The madness of Week 2 offered a great reminder that college football is a wonderfully fickle beast.

Did you watch a team dominate in its opener? Neat! The same program almost lost to a Group of 5 program on Saturday. Did your favorite school pull an upset last weekend? Sweet! Also, it just lost.

Only two contests featured a pair of Top 25 squads in Week 2, yet there was never a dull moment. Many ranked teams dealt with a serious upset bid, and several of them, including No. 5 Notre Dame, could not avoid a stunning loss to open September.

As always, our challenge is understanding how those results affect—or might not much influence—the rest of the season.

Oh, spoiler alert: Michigan is in a bad spot.

Michigan, We Have a Problem

First things first: Texas may literally be the class of the nation. I'd still lean Georgia, but that conversation is a reasonable one.

Given how much production Michigan had to replace, it's not surprising the Longhorns rolled in Ann Arbor. The fourth-ranked visitors brought a veteran quarterback and experienced roster, cruising to a 31-12 win.

But the result is less concerning for U-M than its performance.

New quarterback Davis Warren struggled again. Either the coaching staff doesn't trust Alex Orji as a passer or hasn't recognized that run calls are extremely predictable when he enters the game. The rebuilt offensive line is a work in progress. The lack of a proven receiver—beyond tight end Colston Loveland, who fumbled on Saturday—is a glaring issue.

Look, it's not surprising that Texas won. All offseason, I had it circled as a loss for Michigan. You might have, too.

To look so helpless offensively, though, is not a positive sign for first-year coach Sherrone Moore and the Wolverines.

What's Your Deal, Notre Dame?

Win on the road at Texas A&M, lose at home to Northern Illinois.

You know, typical stuff.

"Notre Dame has a tremendous shot at a 10-win record," I opined last weekend after the Fighting Irish won in College Station. "In all likelihood, that'll be enough for a CFP berth."

Technically, that all remains true despite a 16-14 loss to Northern Illinois. But when you watch the offense flail to 286 yards against NIU—which, for the record, might have the best defense in the MAC—it's tough to believe the Fighting Irish will actually play up to that potential.

The opening weeks of the regular season are a roller coaster, huh? Perceptions are so malleable in September.

Notre Dame is still in the CFP chase, but there is suddenly an uncomfortable reality to begin monitoring in South Bend.

Ohio State's Vital, Budding Star

Jeremiah Smith's first year of NFL eligibility is 2027.

That sound you hear is the collective scream of Big Ten defensive coordinators checking my math and being annoyed it's correct.

In only two games at Ohio State, the highly recruited wide receiver has established himself as an absolute menace. He caught six passes for 92 yards and two touchdowns against Akron and followed that debut with five receptions, 119 yards and a score opposite Western Michigan.

Sure, it was just a couple of MAC defenses. Smith's impact—and OSU's desire to get him touches—is already undeniable, though.

For the Bucks to contend for a national title in 2024, it felt necessary for a second wideout to emerge alongside Emeka Egbuka. Smith's first two games are convincing enough that it's fair to wonder if he might end his freshman year as Ohio State's most productive receiver.

G5 Survival, Key Game

Part of the College Football Playoff's expansion to 12 teams includes at least one spot for a Group of Five champion. That welcomed addition means we get to pay close attention to G5 results all season long.

And I can assure you, we will be.

Liberty, which represented the G5 in a New Year's Six bowl last season, entered the year as a prime candidate to compete for the CFP berth. The reigning Conference USA champions almost put a serious dent in those aspirations against New Mexico State, though.

Midway through the fourth quarter, NMSU took a 24-15 lead. Liberty running back Quinton Cooley saved the day with touchdown runs of 27 and 44 yards, keeping the Flames with an-important unbeaten record.

Looking ahead, Memphis has a big opportunity in Week 3.

The shine of the matchup has diminished since Florida State surprisingly dropped its first two games. Still, winning in a trip to Tallahassee would register as a resume-building win for Memphis.

Panic Meter

Florida State (5 stars): Officially, yes, FSU didn't play in Week 2. However, the Seminoles' second loss happened after we last spoke in this space. The ineffectiveness of FSU's offense, which has averaged only 292 yards and 17 points in setbacks to Georgia Tech and Boston College, is very alarming for the team's outlook.

Kentucky (4 stars): Speaking of ineffective offenses, UK trudged to 183 yards in a 31-6 loss to South Carolina. Brock Vandagriff and Gavin Wimsatt combined for a 6-of-17 mark for 44 yards with two interceptions. Guess who Kentucky plays in Week 3? Top-ranked Georgia.

SMU (3 stars): Earlier in the week, Mustangs coach Rhett Lashlee declared that Preston Stone remained the team's starting quarterback. Stone proceeded to throw four passes, got benched for Kevin Jennings and watched SMU lose to BYU 18-15. There is a little trouble in power-conference paradise for the ACC newcomer.

Oklahoma (2 stars): The important part is OU won. Playing the transitive game can be dangerous, too. But after seeing UNLV beat Houston 27-7 last week, how could the Sooners' listless 16-12 victory over UH not be concerning? Oklahoma hosts a pesky Tulane squad next weekend before high-powered Tennessee comes to Norman in Week 4.

Auburn (1 star): In such a stacked conference, Auburn had fairly average expectations in 2024. Losing at home to Cal, though? That's the kind of result that makes even six wins and bowl eligibility a concern.

Hype Check

Texas (5 stars): The 31-12 score in the rout of Michigan said plenty. But the Longhorns, from coaches to players, had total control. Head coach and play-caller Steve Sarkisian did a fantastic job stressing U-M's coverages, and Texas' retooled defense looked outstanding. It's hard to imagine the Horns not being a part of the CFP.

Tennessee (4 stars): Alabama and Georgia both await the Vols, so managing expectations in early September feels like the smart decision even after UT wrecked North Carolina State 51-10. Nico Iamaleava's strong two-game start and a promising defense are nonetheless keeping Tennessee squarely on the Playoff radar.

Miami (3 stars): Not only is Cam Ward putting up ridiculous numbers, but the ACC is also enduring a disastrous start. Clemson, FSU, NC State and Virginia Tech all have ugly losses on their resumes this season. Miami's conference opener is at home against VT later this month.

Iowa State (2 stars): Iowa State overcame a 13-point deficit on the road in a rivalry game against a stout Iowa defense. Not bad! Though a gauntlet looms in November, the Cyclones are worth monitoring.

Syracuse (1 star): Another from the ACC...how about Syracuse? Ohio State transfer Kyle McCord has a pair of four-touchdowns games, most recently in a 31-28 upset of then-No. 23 Georgia Tech. Quick peek at the schedule—Stanford, Holy Cross and at UNLV on the horizon—and Cuse may quietly be 5-0 entering a key trip to North Carolina State.

Unsatisfying Wins Clouding Week 3

What a strange day.

Oklahoma State needed two overtime periods to fend off Arkansas, and Kansas State barely got past Tulane. Bowling Green put a legitimate scare into Penn State, and Houston hung around with Oklahoma. Each of Alabama, Arizona, LSU and Oregon stumbled to wins.

For a neutral observer like me, strange is fun! Unexpectedly competitive games add to the stories of the weekend.

If your fandom is attached to one of those eight programs, however, you might be wondering about how quickly it's time to reach for a panic button. In nearly every case, the answer is simple: not yet. Ugly victories are still wins, and all of those Top 25 teams improved to 2-0.

The balance, though, is that the schedule heats up in Week 3.

K-State hosts Arizona for a nonconference tilt on Friday night. The next day, Alabama and LSU head to Wisconsin and South Carolina, respectively, and Oregon goes to rival Oregon State.

Unimpressive showings can indicate real problems, and a rise in competition may further expose those red flags.

Check back in a week, and we may start glancing at the panic button for another well-regarded team or two.