College Football Week 2 Picks: Every Game, Every Bet, September 12, 2026

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Seventy-eight games on Saturday and a side on every one of them. Five got a full write-up and are linked below. The rest get a sentence, which is all most of them need.

Every pick here comes from the same arithmetic. Take the two SP+ ratings, hand the home team two and a half points, and compare that projection against what the board is posting. Where the two disagree I take the side the board is giving away. There are no neutral sites on this card. No totals in this article and no player props.

These ratings were updated after Week 1 and it mattered. Fifteen of these seventy-eight picks are on the opposite side from where the preseason numbers had them, including one of the five featured games. A rating built in August stops describing a team the moment that team plays, and the honest thing is to rebuild rather than publish a stale number with confidence attached.

33 of these games have an unrated visitor, which in practice means an FCS opponent. Those are not handicaps, they are formalities, and they are marked as such rather than dressed up.

The Whole Board

Featured Picks

Oklahoma at Michigan, 12:00 PM ET. I had this the other way on the preseason numbers. The updated ratings dropped Michigan almost five points and lifted Oklahoma three, a swing of nearly eight in this one matchup, which turns a home-dog case into a road-favourite one. Bryce Underwood is still the starter, and that is now the risk rather than the argument. Take Oklahoma -5.5 at . Read the full breakdown →

Alabama at Kentucky, 3:30 PM ET, ABC. Alabama is clearly the better team and ten and a half is about a point and a half more than better is worth here. Jireh Edwards, AK Dear and Noah Rogers all warmed up before the opener and none of them played, which is a thin receiver room walking into a first conference road crowd. A lean, not a stand. Take Kentucky +10.5 at . Read the full breakdown →

Duke at Illinois, 3:30 PM ET, FS1. The ratings now put these two within a point of each other before home field, so Duke is the correct side on the numbers alone. Then Bret Bielema ruled out starting right guard Brandon Henderson and receiver Jayshon Platt. Two independent reasons pointing the same way is the strongest structure a pick can have. Take Duke +6 at . Read the full breakdown →

Iowa State at Iowa, 7:30 PM ET, NBC. The last two Cy-Hawks ended on a 54 yard field goal in the final minute and I am laying two touchdowns anyway. The updated numbers separate these two by nearly fifteen before Kinnick, which projects Iowa past seventeen against a fourteen point ask. The rivalry is pricing its own history. Take Iowa -14 at . Read the full breakdown →

Ohio State at Texas, 7:30 PM ET, ABC. Texas closed ground after Week 1 and this went from a nine point disagreement to under four. The side held: Ohio State still rates four and a half clear on neutral ground, Austin is worth two and a half, and the board still wants the home team. Texas also lost running back Derrek Cooper to an ankle this week. Take Ohio State +1.5 at . Read the full breakdown →

Three Parlays

Three tickets, built only from picks already on this page. Every leg is a different game, so nothing is correlated and the price is the real one rather than an estimate. Each ticket sits at a single book because that is the only way a parlay can be placed. Lines move; check the number before you bet.

All three legs are on the board below.

Read the cases: Ohio State at Texas, Iowa State at Iowa, Duke at Illinois.

All four legs are on the board below.

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Noon and Early Afternoon

• Appalachian State at East Carolina, 12:00 PM ET. Appalachian State rates 0.9 points clear before home field, which puts the projection 5.4 points past this number. Take Appalachian State +7 at .
• Arizona State at Texas A&M, 12:00 PM ET. Texas A&M rates 15.2 points clear before home field, which puts the projection 3.2 points past this number. Take Texas A&M -14.5 at .
• East Tennessee State at North Carolina, 12:00 PM ET. Unrated visitor against a 35.5 point number, a formality rather than a handicap. Take North Carolina -35.5 at .
• Howard at Indiana, 12:00 PM ET. Unrated visitor against a 55.5 point number, a formality rather than a handicap. Take Indiana -55.5 at .
• Old Dominion at Virginia Tech, 12:00 PM ET. The ratings separate these two by 18.6 and leave 1.6 points on Virginia Tech, small but real. Take Virginia Tech -19.5 at .
• Oregon at Oklahoma State, 12:00 PM ET. The ratings separate these two by 22.8 and leave 2.2 points on Oklahoma State, small but real. Take Oklahoma State +22.5 at .
• Penn State at Temple, 12:00 PM ET. Inside a point and a half of the projection, so this is a coin flip and Temple is the marginally correct side of it. Take Temple +23.5 at .
• South Florida at Army, 12:00 PM ET. Army rates 5.3 points clear before home field, which puts the projection 4.3 points past this number. Take Army -3.5 at .
• Wake Forest at Purdue, 12:00 PM ET. Wake Forest rates 0.4 points clear before home field, which puts the projection 5.1 points past this number. Take Purdue +3 at .
• Washington State at Kansas State, 12:00 PM ET. Inside a point and a half of the projection, so this is a coin flip and Washington State is the marginally correct side of it. Take Washington State +19.5 at .
• Wofford at Kent State, 12:00 PM ET. Unrated visitor against a 12.5 point number, a formality rather than a handicap. Take Kent State -12.5 at .
• Western Kentucky at Georgia, 12:45 PM ET. Georgia rates 41.8 points clear before home field, which puts the projection 3.8 points past this number. Take Georgia -40.5 at .
• Colgate at Central Michigan, 1:00 PM ET. Unrated visitor against a 24.5 point number, a formality rather than a handicap. Take Central Michigan -24.5 at .
• Holy Cross at Miami (OH), 1:00 PM ET. Unrated visitor against a 31.5 point number, a formality rather than a handicap. Take Miami (OH) -31.5 at .
• UT Martin at West Virginia, 1:00 PM ET. Unrated visitor against a 39.5 point number, a formality rather than a handicap. Take West Virginia -39.5 at .
• Stony Brook at Ball State, 2:00 PM ET. Unrated visitor against a 15.5 point number, a formality rather than a handicap. Take Ball State -15.5 at .

The 3:30 Window

• Arizona at BYU, 3:30 PM ET. Inside a point and a half of the projection, so this is a coin flip and Arizona is the marginally correct side of it. Take Arizona +7.5 at .
• California at Syracuse, 3:30 PM ET. Syracuse rates 6.1 points clear before home field, which puts the projection 5.1 points past this number. Take Syracuse -3.5 at .
• Central Connecticut Blue at Toledo, 3:30 PM ET. Unrated visitor against a 34.5 point number, a formality rather than a handicap. Take Toledo -34.5 at .
• Eastern Michigan at Michigan State, 3:30 PM ET. The ratings separate these two by 16.6 and leave 1.6 points on Michigan State, small but real. Take Michigan State -17.5 at .
• Maryland at UConn, 3:30 PM ET. Inside a point and a half of the projection, so this is a coin flip and Maryland is the marginally correct side of it. Take Maryland -12.5 at .
• Mississippi State at Minnesota, 3:30 PM ET. Minnesota rates 0.2 points clear before home field, which puts the projection 3.7 points past this number. Take Minnesota +1 at .
• Rice at Notre Dame, 3:30 PM ET. Notre Dame rates 37.2 points clear before home field, which puts the projection 4.8 points past this number. Take Rice +44.5 at .
• Robert Morris at Akron, 3:30 PM ET. Unrated visitor against a 27.5 point number, a formality rather than a handicap. Take Akron -27.5 at .
• Sacred Heart at UMass, 3:30 PM ET. Unrated visitor against a 23.5 point number, a formality rather than a handicap. Take UMass -23.5 at .
• UCF at Pittsburgh, 3:30 PM ET. Inside a point and a half of the projection, so this is a coin flip and UCF is the marginally correct side of it. Take UCF +7 at .
• Louisiana Monroe at UAB, 3:30 PM ET. UAB rates 17.2 points clear before home field and the board is 9.7 away from that, the widest disagreement in this window. Take UAB -10 at .
• UTSA at Texas State, 3:30 PM ET. UTSA rates 10.7 points clear before home field and the board is 9.7 away from that, the widest disagreement in this window. Take UTSA +1.5 at .
• Utah State at Washington, 3:30 PM ET. Inside a point and a half of the projection, so this is a coin flip and Utah State is the marginally correct side of it. Take Utah State +26.5 at .
• Wagner at James Madison, 3:30 PM ET. Unrated visitor against a 45.5 point number, a formality rather than a handicap. Take James Madison -45.5 at .
• Weber State at Colorado, 3:30 PM ET. Unrated visitor against a 34.5 point number, a formality rather than a handicap. Take Colorado -34.5 at .
• UNLV at North Texas, 3:45 PM ET. UNLV rates 15.5 points clear before home field and the board is 9.5 away from that, the widest disagreement in this window. Take UNLV -3.5 at .
• Alabama State at Troy, 4:00 PM ET. Unrated visitor against a 22.5 point number, a formality rather than a handicap. Take Troy -22.5 at .
• Mercyhurst at New Mexico, 4:00 PM ET. Unrated visitor against a 41.5 point number, a formality rather than a handicap. Take New Mexico -41.5 at .
• Northern Colorado at Wyoming, 4:00 PM ET. Unrated visitor against a 23.5 point number, a formality rather than a handicap. Take Wyoming -23.5 at .
• UC Davis at SMU, 4:00 PM ET. Unrated visitor against a 24.5 point number, a formality rather than a handicap. Take SMU -24.5 at .
• Delaware at Vanderbilt, 4:15 PM ET. The ratings separate these two by 19.7 and leave 1.7 points on Vanderbilt, small but real. Take Vanderbilt -20.5 at .
• Campbell Fighting at Florida, 5:30 PM ET. Unrated visitor against a 49.5 point number, a formality rather than a handicap. Take Florida -49.5 at .

Evening

• Buffalo at Florida International, 6:00 PM ET. Buffalo rates 1.9 points clear before home field and the board is 9.4 away from that, the widest disagreement in this window. Take Buffalo +10 at .
• Gardner-Webb Runnin at Liberty, 6:00 PM ET. Unrated visitor against a 26.5 point number, a formality rather than a handicap. Take Liberty -26.5 at .
• Jacksonville State at Ohio, 6:00 PM ET. Jacksonville State rates 9.4 points clear before home field and the board is 9.9 away from that, the widest disagreement in this window. Take Jacksonville State +3 at .
• Memphis at Boise State, 6:00 PM ET. The ratings separate these two by 3.1 and leave 2.9 points on Memphis, small but real. Take Memphis +8.5 at .
• Monmouth at Western Michigan, 6:30 PM ET. Unrated visitor against a 26.5 point number, a formality rather than a handicap. Take Western Michigan -26.5 at .
• Bowling Green at Nebraska, 7:00 PM ET. Inside a point and a half of the projection, so this is a coin flip and Bowling Green is the marginally correct side of it. Take Bowling Green +28.5 at .
• Georgia State at Kennesaw State, 7:00 PM ET. Kennesaw State rates 15.3 points clear before home field and the board is 8.3 away from that, the widest disagreement in this window. Take Kennesaw State -9.5 at .
• Illinois State at Northern Illinois, 7:00 PM ET. Unrated visitor against a 3.5 point number, a formality rather than a handicap. Take Illinois State -3.5 at .
• Lindenwood at Missouri State, 7:00 PM ET. Unrated visitor against a 20.5 point number, a formality rather than a handicap. Take Missouri State -20.5 at .
• Middle Tennessee at Marshall, 7:00 PM ET. Marshall rates 6.4 points clear before home field, which puts the projection 4.6 points past this number. Take Middle Tennessee +13.5 at .
• South Alabama at Tulane, 7:00 PM ET. Tulane rates 4 points clear before home field, which puts the projection 3 points past this number. Take South Alabama +9.5 at .
• Southern University at Houston, 7:00 PM ET. Unrated visitor against a 50.5 point number, a formality rather than a handicap. Take Houston -50.5 at .
• Southern Utah at Colorado State, 7:00 PM ET. Unrated visitor against a 20.5 point number, a formality rather than a handicap. Take Colorado State -20.5 at .
• Tennessee at Georgia Tech, 7:00 PM ET. Tennessee rates 18.2 points clear before home field, which puts the projection 3.2 points past this number. Take Tennessee -12.5 at .
• Towson at South Carolina, 7:00 PM ET. Unrated visitor against a 43.5 point number, a formality rather than a handicap. Take South Carolina -43.5 at .
• Tulsa at Sam Houston, 7:00 PM ET. The ratings separate these two by 19.2 and leave 2.7 points on Tulsa, small but real. Take Tulsa -14 at .
• Western Carolina at Cincinnati, 7:00 PM ET. Unrated visitor against a 36.5 point number, a formality rather than a handicap. Take Cincinnati -36.5 at .
• San Diego State at UCLA, 7:15 PM ET. UCLA rates 6.1 points clear before home field, which puts the projection 3.4 points past this number. Take San Diego State +12 at .
• Western Illinois at Wisconsin, 7:15 PM ET. Unrated visitor against a 37.5 point number, a formality rather than a handicap. Take Wisconsin -37.5 at .
• Fordham at Coastal Carolina, 7:30 PM ET. Unrated visitor against a 32.5 point number, a formality rather than a handicap. Take Coastal Carolina -32.5 at .
• Georgia Southern at Clemson, 7:30 PM ET. Clemson rates 11 points clear before home field and the board is 7 away from that, the widest disagreement in this window. Take Georgia Southern +20.5 at .
• Louisiana Tech at LSU, 7:30 PM ET. LSU rates 27.1 points clear before home field, which puts the projection 5.9 points past this number. Take Louisiana Tech +35.5 at .
• Navy at Florida Atlantic, 7:30 PM ET. Navy rates 15.8 points clear before home field and the board is 8.8 away from that, the widest disagreement in this window. Take Navy -4.5 at .
• Texas Tech at Oregon State, 7:30 PM ET. Texas Tech rates 25.7 points clear before home field, which puts the projection 3.3 points past this number. Take Oregon State +26.5 at .
• Charlotte at Ole Miss, 7:45 PM ET. Ole Miss rates 39.3 points clear before home field, which puts the projection 5.7 points past this number. Take Charlotte +47.5 at .
• Southern Miss at Auburn, 7:45 PM ET. Auburn rates 21.9 points clear before home field and the board is 9.1 away from that, the widest disagreement in this window. Take Southern Miss +33.5 at .
• Grambling State at TCU, 8:00 PM ET. Unrated visitor against a 43.5 point number, a formality rather than a handicap. Take TCU -43.5 at .
• Prairie View A&M at Baylor, 8:00 PM ET. Unrated visitor against a 37.5 point number, a formality rather than a handicap. Take Baylor -37.5 at .

Late Night

• Cal Poly at San Jose State, 9:00 PM ET. Unrated visitor against a 20.5 point number, a formality rather than a handicap. Take San Jose State -20.5 at .
• Texas Southern at UTEP, 9:00 PM ET. Unrated visitor against a 26.5 point number, a formality rather than a handicap. Take UTEP -26.5 at .
• North Dakota State at Air Force, 10:00 PM ET. Unrated visitor against a 2.5 point number, a formality rather than a handicap. Take North Dakota State -2.5 at .
• Arkansas at Utah, 10:15 PM ET. Inside a point and a half of the projection, so this is a coin flip and Arkansas is the marginally correct side of it. Take Arkansas +12.5 at .
• Montana State at Nevada, 10:30 PM ET. Unrated visitor against a 4.5 point number, a formality rather than a handicap. Take Montana State -4.5 at .
• Sacramento State at Fresno State, 10:30 PM ET. Fresno State rates 11.5 points clear before home field, which puts the projection 4.5 points past this number. Take Sacramento State +18.5 at .
• Louisiana at USC, 11:00 PM ET. USC rates 23.4 points clear before home field, which puts the projection 4.6 points past this number. Take Louisiana +30.5 at .

Bottom Line

Seventy-eight picks. Five carry a full argument at the links above, and if you take one thing off this page make it Ohio State getting points in Austin. 33 of the rest are formalities against unrated visitors, and they exist so every card on the board carries a side. Size accordingly.

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