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RotoBaller's Mike Marteny's ESPN College Football Pick'ems for Week 2. Picks with confidence points for Week 2 of the 2026 NCAA college football season. Expert upsets, targets, avoids, and predictions.
We have 57 entries in the RotoBaller ESPN College Pick 'em group this season. We didn't have our first perfect week in the RotoBaller group last year until Week 5. Three entries were perfect in Week 1 this year! Dr.SteveBrule, Brave and Crazy!, and Mike got all 10 picks right. MIZ#2 only missed the one-point pick.
Cole, Johnny Weaselblade, Slick Mick, Chris, and Ilene all missed just the two-point selection. Three more entries missed the one- and two-point picks. Overall, 24 entries scored 50 points or more in the opening week. That's a great start for the group as a whole!
It took 564 points to win our group last year, which was up from 544 in 2024. What will it take this year? Do you have what it takes to win one of the prizes?
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College Football Pick'em Overview.
This article will be about the confidence game mode. You can also read my against-the-spread picks here every week for every game, so you know how I'm leaning toward that version of the game. Each week, I will recap who's dominating the group before I get into the picks. If you're going to beat everyone, all of the readers will know about it!
Let's get to the countdown! I will count them up from least confident (1) to most (10). You know, for dramatic effect. If I do change my pick or points sometime during the week, I will try to update the article or post it on X. Otherwise, you know all of my picks each week.
Good luck out there. The first weeks are usually a bit easier, but there are some fun games in the real opening week!
(1) California over Syracuse
I'm happy to see a healthy Steve Angeli back on the football field. He was off to a great start last year before a torn Achilles cost him the rest of the season. Syracuse tanked, and most of the players left.
Fran Brown rebuilt the Orange mostly from within. True freshman RB Shavane Anderson Jr. is a difference maker. The Orange offense looked really good in Week 1. However, I think this is an overreaction
Syracuse beat up on a New Hampshire team that lost to Albany by two touchdowns in the opener. I know that Cal fell apart against UCLA. Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele had arguably his worst collegiate game.
What if UCLA is that much improved? Talent wasn't really the problem with the Bruins last year. Most people agree that it was coaching. What if adding Bob Chesney is the missing link?
If any of that is true, UCLA beating Cal wasn't some massive upset. Talent-wise, UCLA is probably still the better team. I expect a close game here. If Syracuse can't get after JKS the way that UCLA did, he'll pick that secondary apart.
90% of Pick Em players picked Syracuse. In what I expect to be a close game, I'm comfortable trying to steal a point.
(2) Ohio State over Texas
Ohio State is actually getting plus money on a straight bet in Vegas. Expect that to change by kickoff. A lot of sharps are on Ohio State because they don't think Texas has anyone who can cover Jeremiah Smith.
THE best wide receiver in the country doing what he does best. @Jermiah_Smith1 | #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/9iQKN9LRvQ
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) September 5, 2026
They can scheme and roll coverage to him, but Julian Sayin is one of the most accurate passers in college football history. The Buckeyes have an embarrassment of riches at the WR position. They won't need a monster game from Smith to win this one.
The Longhorns deserve credit for not shying away from big non-conference matchups. They played Michigan and Alabama before this home-and-home with Ohio State. Ohio State feels a little more put together than Texas right now, but this is going to be a great game.
(3) Minnesota over Mississippi State
TRENDING: Kamario Taylor looks like a CHEAT CODE playing the QB position.
One NFL scout reportedly thought Taylor looked like a “young” Cam Newton in his sophomore debut.
The Mississippi State QB is called Super Kamario for a REASON ?? pic.twitter.com/Q0U5hokbKX
— Rookie Watch (@RookieWatxh) September 9, 2026
Kamario Taylor impressed in his 2026 debut, but it was against Louisiana-Monroe. The Warhawks went 3-9 last year and were destroyed 115-7 against their two Power 4 opponents (Alabama and Northwestern).
I'm not taking anything away from Taylor. He's a lot of fun to watch, but this Minnesota defense is nasty. The Warhawks got no pressure at all on Taylor. That won't be the case in this one.
I do think that Mississippi State keeps it close, but Vegas has juice on both teams' money lines. That means it's basically a toss-up in the eyes of Vegas. Minnesota is only picked by 20% of Pick Em players. I like those odds, especially considering the SEC's struggles against other power conferences.
(4) Boise State over Memphis
92% of the Pick Em public is on Boise after they threw a scare into the mighty Ducks. I feel like that's a slight overreaction. I was very impressed with the game that Boise played, but I'm not sure they are a lock to beat Memphis.
First of all, Charles Huff is one of the best coaches anywhere, not just outside of a power conference. Jaylin Carter has been a bulldozer through two games. I'm keeping this game lower on my list because I wouldn't be shocked if Memphis won. Stay tuned. I may flip on this one.
(5) North Dakota State over Air Force
The Bison, to the surprise of no one, have hit the ground running in FBS. We knew that they would whenever they inevitably moved up. That being said, defending a well-run option offense is not an easy task.
Jacksonville State is one of the better running teams in FBS. North Dakota State held them to just 85 rushing yards. Vegas thinks this game will be close. The line is down four points since the open.
ESPN's FPI hasn't budged. It's still heavier on the Bison (60.7% to win). After watching this defense against Jacksonville, I believe the Bison can keep the Falcons in check.
(6) Illinois over Duke
UAB got some chunk plays on the Illinois secondary, but the Blue Devils struggled to throw the ball in the opener. Walker Eget only completed half of his 26 passes for 131 yards.
Something has to give. Duke won't be able to ride Nate Sheppard here as they did against Tulane. Eget is going to have to revert to his San Jose State ways for the Blue Devils to have a chance. The Duke offense isn't set up for that.
(7) Pittsburgh over Central Florida
Mason Heintschel just opened Pitt’s season with a RECORD-BREAKING performance ??
31/41, 453 PYDS, 7 PTD, 0 INT
His 7 TD passes tied the Pitt single-game record, and all 7 went to different receivers. pic.twitter.com/cTB3jwNwFv
— Football Performances (@NFLPerformances) September 5, 2026
The Central Florida offense might be able to keep up in this one, so I might end up moving it down. UCF also won't be able to run on Pitt as they did on Bethune-Cookman.
The offense for UCF was purposefully vanilla. Alonza Barnett III led James Madison to the CFP last year. I'm not quite as gung-ho about this one as many are.
(8) Wake Forest over Purdue
Gio Lopez never should have left Rob Azell's offense. I'm glad he's getting another chance to show the player he truly is, this time in a power conference.
350 YDs for Gio in his first game at Wake Forest ?
For only the second time in his college career, @lopezgio1 topped 300 passing yards in a game, completing 21-of-32 passes for 3 TDs. He also ran the ball seven times for 39 YDs@WakeFB | @DemonDeacons | #GoDeacs | @DrPepper pic.twitter.com/N1FM7Gu2cl
— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) September 4, 2026
(9) Army over South Florida
The Bulls struggled to move the ball against Florida International, a team that allowed 30 points per game and 445.8 yards of offense per game. If USF couldn't move the ball on the Panthers, they have no prayer of doing it against Army.
(10) Oklahoma over Michigan
I'm not going to get into the controversy in the Big House last weekend. Regardless of how the game ended, Michigan was pushed around by Western Michigan, a school whose team is compiled by players that the two power schools in the state didn't want.
Brent Venables spent a lot of time carefully crafting this Oklahoma defense into a powerhouse. I'm not ready to call the offense "back" after demolishing a 2-10 UTEP team, but the Oklahoma defense is going to get after Michigan just like they did last year.
If the Oklahoma offense is truly fixed, this could get ugly.
