Week 2 of the college football season has a different kind of feel, probably because it features a matchup of epic proportions.
That would be a battle between two of the winningest programs in the sport’s history, as No. 1 Alabama (tied for second all-time with 943 wins) heads to Austin to take on Texas (tied for fourth with 929 wins) for Saturday’s FOX Big Noon Kickoff game.
It will be the first time the storied programs have met since Jan. 7, 2010, when the Crimson Tide beat the Longhorns, 37-21, in the BCS National Championship Game at the Rose Bowl.
Fans might be surprised to learn, however, that Texas had won three straight before that meeting, and the Longhorns lead the all-time series — which dates to 1902 — 7-1-1.
But that’s not the only big game we’re keeping our eye on this week.
Here are the key stats to know for the marquee matchups in Week 2.
SATURDAY
No. 1 Alabama (1-0) at Texas (1-0)
Noon ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app
25-2: Alabama coach Nick Saban has only lost twice to former assistants. Both of them came last season (Jimbo Fisher and Kirby Smart).
177: Alabama’s wins since 2008, the nation’s most. Ohio State is second in that stretch with 157 wins.
30: Alabama has scored 30 or more points in 50 of their last 57 games dating back to the start of the 2018 season.
123: The Tide have allowed just 123 rushing touchdowns since Saban arrived in 2007, the fewest in FBS. Iowa is a distant second at 168.
25: Alabama also has the most shutouts since 2007, with 25. Wisconsin is second in that stretch with 14.
1,000: Texas coach Steve Sarkisian has had a 1,000-yard rusher in 10 straight seasons as a head coach. Heisman candidate Bijan Robinson rushed for 1,127 yards last season.
5-11: Texas is 5-11 all-time against No. 1-ranked teams. The Longhorns are 2-2 in their last four, though. Their last win against a No. 1 team came in 2008 against Oklahoma.
40+: Texas is looking to score 40+ points in back-to-back games for the first time since Weeks 3 and 4 of last season. The Longhorns are 34-10 since 2010 when scoring 40 or more points.
99: Robinson needs 99 rushing yards to reach 2,000 for his career. That would make him 20th all-time in Texas history.
Arkansas State (1-0) at No. 3 Ohio State (1-0)
Noon ET on BTN
0-10: Arkansas State’s record vs. Big Ten schools.
0: Arkansas State has yet to punt or commit a turnover this season.
23: Ohio State has won 23 straight season-openers, the nation’s longest active streak.
40: Since Ryan Day’s arrival in 2017, the Buckeyes have averaged 40 points or more per game every season.
38: The Buckeyes have scored at least 40 points 38 times since 2017, and are 38-0 in those games. Only Alabama (47) and Oklahoma (40) have more 40-point games in that stretch.
Duke (1-0) at Northwestern (1-0)
Noon ET on FS1
30-0: Duke shut out Temple in Week 1, the Blue Devils’ first shutout of an FBS team since Nov. 18, 1989 (North Carolina, 41-0).
118: Duke has committed 118 turnovers in road games since 2010, more than any other ACC team.
11-5: Northwestern’s record in Ryan Field home openers under coach Pat Fitzgerald.
30+: Northwestern is looking to score 30 or more points in back-to-back games for the first time since Nov. 18 and 25, 2017. Under Fitzgerald, Northwestern is 50-10 when scoring at least 30 or more points, but 60-80 when failing to do so.
Marshall (1-0) at No. 8 Notre Dame (0-1)
6-1: Marshall is 6-1 vs. FBS independents in their history, with their one loss coming against Army.
74-11: Since 2010, this is Marshall’s record when scoring first.
0-1: Notre Dame is 0-1 for the first time since 2016 and the second time since 2010.
6,500/4,000: Over the past two seasons with Tommy Rees as the offensive coordinator, Notre Dame is one of only eight FBS schools to pass for more than 6,500 yards and rush for more than 4,000 yards (North Carolina, Ole Miss, BYU, Alabama, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Florida and Clemson).
80: The Irish have been ranked in the AP Top 25 for 80 consecutive weeks, the longest streak for the Irish since the 1994 season (124 weeks).
Washington State (1-0) at No. 19 Wisconsin (1-0)
2-0: Wisconsin has won both meetings between the schools, including 42-21 in their most recent matchup in 2007.
2018: Washington State has not beaten a ranked team since topping No. 25 Iowa State in the 2018 Alamo Bowl.
7: The Cougars rank second in the nation in sacks, with seven.
43-1: Wisconsin’s record under Paul Chryst when scoring 30 or more points.
70: The Badgers had three longer than 70 yards in Week 1, the first Big Ten team to do so since at least 2003.
0: Wisconsin’s blanked Illinois State 38-0 in their season opener, the ninth shutout of the Paul Chryst era (2015-present). Alabama (10) is the only team in the country with more shutouts over that span.
Akron (1-0) at No. 14 Michigan State (1-0)
4 p.m. on BTN
75-6: This was the score the last time these teams met, with Michigan State winning in 1914.
.111: Since 2020, Akron’s .111 win percentage on the road is tied for the 11th-worst win percentage in the FBS.
45: Since the beginning of last season, the Spartans are tied for fourth in FBS with 45 sacks, four ahead of Big Ten rival Michigan. They have seven this season.
326.5: Since the start of last season, Michigan State has the worst pass defense in the nation, surrendering 326.5 yards per game. The Spartans are the only team surrendering more than 300 pass yards per game over that stretch.
5-0: Michigan State’s record in one-possession games since 2020.
No. 25 Houston at Texas Tech
4 p.m. on FS1
4: Texas Tech has won four straight in this series. Houston leads the all-time series 18-14-1, however.
19-6: Houston’s record against unranked opponents under coach Dana Holgorsen, including 12 straight wins.
11: Houston has won 11 games in a row when having a 100-yard rusher.
63-10: Texas Tech’s 63-10 rout over Murray State last week marked the largest margin of victory for a head coach (Joey McGuire) making his debut in school history.
0: No wonder the Red Raiders won. They held Murray State to zero first downs in the second half.
Iowa State (1-0) at Iowa (1-0)
4 p.m. on BTN
6: Iowa has beaten Iowa State six times in a row. Iowa State’s last win in the series came in 2014 at Iowa.
38: Since coach Matt Campbell’s second season (2017), Iowa State is third in the Big 12 in wins with 38, behind just Oklahoma (55) and Oklahoma State (42).
+48: Since 2017, Iowa State is second in the Big 12 with a +48 sack differential. Only Oklahoma (+67) is better.
0: Iowa’s seven points against South Dakota State last week came via a field goal and two second-half safeties. The Hawkeyes are the first Big Ten team to win a game without scoring a touchdown since Nebraska in 2018.
120: Iowa’s defense surrendered just 120 yards in the 7-3 win over South Dakota State. It was the fewest in a season-opening game since 2004 (110 vs. Kent State).
6: Iowa leads the Big Ten in fewest first downs allowed.
Kent State (0-1) at No. 7 Oklahoma (1-0)
7 p.m. on ESPN+
2-13: Kent State’s all-time record vs. the Big 12. Oklahoma is 3-0 all-time against the MAC.
76.1: Since 2020, Kent State averages 76.1 plays per game, seventh-most in the FBS.
10: Oklahoma has won its last 10 home games and 28 of its last 29.
525: Over the past eight seasons, Oklahoma has scored 525 touchdowns. Only Alabama (546) has scored more.
41: Oklahoma and Alabama are tied for the most 10-plus win seasons, with 41 each.
Arizona State (1-0) at No. 11 Oklahoma State (1-0)
7:30 p.m. on ESPN2
8-2: ASU’s non-conference record under coach Herm Edwards.
30: The Sun Devils have held opponents to fewer than 30 points in 31 of 44 games under Edwards. They also were the only team in the FBS to not allow a 50-yard play last season.
0: Arizona State has shut out its opponent in the second half four times since 2021.
38.6: Oklahoma State has averaged 38.6 PPG since 2010, fifth-most in the FBS.
10-3: Cowboys coach Mike Gundy has never faced Arizona State, but is 10-3 against Pac-12.
No. 10 USC (1-0) at Stanford (1-0)
7:30 p.m. on ABC
5-5: These teams have split their last five meetings. Stanford is USC’s oldest rival, with the series dating back to 1905.
3: USC returned three interceptions for touchdowns against Rice last week. The Trojans only did that one other time, on Nov. 11, 1982 at Arizona. It also tied a Pac-12 record.
50+: USC is looking for a second-straight 50-point game for the first time since 2015.
7-5: Stanford’s record against USC under coach David Shaw. Four of those victories have come when the Trojans have been ranked.
31: The Cardinal has 31 wins vs. top-25 teams since 2010, the seventh-most in the nation.
Georgia Southern (1-0) at Nebraska (1-1)
7:30 p.m. on FS1
15-2: These teams have never met before, but Nebraska is 15-2 against Sun Belt teams.
34-11: Clay Helton’s teams are 34-11 when his teams score first, but just 13-13 when the opponent does.
9: Nebraska has lost nine straight one-possession games, dating back to the 2020 season. Under Scott Frost, Nebraska is 5-21 in one-possession games.
4: Nebraska has scored a touchdown on its opening drive of the game in four consecutive games.
3-16: Under Frost, Nebraska is 3-16 when the opponent has a 100-yard rusher.
Hawaii (0-2) at No. 4 Michigan (1-0)
8 p.m. on BTN
9-24: Hawaii’s all-time record against Big Ten teams.
2009: Hawaii’s last win over a Power 5 conference team on the road was against Washington State in 2009.
1986: When these teams met for the first time in 1986, Michigan’s quarterback was Jim Harbaugh, the Wolverines’ current coach.
159: Under Harbaugh, Michigan has scored 159 more touchdowns than it has allowed (352-193).
30+: The Wolverines are 46-3 when scoring at least 30 points under Harbaugh.
+44: Michigan’s points differential of +44 is 15th in the FBS, more than any Big Ten team has scored points.
No. 9 Baylor (1-0) at No. 21 BYU (1-0)
10:15 p.m. on ESPN
16-22: BYU’s all-time record against the Big 12.
23: Baylor has forced a turnover in 23 straight games. The Bears’ +21 turnover margin during that stretch is fourth-best in the FBS.
10-3: Baylor is 10-3 under head coach Dave Aranda when scoring first. The Bears are also 12-2 under Aranda when leading at halftime.
69: Baylor’s 69-point outing last week was the 10th-most points ever scored in Baylor history.
19-5: BYU is 19-5 under coach Kalani Sitake when playing as a ranked team.
12: The Cougar defense allowed just 12 first downs to USF on Saturday, ranking No. 11 nationally after one weekend of play.
Mississippi State (1-0) at Arizona (1-0)
11 p.m. on FS1
0-3: Mississippi State all-time record against the Pac-12.
1-9-1: Arizona’s all-time mark against the SEC, with their one win coming in 1976 at Auburn.
5: Five different Bulldogs have caught a touchdown this season. Only Appalachian State (six) has more.
91-21-5: Arizona is 91-21-5 all-time in home openers, but have lost two straight.
75: Arizona is one of just four Power Five schools that are allowing fewer than 75 pass yards per game so far this season (Minnesota, 53; Alabama, 57; Stanford, 59).
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