Welcome back to another week of Friday Locks! After a solid 7-5 showing in Week 1, we sit at 13-11 on the season, with Craig already notching the first perfect 3-0 run of the year. Now it’s time to see if we can stack some more wins in Week 2.
A quick look at the board shows something interesting—none of us touched an underdog this week. Everyone is riding with favorites, which tells you a lot about where the confidence lies. We’ve got some overlap on the slate as well, most notably SMU (-2.5) against Baylor and Iowa State (-3/-3.5) against Iowa, two games where multiple of us see the same edge. Ole Miss also gets some love with picks against Kentucky, while Craig is swinging big with Oklahoma (-4.5) over Michigan in a heavyweight showdown, and Zack is banking on Texas to bounce back in a massive way against San Jose State.
From rivalry games to early-season statement opportunities, Week 2 has no shortage of intrigue. Let’s dive into the picks and see who keeps their hot hand rolling.
2025 Season Results
| Name | Last Week | Overall |
| Caleb | 2-1 | 4-2 |
| Matt | 1-2 | 3-3 |
| Zack | 1-2 | 3-3 |
| Craig | 3-0 | 3-3 |
Caleb
SMU (-2.5) vs Baylor | SMU started off the season hot with a blow out win while Baylor did not look impressive against Auburn last Friday. While this game should be a close one and I do expect Baylor to bounce back, I still think SMU should cover that -2.5 spread.
Iowa State (-3.5) vs Iowa | ISU continues to look good through the first few weeks of this season. With a big rivalry game against Iowa I expect the Cyclones to continue looking like one of the better teams in college football.
Arizona State (-6.5) vs Mississippi State | ASU looked good on Saturday and looks to show the college football world they are still the team to deal with coming out of the Big 12. Mississippi State looks better than what they did a year ago, but I fully expect ASU to win this game pretty comfortably.
Craig
Iowa State (-3) vs Iowa | When there’s a matchup between two elite defenses, the winner is often determined by the team with the bigger play makers on offense. That’s why I’ve got the Cyclones winning this rivalry game. Rocco Becht has been phenomenal in the first two games for Iowa State and I expect him to be the difference maker on Saturday.
SMU (-2.5) vs Baylor | Baylor didn’t have the best debut against Auburn a week ago. Now, they go on the road to face a top 20 opponent. Meanwhile, SMU is coasting off of a 29 point win over East Texas A&M. With SMU being at home and Baylor being a bit banged up from last week, I like the Mustangs in this one.
Oklahoma (-4.5) vs Michigan | This is a monumental matchup for both teams who have had both historical and recent success. Each program is looking to get back on the map with a win in this one. At the end of the day, the Sooners have the better defense and home field advantage. I think John Mateer and the Sooners offense will do enough to cover this spread in Norman.
Matt
Illinois (-2.5) at Duke | Illinois is built to control this matchup in the trenches, and Duke’s inability to stop Elon’s ground game last week doesn’t inspire confidence against an Illini rushing attack that just piled up 200-plus yards. With balance on both sides of the ball and a physical edge up front, Illinois has the tools to cover the slim -2.5 spread.
SMU (-2.5) vs. Baylor | It’s only been a week but Baylor’s defense already ranks among the nation’s worst against the run, with multiple Mustang backs showing the ability to force missed tackles and create chunk plays that’s going to be a problem. Both teams will push tempo, but Baylor’s shaky front seven will be exposed to more snaps than it can handle, giving SMU the advantage to outlast the Bears and cover the -2.5 spread.
Ole Miss (-8.5) at Kentucky | Ole Miss’ explosive opener, where they shredded Georgia State for nearly 700 total yards, showed their balance and tempo are already in midseason form. Pair that with Kentucky’s sputtering passing attack that mustered just 85 yards in Week 1, and the Rebels’ –8.5 line looks like solid value for a comfortable cover.
Zack
San Jose State at Texas Longhorns (-36.5) | After a disappointing loss to Ohio State on the road, I’m thinking the Longhorns—particularly Arch Manning—are due for a major bounceback. I think they cover this monster spread and restore the hopes of the Texas faithful.
Iowa at Iowa State (-3) | The Cyclones are rolling right now, and I think home field advantage is enough to give Iowa State a near double-digit victory.
Ole Miss (-8.5) Kentucky | SEC road games are tough, but the Rebels are significantly better than the Wildcats, so a double-digit win for Ole Miss seems likely.
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