College Football Week 2: 5 teams on upset alert

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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After a crazy week one of college football, which five teams could be on upset alert in week two?

Week one of college football was as wild as any opening to a season in recent memory. A handful of ranked teams fell at the hands of inferior opponents while some unranked teams made a jump into the AP Top 25.

Heck, even some teams like Mississippi State and Northwestern who were unranked but expected to have big years dropped to unheralded opponents. The Bulldogs lost to South Alabama in a shocker and the Wildcats to Western Michigan at home.

College football is back in full swing and fans are ecstatic at the fact that they can watch a game at all times of the day on Saturday, especially if upsets happen at the rate they did over Labor Day weekend.

Upsets were aplenty in week one, starting with a potential bid by Appalachian State to bring down No. 9 Tennessee on the road. The Mountaineers took the Volunteers to overtime on their home turf and fell just short of a victory as the ball bounced in Tennessee’s favor. It would have shaken the college football landscape.

That was followed up with losses by No. 3 Oklahoma, No. 5 LSU and No. 10 Notre Dame. The latter two fell were defeated by unranked foes while the Sooners lost to 15th-ranked Houston, but ended up falling to No. 14 in this week’s poll anyway.

Let’s take a look at who I believe should be on upset alert in week two despite the schedule not exactly boasting many games to watch for.

Sep 3, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels running back T.J. Logan (8) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Georgia Bulldogs during the third quarter of the 2016 Chick-Fil-A Kickoff game at Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

5. North Carolina Tar Heels

Hopes were high for North Carolina to open the season, ranked No. 22 and coming off an ACC title game appearance in 2015. The Tar Heels have talent under center, despite losing Marquise Williams to the NFL. Mitch Trubisky, a junior, has the arm and accuracy to make the North Carolina a conference threat yet again.

However, a week one loss to Georgia was tough for the Tar Heels to swallow. While they were only defeated by nine points, North Carolina had a tough time moving the ball vertically as Trubisky averaged just 3.9 yards per attempt. He was 24-of-40 for 156 yards but rushed for a touchdown.

Traveling to Illinois for a week two battle, the Tar Heels should be on the lookout for another tough game. While Illinois wasn’t bowl eligible a season ago, the Fighting Illini look resurged under new head coach, and former NFL coach, Lovie Smith.

North Carolina allowed over 470 total yards to an offense led by a true freshman quarterback in week one and will have to face a veteran with plenty of production on his side. Wes Lunt could have a huge game against the Tar Heels while Illinois’ run offense exploits North Carolina’s defense like Georgia did with Nick Chubb.

Sep 3, 2016; Iowa City, IA, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes running back Akrum Wadley (25) celebrates with fullback Drake Kulick (45) after a 38 yard run during the fourth quarter against the Miami (Oh) Redhawks at Kinnick Stadium. The Hawkeyes won 45-21. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

4. Iowa Hawkeyes

Do I really think that the Iowa Hawkeyes will lose to the Iowa State Cyclones? No, not really. However, anything is possible in a rivalry game.

Iowa State is coming off an embarrassing home loss to Northern Iowa in its season opener. However, there have been occasions in years past when the Cyclones have been the clearly inferior team, on paper, but have pulled off the upset against their in-state foe.

Kirk Ferentz and the Hawkeyes have just agreed on a long-term deal through 2026 and from now until that time, there’s a good chance he will lose a couple of games to the Cyclones. Could this year’s Hawkeye team be in danger of dropping?

Iowa is currently ranked No. 16 in the AP Poll and took a week one victory over Miami (OH) relatively easily. The Hawkeyes scored three touchdowns in the first quarter and got content, allowing the MAC squad to put up 24 points and far too much offense.

While Iowa likely won’t have any trouble stopping the Cyclones’ mediocre run game, the Hawkeyes’ secondary did struggle in week one, surprisingly. Despite having the reigning Thorpe Award winner in Desmond King, the Hawkeyes allowed 266 yards through the air and two scores.

Rivalry games can always come with surprises — such as a massive upset.

Sep 1, 2016; Louisville, KY, USA; Louisville Cardinals tight end Cole Hikutini (18) stiff arms his way past Charlotte 49ers linebacker Carl Yonter (47) during the second quarter at Papa John

3. Louisville Cardinals

Louisville had zero issue putting the Charlotte 49ers down over Labor Day weekend. The Cardinals thrashed Charlotte 70-14 in the first game of the year and it wasn’t even close.

Charlotte came in, hoping to put up a fight, but that just never happened. The 49ers finished with just 208 total yards. The run game was especially ineffective, averaging just 1.5 yards per carry, recording just 48 total on 31 touches.

The Cardinals have been known for having a stellar defense, and it showed in week one, making their presence felt in all aspects of the game. There was nothing the 49ers could do and Louisville improved to 1-0 on the tear thanks to a huge game from sophomore quarterback Lamar Jackson.

Hitting the road to face another 1-0 team in Syracuse might not seem like that tough of a task, but any time a ranked squad travels to a fellow Power Five team’s home turf in non-conference play, the game is much closer than people expect.

Syracuse will have a raucous crowd for this one as the Cardinals and Jackson will have to face a defense that allowed just 98 yards through the air and 48 on the ground in week one against Colgate to record a 33-7 win. No, Colgate isn’t a powerhouse, but the Orange aren’t a cakewalk, either.

Sep 3, 2016; Fort Worth, TX, USA; TCU Horned Frogs quarterback Kenny Hill (7) sets to pass against the South Dakota State Jackrabbits during the first half on an NCAA football game at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Cowsert-USA TODAY Sports

2. TCU Horned Frogs

Another year, another set of games in which TCU struggles on the defensive side of the ball. The addition of Kenny Hill at quarterback from Texas A&M via transfer has given the offense a major boost after losing Trevone Boykin, but the defense remains mediocre.

Often times, the Horned Frogs have lost games because of the poor play from the defense and week one nearly proved that. Beating South Dakota State 59-41 showed that the offense is going to have to out-score just about everyone this season in order for TCU to make a run at the playoff.

The Horned Frogs are ranked No. 15 in the country after a week one win, but giving up over 460 yards of total offense to an FCS foe is not the best start.

Hill did pass for 439 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions while rushing for 45 yards and three more scores, but the Horned Frogs were far from impressive against a lower-tier program.

Hosting a 1-0 Arkansas team that’s coming off a 21-20 squeaker against Louisiana Tech, the Horned Frogs might get the brunt of an angry Razorbacks team. Arkansas feels it’s better than what it showed in week one and will have a chance to prove that this week.

Bret Bielema and the Razorbacks will give TCU all it can handle in week two.

Sep 1, 2016; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers defensive back Cameron Sutton (23) motions to the crowd during the second half against the Appalachian State Mountaineers at Neyland Stadium. Tennessee won in overtime 20-13. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

1. Tennessee Volunteers

There is so much talent on this Tennessee Volunteers team. Heck, there’s enough to justify the program from Knoxville’s No. 9 ranking to open the season. Joshua Dobbs is an Heisman candidate at cornerback, the defense is solid and Jalen Hurd is one of the top rushers in the SEC.

However, all three struggled in the opener against Appalachian State. Sure, the Mountaineers had 11 wins a season ago, but reigning from the Sun Belt and traveling to Tennessee for the week one matchup should have given the Volunteers a huge let up. That’s not how it played out, though.

Tennessee found itself down after each quarter except the fourth, tying it up at 13 and heading into overtime against an inferior team at home. A perfect bounce on a Dobbs fumble into the end zone gave Tennessee the game-winning touchdown and the Volunteers escaped an epic upset.

Hosting Virginia Tech on Saturday night won’t be any easier. While Tennessee might be the better team, the Volunteers seem very prone to upsets and all the talk about how they’re overrated has probably worn them down.

Dobbs and Hurd might be able to overcome adversity to win this one against the 1-0 Virginia Tech Hokies at home, but it won’t be easy, by any means.