Week 2 knee-jerk reactions: Chaos in top 25, drama in Boulder

In an action-packed college football Saturday, several top-25 teams fell while others survived. Meanwhile, drama unfolded in Colorado as the Buffaloes were picked apart by Nebraska.

Here are some knee-jerk reactions from the Week 2 slate:

Colorado’s one-sided loss to Nebraska could trickle down 

What a difference a year can make. Last season, Colorado handled Nebraska rather easily (36-14), but the tables turned on Saturday and fallout from this game could significantly impact the season.

The Buffaloes trailed by four touchdowns at halftime and ultimately fell to the Cornhuskers, 28-10. Sacked six times, quarterback Shedeur Sanders left the sidelines with 2:00 remaining on the fourth-quarter clock, hinting at trouble within everyone’s favorite hyped-up program.

Michigan’s loss to No. 3 Texas could be a sign of things to come

Starting the season 1-0, Michigan returned to earth after Saturday’s 31-12 loss to No. 3 Texas. Meanwhile, this may only be the beginning of a steep decline, with USC, Minnesota, Washington and Illinois on the schedule following a winnable matchup against Arkansas State next week.

Defensively, a perceived strength for the Wolverines, looked anything but against the Longhorns, allowing 389 yards of offense. Likewise, a rough day for quarterback Davis Warren (22-of-33, 204 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions) has Michigan longing for the return of Jack Tuttle, but it might already be too late. 

Georgia Tech has questions to answer after loss to Syracuse

The No. 23 Yellow Jackets were upset by Syracuse 31-28, leaving with a loss and more questions than answers.

They looked out-classed for one half of football but mounted a late comeback that fell short. What remains unanswered is if Georgia Tech ran into an underrated opponent or if the struggles to get pressure on defense and find consistency on offense were who they are.  

No. 5 Notre Dame earned their fate against NIU

Notre Dame took a 28-point underdog lightly and showed little urgency down the stretch, especially in the second half, where they either punted or turned the ball over in four of five possessions. Out-gained by Northern Illinois 388-286, the Irish also lost the turnover battle 2-0.

The loss is the third under head coach Marcus Freeman at home as a double-digit favorite over the last three seasons, having fallen to Marshall and Stanford (2022). But this defeat may have shown the world that Notre Dame is a mediocre team at best while possibly ending their College Football Playoff hopes before they can get off the ground. 

Syracuse has a legit Heisman Trophy candidate

Syracuse posted an impressive 31-28 victory over No. 23 Georgia Tech on Saturday, paced by quarterback Kyle McCord. The senior finished 32-of-46 for 381 yards and four touchdowns, capping off back-to-back stellar outings.

Through two games, McCord has led Syracuse to a 2-0 record, passing for 734 yards (59-of-85) with eight touchdowns. It’s still early, but after a dominant effort over a ranked team, the Ohio State transfer should be in the Heisman Trophy conversation.

Several top-25 teams were put on notice

While No. 23 Georgia Tech (Syracuse, 31-28) and No. 5 Notre Dame (NIU, 16-14) fell to unranked opponents, No. 16 Oklahoma State, No. 17 Kansas State and No. 8 Penn State were nearly victims.

Oklahoma State needed not one but two overtimes to defeat Arkansas (39-31) in double-overtime. 

Meanwhile, Bowling Green was in line to score a go-ahead touchdown late against Penn State, but an interception with 4:16 left and a touchdown on the next play bailed them out. Likewise, Kansas State survived a scare against Tulane, picking off a pass in the endzone with five seconds remaining to preserve a 34-27 win after trailing most of the game.