College Football Week 2 preview and predictions: What to watch for

Here’s a look at what college football fans can expect during the second week of the 2016 season, including predictions for the Top 25 teams in action.

For fans of college football, the opening weekend of the 2016 season was one that will not be forgotten in a while. There were plenty of games featuring ranked teams, including Florida State-Ole Miss, Houston-Oklahoma and North Carolina-Georgia.

There was Alabama making a statement over a ranked USC team, while Texas showed they haven’t gone away with an amazing double overtime win over then-No. 10 Notre Dame.

It’s a good thing that fans got all those great games last weekend – because week two’s slate of games is enough to make you yawn your way through this Saturday. Sure, there are several big rivalry games and a couple interesting matchups, but for the most part, this is a weekend that won’t be remembered for a while.

There is plenty of ranked team action going on, including schools like Alabama, Georgia, Michigan and others taking on teams they should have no problem beating. There also will be one game in the last place you would expect a college game to take place that is the game of the week.

Game of the Week – Virginia Tech vs. No. 17 Tennessee (in Bristol, TN)

On paper, this should be an easy win for the Vols (yet, so was their opener against Appalachian State, so who knows what will happen). The reason this is the game of the week, quite frankly, has nothing to do with the action on the field.

No, the Hokies and Volunteers will be playing in front of possible 150,000 of their closest friends this weekend when they play at Bristol Motor Speedway, site of two NASCAR races each season. The game has been in the works for over a decade, finally coming together in time for this season.

It actually won’t be the first time that the track has hosted a football game – as you go back to the 1961 NFL preseason when the Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles took to the infield for some contact sports that don’t involve an engine.

Both teams won their openers, with Virginia Tech dominating FCS foe Liberty and Tennessee, as we mentioned, surviving in overtime against the Mountaineers. Look for a defensive battle between both programs, as the Hokies should be able to contain Josh Dobbs and Jalen Hurd – but probably not enough to come out with a win.

Next: Top 25 Schedule and Predictions