College Football Teams on Upset Alert in Week Two

If Ohio State wanted to prove they could compete for a national championship without Braxton Miller, they did not do a very good job of it. The Buckeyes needed a second half surge to put away Navy in a game that many thought would not even be close. Urban Meyer will have to manage without Miller, but he will need a lot of help from his defense, especially up front. Navy rushed for 320 total yards. Running back Ryan Williams-Jenkins led the way with 118 yards. Not impressed because Navy runs the triple option? Williams-Jenkins gained those yards on just 7 carries which means he averaged over 16 yards a carry.

Ohio State is not the only one who will need help from its defense. If Virginia Tech wants to pull the upset, it will have to take advantage of the Buckeyes' current weakness. Long time defensive coordinator Bud Foster will bring the heat and put a lot of pressure on Braxton Miller's replacement, J.T. Barrett. However, the Hokies also have a first year starting quarterback in Michael Brewer who replaces Logan Thomas. Brewer will need to lead a balanced attack to keep the defense guessing. They also need a solid performance from freshmen running backs Shai McKenzie and Marshawn Williams.

Urban Meyer still believes that the Buckeyes can make a playoff run without Braxton Miller. Ohio State has enough talent to do that despite not proving it in last week's performance. Virginia Tech pulling off the upset on the road is very possible with the talent it bring to the table.

How South Carolina bounces back from its blowout loss last week to Texas A&M will go a long way in determining how far they go this season. The Gamecocks allowed the Aggies to rack up 680 total yards in the 52-28 loss. The defense will have to find rhythm this week because they are facing a very good East Carolina team.

On offense, they will be without running back Mike Davis this week due to injury. Dylan Thompson will need carry more weight than usual to prevent the Gamecocks from starting the season 0-2 for the first time since 1999.

East Carolina is going for back-to-back 10 win season and they got off to a good start with a dominant 52-7 win over North Carolina Central. Quarterback Shane Carden had a school record 4,139 passing yards last season and added 283 passing yards and 3 touchdowns in their week one win. Freshman running back Marquez Grayson added 78 rushing yards on just 7 carries. In other words, the Pirates have a very good offense even if those numbers were put up against a weak opponent. Defensively, East Carolina goes in with a slight edge due to Mike Davis' absence.

South Carolina's season could potentially be ruined with another loss. The Gamecocks may have a feeling of deja vu after seeing the offensive firepower that they are facing in back-to-back weeks. This will be a game to keep an eye on.

Missouri is on the road this week to take on Gary Pinkel's former team. The Tigers lost a good amount of talent from last season including their leading receiver, rusher, and tackler. Quarterback Maty Mauk was their key returner and proved it by tossing 3 touchdowns in last week's win over South Dakota State. Missouri has proven that they are capable of making a run in the SEC, but the loss of so much experience makes them vulnerable. Toledo needs to take advantage of that vulnerability.

The Rockets are an improved team this year and favorites to win the MAC West. Alabama transfer quarterback Phillip Ely passed for 337 yards and 4 touchdowns in his starting debut against New Hampshire. Running back Kareem Hunt added 136 yards on the ground. The only thing holding Toledo back is their pass defense. If they want to keep up in this game they will have to find a way to minimize Mauk's numbers. Nine returning starters on defense proves that the talent is there, but they are not accustomed to playing SEC teams.

This has all the makings for an upset. Missouri has only 8 returning starters which is the lowest in the SEC, they are facing one of the best teams in the MAC, and it is on the road. The Tigers better take this game seriously.

Mississippi State has grown into a true contender in the SEC West because of head coach Dan Mullen. This year's team may be the best one he has had, but that does not mean that they are invincible. The Bulldogs have a solid quarterback in Dak Prescott and arguably one of the best receiving corps in the SEC. The biggest question concerning this year's team is their defense. They shutout Southern Miss last week, but that was against an offense that only averaged 17 points per game last season. A shutout this week would be far more impressive.

UAB has not had a lot going for them over the last couple of years. The Blazers finished 2-10 last season, and now have a first year head coach in Bill Clark. Clark came at the right time and now has brought excitement back to this program. His career got off to a hot start with a dominant 48-10 win over arch rival Troy. They racked up 338 total rushing yards. Jordan Howard led the way with 179 rushing yards. If quarterback Cody Clements helps keep a balanced attack, they can keep up with the Bulldogs.

Like Mississippi State, UAB still has to prove their worth on the defense. They are still fresh off a 2-10 season so their defense can weigh them down. This is still an interesting one to watch for a Mississippi State team trying to prove they are worthy opponents in the conference.