Week 2 of the 2026 college football season has some exciting matchups, headlined by No. 1 Ohio State against No. 4 Texas. Other notable games include No. 11 Oklahoma vs. Michigan, Arizona vs. No. 15 BYU, No. 12 Alabama vs. Kentucky, and Iowa State vs. No. 21 Iowa.
My College Football Best Bets: Week 1 (2026) settled a profitable 2-1 last Saturday. Boise State nearly won outright, easily covering +24.5 against No. 2 Oregon, while we had a clutch win with Under 44.5 in the Northern Illinois vs. No. 21 Iowa. The lone loss was a bad one, with Clemson +10.5 never getting close during a 51-10 loss against LSU.
Let’s aim for another successful outing in Week 2. I’ve got three new best bets, each worth 1 unit, to lock in ahead of Saturday’s slate.
Follow me on X @Matt_MacKay for more college football betting analysis and free picks throughout the 2026 season.
Get instant alerts when a line reaches your target via the BettingPros App >>
College Football Week 2: Best Bets
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Oklahoma (11) vs. Michigan
The Oklahoma Sooners’ stout defense heads into Ann Arbor to take on a Michigan offense that was suppressed by Western Michigan in Week 1. Led by head coach Brent Venables, Oklahoma’s defense just posted a shutout in Week 1 against UTEP, while finishing 2025 as the nation’s 7th-best scoring unit.
The Wolverines’ rushing attack was stymied by the Broncos last Saturday. QB Bryce Underwood’s miscues and inconsistent accuracy will be tested even more against Oklahoma in this matchup.
Michigan finished their controversial comeback win over Western Michigan with 13 points. Now, we’re getting 17.5 as the Wolverines’ team total, which is high enough to bite on the under against an elite Sooners defense.
Bet Under 17.5 points for Michigan’s Team Total at -110 odds.
Pick: Michigan Team Total Under 17.5 (-110)
Arizona vs. BYU (15)
In the late afternoon window, we’ve got a massive Big 12 showdown in Provo when No. 15 BYU hosts Arizona. The Wildcats blew a late lead that would’ve led to an upset over BYU earlier in the season last year, going on to lose 33-27 in OT.
BYU is laying over a full touchdown -7.5. Arizona has veteran QB Noah Fifita, which is the reason I lean on the point spread at +7.5. However, BYU could ramp up its top-20 scoring defense from a year ago to shut down the Wildcats’ offense.
The line that jumps out the most to me in this game is the point total. Arizona had an equally stout defense in 2025, finishing 21st in points allowed per game (19.3), and has a lot of the same starters under head coach Brent Brennan this year.
BYU racked up 63 points in Week 1, but that was against an FCS team. Arizona is a much tougher opponent and will succeed in limiting QB Bear Bachmeier and RB LJ Martin on drives, as they shut out the Cougars for two quarters in the last head-to-head matchup.
The point total has moved from 51.5 to 48.5. Let’s follow the steam and bet Under 48.5 between Arizona and BYU for our second best bet on the Week 2 college football slate.
Pick: Under 48.5 (-115)
Ohio State (1) vs. Texas (4)
College football fans are waiting for prime-time, when we’ll get a highly anticipated rematch between No. 1 Ohio State and No. 4 Texas. This time, it’s being played in Austin, with oddsmakers laying -1.5 on Arch Manning’s Longhorns.
It was a gritty, low-scoring affair in Columbus last season. The Buckeyes fought hard to post a 14-7 win, making a couple of key stops, including a goal-line stand.
The talent edge definitely goes to Ohio State. WR Jeremiah Smith and QB Julian Sayin have a strong connection and are both viable Heisman Trophy favorites based on their past production, while new OC Arthur Smith offers enough change in play-calling from a year ago to keep Texas guessing on defense.
Manning and the Longhorns definitely have the revenge narrative on their mind, especially playing on home turf. Both of these teams hung over 50 points against a non-Power 4 opponent to open their season last Saturday, while limiting their opponents to one score.
It’s an evenly matched game on paper. However, as kickoff approaches, the Buckeyes have moved from +100 to -102 in moneyline betting markets, while the total has spiked from 47.5 to 49.5.
I think we’re due to see more explosive plays in this game compared to last year’s matchup. Sayin’s pinpoint accuracy is the biggest factor in this game, leading to a big road win for the Buckeyes on Saturday night.
Let’s join the public (59%) and wrap up our Week 2 betting card by taking Ohio State’s moneyline at -102 odds.
Pick: Ohio State Moneyline (-102)
Subscribe: YouTube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | iHeart | Castbox | Amazon Music | Podcast Addict | TuneIn