AL.com college football staff picks for Week 2
It’s said that the most improvement for a football team comes between Weeks 1 and 2 of the season, and perhaps that’s true for AL.com’s college football staff picks
However, it would be impossible for AL.com’s Mark Inabinett’s to improve his Week 1 performance, when he went 10-0(!) and threatened to leave everyone else in the dust. The rest of us on the picks panel will try and do better next time.
Four of our in-state teams — Auburn, UAB, Troy and Jax State — hit the road for major non-conference tests. Alabama is at home, but faces the highly-ranked and revenge-minded Texas Longhorns.
Scroll along below to find out how various AL.com sports staffers see this week’s games playing out. We’ve also given predicted scores for this week’s Alabama and Auburn games.
A reminder that these picks are AGAINST THE SPREAD. That means that each person’s selection doesn’t necessarily mean he or she thinks that team will win outright, just that it will cover the point spread.
On with this week’s picks (all times Central and all games Saturday unless noted):
Troy mascot T-Roy watches the action vs. Stephen F. Austin at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Troy on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023. (Aliza Chambers/Troy athletics)
Troy (+15.5) at Kansas State, 11 a.m., Fox Sports 1
Patrick Bird: Kansas State
Michael Casagrande: Kansas State
Matt Cohen: Troy
Evan Dudley: Kansas State
Ben Flanagan: Troy
Patrick Greenfield: Kansas State
Andrew Hammond: Troy
Mark Inabinett: Kansas State
Ainslee Lee: Troy
Creg Stephenson: Troy
Notre Dame’s Audric Estimé (7) runs the ball during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Tennessee State on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023, in South Bend, Ind. (AP Photo/Michael Caterina)AP
Notre Dame (-7.5) at N.C. State, 11 a.m., ABC
Patrick Bird: Notre Dame
Michael Casagrande: Notre Dame
Matt Cohen: Notre Dame
Evan Dudley: Notre Dame
Ben Flanagan: Notre Dame
Patrick Greenfield: Notre Dame
Andrew Hammond: N.C. State
Mark Inabinett: Notre Dame
Ainslee Lee: Notre Dame
Creg Stephenson: Notre Dame
Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher calls out to his offense as they warm up before the start of an NCAA college football game against New Mexico on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023, in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/Sam Craft)AP
Texas A&M (-4) at Miami, 2:30 p.m., ABC
Patrick Bird: Texas A&M
Michael Casagrande: Texas A&M
Matt Cohen: Texas A&M
Evan Dudley: Texas A&M
Ben Flanagan: Texas A&M
Patrick Greenfield: Texas A&M
Andrew Hammond: Texas A&M
Mark Inabinett: Texas A&M
Ainslee Lee: Texas A&M
Creg Stephenson: Texas A&M
Mississippi defensive tackle Jamarious Brown takes the field before the first half of an NCAA college football game against Mercer in Oxford, Miss., Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Thomas Graning)AP
Ole Miss (-7) at Tulane, 2:30 p.m., ESPN2
Patrick Bird: Ole Miss
Michael Casagrande: Ole Miss
Matt Cohen: Tulane
Evan Dudley: Ole Miss
Ben Flanagan: Ole Miss
Patrick Greenfield: Ole Miss
Andrew Hammond: Ole Miss
Mark Inabinett: Tulane
Ainslee Lee: Tulane
Creg Stephenson: Ole Miss
UAB defensive end Michael Fairbanks II (9) and linebacker Jackson Bratton (2) look for the defensive call on the sideline during the Blazers’ 35-6 victory over North Carolina A&T, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023, at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Ala. (UAB Athletics)
UAB (+6.5) at Georgia Southern, 5 p.m., ESPN+
Patrick Bird: Georgia Southern
Michael Casagrande: UAB
Matt Cohen: UAB
Evan Dudley: UAB
Ben Flanagan: UAB
Patrick Greenfield: UAB
Andrew Hammond: UAB
Mark Inabinett: UAB
Ainslee Lee: Georgia Southern
Creg Stephenson: Georgia Southern
Jacksonville State running back Ron Wiggins (26) carries the ball during a game vs. UTEP at Burgess-Snow Stadium in Jacksonville on Saturday, Aug. 26, 2023. (Brandon Phillips/Jacksonville State athletics)
Jax State (+13.5) at Coastal Carolina, 6 p.m., ESPN+
Patrick Bird: Coastal Carolina
Michael Casagrande: Coastal Carolina
Matt Cohen: Coastal Carolina
Evan Dudley: Coastal Carolina
Ben Flanagan: Coastal Carolina
Patrick Greenfield: Jax State
Andrew Hammond: Jax State
Mark Inabinett: Jax State
Ainslee Lee: Coastal Carolina
Creg Stephenson: Coastal Carolina
Wisconsin running back Braelon Allen (0) looks to the sky after scoring a touchdown against Buffalo during an NCAA football game on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Andy Manis)AP
Wisconsin (-6.5) at Washington State, 6:30 p.m., ABC
Patrick Bird: Wisconsin
Michael Casagrande: Wisconsin
Matt Cohen: Wisconsin
Evan Dudley: Wisconsin
Ben Flanagan: Wisconsin
Patrick Greenfield: Wisconsin
Andrew Hammond: Wisconsin
Mark Inabinett: Washington State
Ainslee Lee: Washington State
Creg Stephenson: Wisconsin
Mississippi State head coach Zach Arnett looks at the stadium monitor during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Southeastern Louisiana, Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023, in Starkville, Miss. Mississippi State won 48-7. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)AP
Arizona (+10) at Mississippi State, 6:30 p.m., SEC Network
Patrick Bird: Mississippi State
Michael Casagrande: Mississippi State
Matt Cohen: Mississippi State
Evan Dudley: Mississippi State
Ben Flanagan: Arizona
Patrick Greenfield: Mississippi State
Andrew Hammond: Mississippi State
Mark Inabinett: Mississippi State
Ainslee Lee: Mississippi State
Creg Stephenson: Mississippi State
Alabama fans cheer during the first half an NCAA college football game against Middle Tennessee, Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)AP
Texas (+7.5) at Alabama, 6 p.m., ESPN
Patrick Bird: Alabama 31, Texas 21
Michael Casagrande: Alabama 31, Texas 24
Matt Cohen: Alabama 31, Texas 21
Evan Dudley: Alabama 31, Texas 21
Ben Flanagan: Alabama 30, Texas 20
Patrick Greenfield: Alabama 38, Texas 21
Andrew Hammond: Alabama 27, Texas 24
Mark Inabinett: Alabama 35, Texas 28
Ainslee Lee: Alabama 28, Texas 17
Creg Stephenson: Alabama 34, Texas 30
Fans cheer as Independence, a bald eagle from the Auburn University Raptor Center, flies around Jordan-Hare Stadium prior to an NCAA football game between Massachusetts and Auburn on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023, in Auburn, Ala. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)AP
Auburn (-6.5) at California, 9:30 p.m., ESPN
Patrick Bird: Auburn 31, California 24
Michael Casagrande: Auburn 35, California 24
Matt Cohen: Auburn 28, California 20
Evan Dudley: Auburn 45, California 42
Ben Flanagan: Auburn 38, California 30
Patrick Greenfield: Auburn 28, California 24
Andrew Hammond: Auburn 33, California 25
Mark Inabinett: Auburn 29, California 25
Ainslee Lee: Auburn 35, California 17
Creg Stephenson: Auburn 28, California 17
Texas mascot “BEVO” interacts with a young Texas fan during the first half of an NCAA football game against Rice, Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Michael Thomas)AP
Standings after Week 1
| Record | |
|---|---|
| Mark Inabinett | 10-0 |
| Michael Casagrande | 6-4 |
| Creg Stephenson | 6-4 |
| Patrick Greenfield | 5-5 |
| Ainslee Lee | 5-5 |
| Patrick Bird | 4-6 |
| Andrew Hammond | 4-6 |
| Evan Dudley | 3-7 |
| Ben Flanagan | 3-7 |
| Matt Cohen | 2-8 |