The UAB Blazers are coming off a 45-35 victory over Central Arkansas last Thursday Night at Legion Field and are now in South Beach for game 2. They get another Thursday Night game as they play at the Miami Hurricanes. The Blazers want to make a statement, and if they could pull this off, with many college football fans watching who aren’t watching the Texans @ the Chiefs, that would put this program firmly in the national picture mix and in the national poll mix. But this is quite a mountain to climb. Here’s a look at UAB’s game at Miami and other interesting contests in Week 2 of College Football.

Last week: 5-1-

Navy ran into a juggernaut Monday Night against BYU, losing 55-3. Did not see that coming. BYU looks very strong.

Tonight

UAB (1-0) @ Miami (0-0)

Hard Rock Stadium, Miami

7 PM CT

ACC Network, Channel 336 on Charter, 612 on DirecTV

Dave O’Brien, Tim Hasselbeck, Katie George

Canes by 14 1/2

UAB can score some points, no doubt about it. Spencer Brown is an excellent running back. He ran for a buck 27 last week and a TD against Central Arkansas. Jermaine Brown Jr. looks talented too. He ran for 74 yards and a TD last Thursday. Luscious Stanley is another talented back. Tyler Johnston completed 17 of 25 passes for 143 yards, 2 TDs and an int. Austin Watkins is a stellar receiver. He caught 7 passes for 72 yards last week against Central Arkansas. The offensive line is veteran and physical. But the defense was pretty suspect overall last Thursday.

Tonight, the Blazers try to corral former Houston Cougar star quarterback D’Eriq King. He’s a 1,500 yard rusher and 1,500 yard passer type player. Quite a weapon. Miami has pretty strong defense this season as well. They’ve got a much offensive arsenal this season than last and King is a game changer.

I’ll have to go with the home team in this one. Hoping the Blazers can surprise, but not seeing it tonight.

Miami 34, UAB 17

Saturday

No.1 Clemson @ Wake Forest

Truist Field, Winston-Salem, N.C.

6:30 PM CT

Sean McDonough, Todd Blackledge, McShay, Allison Williams

Clemson by 33

I like Trevor Lawrence, Travis Etienne and the Tigers to start off the season well.

Clemson 37, Wake Forest 3

Duke @ No.10 Notre Dame

Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend

1:30 PM CT

NBC

Mike Tirico, Tony Dungy, Jac Collinsworth

Notre Dame by 20

I like David Cutcliffe and the Blue Devils to put a scare into the Fighting Irish. I’m not convinced Brian Kelly is an elite coach.

Notre Dame 34, Duke 31

Missouri State @ No.5 Oklahoma

Memorial Stadium, Norman, OK.

7 PM CT

Pay per view

Oklahoma by 42 1/2

The Sooners are once again breaking in a new quarterback after Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray and Jalen Hurts all excelled. Spencer Rattler, a 5 star recruit 2 years ago, takes over. I expect the Sooners to have no problem moving the football as usual. Defense is always the issue at OU. If they can figure out their defense under 2nd year coordinator Alex Grinch, who is solid, they can go all the way one year. They had some defections and opt outs on their defensive front, so we’ll see how that pans out in the Big 12 and on the national stage. Bob Petrino is in his first year at Missouri State. Rude debut for him.

Oklahoma 55, Missouri State 3

Georgia Tech @ Florida State

Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee

2:30 PM CT

ABC

Tess, Gregory, Holly Rowe

FSU by 12

I like Mike Norvell, in his first year after a successful tenure at Memphis, to just barely scrape by here. He’s in a rebuild mode.

Florida State 27, Georgia Tech 24

Syracuse @ No.18 North Carolina

Kenan Stadium, Chapel Hill, N.C.

11 AM CT

ACC Network

Wes Durham, Roddy Jones, Taylor Davis

UNC by 23

Mack Brown has’em excited in Chapel Hill. He has a top 10 recruiting class in 2021 so far, and he’s got a stud quarterback in sophomore Sam Howell. They went 7-6 last year and won the Military Bowl over Temple, 55-13. I’m still not a big believer in Brown though. He had Smoothie Bars at Texas for practice when he was coaching there. Maybe back in Chapel Hill, he’s in familiar territory and will excel. Not buying it yet though.

North Carolina 28, Syracuse 17

Tulane @ South Alabama (1-0)

Hancock Whitney Stadium, Mobile

6:30 PM CT

ESPN2

Mike Couzens, Dustin Fox, Lauren Sisler

Tulane by 8 1/2

I’m believing what Steve Campbell is doing down in the Port City. They went to Hattiesburg last Thursday Night and upset Southern Miss, 33-21. This is a quality football team. Give me the upset.

South Alabama 28, Tulane 24

UTEP @No.14 Texas

DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium, Austin

7 PM CT

Longhorn Network

Lowell Galindo, Andre Ware, Kris Budden

Texas by 43

After defeating Georgia in the 2019 Sugar Bowl, quarterback Sam Ehlinger declared Texas was ready to be elite again. It didn’t happen last season as the running back position and secondary were decimated by injuries. Texas has a lot to prove this season and Ehinger is back for his senior campaign. I like Texas to be a factor this season. Are they playoff worthy? Let’s see them play Big 12 games and decide, particularly the Red River Rivalry October 18th vs the Sooners. The most interesting thing about this game may be listening to the great Andre Ware’s commentary.

Texas 66, UTEP 0

Louisiana @ No. 23 Iowa State

Jack Trice Stadium, Ames, Iowa

11 AM CT

ESPN

Tom Hart, Mike Golic, Cole

Iowa State by 11 1/2

Matt Campbell enters his 5th season in Ames with a 33-30 overall mark. He probably needs to do a little better this year, but I like him as a coach. They are a sleeper team in the Big 12.

Iowa State 31, Louisiana 14

Charlotte @ Appalachian State

Kidd Brewer Stadium, Boone, N.C.

11 AM

ESPN2

Bob Wischusen, Dan Orlovsky, Lericia Harris

App State by 17

App State was a powerhouse under Scott Satterfield, who’s now at Louisville, and last season under Eli Drinkwitz, who’s now at Missouri. They went 13-1 last season and defeated UAB, 31-17, in the R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl under interim coach Shawn Clark. Clark is now the full time head coach. I like this juggernaut to keep it cookin this season.

App State 35, Charlotte 10

Other scores

Kansas State 28, Arkansas State 17

Bill Snyder Family Stadium, Manhattan, Kansas

2:30 PM CT

Fox Sports 1

K State by 10 1/2

West Virginia 42, Eastern Kentucky 7

Mountaineer Field, Morgantown, West VA.

11 AM CT

Fox Sports 1

No line

Neal Brown is ready to get his team in the Big 12 hunt. I believe in the former Troy stud head coach.

Texas Tech 45, Houston Baptist 3

Jones AT&T Stadium, Lubbock, TX.

7 PM CT

Big 12 Network/ESPN+

Texas Tech by 39 1/2

Army 41, Louisiana-Monroe 17

Michie Stadium, West Point

12:30 PM CT

CBS Sports Network

Army by 21

The Cadets blasted Middle Tennessee last Saturday, 42-0. Jeff Monken has his team back to playing like they did 2 years ago when they went 11-2 and blasted Houston in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl, 70-14.

Louisville 42, Western Kentucky 14

Cardinal Stadium, Louisville

7 PM CT

ACC Network

Louisville by 11 1/2

Like Scott Satterfield to get Louisville to elite status in the ACC certainly next season and be highly competitive this year.

Kansas 31, Coastal Carolina 7

David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium

9 PM CT

Fox Sports 1

Kansas by 6 1/2

I like Les Miles to do a solid job at Kansas. I actually think he’s a pretty strong coach. Expect Les and his team to start off the season right.