College football rolls into week two. Teams are still vying to establish themselves as championship contenders while NFL hopefuls hope to keep building their resume in the young season. This weekend, here are the names I will be most interested in.
All listed times are Eastern Standard Time
- Mason Graham, Defensive Tackle, Michigan v. Texas (12 PM on Fox): The premier game of the weekend will kick off at Noon on Saturday when the defending champion Michigan Wolverines take on title-hopeful Texas. The Longhorns will field an explosive, multidimensional offense while the Wolverines have one of the best defenses in the country. Chiefly important on the Wolverine defense is interior lineman, Mason Graham. Graham was a wrecking machine last year and was integral to the team’s defensive dominance. This year, with so much Wolverine talent off in the NFL, Graham has even more pressure to take over each game. His three down prowess will be crucial against a balanced Texas attack and how well he plays could determine this game’s outcome.
- Ollie Gordon II, Running Back, Oklahoma State v. Arkansas (12 PM on ESPN): A year after no running backs were selected in the first round, this draft class could have a few who would warrant such consideration. Among them is Ollie Gordon II. Gordon is a powerful back at 6’2” and over 220 pounds. He is built like a linebacker but has sprinter speed, all which helped him amass 2,000 yards of offense last year and 22 total touchdowns last year. Gordon is coming off a 28 carry game where he scored three times on the ground. The Pokes will rely on the talented junior against an SEC defense this week.
- James Pearce Jr., Edge Defender, Tennessee v. NC State (7:30 PM on ESPN): Tennessee is an exciting team this year with new blood at quarterback, but their best player is still on the other side of the ball. James Pearce Jr. could be the next top pick in the draft given how talented he is. Pearce got off to a slow start last week, not flashing in a way many hoped he would in year three. It’s possible Pearce, and most of the Vols squad were looking ahead to this week’s ranked matchup against NC State. Tennessee will need the best from all their players to stay unbeaten this weekend, meaning Pearce will need to announce himself with a strong game.
- Ashton Jeanty, Running Back, Boise State v. Oregon (10 PM on Peacock): Ashton Jeanty ran for over 260 yards last week while scoring six touchdowns on the ground. Six. Touchdowns. And his yardage didn’t come easy. The talented runner was breaking tackles on what felt like all 20 of his carries. He flashed strength, agility, great vision, and game breaking long speed. Now, after dominating Georgia Southern, Jeanty has a much trickier trial in the Oregon Ducks. Oregon is a much better coached defense with far more talent. They will key in on slowing Jeanty. We will see how much they can impede someone who is now chasing a Heisman trophy.
