaimed the lead with a 7-yard pass TD. A Texas interception deep in Bama territory led to another TD to extend the Longhorn lead. Follow for more updates here! 
1:33 am, September 10, 2023

😮‍💨 North Carolina survives App State 2OT scare

No. 17 North Carolina sneaks past App State after the Tar Heels stall the Mountaineers on 4th down in double overtime.

But how did the game get to this point?

App State blocked UNC field goal to send the game into overtime. Here's the epic block that kept App State's hope of an upset victory alive.

Touchdowns from both ends of the field sent the game into double OT, before UNC ultimately reclaimed the lead with a 13-yard touchdown run boosting the score to 40-34 and sealing the win with a fourth down stop.

11:33 pm, September 9, 2023

🌀 Ragin' Canes: Van Dyke, Miami (FL) blow away No. 23 Texas A&M

If Miami's 17-9 defeat in College Station last season served ultimately as a devastating omen for the offensive woes that plagued each team, this evening's offensive explosion should be an exhilarating sight for south Florida. 

Tyler Van Dyke, aided by new OC Shannon Dawson, looks like a quarterback reborn through two games in 2023, throwing for nearly 400 yards and 5 touchdown while leading Miami to a 48-33 victory over No. 23 Texas A&M. 

Miami's offense took a bit of time ramping up to its late-game excellence, opting to punt on its first two series'. The Canes' first punt only traveled a few feet before colliding with the meaty paw of Jahdae Walker, who set the Aggies up with great field position off the blocked punt. Starting from the Miami 15, quarterback Conner Weigman capped off the short drive with a one-yard rushing score to give A&M a 7-0 lead. 

After falling behind by as much as ten, a pair of second-quarter touchdown tosses from Van Dyke, including a 52-yard bomb to Isaiah Horton, helped the Canes take a 21-17 lead into the locker room. 

The Aggies jockeyed within striking distance of Miami — Weigman had an excellent game in his own right, throwing for nearly 350 yards and a pair of touchdowns — but a 10-0 Miami run to open the fourth quarter opened up a decisive 15-point edge. 

11:28 pm, September 9, 2023

👀 Main event underway: Alabama and Texas deadlocked early

Saturday's Week 2 slate has just reached its climax, as No. 3 Alabama has kicked off against No. 11 Texas from Tuscaloosa. The two teams are deadlocked at zero early, but a Jalen Milroe interception has given Texas an early chance at the end zone. 

Head here for live updates on all the action between Alabama and Texas.

10:46 pm, September 9, 2023

🕕 Mid-day recap: Breaking down the biggest scorelines across the country

No. 20 Ole Miss 37, No. 24 Tulane 20

Lane Kiffin has likely never been so grateful for a false start. With his Ole Miss offense preparing for a crucial 4th-and-1 and the play clock ticking dangerously close to zero, the Rebel offensive line flinched ahead of a play that saw quarterback Jaxson Dart stuffed at the line of scrimmage. 

Taking the five-yard penalty, Kiffin elected for a 56-yard field goal try leading by seven. Kicker Caden Davis drilled the lengthy field goal, and a subsequent scoop-and-score saw the Rebels emerge from New Orleans with a massive top-25 road win. 

No. 22 Colorado 36, Nebraska 14

The nearly-robotic Colorado offense fans embraced in Week 1, which scored 48-points in an upset victory over TCU, seemed to face a much stiffer test against Nebraska early on Saturday. The Buffaloes managed just 50 yards on their first four drives, all punts, but ultimately jumped out to a first-half advantage thanks to a string of Nebraska mistakes. Four fumbles and an interception, all courtesy of Husker QB Jeff Sims, translated to consistently excellent field position and ultimately 13 points. 

There was nothing flukey about Colorado's second-half surge, however, which saw Colorado score on four consecutive possessions and quarterback Shedeur Sanders rack up nearly 400 yards passing in a blowout victory against the Huskers. 

No. 12 Utah 20, Baylor 13

Top-15 Utah rushed into the den of a wounded bear Saturday — Baylor suffered an embarrassing home defeat to Texas State in Week 1 — and was, expectedly left tending to a fair few desperate scrapes.

With the continued absence of starting quarterback Cam Rising, Utah's adopted ground-and-pound approach proved much less effective in Waco than in the Utes' Week 1 rout over Florida. Utah failed to broach 150 yards in an offensively-challenged first half, resorting to four punts and misfiring on an interception.

Baylor managed to claim a 10-point lead early in the second half and managed to stay ahead of the Utes until the final two minutes. Nate Johnson finally punched home a seven-yard carry to cap off Utah's 15-play, 88-yard drive, and the Utes would find the end zone again less than two minutes later after forcing an interception deep in Baylor territory. 

No. 1 Georgia 45, Ball State 3

A slow start for the Bulldogs quickly turned into a long afternoon for Ball State, as 31 second-quarter points for Georgia helped UGA built a dominant advantage at the break. 

Georgia's sputtering offense was sparked by its always dominant defense and special teams, opening the scoring early in the second quarter with a punt return touchdown before two-successive interception led to 14 points and a blown-open ballgame. 

The Bulldogs tacked on a pair of touchdowns in the third quarter and narrowly missed out on their shutout after Ball State knocked in a field goal midway through the fourth quarter. 

Southern Illinois 14, Northern Illinois 11

The Salukis continue their impressive of FBS performances together in recent years, knocking off Northern Illinois to secure their third win against higher-level competition in four attempts.  

Southern Illinois' defense completely suffocated a Huskies offense that hung 27 points on the ACC's Boston College in Week 1, holding NIU to just three points and 2.3 yards per carry through the opening three quarters. An accurate and poised performance from quarterback Nic Baker, paired with two lengthy receptions from Aidan Quinn, helped the Saluki's build a 14-3 lead heading into the final stanza.

NIU quarterback and Michigan State transfer Rocky Lombardi finally managed to burn the Saluki's over the top, connecting on a 62-yard TD that narrowed the deficit to three, but SIU held off their in-state rivals to claim a massive win.

Iowa 20, Iowa State 13

The traditionally-defensive Cy-Hawk series certainly lived up to its billing in 2023, with Iowa staving off a late surge from its in-state rivals to escape Ames with a win. A grounded first quarter consisted of just three drives, seeing Iowa cap off their 70-yard series with a short field goal to take an early 3-0 lead. Iowa would travel 80 yards the following possession, this time finishing the drive with a touchdown, while Iowa State was forced into four straight punts. 

After Iowa's Cade McNamara was picked off late in the first half, the Cyclones would immediately throw an interception of their own to Sebastian Castro, who returned the ball 30 yards for a touchdown. Iowa State slowly shaved down its 17-0 halftime deficit, ultimately regaining possession down just seven within the final two minutes, but a midfield 4th-and-1 stop secured Iowa's victory

James Madison 36, Virginia 35

After hours of weather delays and 65 combined points, James Madison entered the final minute of Saturday's marathon with a golden opportunity to best their in-state rivals nearly five hours after the opening kickoff.

Trailing by 11 entering the fourth quarter and in desperate need of points, back Ty Son Lawton struck 40 of his 79 yards together on consecutive plays to earn the Dukes a quick-fire touchdown. JMU would force a Virginia punt near midfield and assumed possession at the 20 yard line with three minutes remaining. 

A missile from Jordan McCloud helped JMU overcome a disconcerting second-and-20 before he managed to hook up with Kaelon Black for six with less than a minute remaining in the game to secure the Dukes' victory. 

10:32 pm, September 9, 2023

🪄 Mississippi Magic: Wade, Dart make stunning plays to give Ole Miss late 10-point lead

After a gift from the replay gods ruled No. 24 Tulane short of the first-down marker and gave Ole Miss the ball on downs, the Rebels used a strong gust of momentum to take an immediate shot downfield. 

Quarterback Jaxson Dart's piercing throw connected with the outstretched left arm of receiver Dayton Wade 40-yards down field, and Wade made a stunning one-handed grab while falling backward to surge into Tulane territory. 

A few snaps later on a crucial 4th-and-4 try, Jaxson Dart evaded a near certain sack, swirled around the chaotic backfield and ultimately found Michael Trigg unattended in the endzone for a first down and ultimately six points. 

9:48 pm, September 9, 2023

1️⃣5️⃣ Minutes Left: FCS Southern Illinois nears upset against Northern Illinois

The Salukis have strung quite a streak of FBS performances together in recent years, winning two of their last three against higher-level opposition, and are just 15 minutes away from continuing these winning ways against Northern Illinois. 

Southern Illinois' defense has completely suffocated a Huskies offense that hung 27 points on the ACC's Boston College in Week 1, holding NIU to just three points and 2.3 yards per carry through three quarters. An accurate and poised performance from quarterback Nic Baker, paired with two lengthy receptions from Aidan Quinn, has helped the Saluki's a two-score lead into the final period of play. 14-3 Southern Illinois

9:22 pm, September 9, 2023

☘️ No. 10 Irish overcome weather, NC State to improve to 2-0

Notre Dame certainly expected a hostile atmosphere in Raleigh, facing an NC State program coming off an eight-win season and keen on knocking off a top-ten program. 

However, even the Irish's blue-chip pedigree couldn't have prepared them for Saturday, as storm cells throughout the Carolinas caused more than 90 minutes of weather delays. Notre Dame endured the elements — reportedly with a steady diet of hot dogs and brats — and a pesky NC State team to emerge as comfortable 45-24 victors. 

The two schools managed to complete a quarter of the game before a spree of lengthy delays, beginning with an uninspiring stretch of football that amounted to four consecutive punts. The Irish would edge into NC State territory before entrusting kicker Spencer Shrader with a lengthy 54-yard field goal that ultimately gave ND the lead.

Nearly two hours of sitting and waiting clearly left Notre Dame back Audric Estime itching to stretch his legs, taking the first play following the stoppage 80 yards and push the Irish advantage up to 10.

The next five possessions reverted to the first-quarter's sloppy tempo, resulting in four punts and an interception, but a clutch touchdown reception from NC State's Brennan Armstrong seemed to pull the Wolfpack within three heading into the half.

However, with less than a minute before break at his own 22, star ND quarterback Sam Hartman danced around the pocket before his back-legged hurl found an uncovered Chris Tyree, who scampered down inside the ten. Notre Dame would find the end zone the next snap and quickly restore their cushioned advantage. 

NC State found itself with an opportunity to cut the lead to just four, but Wolfpack kicker Brayden Narveson pushed his attempt to the left. Notre Dame scored two touchdowns in less than a minute to open the fourth quarter, ballooning its advantage to 21 and shutting out the Wolfpack for good. 

9:00 pm, September 9, 2023

🌊 No Pratt, no problem: Tulane jumps out to halftime lead with backup QB

Leading up to possibly No. 24 Tulane's biggest game in recent memory against No. 20, Michael Pratt was likely the very last name Green Wave wanted to see declared as unavailable due to a knee injury. 

After throwing for more than 3,000 yards in a storied 2022 season down in New Orleans, Pratt tossed for another 300 yards with just one incompletion in Tulane's season-opener last week. 

Deputy Kai Horton was tasked with guiding Tulane's high-powered offense against SEC opposition in just his third ever start, an unenviable position he handled with remarkable grace. 

From Tulane's opening possession Horton appeared assured and capable, misfiring on just one pass as the Green Wave answered a lightning-quick Ole Miss drive with a more methodical response. Horton's star shone brighter as the half progressed, with his final involvement being a perfectly-weighted 41-yard touchdown bomb that dropped into the awaiting arms of Jha'Quan Jackson. 

Horton's second TD pass would give the Green Wave a comfortable 17-7 lead, but a late field goal from Ole Miss would shave the deficit back to one possession heading into the locker room. 

8:39 pm, September 9, 2023

🕺 Dancin' Dukes: James Madison scores last-minute touchdown to edge Virginia

After hours of weather delays and 65 combined points, James Madison entered the final minute of Saturday's marathon with a golden opportunity to best their in-state rivals nearly five hours after the opening kickoff.

Trailing by 11 entering the fourth quarter and in desperate need of points, back Ty Son Lawton struck 40 of his 79 yards together on consecutive plays to earn the Dukes a quick-fire touchdown. JMU would force a Virginia punt near midfield and assumed possession at the 20 yard line with three minutes remaining. 

A missile from Jordan McCloud helped JMU overcome a disconcerting second-and-20 before he managed to hook up with Kaelon Black for six with less than a minute remaining in the game. 

An ill-fated Virginia drive hardly materialized as a decisive fourth-and-20 attempt fell harmlessly to the turf, and the contingent of Dukes fans that made the 50-mile journey and endured with the elements erupted into raucous celebration.

 

8:09 pm, September 9, 2023

🏃 Big time Barion: Punt return helps Kentucky level score against EKU at half

FCS Eastern Kentucky has shown no fear at battling big brother in Lexington Saturday, particularly on the defense where the Colonels have surrendered fewer than 150 yards to take an early 7-0 lead.

With a sputtering offense, Kentucky's spark plug  Barion Brown embarked on a remarkable punt return to drag the Wildcats to the edge of the red zone. UK quarterback Devin Leary would find Tayvion Robinson for six on the very next play to tie the game heading into the break. 7-7

7:57 pm, September 9, 2023

🔴 Utes unfazed: Utah erases fourth-quarter deficit to defeat Baylor

After the walloping Baylor received during Week 1, which included a knee injury that benched their starting quarterback and a subsequent 11-point loss to Texas State, the Bears looked for redemption against their first ranked adversary.

As for No. 12 Utah, the quarterback room was the biggest question mark coming into the game — with starter Cam Rising still out from his Rose Bowl injury — Utah started Bryson Barnes as signal caller.

Sawyer Robertson led Baylor’s offense on Saturday, focusing on his passing game to combat Utah’s spectacular run defense — last week, the Utes held Florida to just 13 yards on 21 attempts. In total, Robertson clocked 218 yards in the air and with a 43% completion rate.

Offensive production began when the teams traded field goals in the second, then the Bears advanced to the red zone in 10 plays and capped off the drive with Robertson keeper to score his first-career touchdown.

The Utes sputtered to respond, putting up another field goal in the third to catch up to Baylor, 13-6. Nate Johnson replaced Bryson Barnes at QB in the fourth, which sparked a comeback as he found Money Parks and Mikey Matthews in a 15-play, 88-yard drive to knot the game at 13.

With less than two minutes to play, Utah safety Cole Bishop picked off a dime thrown by Robertson to tip the scales in Utah’s favor. Five carries split by Jaylon Glover and Ja’Quinden Jackson, who combined for 169 yards on the ground this afternoon, escorted the ball to the end zone with 17 seconds of regulation remaining.

With one last-ditch effort, Robertson sent a 47-yard prayer downfield, but couldn’t escape the next play’s blitz as the clock ticked down to zero. The two-time defending Pac-12 champs held on, outscoring the Bears 17-3 in the second half to take home the 20-13 dub.

7:01 pm, September 9, 2023

🦬 Buff blowout: Shedeur Sanders, Nebraska mistakes power No. 22 Colorado

In his FBS debut last week, Shedeur Sanders was nearly inch-perfect, turning each of Colorado's second-half drives into touchdowns and completing contorted throws into fleeting windows. 

So as Nebraska's turnover-prone offense continued to bless the Colorado offense with dangerous opportunities and excellent field position, it seemed inevitable that the Buffaloes' high-powered attack would pull away from the visiting Huskers. 

The Buffaloes would total 23 points in a dominant second half, staying perfect in Prime Time with a 2-0 start and blowing out Nebraska 36-14. 

Saturday's high-scoring affair started with a tepid first quarter, as both teams failed to broach the scoreboard and combined for four points and a fumble. In a first half defined by Jeff Sims' penchant for crippling turnovers — it was a fumble deep in Husker territory that allowed CU to score its first points with a field goal.

Just seven plays later, it was an interception this time that positioned the Buffs near the red zone, and Sanders fired a first-down laser into the end zone to extend Colorado's lead to 10. 

Sims briefly went from zero to hero to open the second half, stepping forward in the pocket and seizing 57 yards of green grass to narrow Nebraska's deficit to 6. This spectacular run only served to awaken Colorado's sleepy offense, however, which would score on its next four drives to emphatically close the door on Nebraska. 

This second-half surge powered Sanders to another superb stat line in Boulder, going 31 for 42 with nearly 400 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Almost half of those yards went exclusively to Xavier Weaver as the USF transfer hauled in 10 receptions, including two touchdowns. 

Sanders delivered the final blow with his legs, diving into the end zone from 6 yards out to take a commanding 36-7 lead late in the fourth quarter. Nebraska managed a consolation score after some turnover luck of their own, turning a Colorado fumble into 6 points just before the final whistle.

Colorado will battle another long-time rival in Week 3, hosting Colorado State, while Nebraska will face a dangerous Northern Illinois squad that bested Boston College in Week 1.