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College football coverage map: Fan guide through the Week 2 slate

ByJohn Buhler|
Nick Saban, Steve Sarkisian, Alabama Crimson Tide. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
Nick Saban, Steve Sarkisian, Alabama Crimson Tide. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

College football fans have some games to watch heading into Week 2 of their favorite sport.

And just like that, we are back in the swing of things when it comes to major college football!

Week 0 came and went, while Labor Day Weekend was a hoot and a half. However, we are now settling into what should be another fun and exciting season in the sport we love oh so very much. Although NFL Week 1 will be in full tilt on Sunday afternoon, you have some games to watch on Saturday, as well as on Friday night, if you are as big of a college football fan as you claim to be.

Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered, as these are the games you need to be watching during Week 2.

College football coverage map: How to watch all the best games in Week 2

Here is an outline of all the games that will be playing on Saturday. The map is from

506 Sports

.

Friday night (Sept. 9)

There are two games being played on Friday. The first will be Louisville at UCF at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2. Louisville has to win this game after getting smoked in Week 1 at division rival Syracuse. UCF can get a big non-conference win on its quest to win the Group of Five one final time. The second game will Boise State at New Mexico at 9:00 p.m. ET airing over on CBS Sports Network.

Most important games

  1. Louisville at UCF: ESPN2 (7:30 p.m. ET)
  2. Boise State at New Mexico: CBSSN (9:00 p.m. ET)

Saturday afternoon early (Sept. 10)

If there is only one game you are going to watch in the early-afternoon window, it would have to be No. 1 Alabama going into DKR to play unranked Texas. It will be mentor vs. protege, as Nick Saban will take on his former offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian in a rare non-conference meeting between the two college football blue-bloods. This one will be Big Noon Saturday on FOX.

On your second screen, you will want to have it on ESPN to see South Carolina take on No. 16 Arkansas. Although they are no longer cross-divisional rivals, there is plenty of history between the Gamecocks and the Razorbacks since joining the SEC way back in 1992. For a third game to watch, check out Sam Hartman’s return for No. 23 Wake Forest vs. Vanderbilt on the SEC Network.

Most important games

  1. No. 1 Alabama at Texas: FOX (12:00 p.m. ET)
  2. South Carolina at No. 16: ESPN (12:00 p.m. ET)
  3. No. 23 Wake Forest at Vanderbilt: SECN (12:00 p.m. ET)

Saturday afternoon late (Sept. 10)

The best game on the mid-afternoon slate will be No. 24 Tennessee at No. 17 Pittsburgh. ABC will carry that game. The winner of this one will improve to 2-0 and should find themselves either inside or approaching the top 15. The loser will have to battle back the rest of the way after losing a tough non-conference game to a worthy adversary. Again, we need to see more games like this.

As far as the second-best game of this window to see, none really stand out. Colorado at Air Force on CBS isn’t bad. Washington State at No. 19 Wisconsin could be interesting on FOX. Appalachian State at No. 6 Texas A&M on ESPN2 might be worth a gander. If you dig rivalries but a bad viewing experience otherwise, may I suggest Iowa State at Iowa in CyHawk over on the Big Ten Network?

If no other game really jumps off the page for you besides Tennessee at Pitt, you are more than welcome to watch No. 5 Clemson run roughshod on Furman over on the ACC Network or No. 2 Georgia blow out Samford on the SEC Network. Basically, you can watch whatever you want on your second screen, but Tennessee at Pitt needs to have your undivided attention in this window.

Most important games

  1. No. 24 Tennessee at No. 17 Pittsburgh: ABC (3:30 p.m. ET)
  2. Appalachian State at No. 6 Texas A&M: ESPN2 (3:30 p.m. ET)
  3. Washington State at No. 19 Wisconsin: FOX (3:30 p.m. ET)
  4. Iowa State at Iowa: BTN (4:00 p.m. ET)
  5. Colorado at Air Force: CBS (3:30 p.m. ET)
  6. Samford at No. 2 Georgia: SECN (4:00 p.m. ET)
  7. Furman at No. 5 Clemson: ACCN (3:30 p.m. ET)

Saturday evening (Sept. 10)

One game stands out above the rest in primetime. That would be a massive SEC East rivalry between the No. 20 Kentucky Wildcats and the No. 12 Florida Gators. Florida shocked then-No. 7 Utah last week in The Swamp. If they beat Will Levis and company to get to 2-0, maybe Florida will emerge as the most formidable challenger to the Georgia Bulldogs in the division this season?

While that game will be on ESPN, the second-best game in this window is No. 10 USC at Stanford airing on ABC. This is a great conference rivalry game, one where we can see what Lincoln Riley is all about against a lowly Pac-12 opponent. As far as a third game is concerned, Arizona State at No. 11 Oklahoma State on ESPN 2 may be interesting. Of course, there is another game to watch…

If you truly dig pain, may I draw your attention to Georgia Southern at Nebraska airing over on FS1? Not only are you going to see one of potentially the last wins of the Scott Frost era in Lincoln, but you can get a glimpse into the future as to what it could be like for him next season. That is because former USC head coach Clay Helton is in his first year leading the Eagles in Statesboro.

Most important games

  1. No. 20 Kentucky at No. 12 Florida: ESPN (7:00 p.m. ET)
  2. No. 10 USC at Stanford: ABC (7:30 p.m. ET)
  3. Arizona State at No. 11 Oklahoma State: ESPN2 (7:30 p.m. ET)
  4. Georgia Southern at Nebraska: FS1 (7:30 p.m. ET)

Saturday night late (Sept. 10)

Fate would have it, you actually have a trio of fun games to watch in the nightcap. That’s right, baby! On the big TV, you will want to have that tuned to ESPN to see No. 9 Baylor at No. 21 BYU. If the Bears are playoff viable, they need to win this game against their future Big 12 opponent. Should BYU want to crash the New Year’s Six party, the Cougars will need to shock the Bears here.

The two other games happening at night are Oregon State at Fresno State airing on CBS Sports Network and Mississippi State at Arizona on FS1. For those who love celebratory chainsaws, Jeff Tedford passing attacks, Mike Leach raiding some air and Petros Papadakis in all of his greatness on the call, you will want to turn up the sound on all three of these night games simultaneously.

Most important games

  1. No. 9 Baylor at BYU: ESPN (10:30 p.m. ET)
  2. Mississippi State at Arizona: FS1 (11:00 p.m. ET)
  3. Oregon State at Fresno State CBSSN (10:30 p.m. ET)

Who cares what your neighbors, friends and family think about you? You’ve got games to watch!

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