Week 2 of the college football season has started to show us just where teams stand. While teams have a long season to improve, former AP Top 10 teams like Michigan and Notre Dame were exposed this week. For every team that falls though, another team has a chance to rise!
Take a look and see where your team stands in this week’s Top 5 Rankings.
Scroll to the bottom to see how Rivalry Sports did on their picks for the Week 2 games and to see a summary of this week’s picks!
Win/Loss Records of the picks for Week 2 :
| Picker | Rivalry Sports – Dustin Kirby | Guest Picker |
| Win – Loss Record Week 2 | 15 – 4 | 17 – 2 |
| Overall Won/Loss Record on Picks this Season | 32 – 6 | 33 – 5 |
Guest Picker Won/Loss Records
| Guest Picker | Week | Won/Loss Record on Picks | Winning Percentage |
| Stephanie Kirby | 1 | 16 – 3 | 84.2% |
| Stephanie Kirby | 2 | 17 – 2 | 89.5% |
RIVALRY SPORTS LOCK PICK OF THE WEEK
| Week | Rivalry Sports Game Score Pick | Actual Result |
| 1 | #5 Alabama over Western Kentucky 45 – 13 | #5 Alabama over Western Kentucky – 63 – 0 |
| 2 | #6 Ole Miss over MTSU 48 – 10 | #6 Ole Miss over MTSU 52 – 3 |
| 3 | #17 Michigan over Arkansas State 38 – 10 |
Check out last week’s Top 5 Rankings
Weekly Rivalry Sports Top 5 for each Power Conference
SEC TOP FIVE
The SEC showed again this week why they are considered one of, if not the, best Conferences in College Football. They have many teams fighting for a spot in the SEC Top 5 and each of these Top 5 teams have a legitimate CFP aspirations!
1. Georgia (2 – 0) AP Ranking – # 1
Georgia beat up on Tennessee Tech in Week 2 by the final score of 48 – 3 and the score wasn’t even that close. This week the Dawgs get a tougher test in Kentucky, but Georgia should keep on rolling, especially after Kentucky was exposed by South Carolina last week.
Last Week SEC Ranking: # 1
Week 3 Opponent: @ Kentucky at 7:30 PM EDT Saturday 9/14/24
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Win
2. Ole Miss (2 – 0) AP Ranking – # 5
Through the first two weeks no one has looked more dominant than the Rebels. The only caveat is that Ole Miss has played an easy schedule so far, but this week they take a step up in competition when they take on Wake Forest on the road.
Ole Miss is still expected to win by 20 pts, but we will see how they look against a fellow Power 4 team. I expect the Rebs to dominate again and put the rest of the NCAA on notice that they are for real this year!
Last Week SEC Ranking: # 2
Week 3 Opponent: @ Wake Forest at 6:30 PM EDT Saturday 9/14/24
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Win
3. Texas (2 – 0) AP Ranking – # 2
Texas just made a statement with the biggest win of the year so far. They went into the Big House and dismantled the defending champion Michigan Wolverines by the score of 31 – 12 and it wasn’t even that close!
This week they will play a tune up game against UTSA before the SEC schedule starts.
Last Week SEC Ranking: Unranked
Week 3 Opponent: vs UTSA at 7:00 PM EDT Saturday 9/14/24
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Win
4. Tennessee (2 – 0) AP Ranking – # 7
The Volunteers had one of the best wins of last week when they went on the road and totally dismantled #24 NC State by the score of 51 – 10. Star young QB Nico Iamaleava continues to grow, but what really stood out was that this is a complete team! The defense is better than expected and the rushing attack is a huge strength.
This week Tennessee takes on Kent State at home in their last non-conference game of the season.
Last Week SEC Ranking: # 4
Week 3 Opponent: vs Kent State at 7:45 PM EDT Saturday 9/14/24
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Win
5. Alabama (2 – 0) AP Ranking – # 4
USF just seems to have Alabama’s number. Both last year and in this year in Week 2, the Bulls gave Alabama everything they could handle and were within a point of the Tide in the fourth quarter. Alabama then reeled off 28 pts in the fourth quarter to make the 42 – 16 win look more respectable.
This week they go on the road to take on a tough Wisconsin team. We will see just what the Tide look like after this week.
Last Week SEC Ranking: # 3
Week 3 Opponent: @ Wisconsin at 12:00 PM EDT Saturday 9/14/24
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Win
Dropped from SEC Top 5 Rankings:
Missouri (2 – 0) AP Ranking – # 6
Dropping Missouri out of the SEC Top 5 was in no way a reflection on anything that Missouri has done this season. It was painful to drop them out, but Texas has more than proven their case to be included in the SEC Top 5 and someone had to drop…
Last Week SEC Ranking: # 5
Big Ten TOP FIVE
Shakeups are coming to the Big Ten Top 5 this week! Defending champion Michigan showed that the loss of multiple coaches and 18 starters has left the current team in a reloading year. Additionally Oregon and Penn State pulled out wins, but looked bad doing so against teams they were supposed to dominate and Iowa lost a game they were in control of.
Overall the Big Ten had a bad week, but Ohio State and USC showed that they are for real.
Take a look at the rankings below.
1. Ohio State (2 – 0) AP Ranking – # 3
Last week the Buckeyes dominated Western Michigan by the score of 56 – 0. The Buckeyes are clicking on all cylinders and will look to continue to win this week against Marshall in a couple of weeks.
Last Week B1G Ranking: # 2
Week 3 Opponent: Bye Week
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Bye
2. Oregon (2 – 0) AP Ranking – # 9
I don’t jump to conclusions after one week, but Oregon has not looked like anyone expected after the first two weeks. The Ducks are really struggling along the Offensive Line and they barely squeaked out a win against Boise State this week by the score of 37 – 34.
The Ducks will have to improve drastically to reach the heights many expected from this team.
Last Week B1G Ranking: # 1
Week 3 Opponent: @ Oregon State at 3:30 PM EDT Saturday 9/14/24
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Win
3. USC (2 – 0) AP Ranking – # 11
A week after surprising everyone with a win over a strong LSU team, the Trojans totally dismantled Utah State by the score of 48 – 0! USC will look to continue to fine tune their team during their bye week and then prove they are for real against Michigan in two weeks.
Last Week B1G Ranking: # 2
Week 3 Opponent: Bye Week
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Bye
4. Penn State (2 – 0) AP Ranking – # 8
A week after a good win over West Virginia, the Nittany Lions looked like an overrated team against Bowling Green. The Falcons actually were in control for the first half and push Penn State to the end. Penn State pulled out a 34 – 27 win.
Last Week B1G Ranking: # 5
Week 3 Opponent: Bye Week
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Bye
5.Michigan (1 – 1) AP Ranking – # 17
Texas showed that Michigan is not the team from the last few years. Attrition has taken its toll and the Wolverines will have to do some soul searching in order to turn around their season after an embarrassing 31 – 12 loss to Texas. With a tough schedule ahead the Wolverines need to find answers quickly.
This week Michigan takes on Arkansas State and must show improvement before their Big Ten season starts the following week.
Last Week B1G Ranking: # 3
Week 3 Opponent: vs Arkansas State at 12:00 PM EDT Saturday 9/14/24
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Win
Dropped from Big 10 Top 5 Rankings:
Iowa (1 – 1) AP Ranking – Unranked
The Hawkeyes had their rivalry game against Iowa State in control in Week 2, but due mainly to the poor QB play from Iowa QB Cade McNamara, the Hawkeyes let the Cyclones back in the game and ended up losing a heartbreaker.
Last Week B1G Ranking: # 4
BIG-12 TOP FIVE
Many of the top teams in the Big 12 had to comeback to win their games, but they may help them create some resolve for later in the season. There is a shakeup with Kansas losing this week, so we have a new team added to the Big 12 Top 5.
1. Utah (2 – 0) AP Ranking – # 12
The Utes won their game against a tough Baylor team, but more concerning is that star QB Cam Rising got hurt and left the game. The good news is that Cam Rising’s hand injury doesn’t appear to be severe and the Utes still won the game. The bad news is that when Rising was playing he had staked Utah to a 23 – 0 lead and without him they could do nothing on offense resulting in the final score of 23 – 12.
Hopefully Rising won’t miss anytime, or at the most a week.
Last Week BIG-12 Ranking: # 1
Week 3 Opponent: @ Utah State at 4:30 PM EDT Saturday 9/14/24
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Win
2. Oklahoma State (2 – 0) AP Ranking – # 13
The Cowboys knew their game against Arkansas would be tough, but that is an understatement. The Razorbacks actually controlled much of the game and took the game into overtime where the Cowboys experience won out in a 39 – 31 win.
This week Oklahoma State goes on the road to take on Tulsa.
Last Week BIG-12 Ranking: # 2
Week 3 Opponent: @ Tulsa at 12:00 PM EDT Saturday 9/14/24
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Win
3. Kansas State (2 – 0) AP Ranking – # 14
The Wildcats had to comeback to beat Tulane last week. This was a much closer game than expected, but Kansas State proved they could lock in and comeback in the game. This week will be an even bigger test when they take on Conference rival Arizona.
Last Week BIG-12 Ranking: # 3
Week 3 Opponent: vs Arizona at 8:00 PM EDT Friday 9/13/24
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Win
4. Arizona (2 – 0) AP Ranking – # 20
Arizona’s star duo of QB Nah Fifita and WR Tetairoa McMillan were held in check by Northern Arizona. The Wildcats were still able to win the game 22 – 10, but the game was much closer than expected.
This week will be a big test when Arizona travels to take on #14 Kansas State.
Last Week BIG-12 Ranking: # 5
Week 3 Opponent: @ Kansas State at 8:00 PM EDT Friday 9/13/24
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Loss
5. UCF (2 – 0) AP Ranking – # Unranked
UCF has started the season off with two straight wins including last week’s 45 – 14 domination of Sam Houston. The Knights will look to cement their spot this week when they take on undefeated TCU.
Last Week BIG-12 Ranking: # Unranked
Week 3 Opponent: @ TCU at 7:30 PM EDT Saturday 9/14/24
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Win
Dropped from BIG-12 Top 5 Rankings:
Kansas (1 – 1) AP Ranking – Unranked
Kansas can still get back in the Big 12 Top 5, but they took a tough loss to Illinois last week. They have a chance to get back on track this week against UNLV.
ACC TOP FIVE
The ACC will again have some movement in their Top 5, but the good news is that the top 2 teams in the conference took care of business and Louisville is surging forward!
1. Miami (2 – 0) AP Ranking – # 10
The Hurricanes showed out for the second week in a row by beating down Florida A&M by the score of 56 – 9. This week they will look to continue their winning ways when they take on Ball State at home.
Last Week ACC Ranking: # 1
Week 3 Opponent: vs Ball State at 3:30 PM EDT Saturday 9/14/24
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Win
2. Clemson (1 – 1) AP Ranking – # 22
A week after taking on the number one team in the country and getting blown out, Clemson showed they have resiliency by coming back this week and beating Appalachian State 66 – 20.
The Tigers will look to continue moving forward and stacking up some wins after their Bye week this week.
Last Week ACC Ranking: #2
Week 3 Opponent: Bye Week
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Bye
3. Louisville (2 – 0) AP Ranking – # 19
Louisville got their second dominant win of the season last week when they beat Jacksonville State by the score of 49 – 14. The Cardinals are looking like a strong team, but their schedule gets much harder after the bye week as they take on Georgia Tech and then Notre Dame.
We will learn much more about Louisville by the end of September.
Last Week ACC Ranking: # 4
Week 3 Opponent: Bye Week
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Bye
4. NC State (1 – 1) AP Ranking – # Unranked
The Wolfpack got embarrassed by Tennessee 51 – 10 last week. Although it was a bad loss, I don’t think that NC State is that bad as much as Tennessee is that good. I believe in the Wolfpack to bounce back this week against Louisiana Tech.
Last Week ACC Ranking: # 3
Week 3 Opponent: vs Louisiana Tech at 12:00 PM EDT Saturday 9/14/24
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Win
5. Boston College (2 – 0) AP Ranking – # 24
Boston College is 2 and 0 with a season opening win over FSU and then a dominating win over Duquesne 56 – 0 in Week 2. The Eagles have earned a spot in the ACC Top 5, but their true test will be this week against SEC team Missouri.
Last Week ACC Ranking: Unranked
Week 3 Opponent: @ #9 Missouri at 12:45 PM EDT Saturday 9/14/24
Rivalry Sports Prediction: Loss
Dropped from ACC Top 5 Rankings:
Georgia Tech (2 – 1) AP Ranking – Unranked
The Yellowjackets started the season off so strong, but a loss to Syracuse knocks them out of the ACC Top 5.
NOTABLE Week 3 GAMES
Take a look at some of the highest ranked or most intriguing games of the week listed below.
- #20 Arizona @ #14 Kansas State – Both teams sport star QBs and will be competing to prove that they are serious contenders for the Big 12 Conference crown.
- #9 Oregon @ Oregon State – A rivalry game that will be even more amped up this year. Oregon was one of the many teams to leave the Pac-12, leaving Washington State and Oregon State hanging in the wind. Oregon State will be looking for some revenge.
- Washington State @ Washington – A rivalry game that will be even more amped up this year. Washington was one of the many teams to leave the Pac-12, leaving Washington State and Oregon State hanging in the wind. Washington State will be looking for some revenge.
- UCF @ TCU – An early season conference game with both teams at 2 and 0. This game will start to show the separation of the contenders from the pretenders in the Big 12.
- #16 LSU @ South Carolina – LSU had a disappointing loss in Week 1 and South Carolina had a great win in Week 2. In Week 3 we will get to see which of these SEC teams is for real.
Rivalry Sports Lock Pick of the Week – #17 Michigan over Arkansas State 38 – 10
Rivalry Sports Underdog Pick of the Week – Colorado State over Colorado
Check back in for updated Top 5 Rankings next week!
Week 3 Game Picks
| Game (Home Team listed 2nd) | Rivalry Sports Pick – Dustin Kirby | Guest Picker – Stephanie Kirby |
| #1 Georgia @ Kentucky | Georgia | Georgia |
| #5 Ole Miss @ Wake Forest | Ole Miss | Ole Miss |
| UTSA @ #2 Texas | Texas | Texas |
| Kent State @ #7 Tennessee | Tennessee | Tennessee |
| #4 Alabama @ Wisconsin | Alabama | Alabama |
| #9 Oregon @ Oregon State | Oregon | Oregon |
| Arkansas State @ #17 Michigan | Michigan | Michigan |
| #12 Utah @ Utah State | Utah | Utah |
| #13 Oklahoma State @ Tulsa | Oklahoma State | Oklahoma State |
| #20 Arizona @ #14 Kansas State | Kansas State | Kansas State |
| UCF @ TCU | UCF | UCF |
| Ball State @ #10 Miami | Miami | Miami |
| Louisiana Tech @ NC State | NC State | Louisiana Tech |
| #24 Boston College @ #9 Missouri | Missouri | Boston College |
| Total |
WEEK 2 PICKS REVIEWED
| Week 1 Pick Results by Conference | Record |
| SEC | 5 – 0 |
| B1G (Big Ten) | 3 – 2 |
| Big – 12 | 4 – 1 |
| ACC | 4 – 1 |
| Total | 16 – 4 |
Week 2 GAME PICK RESULTS
| Game (Home team listed 2nd) | Rivalry Sports Pick – Dustin Kirby | Guest Picker – Stephanie Kirby | WINNER |
| Tennessee Tech @ Georgia | Georgia | Georgia | Georgia |
| MTSU @ Ole Miss | Ole Miss | Ole Miss | Ole Miss |
| USF @ Alabama | Alabama | Alabama | Alabama |
| Tennessee @ NC State | Tennessee | Tennessee | Tennessee |
| Buffalo @ Missouri | Missouri | Missouri | Missouri |
| Boise State @ Oregon | Oregon | Oregon | Oregon |
| Western Michigan @ Ohio State | Ohio State | Ohio State | Ohio State |
| Texas @ Michigan | Michigan | Texas | Texas |
| Iowa State @ Iowa | Iowa | Iowa | Iowa State |
| BGSU @ Penn State | Penn State | Penn State | Penn State |
| Baylor @ Utah | Utah | Utah | Utah |
| Arkansas @ Oklahoma State | Oklahoma State | Oklahoma State | Oklahoma State |
| Kansas State @ Tulane | Kansas State | Kansas State | Kansas State |
| Kansas @ Illinois | Kansas | Kansas | Illinois |
| Northern Arizona @ Arizona | Arizona | Arizona | Arizona |
| Florida A&M @ Miami | Miami | Miami | Miami |
| Appalachian State @ Clemson | Clemson | Clemson | Clemson |
| Jacksonville State @ Louisville | Louisville | Louisville | Louisville |
| Georgia Tech @ Syracuse | Georgia Tech | Syracuse | Syracuse |
| WINS PER PICKER | 15 | 17 | 19 |
