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The Associated Press
Colorado-Nebraska was once a Big Eight rivalry that evolved into a Big 12 rivalry.
The Buffaloes and Cornhuskers took a break when it would have been a Big 12-Big Ten game and then reconnected as a Pac-12-Big Ten matchup.
Now, that the Buffs are back in the Big 12, the rivalry has circled back to check that Big 12-Big Ten box.
The 2024 season is a lot about settling into the most recent wave of conference realignment. That Stanford-Syracuse Atlantic Coast Conference matchup in a few weeks will be especially jarring. The shuffling even impacts the nonconference season as fans sort through a weekly game of 'What conference are they in?'
Here's a good one: Baylor visits No. 11 Utah on Saturday.
Wait, wait, we know that one! Big 12 game!
Wrong. It is a nonconference game. The back end of a home-and-home series was already on the schedule for the Bears and Utes, so when Utah left the Pac-12 for the Big 12 the two decided to keep this game outside the conference slate.
The Utes will play their first Big 12 conference game Sept. 21 at Oklahoma State.
We're just happy to have Colorado and Nebraska playing again. Especially at this fascinating potential inflection point for two programs that have struggled to find their footing since they were last conference rivals in the early 2000s.
Just because neither is ranked doesn't mean Buffs-Huskers can't be the most intriguing game of Week 2.
Colorado at Nebraska (-7.5): Year 2 for both coach Deion Sanders at Colorado and Matt Rhule at Nebraska. These are two very different rebuilds, one portal-centric (Buffs led by transfer QB Shedeur Sanders), one more focused on high-school recruiting (five-star freshman QB Dylan Raiola leads the Huskers). This feels like a game that could launch the winner toward a good season and send the loser into questions about where they are heading. Pick: Nebraska, 34-21.
No. 3 Texas (-7.5) at No. 10 Michigan: Two of the five winningest programs in college football history, and two of last year's playoff participants, meet for the first time in the regular season. The Longhorns have two starting-caliber quarterbacks in Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning. The Wolverines are still trying to determine if they have one. Pick: Texas, 24-14.
No. 14 Tennessee (-7.5) vs. No. 24 NC State at Charlotte, North Carolina: Two second-tier contenders in their conferences, but with potential to jump to the top. An interesting ACC-SEC matchup after Miami scored one for the ACC and Georgia emphatically notched one for the SEC in Week 1. Pick: Tennessee, 35-20.
Boise State at No. 7 Oregon (-19.5): The Ducks got themselves into a tight spot against Idaho last week. Ominous sign or just a weird game? A Boise State defense that couldn't stop Georgia Southern looks like relief to Oregon. Stopping Broncos preseason All-American Ashton Jeanty, who scored six touchdowns last week, will be more challenging. Pick: Oregon, 45-24.
Iowa State (+2.5) at No. 21 Iowa: The Hawkeyes have won seven of eight in a rivalry that has produced six straight games decided by 10 points of fewer. Pick: Iowa State, 17-16.
The rest of the games involving ranked teams and FBS opponents, with odds from BetMGM:
Western Michigan at No. 2 Ohio State (-38.5): Buckeyes needed a couple of quarters to limber up against last week's MAC opponent … Ohio State, 55-13.
South Florida (+31.5) at No. 4 Alabama: Crimson Tide went to Tampa last year and got into a sloppy game on a rainy day with the Bulls. It was the last time QB Jalen Milroe didn't start. He has been getting better ever since … Alabama, 49-21.
Northern Illinois (+28.5) at No. 5 Notre Dame: Maybe a little letdown for the Fighting Irish after a successful trip to Texas A&M? … Notre Dame, 42-17.
Middle Tennessee (+41.5) at No. 6 Mississippi: Rebels hung 76 on Furman last week while MTSU needed a last-minute TD to beat Tennessee Tech. Uh-oh … Ole Miss, 52-20.
Bowling Green at No. 8 Penn State (-34.5): Falcons have quietly become one of the pluckier teams in the MAC … Penn State, 48-10.
Buffalo at No. 9 Missouri (-34.5): Bulls coach Pete Lembo spent the last three seasons in the SEC as special teams coordinator at South Carolina. He's familiar with the Tigers, but that might not help much … Missouri, 49-13.
Baylor (+14.5) at No. 11 Utah: Shuffling quarterbacks, the Utes needed a late rally to win at Baylor last year. Having QB Cam Rising back and playing at home should make this a little easier … Utah, 27-17.
Utah State (+28.5) at No. 13 USC: Former Utah QB Bryson Barnes, college football's most famous pig farmer, starts for the Aggies … USC, 45-21.
Houston at No. 15 Oklahoma (-29.5): Third time the Cougars and Sooners have played since 2016. None of them conference games, though they did share a conference for a year … Oklahoma, 45-13.
Arkansas (+7.5) at No. 16 Oklahoma State: Razorbacks and Cowboys have played 44 times but not since 1980 … Oklahoma State, 31-26.
No. 17 Kansas State (-9.5) at Tulane: Not sure the Green Wave, under first-year coach Jon Sumrall, is built for another upset of the Wildcats … Kansas State, 33-20.
No. 19 Kansas at Illinois (+5.5): Jayhawks won last year's meeting in Lawrence … Illinois, 28-27.
Jacksonville State at No. 22 Louisville (-28): Memory lane for Gamecocks coach Rich Rodriguez, whose last game at Louisville was as West Virginia coach in a top-five matchup of Big East teams in 2006. The Cardinals won a thriller … Louisville, 48-16.
No. 23 Georgia Tech at Syracuse (+3): The Yellowjackets are ranked for the first time in nine years, and are now road favorites. Seems like a trap … Georgia Tech, 24-23.
Appalachian State (+17.5) at No. 25 Clemson: Tough get-right opponent for the Tigers … Clemson, 31-17.
RECORD: Last week: Straight-up -- 14-4; Against spread -- 11-7. Season: Straight-up -- 14-4; Against spread -- 11-7.