Shocking Upsets and Blowouts Mark College Football Week 2
Week 2 of the college football season has already been packed with drama, surprises, and some jaw-dropping scorelines. On paper, the schedule looked a little lighter after a stacked Week 1, with only one matchup between ranked teams. But as always, college football proved once again that nothing can be taken for granted.
The day kicked off with a classic rivalry showdown in Iowa. In the annual CyHawk game, Iowa State took down Iowa thanks to a clutch late field goal. Rivalry games have a way of ignoring the odds, and that one was no exception. Meanwhile, in another headline moment, Arch Manning reminded fans why the hype has followed him for years. Against San Jose State, he bounced back in style, throwing five touchdowns in a commanding performance that showed glimpses of his Heisman-caliber potential.
Elsewhere, upsets continued to roll in. No. 11 Illinois picked up an impressive win on the road at Duke, and Baylor shocked No. 17 SMU in a double-overtime thriller. The highlight, though, came in Gainesville, where South Florida stunned No. 13 Florida. The Bulls were heavy underdogs, but a last-second field goal sealed an 18-16 victory that left Gators fans in disbelief and sent shockwaves through the SEC.
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At the same time, blowouts were happening across the country. Minnesota demolished Northwestern State, holding a 59-0 lead at halftime. Florida State had East Texas A&M down 49-0 at the break, and Texas Tech cruised past Kent State with a 48-0 advantage before halftime. According to Stats LLC, it was the first time since 2016 that three major programs led by at least 48 points at halftime on the same day. It was a reminder of just how big the gap can be between powerhouse programs and smaller schools.
Of course, those matchups are not just about competition. They’re also about financial realities. Smaller programs agree to play these giants in exchange for large payouts, often in the millions of dollars, to support their athletic budgets. For example, Grambling State was set to earn $1 million for playing No. 1 Ohio State, even while knowing the challenge was nearly impossible. Kent State’s check was even bigger at $1.5 million from Texas Tech, though that didn’t make the 48-0 halftime deficit any easier to swallow.
But not every payout leads to an easy win for the favorite. Just last season, Notre Dame paid Northern Illinois $1.4 million for a game that ended in a shocking loss. And this week, FIU showed it was not intimidated by No. 2 Penn State, holding the Nittany Lions to a modest 10-0 halftime lead despite being paid $1.6 million for the matchup.
The spotlight now shifts to the marquee game of the weekend: No. 14 Michigan against No. 18 Oklahoma. It’s the only ranked-versus-ranked showdown on the slate, and it carries major playoff implications. For Oklahoma especially, a loss could make a postseason run almost impossible given the brutal SEC schedule ahead. Both teams know the stakes, and fans are expecting fireworks.
Week 2 may have started with a lighter schedule on paper, but the mix of upsets, blowouts, and high-stakes battles has proven once again why Saturdays in the fall belong to college football.
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