What's Wrong with the SEC?

The second week of college football matched Week 1's opening salvo stride for stride, but what were the key highlights? Who established themselves as playoff contenders and who will be tossed from the mix?

The Big Ten Conference (home of our Nittany Lions) had a lot to prove on Saturday night, as No. 5 Michigan State battled No. 7 Oregon of the PAC 12 Conference. In the much anticipated top ten showdown, the Michigan State Spartans edged the Oregon Ducks for a 31-28 victory, earning pride and respect for the Big Ten. After giving up a long touchdown drive to open the game, the Spartans settled down on defense and trusted their reliable running backs to snatch the win. Oregon played valiantly on the road, but they were unable to close the deal when they came up short on their last drive.

                          This photo is courtesy of Michael Collins.

Michigan State has claimed the best victory of the year thus far, boosting their resume and placing them right in the thick of the playoff discussion. While Oregon lost the game, they held their own away from home, and they are certainly looking like the best one-loss team in this early season. Keep an eye on the Ducks; they could easily find themselves in the top four come December if they win out in the PAC 12.

Across the country, most top teams cruised to easy wins over inferior opponents: Ohio State crushed Hawaii, TCU slaughtered under-matched Stephen Austin, and Alabama steam-rolled Middle Tennessee. However, not all of the nation's leading programs got by Week 2 so easily. In perhaps the most shocking game of the new season, No. 6 Auburn needed a late touchdown and time beyond regulation to prevent unheralded Jacksonville State from pulling off the upset of the century. Trailing by 7 deep into the fourth quarter, Auburn forced overtime with a touchdown in the final minute, and the Tigers went on to win 27-20. 

                          This image is compliments of Sam Cooper.

Auburn, many experts' preseason pick to win the College Football Playoff,  wasn't the only team that disappointed from the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Arkansas, ranked 18th in the country, was unable to prevent the horrendous upset Auburn evaded, as the Razorbacks fell 16-12 to Toledo! Who is Toledo? The SEC, who most people claim to be the greatest conference in the land, isn't looking quite as invincible as it has in recent history.

To make matters worse for the SEC, No. 23 Tennessee gave up a two touchdown lead at home in the fourth quarter in its heartbreaking loss to No. 19 Oklahoma. Just when it seemed Tennessee had the game wrapped up, the Oklahoma Sooners came storming back to force the game into overtime, where they won 31-24. It was a tragic loss for a program that's trying to turn the corner, but it was a great win for the Big 12 Conference contender Oklahoma.

For this weekend, be sure to watch No. 3 Alabama try to avenge last year's loss to No. 15 Ole Miss; I think Alabama will earn a hard-fought victory. I'm also predicting that No. 12 UCLA will beat the feisty BYU Cougars, seeded 19th. Lastly, I think No. 14 Georgia Tech will upset No. 8 Notre Dame.

               
                               This image is courtesy of Blake Newman.

Unless you're at the Penn State-Rutgers game (which I encourage you to attend after the Nittany Lions' win last week over Buffalo), try to watch some of the big games this Saturday!