The second full weekend of the college football season includes three games in which both teams are ranked in the top 25 by at least one of the AP, Coaches or SP+ systems. Ohio State–Texas is the obvious centerpiece, but Oklahoma–Michigan and Arizona–BYU also qualify despite Michigan and Arizona being omitted from the AP Top 25.

The rankings below reflect the polls released Tuesday, September 8. AP Top 25, Coaches Poll, SP+ rankings.

Matchup	AP	Coaches	SP+
Ohio State at Texas	Ohio State 1, Texas 4	Ohio State 1, Texas 3	Ohio State 1, Texas 4
Oklahoma at Michigan	Oklahoma 11, Michigan NR	Oklahoma 10, Michigan 24	Oklahoma 10, Michigan 26
Arizona at BYU	Arizona NR, BYU 15	Arizona NR, BYU 15	Arizona 24, BYU 18

No. 1 Ohio State at No. 4 Texas

Saturday, September 12 — 6:30 p.m. CT — ABC
DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium, Austin, Texas
Wednesday line: Texas -1.5; total: 49.5 at DraftKings

Ohio State and Texas spent their opening games sharpening their weapons against overmatched opponents. The Buckeyes defeated Ball State 56-3 behind 320 yards and three touchdown passes from Julian Sayin. Texas answered with a 59-7 victory over Texas State as Arch Manning completed 20 of 27 passes for 305 yards, four touchdowns and one interception. Ohio State–Ball State recap, Texas opening-game analysis.

Now both quarterbacks encounter a completely different level of resistance. SP+ rates Ohio State first nationally overall and first in defensive efficiency, while Texas is fourth overall with another top-10 projected defense. That explains a total sitting below 50 despite two offenses that combined for 115 points last weekend.

The marquee individual matchup is Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith against the Texas secondary. Smith immediately resumed his Heisman-level production against Ball State, while former Pittsburgh linebacker Rasheem Biles forced a fumble and intercepted a pass during his Texas debut. The Longhorns also received 191 combined receiving yards and three touchdowns from Ryan Wingo and Cam Coleman, giving Manning the outside weapons to challenge Ohio State’s defensive backs. Jeremiah Smith’s Week 1 performance, Texas Week 1 standouts.

Texas does have two availability concerns. Freshman running back Derrek Cooper is in a walking boot and expected to miss the game, while veteran offensive lineman Cole Hutson remained ineligible and in the NCAA appeals process as of Monday. Ohio State receiver Kyle Parker missed the opener with an undisclosed injury, and his Week 2 availability had not been firmly established Wednesday morning. Texas injury and eligibility report, Cooper injury update.

Ohio State won last season’s meeting 14-7, with Texas struggling to generate explosive offense. The rematch shifts to Austin, and the market gives the Longhorns a narrow home-field edge. Texas must keep Manning clean and avoid the red-zone mistake he made last week. Ohio State must prevent Wingo and Coleman from turning short completions into game-changing plays. The team that can manufacture touchdowns after the field shrinks should own the night.

What decides it: Red-zone execution in a game where neither offense is likely to receive many empty possessions.

No. 11 Oklahoma at No. 24 Coaches Michigan

Saturday, September 12 — 11 a.m. CT — FOX
Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Wednesday line: Oklahoma -5.5; total: 43.5 at Caesars

No Week 2 matchup features a greater contrast in opening performances. Oklahoma scored on its first eight possessions and overwhelmed UTEP 51-0, holding the Miners to 198 yards. John Mateer completed 11 of 17 passes for 225 yards and three touchdowns, all covering at least 34 yards, before leaving late in the third quarter. Isaiah Sategna III added an 88-yard punt-return touchdown and finished with 215 all-purpose yards. Oklahoma’s opening-game recap.

Michigan needed a disputed extra second and a 47-yard Hail Mary from Bryce Underwood to JJ Buchanan to escape Western Michigan 13-12. The Wolverines committed three turnovers, possessed the ball for fewer than 20 minutes and converted only three of 10 third downs. Underwood finished 12 of 22 for 170 yards and a touchdown while adding 47 yards and another score on the ground. Michigan’s defense prevented an offensive touchdown and allowed only 221 yards, but the performance still knocked the Wolverines out of the AP poll. Michigan–Western Michigan recap, Michigan’s Week 1 offensive review.

Oklahoma appears to have received encouraging news along the offensive line. Center Jake Maikkula and right guard Ryan Fodje returned to full-speed work Monday after missing the opener, although left tackle Michael Fasusi’s availability remained less certain. Their return would help against a Michigan front that remains the Wolverines’ clearest advantage. Oklahoma offensive-line update.

The Sooners won last year’s meeting 24-13 behind Mateer’s two rushing touchdowns and one passing score. Michigan’s task is to prevent a similar game from developing. The Wolverines need Underwood’s mobility, but they cannot ask him to repeatedly rescue third-and-long situations against a defense SP+ ranks sixth nationally. Establishing a conventional running game would protect Underwood, control tempo and keep Mateer on the sideline.

Oklahoma should test Michigan horizontally before taking shots against the secondary. If the Sooners force the Wolverines to defend Mateer’s legs, Sategna and the tight ends simultaneously, Michigan could spend another afternoon losing the possession battle. The low total suggests a defensive contest, but Michigan’s turnover problems create the possibility of short fields that could crack it open.

What decides it: Whether Michigan can generate offense without placing the entire game on Underwood’s improvisation.

No. 24 SP+ Arizona at No. 15 BYU

Saturday, September 12 — 2:30 p.m. CT — FOX
LaVell Edwards Stadium, Provo, Utah
Wednesday line: BYU -7.5; total: 47.5 at DraftKings

Arizona–BYU is the weekend’s cross-poll special. Arizona remains unranked in the AP and Coaches polls but received the fourth-most votes among unranked teams in both. SP+ places the Wildcats at No. 24, six spots behind BYU, turning the Big 12 opener into a qualifying top-25 matchup under the three-system format. Arizona’s poll position.

Both teams dominated their openers. Noah Fifita completed 22 of 29 passes for 262 yards and two touchdowns as Arizona defeated Northern Arizona 35-7. The Wildcats rushed for 206 yards, held NAU to minus-seven rushing yards and produced five sacks. The only Northern Arizona touchdown came on an interception return by Arizona’s backup quarterback. Arizona–NAU recap.

BYU dismantled Utah Tech 63-7, building a 42-0 halftime advantage before resting its starters. Bear Bachmeier passed for 198 yards and three touchdowns and added a rushing score. Freshman receiver Legend Glasker scored three touchdowns on only four touches, while the Cougars finished with a 521-184 advantage in total offense and a plus-four turnover margin. BYU’s opening-game recap.

The victory was costly for BYU. Starting safety Raider Damuni suffered a knee injury and is expected to miss multiple weeks, while running back Sione Moa also left the opener and does not have a firm return date. Tommy Prassas is expected to replace Damuni against an Arizona passing game built around one of the country’s most experienced quarterbacks. BYU injury update.

Fifita gives Arizona an upset path because he can punish coverage errors before BYU’s pass rush arrives. Arizona also showed enough balance against NAU to prevent the Cougars from treating every snap as a passing down. BYU’s answer will be Bachmeier’s dual-threat ability and a running game that can test whether Arizona’s dominant opening performance against the run translates against Big 12 competition.

BYU won last year’s meeting 33-27 in double overtime after erasing a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit. Arizona should have no trouble finding motivation in the rematch, but winning in Provo requires cleaner ball security than the three turnovers it committed last week.

What decides it: Arizona’s ability to attack BYU’s depleted secondary without giving the Cougars extra possessions.

Three games, three very different versions of a ranked matchup: a possible national-title preview in Austin, a credibility test in Ann Arbor and an early Big 12 measuring stick in Provo. Ohio State–Texas commands the spotlight, but the other two may reveal just as much about which teams are genuine contenders and which preseason projections need an immediate rewrite.