Six Week 2 College Football Games Impacting the Playoff Race

It took only one week for major narratives to fall among college football's elite. Suddenly, LSU proved itself to be a major national contender, and cracks began to appear at Michigan. Oregon also must fight its way back, while Boise State took its place as the top Group of Six contender.

Now, Week 2 brings us another key opportunity to shape the postseason race. The biggest spot is obvious, as No. 1 Ohio State travels to play No. 4 Texas in a marquee matchup. However, matchups involving Texas A&M, Oklahoma and BYU could prove just as important to shaping the national picture.

Remember, Notre Dame and Texas cost themselves postseason trips with early losses last season. Games in September can shape perception. With that in mind, here are six games in Week 2 that could impact the College Football Playoff race.

No. 1 Ohio State at No. 4 Texas

There's not much to explain about this game. The winner likely becomes the favorite to win the national championship. The loser suddenly faces a difficult path to even make the playoff, with multiple AP top-10 teams remaining.

We even have an example of how important this game will be last season, as losing to the Buckeyes cost the Longhorns a trip to the postseason. With perhaps the two best wide receivers and quarterbacks in college football on the field, this is a heavyweight battle.

No. 11 Oklahoma at Michigan

Since Michigan technically didn't lose to Western Michigan, the Wolverines still have a chance to get back on track. Unfortunately, they're playing a motivated Oklahoma squad ready to make a national statement.

The Sooners cruised through the first part of 2025 until quarterback John Mateer underwent hand surgery. From there, the offense struggled to get back on track. Expect a heavy dose of downfield passing and mixed coverages to confuse second-year Wolverines quarterback Bryce Underwood. A big win could help launch OU up the charts.

No. 10 Texas A&M vs. Arizona State

The Aggies were a popular pick for the most overrated team in our preseason expert picks, and they face their first major stress test against a Big 12 foe. Texas A&M's offense needed a moment to get going against Missouri State, only scoring a second touchdown seconds before halftime. That kind of effort won't cut it against the Sun Devils.

For Arizona State -- and the Big 12 -- prove-it games against the SEC are paramount. A Sun Devils loss to Mississippi State last season plateaued their season, and played a role in the Big 12 not getting a second team into the field. Kenny Dillingham is one of the best coaches in the sport, and he'll have his Sun Devils ready to play.

No. 15 BYU vs. Arizona

BYU was the second team out of the College Football Playoff last season, and the Cougars have flown under the radar all offseason. They face a major test against Arizona, perhaps the most overlooked nine-win team in the country last year, led by All-Big 12 quarterback Noah Fifita.

Last season, Arizona nearly pulled off a major upset, taking a 10-point lead late in the fourth quarter. BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier was able to force overtime with a touchdown with 19 seconds remaining in regulation, but the Cougars have a shot to put it behind them in Provo.

Memphis at Boise State

The Broncos have got to have one of the coolest schedules in America. They play Memphis this week, travel to Western Michigan in two weeks and then get playoff hopefuls Fresno State, San Diego State and Texas State in the regular season. If they get the Group of Six's playoff spot, it will be earned.

Through two games, though, Memphis looks the part of a serious contender. Charles Huff's squad beat UNLV in Week 1 and followed it up with an impressive 42-24 win over Arkansas State. Running back Jaylin Carter looks like a star in the making after following Huff from Southern Miss.

The winner of this game becomes the new prohibitive favorite to make the playoff, and could shift the balance of power between the American and Pac-12.

UTSA at Texas State