The start of the college football season has been spectacular, with programs already looking like championship contenders and players vying for some personal awards and making highlight reels. Some athletes will stand out this weekend by finding the end zone and propeling their respective programs to victory. Which matchups could see touchdowns scored?
Let’s highlight our best college football TD scorer picks for Week 2 with three players who could find paydirt on Saturday.
All stats are via CFB Stats, PFF, and Games on Paper unless otherwise noted.
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Best College Football TD Scorer Picks for PrizePicks
This weekend offers plenty of opportunities to highlight players who will find the end zone, with over 40 games on the college football schedule.
Player TDs on PrizePicks include rushing, receiving, recoveries, and returns. PrizePicks often list player TDs as Demons and Goblins, meaning users can only select "More." For standard projections, users can select “More” or “Less.”
Demons are tougher to win but are the only way to get higher payouts. Meanwhile, Goblins are lower than a standard projection, but they are easier to win, so there is a lower payout.
Memphis vs. Boise State TD Scorer Prediction – 6:00 p.m. ET
Memphis RB Jaylin Carter: 1.5 Player TDs (Demon)
Pay attention to this sophomore, because he is nothing short of electrifying.
Last season as a true freshman at Southern Mississippi, RB Jaylin Carter didn’t get many opportunities, finishing fifth on the team in carries (38) and rushing yards (166). When he did get the ball, though, he was productive by averaging 4.4 yards per carry.
He’s four carries shy of matching last year’s number of totes, but he's already far exceeded last year’s rushing total to the tune of an FBS-leading 280 rushing yards.
Although he’s young, he already looks like a veteran when you watch him. He shows his high football IQ by knowing when to wait behind the line of scrimmage for his blocks to develop. When he reaches the gap, he can fly through the secondary for a big play. He’s shown off that explosive ability by way of a 36-yard TD against UNLV in Week 0 and a 74-yard TD against Arkansas State in Week 1.
This week, Carter and Memphis travel to face Boise State. Last week, the Broncos came close to pulling off an upset on the road against #2 Oregon. In that matchup against the Ducks, the Broncos’ defense struggled against the run, allowing 119 rushing yards on 4.4 yards per carry.
BSU did not have a strong run defense last season, ranking in the 19th percentile in yards allowed per carry (4.9) and the 23rd percentile in rushing TDs allowed (25).
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Wake Forest vs. Purdue TD Scorer Prediction – 12:00 p.m. ET
Wake Forest WR Carlos Hernandez: 0.5 Player TDs (Demon)
At the conclusion of the 2024 campaign, Wake Forest head coach Dave Clawson stepped down after 11 seasons. The program hired Washington State head coach Jake Dickert. Following back-to-back 4-8 seasons in 2023 and 2024, Dickert immediately improved the team, finishing 9-4 in his first year.
The Demon Deacons had a dynamic running game last year, but their passing attack was a liability. QB Robby Ashford was athletic, rushing for 554 yards, but he struggled with turnovers and threw 8 INTs.
Wake Forest brought in QB Gio Lopez, a noticeable upgrade as a passer. He threw for 2,559 yards and 18 TDs with South Alabama in 2024. Last year with a struggling North Carolina program, he finished with more than 200 passing yards in six of his final seven contests.
In Week 1 against Akron, Lopez had one of the best games of his collegiate career, throwing for 350 yards and 3 TDs. WR Carlos Hernandez accounted for almost half of that total with 165 receiving yards, including a 78-yard TD catch. The senior wideout has that explosive playmaking ability, and last year he had 4 50+ yard receiving TDs over a two-game span.
This week, Wake Forest will travel to take on Purdue. The Boilermakers were just one of the worst Power Four programs, going 2-9 overall and 0-9 against Big Ten opponents.
Last year, Purdue ranked in the 19th percentile in passing yards allowed per game (241.7), so there could be a big performance through the air for Lopez.
Hernandez may have a highly favorable matchup, with Purdue CB Hudauri Hines projected to cover him. Hines allowed an average of 21.9 yards per reception and 9.2 yards after the catch last season.
Add Carlos Hernandez to your PrizePicks lineup now.
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#16 Penn State vs. Temple TD Scorer Prediction – 12:00 p.m. ET
Penn State WR Koby Howard: 0.5 Player TDs (Demon)
Penn State got off to a strong start, easily beating Marshall 45-0, marking former Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell's first win with the program. Campbell brought in some of his players at key positions, including QB Rocco Becht, who replaced QB Drew Allar.
The Nittany Lions also have a new group of pass catchers; of the team’s top eight players in receiving yards last season, only two remain.
That includes Howard, who had an impactful Week 1 performance with 165 receiving yards and 1 TD and finished second in the FBS with a 94.1 PFF receiving score.
Howard could become Becht’s favorite target this season because of where the sophomore receiver runs his routes. Seven of Howard’s eight targets in Week 1 came in the middle of the field. That seems to be Becht’s favorite place to throw, as 47.1% of his pass attempts last season were in of the MOF variety.
This week, Penn State travels about 200 miles east to Philadelphia to face Temple.
The Owls were torched through the air last season, ranking in the 22nd percentile in yards allowed per attempt (7.7).
Howard has a favorable matchup, with Temple CB Kolin Dinkins potentially covering him. This is a revenge game for Dinkins, who played for the Nittany Lions in 2024 and 2025. He didn’t see much action during his time there, playing 76 snaps over two seasons.
When he did play, he wasn’t a shutdown defensive back, allowing 14.0 yards per reception.
Add Koby Howard to your PrizePicks lineup now.
Make College Football Picks for Week 2 on PrizePicks
After seeing some of the performances in the open of the season, there's plenty of anticipation for college football Week 2. Jaylin Carter has been lighting it up at the start of the year, and we’ll see if the nation’s leading scorer can keep it going. He headlines a loaded field of potential TD scorers this weekend.
Make your 2026 college football picks on PrizePicks. Pick More or Less on player stats on PrizePicks to earn real money if you're right, or predict College Football Playoff qualifiers, win totals, and more!
Keep it here with the Playbook for continued college football picks, predictions, futures, and more as we jump into the 2026 season.
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