Biscuits & SEC Week 2 game-by-game previews 2024
Week 2 heats up with big time matchups including Texas-Michigan, Kentucky-South Carolina, and Tennessee-NC State.
By: Bossman Slim, Hammer, Waco Kid
Week 1 began with a whimper as you can see in our picks below. We overestimated the SEC in many of their big matchups, as Florida, LSU, and Texas A&M going down hurt the boys. As usual, we recommend fading our picks if you want to win money. Following our picks typically results in more Ls than Ws. BUT it was only Week 1, so let’s see if we can begin to right this ship this week.
Here’s how the B&S crew fared with their picks in Week 1:
It can’t get much worse than last week, so hopefully we learned our lesson. The marquee matchups this week are Texas traveling to The Big House to play defending national champs Michigan, and Tennessee facing off with NC State in Charlotte (boo neutral site games). Don’t sleep on the rest of the slate though, especially the early season conference matchup in Lexington.
Let’s dive in.
Bossman: Week 2 and make it spicy. Texas walks into The Big House on Saturday looking for a statement win. It would be easy to overlook the defending champion Wolverines who struggled in their opener against Fresno State, but do so at your own peril. It’s never easy to go into Ann Arbor and come out with a victory. I’m a little surprised to still see the block M in the top 10. This team has had a tumultuous offseason losing their coach to the NFL and is under a cloud from the NCAA investigation. They also only return six starters from last year’s national championship team and are breaking in a new QB. The Wolverines are still talented enough to take down Texas with a 54% blue-chip ratio, but I like the Longhorns in this one. The Michigan defense was STOUT last year, but I’m not sure we’re looking at a rerun of that iron wall. Fresno State put up 235 passing yards on Michigan (even though they only ran for nine yards) for 6.5 yards per completion. With an explosive Texas offense coming to town…I’ll take the Longhorns.
#3 Texas 27
#10 Michigan 19
Hammer: Last year’s national champion playing host to a CFP team should be a massive game. Yet, Texas is favored by over a touchdown on the road. Well, that’s cause Michigan ain’t what they were last year. 13 players were drafted off the Wolverines title team from last year, and Jim Harbaugh is now the head coach of the Chargers. Texas lost quite a bit too, but they looked far better than Michigan in Week 1, and they are expecting more in Austin. Quinn Ewers and the Texas offense looked sharp last week against Colorado State. The defense pitched a shutout as well. Michigan handled their business against Fresno State too, but it didn’t look quite as easy. I’d love to see Michigan take down Texas but I don’t see it. The Wolverines will need to be excellent on defense because I don’t trust their offense to move the ball consistently on Texas. The perceived weakness of the Longhorn’s defense is their secondary but Michigan doesn't have the QB or wide receivers to exploit that. I’ll take the Horns to win and cover.
#3 Texas 24
#10 Michigan 13
The Waco Kid: Everything in me wants to root against Texas in this one, and most likely I will, but the talent is there and Michigan did not look like a well-put-together team last week. The Wolverines have the talent too, but the coaching is still catching up after the departure of Harbaugh to the NFL. Losing JJ McCarthy and Blake Corum also did them no favors because they are starting from scratch in the backfield. On the other side, you have veteran Quinn Ewers, Isaiah Bond, and a defense anchored by Anthony Hill Jr. The experience may be too overwhelming for a green Michigan team. While I hope it will be a close, good game I can see Texas being just out of reach throughout this contest. And then we will have to hear about how good the Horns are all season just because they beat a UM team that will most likely have five losses when the year is all said and done. Begrudgingly, give me Texas by 11.
#3 Texas 35
#10 Michigan 24
Bossman: Well, I have no idea. Ol’ pistol Mike Gundy always puts together a good season in Stillwater, but he loves to lose games that make you go “What the hell?” Oklahoma State is in the top half of the Big 12 in terms of odds to win it, while Arkansas is near the bottom for the SEC. That doesn’t mean the Hogs can’t beat the Cowboys. It’s going to be tough to go on the road and steal one from Gundy and the boys, but I’m gonna take a shot in the dark and take the HOGS, baby. Even though it was Arkansas Pine-Bluff, I liked what I saw from Taylen Green and this offense last week. Oklahoma State is returning the second-most starters in the country this season, but that doesn’t mean everyone is good. OKST ranked in the bottom half of the Big 12 last year in total defense, giving up 441.5 yards per game and nearly 30 PPG. I’m pretty sure I just saw Bobby Petrino smile. HOGS.
Arkansas 35
#16 Oklahoma State 34
Hammer: I’m torn here. Coming into the year, I wasn’t high on Arkansas. They did blow out Pine-Bluff in week one, but I don’t want to look too deep into that. On the other side, Oklahoma State returns a ton of starters off a solid team from last year and also handled their business in Week 1 against South Dakota State. The plan for Oklahoma State has to be to ride All-American running back Ollie Gordon. With a veteran offensive line, I think Gordon can get 100 on Arkansas but he won’t run wild. That means Alan Bowman will need to play smart and protect the football because the Razorback defense is opportunistic. I still don’t know what to expect from the Hogs offense in a big-time road environment. Taylen Green looked great in the opener and Bobby Petrino can dial up some offense, but Oklahoma State at home gives me pause for how effective this offense can be. I think the Cowboys win in a close, hard-fought game here.
#16 Oklahoma State 31
Arkansas 27
The Waco Kid: This could be the most intriguing non-conference matchup of the weekend. Arkansas put a 70 burger on Pine-Bluff while pitching a shutout. I don’t care how bad the team you are playing is, that is impressive. Oklahoma State looked pretty good against South Dakota State too, the only difference was they allowed the Jackrabbits to put up 20 on their defense. Now that's what I call a good ol’ Big 12 defense. In what is poised to be a high-scoring game, the team that can make one stop will most likely be the winner of this contest. The Cowboys will rely heavily on All-American Ollie Gordon, but I think SEC defense prevails and the Razorbacks win by 11.
Arkansas 56
#16 Oklahoma State 45
Bossman: I wasn’t blown away by either of these teams in Week 1, but Kentucky obviously put up the better numbers against inferior competition, winning 31-0 over Southern Miss. South Carolina barely escaped with their feathers against Old Dominion. Brock Vandagriff looked steady in his debut as the Big Blue starter, tossing three TDs and keeping the defense honest with his legs. On the other side, South Carolina looked shaky on offense in LaNorris Sellers debut. I think South Carolina will start to figure it out as the year goes on and become more competitive, but with this one at home for the Wildcats, I like Kentucky. I also trust Vandagriff’s connection with his receivers much more than I do Sellers’.
Kentucky 31
South Carolina 20
Hammer: The first SEC conference game of the year! Let’s go! I’m jacked up for this game, but Shane Beamer is already looking ahead to the Clemson game. I’m sure he’s focused on Kentucky too but that was a strange comment, to say the least. However, Beamer is correct in the fact that LaNorris Sellers and his wideouts need to find some rhythm and gel quickly. The Gamecocks offense looked dismal in their opener against Old Dominion, which they barely won 23-19 despite being +3 in turnover margin. In fact, South Carolina’s two touchdown drives were a whopping three and six yards total thanks to a couple of ODU fumbles on their own goal line. Sellers was just 10/23 through the air for 114 yards. He added 68 yards and a TD on the ground but going on the road to Kentucky without a passing game is a major issue. On the other side, Kentucky calmly disposed of Southern Miss 31-0 in a lightning storm-shortened game and their new QB Brock Vandagriff looked in control of that offense. This is a big spread for a conference game, but I think this is a statement game from Kentucky. I’ll take the Wildcats to win big here, I just don’t trust South Carolina going on the road and making much noise.
Kentucky 28
South Carolina 13
The Waco Kid: Neither team started the season on a high note. Both should have blown out their opponents and put up ridiculous stats, but SC let Old Dominion stick around a little too long and UK did not look overly impressive over Southern Miss. Still with the Gamecocks beating Old Dominion only by four points, that is a bad look. Quarterback play was subpar for the ‘Cocks and it looks like they are going to have to rely on their defense and Arkansas transfer Rocket Sanders to be the highlights of the season. Brock Vandagriff was able to find the endzone three times in his blue and white debut but passed for under 200 yards. I guess if you can get the job done that way it doesn’t matter. Give me UK by 20 just because of the god-awful performance SC put on last week.
Kentucky 30
South Carolina 10
Bossman: Cal still has a football team? It’s sad to see how far this school has fallen since the days of Aaron Rodgers and Marshawn Lynch. They have one of the great venues in college football…but no one cares and the team is not good. The Golden Bears have only had three winning seasons in the last 10 years. I don’t expect much more from them this year. It’s early to know what we really have with Auburn, but I’m liking this revamped offense with the young guns and new talent on the outside. Plus, I’ll take the likes of Eugene Asante, Keionte Scott, and Jalen McLeod to take care of business on defense. Give me the Tigers.
Auburn 31
Cal 17
Hammer: Cal is probably one of my biggest blind spots in all of the Power 4 college football teams. I’ve essentially forgotten they even existed for the last decade because they have been such an afterthought. I think Justin Wilcox is a decent coach, but he’s up against too much coaching at Cal. They don’t care about football and the buy-in from the fans and administration is so far below what is needed to compete in major college football. I hesitate to trust Auburn to cover a 13-point spread against a P4 opponent but I’ll ride with the Tigers. Jarquez Hunter is a fantastic running back and Payton Thorne has to be better in his second year on the Plains…right? He is at least athletic enough to make some plays with his feet, and I think that is the difference in this game. I’ll take Auburn to win and cover.
Auburn 35
Cal 20
The Waco Kid: Auburn is still getting there under new head coach Hugh Freeze, but I think they are at least past the point to worry about a Cal team that has been subpar for the past few years. Expect a heavy dosage of Jarquez Hunter and Payton Thorne on the ground. I would not be surprised if they each ran for over 100 yards and two scores each. Add in two more through the air for Thorne and who knows he may knock off Cam Ward as the new Heisman favorite in this one. The Tigers pass this test with ease and never look back. War Eagle by 24.
Auburn 48
Cal 24
Bossman: Love the early season ranked vs. ranked games. Wish it was a home and home and not at stupid Bank of America Stadium, but we’ll take what we can get. NC State looked shaky in their opening win against Western Carolina but pulled away in the fourth quarter by hanging 21 on the Catamounts. Grayson McCall (remember him?) is the starting QB for the Wolfpack and he has two solid targets to throw to in Kevin Concepcion and Ohio State transfer Noah Rogers. The Pack also has an experienced offensive line that should be a good match for this Tennessee defensive front, but no one is going to keep them out of the backfield all night. The Vols whooped up on Chattanooga last week and I’m really high on Nico Iamaleava. Kid and play and he’s got weapons all over the field at his disposal. I like Tennessee to pull away late.
#14 Tennessee 38
#24 NC State 27
Hammer: Tennessee rolled in week one, dismantling in-state foe Chattanooga 69-3. Nico Iamaleava looked great in his first regular-season start. NC State will pose a much stiffer challenge with their defense, but I loved what we saw from Nico in game one. The Vols ran the ball well and had a ton of success through the air. NC State also played an FCS team to begin their season, only they were losing 21-17 entering the 4th quarter. 21 fourth quarter points sealed the victory but it was a tough way to begin the season in Raleigh. Coastal Carolina transfer Grayson McCall looked decent for the Wolfpack, but he will need to play spectacularly to pull off an upset here. I think NC State was probably looking ahead to this game and got caught with their pants down for three-quarters last week. They are a good team and should be able to compete with the Vols…but not quite for four quarters. I see this game being close at the half and possibly late in the second half but ultimately the high-flying Vol offense will run away from the Wolfpack and get the dub.
#14 Tennessee 38
#24 NC State 28
The Waco Kid: Nico Iamalegend looked like a top-tier quarterback in Rocky Top’s blowout over Chattanooga last weekend. Yes, Chattanooga is not a team to write home about but over 300 yards and three touchdowns in limited play is pretty impressive. And some of the throws Big Orange’s QB was making were absolute dimes. NC State on the other hand allowed a Western Carolina team to put up 21 against their defense. That causes some pause especially going into a game against such an explosive offense. I do not think this will even be close, I would be more surprised if it was a two-score game than if UT wins by 30.
#14 Tennessee 49
#24 NC State 17
Bossman: Houston has a lot to fix from the end of the Dana Holgorsen era. Willie Fritz is a good coach and he’ll get it right, but it will take some time. Meanwhile, Oklahoma has a daunting schedule but plenty of talent. Jackson Arnold looked solid in as the starter in Week 1, albeit it was against Temple. He tossed four TDs, but the bigger story was that he took care of the ball and didn’t turn the ball over once. Turnovers have plagued him early in his career and whispers out of camp were that he was still having trouble throwing INTs. Not so in Week 1. I think Oklahoma’s talent overwhelms the Cougars at home. I’ll take the Sooners, big.
#15 Oklahoma 41
Houston 10
Hammer: This is not breaking news, but Houston is bad. I like Willie Fritz long-term, but he inherited a mess after Dana Holgerson was let go. UNLV just came into Houston last week and whipped the Cougs 27-7. Houston’s offense was terrible, averaging 1.5 YPC on the ground and throwing two interceptions through the air. The only touchdown they managed was in garbage time last week with one minute to go in the game. Taking that mess on the road to play Oklahoma? Good luck. The Sooners looked solid in week one and will look to make a statement here. Brent Venables and company need to continue playing sound defense and keep boosting Jackson Arnold's confidence before their SEC gauntlet begins. I expect Oklahoma to dominate this one and cover with ease.
#15 Oklahoma 42
Houston 3
The Waco Kid: Houston is not a good team. I am not fully sold on how well the Sooners will adapt to SEC play but I can say this: they are far and beyond any Houston team that will take the field on Saturday. This should be an easy win and another W in the column for OU. Plus playing in Norman? If the Cougars ever had a chance it would not be taking on Oklahoma at home. This one should be a blowout.
#15 Oklahoma 49
Houston 20
Bossman: I know Jeff Lebby had the boys on fire in Week 1, scoring 56 against the Eastern Kentucky Colonels. That doesn’t mean I’m buying what they’re selling just yet. Arizona State will be a good test for the Bulldogs, especially on the road. ASU is not expected to do much in year one in the Big 12, but neither is Mississippi State in the SEC, so this should be a fairly even matchup. The Sun Devils smoked Wyoming 48-7 in their opener, so expect a high-scoring game. With this one at home and both of these teams relatively unknown at this point in the year, I’ll take Arizona State by a TD.
Arizona State 37
Mississippi State 30
Hammer: I’ll be real here, I have no idea what to think about this game. Jeff Lebby and Mississippi State looked great in week one but it was Eastern Kentucky so who knows what that means. Arizona State also looked good in week one taking out a usually pesky Wyoming team 48-7. Neither team is supposed to do much on the field this year and this will be their first big test against another power conference team. I liked what we saw out of Blake Shapen in his first game in Lebby’s fast-paced offensive system, and he has a good amount of starting experience from his time at Baylor. I’m not sure the Bulldogs are ready to go on the road for a night game against the Sun Devils and win, but I do think they can keep this close and cover the spread here.
Arizona State 38
Mississippi State 34
The Waco Kid: I will be the devil’s advocate here and say I was impressed by State’s win in Week 1. Like most, they played a no-name team but still put up 56 while holding their opponent to seven. Arizona State also blew out Wyoming which is probably a better team than Eastern Kentucky but it is hard to judge just how bad or good teams are in the opening week. In games like these, that could go either way, I tend to lean towards the SEC just because I give the stronger conference the benefit of the doubt. No matter how bad the team may be. Quarterback Blake Shapen also looked good going 15 of 20 for almost 250 yards and three scores. So bring those cowbells to Tempe and get loud.
Mississippi State 31
Arizona State 24
Other games on the slate:
McNeese at Texas A&M - 12:45pm ET on SEC Network
Tennessee Tech at #1 Georgia - 2:00pm ET on ESPN+
Middle Tennessee at #6 Ole Miss - 4:15pm ET on SEC Network
Samford at Florida - 7:00pm ET on ESPN+
South Florida at #4 Alabama - 7:00pm ET on ESPN
Buffalo at #9 Missouri - 7:00pm ET on ESPN+
Alcorn State at Vanderbilt - 7:30pm ET on ESPNU
Nichols St at #18 LSU - 7:30pm ET on ESPN+