The Top 25, Week 2: College football games, players and breakout stars to watch

Welcome to The Top 25, a weekly rundown of the best of college football.

Each week, The Baltimore Sun will break down the top games, players and teams to watch, from the Power Five to the Group of Five. Here’s what to know for Week 2:

No. 1 Alabama at Texas (Saturday, noon, Fox): The Crimson Tide enter as heavy favorites, but there is reason to believe the Longhorns can hang around. Quinn Ewers is as talented as any quarterback in the country, and running back Bijan Robinson is a game-breaking force. If Texas can keep up with Alabama’s high-powered offense, this could be a tight one.

South Carolina at No. 16 Arkansas (Saturday, noon, ESPN): Quarterback Spencer Rattler was shaky in his South Carolina debut, throwing two interceptions in a win over Georgia State. Arkansas’ defense could give Rattler more trouble, raising the pressure on the Oklahoma transfer to live up to sky-high expectations.

No. 24 Tennessee at No. 17 Pittsburgh (Saturday, 3:30 p.m., ABC): If you’re looking for a dark-horse team to enter the playoff conversation, start with this matchup. Led by quarterback Hendon Hooker and coach Josh Heupel, Tennessee has built an effective offense that can stretch the field and find mismatches. Pittsburgh’s defense should be up for the challenge.

No. 20 Kentucky at No. 12 Florida (Saturday, 7 p.m., ESPN): When it comes to quarterback matchups, it doesn’t get much better than Kentucky’s Will Levis vs. Florida’s Anthony Richardson. NFL scouts are intrigued by the dual-threat ability of both players, and they’ll need to use every bit of that talent against these defenses.

No. 9 Baylor at No. 21 BYU (Saturday, 10:15 p.m., ESPN): This should be one of the most physical games of the weekend, with both teams boasting top talent in the trenches. It’s also an intriguing matchup of under-the-radar quarterbacks in Baylor’s Blake Shapen and BYU’s Jaren Hall.

Penn State RB Nick Singleton (vs. Ohio): The reigning Gatorade High School Player of the Year stood out during his few touches in the season-opening win over Purdue. It seems like only a matter of time before he gets the bulk of the carries in the Nittany Lions’ crowded backfield.

Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy (vs. Hawaii): After Cade McNamara starred in the season opener, it’s McCarthy’s turn to prove why he deserves the starting job. It’ll take a big performance to make an impression on coach Jim Harbaugh, but luckily for McCarthy, Hawaii’s defense is one of the worst in the country.

[ The Top 25, Week 1: College football games, players and coaching debuts to watch ]

Arizona State QB Emory Jones (at No. 11 Oklahoma State): At Florida, Jones was once considered a potential breakout star and NFL prospect. While he hasn’t quite lived up to those high expectations, he’s still a dynamic dual-threat player who can test Oklahoma State’s defense.

Arizona QB Jayden de Laura (vs. Mississippi State): The addition of de Laura has revitalized what has been an irrelevant program for most of the past five years. The Washington State transfer threw for 299 yards and four touchdowns in his team debut, and now he gets a chance to take down an SEC team.

Southern California LB Shane Lee (at Stanford): The former St. Frances Academy standout started as a true freshman for coach Nick Saban at Alabama before suffering an injury and eventually losing his job. In his first game at USC, he flashed the potential that made him such a highly touted prospect.

Army EDGE Andre Carter II (vs. UTSA): The last time Army had a first-round draft pick was 1947. Carter, who posted a program-record 15 1/2 sacks as a junior, has the talent to end that drought.

Notre Dame EDGE Isaiah Foskey (vs. Marshall): Notre Dame’s defense should be one of the best in the country this season, and Foskey is a big reason why. He posted 11 sacks as a junior, the third-most in team history.

Wisconsin DT Keeanu Benton (vs. Washington State): The 6-foot-4, 317-pound lineman is tough to move and a key cog in one of the nation’s best defenses.

Ohio State WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba (vs. Arkansas State): After exploding in the Rose Bowl for 347 yards and three touchdowns, Smith-Njigba was held to just 3 yards on two catches against Notre Dame. He needs to prove that was just a bad night.

Iowa State DE Will McDonald IV (at Iowa): The battle for the Cy-Hawk Trophy is almost always a defensive struggle, which means a player like McDonald will be worth watching. He posted 11 1/2 sacks and 15 1/2 tackles for loss last season.

North Carolina QB Drake Maye: The redshirt freshman leads the country in passing yards (646) and passing touchdowns (nine) through two games, establishing himself as a worthy heir to former Tar Heels star Sam Howell.

Michigan State EDGE Jacoby Windmon: A converted off-ball linebacker from UNLV, Windmon has made the most of his new opportunity, recording four sacks in his debut against Western Michigan.

Florida State EDGE Jared Verse: It didn’t take long for the Albany transfer to make an impact. In the heart-stopping, season-opening win against LSU, Verse recorded two sacks and five quarterback hurries.

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Nebraska RB Anthony Grant: After stops at Florida State and New Mexico Military Institute, Grant has found a home with the Cornhuskers. The junior ran for 101 yards and two touchdowns in the season opener against Northwestern and followed it up with 23 carries for 189 yards and another two touchdowns in a win over North Dakota.

Arizona WR Jacob Cowing: At UTEP, Cowing had already established himself as one of the best receivers in the country. He seems to have taken his game to another level at Arizona, catching eight passes for 152 yards and three touchdowns in his team debut.

Lafayette at Temple (Saturday, 2 p.m.): In a 30-0 loss to Duke in the season opener, Temple looked like one of the worst teams in the FBS. If the Owls have trouble with Lafayette — which went 3-8 last season — it could be a long season.

Incarnate Word at Nevada (Saturday, 5:30 p.m.): Nevada is only a 2-point favorite, which puts this game squarely on upset alert. The Wolfpack lost a lot of talent — most notably quarterback Carson Strong and wide receiver Romeo Doubs — as well as coach Jay Norvell.

Stephen F. Austin at Louisiana Tech (Saturday, 7 p.m.): Stephen F. Austin is ranked No. 12 in the FCS coaches poll, and Louisiana Tech is coming off a 52-24 loss to Missouri. The Bulldogs are only 4 1/2-point favorites.

Idaho at Indiana (Saturday, 8 p.m.): Idaho nearly upset Washington State in Week 1 before falling 24-17. The Hoosiers looked shaky in their opener, needing a late rally to defeat Illinois on a last-minute touchdown.

Nicholls at UL-Monroe (Saturday, 8 p.m.): UL-Monore has just four wins in its past 19 games, while Nicholls has won eight or more games three of the past four full seasons.