Week 1 in college football had it all. It had meltdowns, controversy, surprise wins and blowouts. That’s what makes Week 2 so interesting. Which teams will bounce back after a lackluster start to the 2026 season. Rather, which teams need to bounce back if they want to be a respected team this year? That’s what Greg Schiano and Kyle Whittingham have on the front of their minds after dragging down the Big Ten in Week 1. Here’s who else has a lot to look for this week.
Can Michigan’s offense survive a major step up in competition?
Michigan was always going to be the first team on this list. Clock controversy aside, the Wolverines looked bad. Before the questionable Hail Mary that won them the game, they had just one touchdown, three turnovers and a horrible offensive showing. The defense didn’t allow a touchdown all game and they somehow still nearly lost the game. If Week 1 was a gut-check, Week 2 could be a knock out punch for Michigan if they don’t bounce back. They have Oklahoma and will certainly be tested even more than they were a week ago.
First game jitters, nerves and rust is common. We’ll give Michigan the benefit of the doubt, especially when you consider that Western Michigan is a dark horse Group of 6 team looking to crash the College Football Playoff, it makes that near loss look a lot less bad. Nonetheless, Michigan has to bounce back if they want to be taken seriously this year. It’s not about getting back hope for the College Football Playoff race, it’s about avoiding becoming an embarrassment among the Power 4 schools.
Can Luke Fickell make Wisconsin look like a serious Big Ten team?
For one half, Wisconsin and Luke Fickell looked like this might be the year they look like a Big Ten contender. And then Notre Dame overwhelmed them, shutting out the Badgers in the second half. This week, the Badgers host Western Illinois, an FCS opponent, for the perfect chance to bounce back. This week, they need to blow out Western Illinois if they want to prove that this year will be different in a pivotal season for Luke Fickell. FCS vs. FBS battles are usually tune-up games, but at times they can be trap games.
Wisconsin has to avoid that, Colton Joseph has to elevate his play and Fickell has to prepare his team to play the best they have since he took over. Fickell has been under a microscope since his move from Cincinnati to Madison. He already failed his first test in Week 1, but Week 2 is a chance to restore faith within the Badger faithful.
Can Clemson’s offense finally inspire some confidence?
There is a video that is floating around with a Georgia Southern defensive player essentially alluding to the fact that the Eagles feel confident going into their game against Clemson this week. Dabo Swinney might not survive the weekend if the Tigers lose two straight, including a loss to Georgia Southern. That’s why this is the perfect game to restore faith within the fan base, administration and national pundits. The Tigers’ offense was terrible against LSU, to say the least. Now that that’s out of the way, this week is about redemption.
Clemson doesn’t have to beat Georgia Southern the way they got beat, but the offense has to look much better than it did. We can all agree that Georgia Southern isn’t as good as LSU, which is why Christopher Vizzina has to look better. This offense has struggled each of the last two years. They can’t flop again this season. A game like this should give Vizzina and this offense the confidence it needs to keep the season from spiraling out of control.
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