A monstrous slate of college football kicked off the season in Week 1, and the action is now in full swing. The Texas Longhorns were right at the heart of it with a ranked matchup against the defending National Champions, Ohio State, headlining the action. Texas came up short in the high-profile matchup and will look to bounce back against San Jose State this week. The Spartans also got their season started with a loss, falling 16-14 to Central Michigan.
Looking at the odds, Texas enters as -36.5 favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook with the game total set at 52.5.
This article will give a brief preview of each team and a prediction for the CFB Week 2 matchup.
Texas vs. San Jose State Preview:
Texas Preview
All eyes were on Arch Manning heading into the opening week, and he did not quite live up to the hype. After entering the season as the Heisman favorite, Manning looked skittish in the pocket, his mechanics were all over the place, and he entered the fourth quarter with just 38 passing yards. The 21-year-old found his stride a bit late in the game, but finished with just 170 passing yards, one touchdown, and one interception while completing 17 of his 30 pass attempts. To be fair to Manning, he faced the defending National Champions, who will have a case for the best defense in college football again this year. Matt Patricia brings plenty of NFL experience as Ohio State’s defensive coordinator and won the battle against the young quarterback. Yes, it was a disappointing performance from Manning. But some of the reactions have been a bit over the top, considering that it will likely be the best defense he faces all year.
The Longhorns’ defense had relative success, limiting Ohio State to 14 points and just 203 yards of total offense. They did not record a sack, and there is still another gear they can reach, but the unit kept Texas in the game even amid Manning’s struggles. The Longhorns dropped from 1st to 7th in the AP Poll following the loss, and a convincing victory would do a lot for them both with their confidence and in the rankings.
San Jose State Preview
While it was not quite as in our face as the Texas loss, San Jose State also got its season started in disappointing fashion. They faced off with Central Michigan as 13.5-point favorites and held -520 odds on the Moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. But they play the games of the field for a reason, and San Jose State fell 16-14 with the Spartans’ kicker missing a 53-yard field goal attempt as time expired that would have won the matchup. Relative to expectations, this was an even more concerning loss than what Texas put on the field.
There were high hopes for the Spartans in Ken Niumatalolo’s second season as head coach, and this was not the start they desired. San Jose State went 7-6 last year and brought back 54% of their roster while making some solid additions in the transfer portal. Quarterback Walker Eget had two interceptions and a fumble in the opening matchup, which proved costly for the team. San Jose State still managed to put up 383 yards of total offense and had some flashes, but they fell into a 13-0 hole and were unable to climb out. Execution has to be perfect if they are to have any chance against Texas, and the Spartans left plenty to be desired in this category during the Week 1 matchup.
Texas vs. San Jose State Pick
I still am fairly optimistic about the state of the San Jose State football program and outlook on the season. But this is a nightmare matchup and situation for the Spartans. Texas entered the season as the preseason AP number one team for the first time in program history and fell flat on its face in the season-opener. This is a get-right spot that they will be looking to capitalize on by laying it on thick.
The level of panic surrounding Arch Manning feels extremely overblown. He did not dominate out of the gates the way it was expected, but he got thrown directly into the fire in a way that rarely happens. The San Jose State defense gave up 351 yards of total offense to Central Michigan in the opener. With Texas set to have a talent upgrade across the board, expect the offensive damage to be even more significant. Expect the Longhorns to be looking to build up Manning’s confidence and allow him to put up some major numbers, even if the game is out of reach. The three turnovers from San Jose State were also concerning, and Texas was effective at keeping the Ohio State offense in check. Any turnover problems will be a death sentence for this game, and I struggle to see any pathway to San Jose State having a sustainable offense against a strong Longhorns defense.
36.5 points is a large spread, but it is a number Texas cleared in three wins last year against Colorado State, UTSA, and UL Monroe. It is a new season with different rosters, but Colorado State also defeated San Jose State last season. The Longhorns still have National Championship aspirations and will need a convincing victory to get back on track for these goals. Expect them to enter with a purpose and keep their foot on the gas until deep in this game. San Jose State will need to look itself in the mirror following this week, but count on Texas to cover the 36.5-point spread and be right back at the center of the college football conversation.
