Bama247's SEC Picks, Week 2: Alabama-USF, of course, but also Texas-Michigan, Arkansas-OKST, and more (2024)

Pretty fun opening week, yeah?

The college football season is off and running now. The SEC went 13-3 in Week 1, and all three losses came in marquee matchups:Miami trounced Florida, 41-17; Texas A&M fell to Notre Dame, 23-13; and LSU lost a fantastic Sunday night game to USC, 27-20.

OurSEC picks went largely the same way. Everybody got off to a good start — but some started better than others.

Here are our standings after Week 1:

1. Goodwin: 14-2
2. Scarborough: 13-3
3. Rodak: 13-3
4. Greenberg: 13-3
5. McNair: 12-4

Goodwin picked up one on everybody by picking Miami to beat the Gators. Scarborough and Goodwin both picked Notre Dame to beat Texas A&M while Rodak and Greenberg both picked USC to beat LSU. Everybody missed the Virginia Tech-Vanderbilt game.

The Week 2 schedule features another 15 games, since South Carolina and Kentucky are playing each other this week. Below are our picks.All games are on Saturday unless otherwise noted. All listed times are central.

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Bama247's Week 2 SEC Picks

South Florida at #4 Alabama (6 p.m., ESPN)

• Scarborough: Alabamaover South Florida. The Crimson Tide got the wake-up call they needed to take this team seriously a year ago.
• Rodak: Alabama. Alabama's quarterback is no longer a Notre Dame walk-on receiver.
• Goodwin: Alabama. I am a fan of USF coach Alex Golesh, but gimme the Tide to roll.
• Greenberg: Alabama. The Bulls had their fun last season with a competitive game, but this won't be like that. Crimson Tide to cover, probably by the end of the first half.
• McNair: Alabama. Jalen Milroe starts this week on Saban Field, but he won't be out there long as Tide rolls.

#3 Texas at #10 Michigan (11 a.m., FOX)

• Scarborough: Texas over Michigan. The Longhorns win big here.
• Rodak: Michigan. According to Wikipedia, a wolverine has "the documented ability to kill prey many times larger than itself." Watch out, Bevo.
• Goodwin: Texas. The Longhorns win a big road game in Week 2. Where have I heard that before?
• Greenberg: Texas. SEC bias, right? Texas could be in any conference and I would still think they are the better team between the two this season.
• McNair: Texas. No Harbaugh, no Stallions, and not as many good players as Texas bought, so Longhorns give Michigan first loss in a while.

Arkansas at #16 Oklahoma State (11 a.m., ABC)

• Scarborough: Arkansas over Oklahoma State. I'm buying stock in the Taylen Green-Bobby Petrino connection. I might regret it.
• Rodak: Oklahoma State. Billy Napier made all of us forget that Sam Pittman's on the hot seat, too.
• Goodwin: Arkansas. People forget that Oklahoma State got crushed by South Alabama in Week 3 last year before muscling through the Big 12. Gimme some early season Petrino Magic.
• Greenberg: Oklahoma State. Ollie Gordon is too much fun to play with in thenew EA College Football game and that's a tough environment.
• McNair: Oklahoma State. Arkansas at or near bottom of SEC and Oklahoma State at or near top of Big 12, so it could be close with Cowboys winning.

McNeese at Texas A&M (11:45 a.m., SECN)

• Scarborough: Texas A&M over McNeese. Conner Weigman can't be as bad as he was Week 1.
• Rodak: Texas A&M. Might be more of a midnight yelp after last week.
• Goodwin: Texas A&M. McNeese sounds like a bad dessert item at McDonalds.
• Greenberg: Texas A&M. I am a fan of Mike Elko and he'll get his first win as the Aggies head coach in convincing fashion on Saturday.
• McNair: Texas A&M. After disappointing start for Mike Elko as A&M lost to Notre Dame, he gets his first with for Aggies with ease.

Tennessee Tech at #1 Georgia (1 p.m., ESPN+)

• Scarborough: Georgia over Tennessee Tech. Games like this should be outlawed.
• Rodak: Georgia. One of two bye weeks this month for UGA before playing Alabama.
• Goodwin: Georgia. Dawgs have won the previous two meetings over Tennessee Tech by a combined 105-0. That could well be the score of this matchup.
• Greenberg: Georgia. The only question I have is will the offense look a bit better?
• McNair: Georgia. Even if Georgia wanted to hold the score down – which it doesn't – it would be a romp.

California at Auburn (2:30 p.m., ESPN2)

• Scarborough: Auburn over Cal. But are we sure the Tigers don't mess this one up? Feels like a potential let-down game, even though I won't go that far and actually pick it.
• Rodak: Auburn. I'd rather watch Tim Cook and Aaron Rodgers play badminton.
• Goodwin: Auburn. Classic ACC-SEC matchup.
• Greenberg: Auburn. The Golden Bears gave the Tigers a scare out west last season, but this one should be a multiple possession game all afternoon, in favor of Auburn.
• McNair: Auburn. California wasn't very good in the Pac-12 and isn't very good now in the ACC, so it should be an easy win in magical Jordan-Hare for the Tigers.

South Carolina at Kentucky (2:30 p.m., ABC)

• Scarborough: Kentucky over South Carolina. The Gameco*cks made scoring 23 against Old Dominion look hard. So good luck with theWildcats defense.
• Rodak: Kentucky. Nick Saban is probably irate that Kentucky went home in the third quarter last Saturday.
• Goodwin: Kentucky. In the spirit of the SEC's new availability report rule, South Carolina's season-long prospects are questionable, and I am doubtful that they'll win here.
• Greenberg: Kentucky. Did anyone watch the Gameco*cks last week? Not great. I'm going with the Wildcats, who Rodak is also a huge fan of.
• McNair: Kentucky. Historically, this has been a sketchy series, hard to figure, so just go with the home team, Kentucky.

Middle Tennessee at #6 Ole Miss (3:15 p.m., SECN)

• Scarborough: Ole Miss over Middle Tennessee. How many touchdowns will Jaxson Dart score in the first half this week? Five?
• Rodak: Ole Miss. Can Pete Golding pitch another shutout?
• Goodwin: Ole Miss. Wake me up when Ole Miss finally plays somebody.
• Greenberg: Ole Miss. That offense is scary good, in my opinion. Rebels by a lot once again.
• McNair: Ole Miss. Ole Miss is winning, maybe building towards championship contention, and will pour it on another weak sister.

Buffalo at #9 Missouri (6 p.m., ESPN+)

• Scarborough: Missouri over Buffalo. Mo Linguist is happy not to be coaching this game.
• Rodak: Missouri. Those BC and Vanderbilt games up next aren't looking so easy for Mizzou.
• Goodwin: Missouri. People make fun of Mizzou's schedule, but nine of their next 11 opponents won their season-openers.
• Greenberg: Missouri. Keeping this consistent, the Tigers could have the most explosive offensive in the new EA College Football game. That holds true in the real world this fall.
• McNair: Missouri. Missouri's got a good team and a weak schedule, of which this is among the weakest opponents, so easy win.

Samford at Florida (6 p.m., ESPN+)

• Scarborough: Florida over Samford. AKA the DJ Lagway game.
• Rodak: Florida. Billy Napier won't even make it back to his desk if he loses this.
• Goodwin: Florida. Can DJ Lagway save Billy Napier's job?
• Greenberg: Florida. Typing this from my basem*nt, but give me the Gators in a snooze fest.
• McNair: Florida. Florida didn't show much of anything in lackluster performance losing to Miami last week. All they have to do to get a win this weekend is show Samford the paycheck.

Nicholls at #18 LSU (6:30 p.m., ESPN+)

• Scarborough: LSU over Nicholls. Brian Kelly's water bottle would like a word.
• Rodak: LSU. The sky is not falling in Baton Rouge.
• Goodwin: LSU. I am pounding my fist on the table for the Tigers to win big here.
• Greenberg: LSU. The Tigers get back in the win column and no water bottles will fly in the air this time around.
• McNair: LSU. Brian Kelly won't have to slam the table as he did last week in coaching LSU to an improbable loss to USC in Las Vegas. Many lose in Vegas. LSU doesn't lose many in Tiger Stadium to the likes of Nicholls and won't this week.

#14 Tennessee vs. #24 NC State (in Charlotte, 6:30 p.m., ABC)

• Scarborough: Tennessee over NC State. I don't think this one is particularly close.
• Rodak: Tennessee. I wouldn't buy stock in Clemson, but I would buy stock in Nico Iamaleava'sHeisman odds.
• Goodwin: Tennessee. It's pronounced ee-ah-MAH-LAY-ah-va.
• Greenberg: Tennessee. This one isn't going to be close. Vols by a lot.
• McNair: Tennessee. In the preseason it seemed this might be a nice non-conference matchup, but after just one week it looks like Tennessee has too much firepower.

Alcorn State at Vanderbilt (6:30 p.m., ESPNU)

• Scarborough: Vanderbilt over Alcorn State. Cody's Diego Pavia fandom continues for another week.
• Rodak: Vanderbilt. More like Clark Glee.
• Goodwin: Vanderbilt. Diego Pavia won a wrestling state wrestling title as a senior in high school. I could not love this man more.
• Greenberg: Vanderbilt. Clark Lea got the entire crew last week and I won't let it happen again. Give me the Commodores.
• McNair: Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt is such a heavy favorite there is no line on this game. The Commodores continue undefeated.

Houston at #15 Oklahoma (6:45 p.m., SECN)

• Scarborough: Oklahoma over Houston. I like Willie Fritz, but this first season's going to be rocky.
• Rodak: Oklahoma. Classic SEC vs. Big 12 game.
• Goodwin: Oklahoma. I'm actually surprised these teams don't play more often. Just the fifth all-time meeting.
• Greenberg: Oklahoma. I still think this Sooners squad is better than people believe.
• McNair: Oklahoma. Not just because Oklahoma has moved into the SEC, the Sooners take care of Houston.

Mississippi State at Arizona State (9:30 p.m., ESPN)

• Scarborough: Arizona State over Mississippi State. I don't expect to hear many cowbells in Tempe.
• Rodak: Arizona State. Classic SEC vs. Big 12 game.
• Goodwin: Mississippi State. I have a fever, and the only prescription is …Jeff Lebby?
• Greenberg: Arizona State. Intriguing road trip for the Bulldogs under year one of Jeff Lebby, but I don't think the cowbells will travel that far west. Give me the Sun Devils in the first ever meeting between the programs.
• McNair: Arizona State. This may be a good game, but maybe not good enough to stay up so late for. Arizona State gets the win at home.

Cody Goodwin covers the Alabama Crimson Tide for 247Sports. Follow him on Twitter at @codygoodwin.

• Bama247's Week 1 Picks