5 things to know from Week 2 of the college football season

Another full slate of college football for Week 2, this time around schools around the nation honored the lives lost on 9/11, Oregon earned their first win against Ohio State and there were a few close calls for top-ranked teams. 

5 things to know from Week 2 of the college football season

1. Don’t count out the Pac-12, thanks to Oregon

It’s been five years since the Pac-12 last had a representative in the College Football Playoff, but with two big out-of-conference wins to open the season the Pac-12 is looking stronger than ever. After UCLA defeated LSU to open Week 1, No. 12 Oregon stunned No. 3 Ohio State 35-28 on Saturday.

Headed back to Eugene with a big-time W. #GoDucks pic.twitter.com/22c3pWPkvK

— Oregon Football (@oregonfootball) September 11, 2021

Oregon is the favorite to win the Pac-12 and after defeating the third-ranked team in the country, the Ducks have firmly placed their name in the Playoff conversation. 

RECAP: No. 12 Oregon stuns No. 3 Ohio State on the road

2. Never Forget

Teams across the country commemorated the 20th anniversary of 9/11 with uniform combinations and patriotic demonstrations in the stadium. It was a great way to show respect to those who lost their lives 20 years ago.

MORE: How schools across the NCAA are commemorating the 20th anniversary of 9/11

3. Notre Dame squeaks by Toledo

A week after the Fighting Irish escaped Tallahassee with a 41-38 overtime win against Florida State. Saturday would be more of the same in terms of poor execution for head coach Brian Kelly's squad, but they would come out on top with a 32-29 win over Toledo.

Notre Dame accounted for three turnovers against the Rockets, including one fumble that came with a bit over three minutes left in the game. That would eventually turn into a Toledo touchdown giving them the lead with just a minute and 51 seconds to go. The Irish responded with a quick touchdown to take the lead and eventually win the game. 

TD ✌️ for @MMayer1001 ☘️#GoIrish pic.twitter.com/yGjedRxLlC

— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) September 11, 2021

4. Iowa defeats Iowa State in a top 10 clash

The No. 10 Hawkeyes' dominance over their in-state rival No. 9 Cyclones continued with a 27-17 win. This was Iowa's sixth consecutive victory over Iowa State, the Hawkeyes also extended their lead in the all-time series to 46-22. 

The two got out to a slow start, with just three points being scored in the first quarter. But, the game picked up in the second quarter with Iowa taking a 14-10 lead into the half. The second half would be all Hawkeyes though, on three straight Cyclone possessions, they managed to turn the ball over with a fumble and two interceptions. Iowa's offense was only able to amass six points thanks to two field goals and the only touchdown of the half came from a scoop-and-score touchdown on the only fumble of the day. 

5. Top-15 teams struggle

There were more top 15 teams that struggled in Week 2. 

No. 7 Cincinnati was tied at halftime with Murray State before pulling away for a 42-7 victory. No. 5 Texas A&M trailed Colorado entering the 4th quarter without their starting QB Haynes King who left in the first quarter with a leg injury. The Aggies would manage to get a touchdown late to win it 10-7. The only team other than No. 9 Iowa State in the top 15 that lost was No. 15 Texas who fell 40-21 to Arkansas. The Razorbacks dominated from start to finish and gave the Longhorns a preview of what they could be seeing from SEC opponents in the near future.

Then there's No. 15 Southern California, which fell 42-28 to Stanford, which led by as many as 29 points in the fourth quarter.

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