College Football Tater Rater: Week 2 Review

Week 2 had a lot of intriguing games and storylines, especially this early in the season. There were a pair of huge rivalry games, a couple of teams needing major bounce back performances, and one game that had game of the year written all over it. Fortunately for us, most of those games lived up to the billing. That said, here are my five best (and one worst) games from Week 2 of the college football season in our Tater Rater review.

College Football Tater Rater: Week 2 Review

The Cold Fry – Arizona State at Texas A&M

Final Score: 20-48

Through three quarters, this game was shaping up to be at least a 3-Potato game. Unfortunately, the fourth quarter happened and killed all the momentum this game had in terms of quality. Entering the final period, the Aggies led 24-20. Less than halfway through the quarter, they had extended that lead to 18. The Sun Devils weren’t able to put anything together on offense, eventually losing by a whopping 28 points.

Like I mentioned, this game likely would have made this article a little further down, but the fourth quarter was enough of a stinker to drag it all the way down to this week’s Cold Fry.

Rating: 2.0 Taters

Middle Tennessee at Marshall

Final Score: 26-28

I can only assume that a majority of the country had Middle Tennessee and Marshall circled on the calendar. I mean, I can’t think of any other game that would have had more hype around it this week. Luckily for us, these two lived up to the “hype”.

Marshall took a one-point lead early in the fourth quarter, before extending their lead to eight with four minutes left in the game. That, however, was just enough time for the Blue Raiders, who drove 75 yards in less than 3:30 of game time and found the endzone with 50 seconds left. Unfortunately, their two-point conversion attempt would fall short. After a failed onside kick, the Thundering Herd were able to kneel out the clock and escape with a win.

Seeing as both of these teams now have a loss on their resume, this game means basically nothing in terms of playoff potentials. However, a good football game is a good football game.

Rating: 3.0 Taters

South Florida at Army

Final Score: 28-24

As of writing this, South Florida has the second-highest odds to make the College Football Playoffs amongst non-power conference teams. That means every game they play in, until they lose one, is important. Army put a big time scare into the Bulls, nearly putting an end to their playoff hopes.

The Black Knights took a 10-point lead deep into the fourth quarter, but that’s when USF found their stride. They struck back in just 1:46 of game time, cutting the lead to just three. A failed onside kick gave Army the ball on USF’s side of the field. However, they would lose five yards in three plays and be forced to punt the ball back to USF.

The Bulls then put on a masterclass in two-minute offense, going 81 yards in just 1:27 to retake the lead. Army needed just one play to get back into USF territory, but a lost fumbled ended any hope of pulling off the miracle. With one of their tougher games out of the way, the Bulls are one step closer to making history.

Rating: 3.25 Taters

Jacksonville State at Ohio

Final Score: 27-29 (4OT)

The first 48.5 minutes of this game were nothing special. A solid football name, but nothing that would have made this list. However, the final 1:30 and the ensuing FOUR overtimes turned this into one of the best games of the week. Any time you get extra football, it’s a good thing.

Ohio used a touchdown late in regulation to draw even with Jacksonville State. The Gamecocks had a chance to win, however, but missed a 38-yard field goal as time expired. In the first overtime, teams swapped failed attempts. Jacksonville State was stuffed on fourth and short, but it was then Ohio’s turn to miss a game-winning field goal.

Double overtime wasn’t enough either, as both teams managed to convert on their field goal attempts. Triple overtime was more of the same, with both teams failing to convert on two-point conversions attempts. The fourth overtime was finally the breakthrough, as the Bobcats converted their attempt, before stopping the Gamecocks to pull out the win. One overtime is great. Anything after that is a complete crapshoot and full of excitement. Any game that goes to four overtimes is something worth mentioning.

Rating: 3.5 Taters

Wake Forest at Purdue

Final Score: 38-36 (2OT)

In theory, four overtimes should be better than just two overtimes. While that makes sense, I think the quality of the overtimes (and the teams playing) usurps the volume in this case. The end of regulation was virtually the same as the previous game. Purdue scored twice in the final four minutes of regulation, including a field goal as time expired, to force overtime.

This is where this game pulls away from the last game for me. In four overtimes, that game saw just eight more points scored. In this game, the two overtimes brought 28 more points to the party. Both teams scored touchdowns in both overtimes, with Wake Forest converting on their two-point conversion in double overtime to pull out the win. To me, that is more exciting than four overtimes with a lack of points.

Rating: 3.75 Taters

Ohio State at Texas

Final Score: 23-24

After the first quarter, this looked like it could be another letdown between these two teams. The Buckeyes jumped out to an early 10-point lead, the Longhorns turned the ball over on their first two possessions, and they ran just eight total plays in their opening three drives.

Texas finally broke through about 10 minutes into the second quarter, but allowed Ohio State to score 10 points in the final 1:41 of the first half to take a 20-3 lead. The only points in the third quarter extended that lead to 20, but the Longhorns apparently had them right where they wanted them.

In the final quarter, Texas had touchdown drives of 15 plays, 13 plays, and 12 plays. Ohio State, on the other hand, had a three and out, missed field goal, and interception. No, there wasn’t overtime. No, it wasn’t a shootout. It was, however, a dramatic comeback with a crazy ending in one of the most important and highly anticipated games of the season. I can almost guarantee there will be better games this year, but the fourth quarter alone propelled this to my top spot for Week 2.

Rating: 4.25 Taters

Another great week of football has come to an end, but luckily another one is right around the corner. I don’t want to spoil it, but I already know what my best projected game for Week 3 is, and I’m sure you all know as well. Be on the look out for my Week 3 Tater Rater Preview.

See ya later, tater.