The Week 2 college football slate really didn’t appear all that interesting when I looked it over a few days ago.
Oklahoma vs. Michigan, the Cy-Hawk rivalry game and a few other matchups were relatively intriguing, of course, but there didn’t appear to be any volume. Just a few good battles surrounded by gimme-game after gimme-game. It looked like the weakest slate of the season heading into Saturday, to be quite honest.
But it’s college football, so of course Week 2 delivered anyway. Of course it did.
We don’t want to spoil too much right off the bat here. Let’s hand out some stars, shall we?
First Star: Mississippi State (and the cowbells)
Arizona State was not prepared for the cowbells in Starkville. Not in the slightest.
The constant clanging of thousands of cowbells is akin to what I imagine a large swarm of metallic locust would sound like — not exactly replicable in a practice environment, as the Sun Devils tried and failed to do during the week. Partly because of this, the Sun Devils’ first trip east of the Mississippi River in the last 6 years ended in a loss to a Mississippi State team that just matched its win total from the entirety of last season.
The cowbells are incredibly fun for everyone not named Arizona State, and they absolutely had an impact in the 17-0 lead the Bulldogs took early. Still, quarterback Blake Shapen (3 passing touchdowns), receiver Brenen Thompson (133 receiving yards, 2 touchdowns) and the rest of Jeff Lebby’s unit are still the story here. Those boys balled out on Saturday against a preseason College Football Playoff contender, and they deserved every bit of that win.
A somehow underrated sequence from Saturday night’s game came during Arizona State’s penultimate drive, a few minutes before Shapen connected with Thompson for the game-winning score. Facing 1st-and- goal at the MSU 3-yard line, the Bulldogs held firm and forced a Sun Devils field goal. If they don’t make that tough stop and Arizona State scores 7 there, how different does this game turn out? Either way, major props to Coleman Hutzler and the Bulldogs defense.
Take a look at MSU’s schedule, folks. Barring disaster, they’ll be 4-0 when Tennessee comes to town in Week 5.
Second Star: Cashius Howell
Cashius Howell pulled off an immaculate possession for Texas A&M this weekend.
Remember former Utah quarterback Bryson Barnes, who backed up Cam Rising? Well, he’s at Utah State now, and he was under attack pretty much the entire afternoon in College Station. The Aggies got to him 6 times, tied with Auburn for the most sacks on the weekend. Senior Aggies defensive end Cashius Howell can lay claim to 3 of those sacks.
Just one small detail to point out. All 3 Howell sacks came on the same possession, back-to-back-to-back. Howell essentially forced a 3-and-out by himself. According to Texas A&M’s communications page, it’s the first instance of one player recording 3-consecutive sacks in a college football game since 2015, when Wisconsin’s Jack Cichy did it against USC in the Holiday Bowl.
Howell said postgame that his favorite of the 3 goes to sack No. 2. “I feel like I fried (the left tackle),” Howell said. “Fried turkey.”
Third Star: The Border War
That was fun, wasn’t it? Mizzou and Kansas should do that more often.
It had been dormant since 2011, but the Border War made its triumphant return on Saturday.
And what a game it was. Kansas owned the first quarter. Mizzou owned the middle half. The Jayhawks showed some life in the 4th, but fumbled the bag in hilarious fashion despite leading with under 5 minutes to go. The final score doesn’t show it, but the Border War really was one of the best games of the weekend.
Beau Pribula was magnificent, apart from the early fumble that led to a Jayhawks score. He completed over 75% of his passes for 334 passing yards (led the SEC) and 3 touchdowns. He wasn’t as effective with his legs this time around, but he didn’t need to be; Jamal Roberts and Ahmad Hardy were both forces in the run game, combining for 255 rushing yards with 2 touchdowns.
The theatrics started early, too. I mean, a Mizzou fan gave up a shot at a $25K field goal just to troll Jayhawks fans. Does it get any more college football than that?
Team Statistical Leaders (Week 2)
Most points scored: 73 – Alabama (vs. Louisiana-Monroe)
Fewest points scored: 16 – Florida (vs. South Florida)
Fewest points allowed: 0 – Alabama
Most points allowed: 31 – Mizzou (vs. Kansas)
Most rushing yards: 321 – Arkansas (vs. Arkansas State)
Fewest rushing yards: 66 – Mississippi State (vs. Arizona State)
Fewest rushing yards allowed: -3 – Auburn (yes, really) (vs. Ball State)
Most rushing yards allowed: 251 – Mississippi State
Fewest passing yards allowed: 55 – Alabama
Most passing yards allowed: 263 – Florida
Most total yards: 717 – Tennessee (vs. ETSU)
Fewest total yards: 253 – South Carolina (vs. SC State)
Fewest yards allowed: 68 – Auburn
Most yards allowed: 455 – Kentucky (vs. Ole Miss)
Most penalty yardage accumulated: 115 – Texas (vs. San Jose State)
Fewest penalty yardage accumulated: 24 – Georgia (vs. Austin Peay)
Best turnover margin: 3 – Alabama
Worst turnover margin: -2 – Oklahoma, Ole Miss
Most first downs: 41 – Tennessee
Fewest first downs: 16 – South Carolina
Tackles for loss: 14 – Auburn
Sacks: 6 – Texas A&M, Auburn
Individual Statistical Leaders (Week 2)
Passing touchdowns: 4 – Arch Manning (Texas), Taylen Green (Arkansas)
Passing yards: 334 – Beau Pribula, Mizzou
Receiving touchdowns: 2 – Germie Bernard (Alabama), Eric Singleton (Auburn), Brenen Thompson (Mississippi State), Brett Norfleet (Mizzou), Chris Brazzell (Tennessee), KC Concepcion (Texas A&M), Parker Livingstone (Texas), Jack Endries (Texas)
Receiving yards: 133 – Brenen Thompson, Mizzou
Receptions: 10 – Kevin Coleman, Mizzou
Rushing touchdowns: 3 – Star Thomas, Tennessee
Rushing yards: 151 – Taylen Green, Arkansas
Yards per carry (min. 10 carries): 11 – Jamal Roberts (Mizzou), Jeremiah Cobb (Auburn)
Tackles: 15 – Xavian Sorey, Arkansas
Sacks: 3 – Cashius Howell, Texas A&M (In one possession) (vs. Utah State)
PBU: 3 – Kani Walker, Arkansas
Ethan Stone is a Tennessee graduate and loves all things college football and college basketball. Firm believer in fouling while up 3.
