Eight teams in the AP Top 25 Poll will be on show for Saturday, September 12’s night slate. A must-see battle between #1 Ohio State and #4 Texas takes the cake as the top matchup for college football Week 2.
The action doesn’t stop there for 7:00 p.m. ET or later kickoffs on Saturday night. #8 LSU looks to follow up an absurd 51-10 win over Clemson as the Lane Kiffin-led Tigers take on Louisiana Tech at 7:30 p.m. ET. #18 Tennessee vs. Georgia Tech at 7:00 p.m. ET is another Power Four battle demanding attention.
Below, we’ll provide our best college football predictions for tonight’s games, featuring a pair of picks for winners, spreads, over/unders, team totals, and more on PrizePicks.
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#18 Tennessee vs. Georgia Tech Prediction on Over/Under Tonight
Time, How to Watch: 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN
Following last season’s 9-4 finish, Georgia Tech entered 2026 with high expectations as 6.5-point favorites vs. Colorado.
However, the Yellow Jackets struggled in Week 1’s 14-13 loss, totaling only 51 rushing yards and 1.7 yards per carry. Keep in mind, Georgia Tech had a 53.7% rush-play rate in 2025 (63rd percentile).
According to Game On Paper, the Yellow Jackets logged 0.19 EPA per rushing attempt (89th percentile) a year ago. After adding RB Justice Haynes in the offseason, who was 247 Sports’ top available running back in the transfer portal rankings, Georgia Tech was expected to field another strong run game.
Replacing three starting offensive linemen reared its ugly head in Week 1, with Fourth and Short giving Tech a 44.4% stuff rate allowed (tied for highest nationally) and an alarming 1.9 line yards (yards per rushing attempt gained at the line of scrimmage) — which was also in the sixth percentile.
Even worse, this run game led by Haynes’ 3.4 yards per carry stumbled against Colorado — a team that yielded 0.11 EPA/rush in the 2025 season (33rd percentile). According to PrizePicks, Haynes is projected for 67.5 rush yards vs. Tennessee.
Tennessee, meanwhile, generated a 27.6% stuff rate on defense (78th percentile) in Week 1. However, that didn’t stop Furman from tallying 178 rushing yards and 4.9 yards per carry.
The Volunteers’ defense returned 65% of production from last season (13th), via ESPN. That could lead to another poor run defense that surrendered 0.13 EPA/rush (26th percentile) during the 2025 campaign.
On the other side of the ball, we know Tennessee likes to play fast under head coach Josh Heupel, proven by 22.4 seconds per play in 2025 (94th percentile for fewest per play).
This is an offense that leans on the run, mixing in shots downfield. QB Faizon Brandon excelled in his first start with a 5.9% big-time throw rate and an 87.5% adjusted completion percentage on a 10.1 average depth of target (aDOT), per Pro Football Focus.
Georgia Tech gave up 183 rushing yards last week, and the Vols compiled an absurd 7.0 yards per carry and 329 rushing yards.
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#1 Ohio State vs. #4 Texas Prediction on Over/Under Tonight
Time, How to Watch: 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC
In the 2025 season, #1 Texas met #2 Ohio State in Week 1, and despite a 46.5 over/under with each team carrying elite offensive talent, the Buckeyes won 14-7 in a low-scoring affair. Over four head-to-head matchups since 2006, the under is 4-0.
Texas’ defense has potentially cracked the Jeremiah Smith code, limiting the Ohio State WR to only 3 and 43 receiving yards in two battles. Users can pick More or Less on Smith’s 84.5 projected receiving yards tonight.
If the Longhorns can take away Smith downfield, the Buckeyes have a mostly unproven receiving unit. OSU WR Brandon Inniss totaled only 271 receiving yards in 14 outings last season, and UTSA transfer WR Devin McCuin is preparing for his second game as a Buckeye, though he produced 97 yards in Week 1.
Against a Texas team that allowed 161 rushing yards vs. Texas State in Week 1, Ohio State may look to lean on the run, shortening the contest and keeping the ball out of QB Arch Manning’s hands. The Bucks had an elite 1.51 explosiveness rate on the ground last week (fourth nationally).
According to Team Rankings, Ohio State logged 31.1 seconds per play in 2025 (99th percentile for most seconds). Texas had only a 20.5% stuff rate on defense (51st) vs. Texas State, perhaps encouraging the Buckeyes to tout the rock and bleed the clock.
OSU has the halfback to do just that, as RB Bo Jackson recorded 66 yards after contact on 9 carries for 83 rushing yards (9.2 yards per attempt) to open 2026. In his true freshman 2025 campaign, Jackson boasted an elite 4.12 yards after contact per carry. PrizePicks gives Jackson 56.5 projected rush yards vs. Texas.
As mentioned, Manning poses a threat against the Buckeyes. He’s complemented by an elite WR duo in Cam Coleman and Ryan Wingo.
In Week 1, Manning racked up 305 passing yards, 11.3 yards per passing attempt, and a strong 11.1% big-time throw rate. Manning’s featured in this week’s Flash Sale on PrizePicks, dropping Texas QB’s 247.5 projected passing yards to only 198.5 for a limited time!
Considering Ohio State’s underwhelming 11.3% havoc rate from the front seven (58th percentile) against Ball State, the Buckeyes have even more reason to play keep away and avoid this Texas air raid offense.
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#1 Ohio State vs. #4 Texas headlines our best college football predictions for Week 2, but don’t sleep on #18 Tennessee vs. Georgia Tech potentially featuring a load of points on Saturday night.
Don’t wait until kickoff — make college football picks on PrizePicks now. Just pick your players, predict More or Less on their stats, and cash in on your predictions if you’re right. With Team Picks, you can make predictions on game winners, spreads, and over/unders — now available in 36 states!
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