Should be a great Saturday of college football in Week 2.
Several big games in the SEC starting with Auburn at Mississippi State at noon and ending with Georgia at Missouri.
Interesting non-conference match-ups include Nebraska at UCLA, Washington at LSU and Vanderbilt at Northwestern.
Longtime foes Iowa State and Iowa meet for the 60th time and a big 1-AA (FCS) game as Montana travels to Appalachian State.
Chattanooga has a key game at Jacksonville State as the Mocs (0-1) look for a win and to put aside the quarterback controversy earlier in the week when then No.1 QB Terrell Robinson quit the team on Tuesday, but returned on Thursday.
Jacob Huesman starts as QB tonight for UTC.
Record ... Last Week: 15-1 Season: 15-1 Game Missed: Grambling State over Alcorn State (Alcorn State won)
Miami (1-0) at Kansas State (1-0) (Noon, FX) … can Miami win on the road for the second straight week after rallying to win at Boston College, 41-32 … no beaches in Manhattan Kansas …
Winner: Kansas State
Auburn at Miss State (1-0) … (Noon, ESPN) … important SEC West game … Auburn leads series, 60-23-2 … cow bells will be ringing all afternoon ... Auburn is 18-1 in last 19 SEC openers … last loss was in 2007 to Miss. State, 14-19 … Miss State has lost 12 straight league openers … last win was 1999, beating South Caroline, 17-0, on the way to a 10-2 season … last time Auburn started 0-2 was 2003 …
Winner: Miss State
Penn State (0-1) at Virginia (1-0) (Noon, ABC) … Penn State lack of depth was evident in second half in last Saturday’s loss to Ohio U. … UVa quarterback Michael Rocco almost went to Penn State … Rocco threw for 311 yards and a touchdown in win against Richmond … Rocco’s dad, Frank, was starting QB on Penn State’s national championship team in 1982
Winner: UVa
Washington Lee (0-1) at Sewanee (1-0) (2 p.m.) ... longtime D-III rivalry … it’s hall of fame weekend at Sewanee …The host Tigers have not beat the Generals at home since 2003
Winner: Sewanee
Purdue (1-0) at Notre Dame (1-0) (3:30 p.m., NBC) ... longtime great Midwest rivalry ... great names in this rivalry, include Drew Brees, Lynn Dawson, Bob Griese and Leroy Keyes for Purdue and Paul Horning, John Huarte, Joe Montana, Joe Theisman and Jerome Bettis for the Irish.
Winner: Notre Dame
Iowa State (1-0) at Iowa (1-0) (3:30 p.m., Big Ten Network) … 60th meeting with Iowa leading 39-20 … Iowa State won last year in triple overtime.
Winner: Iowa
Florida (1-0) at Texas A&M (0-0) (3:30 p.m., CBS) … Season-opener and first ever SEC game for host Aggies … having played a game should help the Gators
Winner: Florida
No.2 USC (1-0) at Syracuse (0-1) (3:30 p.m., ABC Regional) … Orangemen lost to Northwestern at home last week … could be ugly early … Syracuse can’t wait to get USC out of town and looking forward to playing Stony Brook at home next week.
Winner: USC
Ga. State (0-1) at Tennessee (1-0) (4 p.m. ESPN) … big money game for Ga. State and coach Bill Curry … Curry beat the Vols when he coached at Ga. Tech and Alabama … but that was then and this is now
Winner: Tennessee
Montana (1-0) at Appalachian State (0-1) (6:30 p.m., ESPN3 and ESPN GamePlan pay-for-view) … great intersectional 1-AA (FCS) game … five national titles between them … should be electric atmosphere at The Rock in Boone, N.C. … The Grizzlies have won the two previous meetings in the national semis both in Montana
Winner: Appalachian State
Washington (1-0) at No.3 LSU (1-0) (7 p.m., ESPN) … Baton Rouge on a Saturday nite is tough going … Huskies last played in Tiger Stadium in 1983 and lost 40-14 … might not be a four touchdown difference tonight, but still an LSU win.
Winner: No.3 LSU
UTC (0-1) at No.24 Jacksonville State (0-1) (7 p.m.)… Redshirt freshman Jacob Huesman will start for Mocs after then No.1 QB Terrell Robinson quit the team on Tuesday, but returned to the team Thursday … important game for both teams as they shoot for at least seven wins against D-I BCS/FCS teams …Mocs defensive front four and Huesman’s ability to move the offense are keys for the Mocs.
Winner: Chattanooga
Nebraska (1-0) at UCLA (1-0) (7:30 p.m., FOX) … good intersectional game … Huskers lead the series 6-4 and the two teams have not met since 1994 … 40th anniv of UCLA beating two-time defending national champion Nebraska, 20-17, in 1972 season opener in Los Angeles … snapped Nebraska 23-game win streak .. Huskers had All-Americans Rich Glover and Willie Harper on defense and 1972 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Rodgers on offense … future actor Mark Harmon made his QB debut for the Bruins that night.
Winner: Nebraska
Georgia (1-0) at Missouri (1-0) (7:45 p.m., ESPN2) … Tiger fans will be in high gear for first-ever SEC game on national television at night … Dawgs need to weather early emotional effort by Missouri
Winner: Georgia
Texas-El Paso (1-0) at Ole Miss (1-0) (8 p.m., ESPN)… big game for host Rebels who play three Texas schools at home … Texas (Sept. 15) and Texas A&M (Oct.6) also visit Oxford ... a loss by Ole Miss and 4-5 wins could be real tough to attain … UTEP won last meeting in 1967 Sun Bowl, 14-7 …
Winner: Ole Miss
Vanderbilt (0-1) at Northwestern (1-0) (8 p.m., Big Ten Network)… series is 1-1-1 … ‘Dores are looking for fifth straight non-conference win.
Winner: Vanderbilt
contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net