College football is back and off to the races as week two of the NCAA season kicks off this upcoming weekend. In the first highlighted game of the week, Illinois travels to Lawrence for a Big Ten conference matchup with the Jayhawks as both teams look to stay undefeated. Meanwhile, in the Lone Star State, Texas State is fresh off a thrilling win over Baylor and looks to score another big win against UTSA. Their opponents, the Roadrunners, fell to another interstate rival, Houston, in a dramatic 17-14 loss on the road. They will look to right the ship this week against the Bobcats.
In this report, SBS will be going over what to look for from each of these teams and also predicted winners for each matchup.
| NCAA Football Week Two Games | The Pick |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois at Kansas | Kansas ML | -170 | -170 | -170 |
| Texas State at UTSA | UTSA ML | -103 | -103 | -103 |
Team Spotlight: Kansas
The Jayhawks were strong in the second half of their 48-17 win against Missouri State last week, but this will be a tougher test against the Illini. Quarterback Jason Bean was very effective against the Bears, throwing for 276 yards and a pair of scores. While the game was close at halftime, with Kansas ahead by only seven points, the Jayhawks pulled away in the fourth quarter, rattling off 21 straight points. Moreover, the Kansas defense stood strong as well, holding the Bears to 217 yards of total offense, while the Jayhawks accumulated 521 total yards and 27 first downs.
Team Spotlight: Illinois
In a dramatic 30-28 win over Toledo, Illinois was able to pull away in the second half of the game, outscoring the Rockets, 23-16. The story of the game though was kicker Caleb Williams lifting his team to victory with a 29-yard field goal in the closing seconds of the contest. Quarterback Luke Altmyer was the main offensive force for Illinois, accruing 211 passing yards, two scores, and also leading his team in rushing yards at 69. Even trailing by 12 in the third quarter, Illinois did not back down from the challenge and ended up scoring the win.
Prediction: Both teams displayed some top-end ability to put more points on the board in the second half of each game. That said, take the home team Jayhawks to win against the Illini.
Team Spotlight: Texas State
In one of the more memorable games from week one, the Bobcats knocked off Baylor, 42-31, for their first-ever win over a Power Five opponent. Quarterback TJ Finley was spectacular for Texas State, throwing for three scores and ran for another touchdown in the upset of the Bears. With a pre-game 90% chance of victory for Baylor per ESPN analytics, the Bobcats were able to overcome long odds thanks to opportunistic play from their offense and the defense forcing two turnovers. However, Texas State still allowed 524 total yards to the Bears.
Team Spotlight: UTSA
The Roadrunners were unable to hang with the Cougars most of the game thanks to a minus-three turnover margin. That said, UTSA was still able to outgain Houston, 417 to 334 total yards along with a game-high 22 first downs. Nonetheless, quarterback Frank Harris throwing three picks was the undoing of the Roadrunners. Despite closing the gap to three points late in the fourth quarter, UTSA was unable to upend the Cougars on the road. Nonetheless, running back Kevorian Barnes (103 rushing yards and one score) and wide receiver Joshua Cephus (123 receiving yards and a score) turned in great performances which they could replicate against the Bobcats.
Prediction: An interstate showdown, take the Roadrunners to rebound and thump the Bobcats at home.
After you are all squared away regarding these games and have your picks ready to roll, make sure to also check out the wide variety of resources for you at SBS. Of course, an excellent page to keep handy throughout this season is our college football betting sites guide which goes over all the latest news and betting markets for the 2023 season. Moreover, for those looking for some higher stakes wagers this year, a great page to also check out is the VIP sports betting sites rundown which goes over the perks of VIP betting. Conversely, if you are perhaps uncertain about which payment options are the best for you, then our payment methods breakdown is a great page to familiarize yourself with. Here you can find options for deposits and withdrawals from crypto to more traditional routes.
About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football and basketball across the country. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones. CURRENTLY Business Development and freelance sports writing RESIDES IN Reno, NV EDUCATION University of Nevada BS and MBA EXPERTISE -Sports writing proficiency in: NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and some motor sports -Topical news -Promotional and marketing ideas/updates -Business development Summary Chris Boline serves in a business development sales capacity as his day job. He has previously held sales/marketing positions with The Applied Companies (TAC), KTVN 2 News and the NBA G League’s Reno Bighorns, affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. He is a Reno native and is a member of various community boards including the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET and the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA). Chris graduated from the University of Nevada in 2015 with a bachelors in management and economics and also earned his MBA from Nevada in 2023. More about Chris: Past president of the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA) 2022-23 Two-time honoree for University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year (Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, 2017 & COBAA, 2021) 2021 NCET award for Professional Services Organization of the Year with TAC Northern Nevada Human Resources Association 2020 Best Places to Work-Northern Nevada, Second Place with TAC 2016-17 Reno Bighorns MVP from the Sacramento Kings The Nevada Sagebrush editor-in-chief 2013-15 Associated Collegiate Press 2015 Four-year Non-daily Newspaper Pacemaker honoree University of Nevada, Reno College of Business Dean's List honoree (5x) from 2011-2015 Nevada Press Association award for Best Sports Column – Community in 2015 Education
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