What's the worst thing you can do after being found not guilty in court?
Wind up right back in front of the judge.
That's the situation facing several college football teams this week. After escaping last week without a conviction, they're back on the docket, once again trying to prove they're not frauds.
And unlike Week 1, when optimism and preseason hype still clouded the evidence, Week 2 offered a much clearer picture of who's legitimate and who's been impersonating a contender.
One game can be written off. Two games start to establish a pattern.
Some teams strengthened their case as playoff-caliber programs. Others looked suspiciously like they spent the entire offseason
wearing a disguise and hoping nobody would notice.
So with another weekend of evidence now in the books, the USA TODAY Sports District Court is back in session.
The charges have been filed.
The arguments have been heard.
It's time to determine which teams are innocent and which ones are guilty of fraud.
No. 6 Ohio State
The case: The Buckeyes looked like the No. 1 team in the country for three quarters at Texas, leading 23-3 before a disastrous collapse allowed the Longhorns to pull off the comeback with a last-minute victory.
The verdict: Not guilty. The epic meltdown was on par for Ohio State, as it was all self-inflicted with some luck bouncing Texas' way. Jeremiah Smith again proved how deadly he is, and there needs to be a constant effort to get the ball in his hands on top of an already loaded offense. If anything, Ohio State should be glad this happened in the regular season instead of the playoffs.
No. 7 LSU
The case: Don't let the final score fool you. LSU beat Louisiana Tech 45-14, but that was after it led just 10-7 at halftime after it turned the ball over four times, including three interceptions from Sam Leavitt.
The verdict: Jury is still out. After the perfect debut, Lane Kiffin's squad came back down to Earth and showed it's still a work in progress. The horrid first half from Leavitt is concerning as he's not the most prolific passer, but he's been pretty good at taking care of the ball until Week 2. It's going to have to be cleaned up as SEC play begins with a rowdy Mississippi crowd awaiting the Tigers.
No. 18 Oregon
The case: The Ducks laid an egg in Stillwater, getting completely outplayed by an Oklahoma State team that just lost to Tulsa and had a 21-game FBS losing streak.
The verdict: Guilty. Oregon didn't learn its lesson from Week 1. It got away free, only to be found guilty immediately afterward. There are plenty of issues on all sides of the ball, but it all starts with Dante Moore not looking like an NFL-caliber quarterback in a game the Ducks should've coasted through. With the tough schedule awaiting, this looks like it could be Dan Lanning's toughest one in Eugene.
No. 19 Michigan
The case: The Wolverines responded from the Western Michigan controversy by leaving no doubt in taking down Oklahoma for an impressive ranked win.
The verdict: Guilty. While Michigan made a good case in the appeals court, it's conviction remains. Yes, Oklahoma's defense is good, but the Wolverines' benefited from the opponent's mistakes. It still has the sixth-worst scoring offense at 15 points per game while in the bottom 30 of passing and rushing. Defense does win championships, but the offense also needs to carry some of the load.
No. 20 Iowa
The case: After scoring 40 points in Week 1, Iowa was in another dogfight with rival and rebuilding Iowa State, needing two fourth-quarter field goals to win 16-13 and stave off the upset.
The verdict: Not guilty. Save the "Iowa offense is bad" takes. For some reason, the Cy-Hawk game is always a low-scoring affair, as the winner hasn't score more than 20 points in seven of the past eight meetings. That's just how this game goes. The Hawkeyes have shown promise with Tim Lester as offensive coordinator and better outputs are in store.
No. 21 Oklahoma
The case: The Sooners were held to just 10 points in the loss to Michigan after there was expectation this is the best offense under Brent Venables.
The verdict: Guilty. Some things have yet to change in Norman. John Mateer and Co. looked like the thing that held the Sooners back last season from a playoff run, not in sync and unable to run the ball, wondering if it can produce in those big games. The end zone is too difficult of a place to reach when playing against Power conference teams, and that is going to lead to one of the most disappointing seasons in Venables' time.
No. 24 Washington
The case: The Huskies again had to play all four quarters against a Pac-12 team, fending off a Utah State team that was fresh off a tough loss to FCS Idaho State with a 16-14 win.
The verdict: Jury is still out. Jedd Fisch was glad to keep Demond Williams Jr. with Washington, but there isn't much around him to help. The Huskies have clearly been depleted from last season's team and it's resulting in the offense becoming increasingly stagnant and relying on the defense to bail it out. There's time for Washington to get it together, but it needs to show improvement quickly before it's in serious trouble.
Mississippi State
The case: The Bulldogs went up North to Minnesota and jumped on the Golden Gophers from the jump with a convincing 38-13 win, its first road nonconference win over a Power conference opponent since 2022.
The verdict: Not guilty. We have a sleeper in the SEC. Mississippi State looks legit with an extremely talented quarterback in Kamario Taylor leading the way. His gifted arm and legs can take the Bulldogs a long way, with the potential to be a spoiler in some team's playoff hopes while getting his team in the conversation.
Illinois
The case: Bret Bielema's team blew a 10-point lead at home against Duke, scoring just three points in the second half and losing its first nonconference game at home since the coach's first season in Champaign in 2021.
The verdict: Guilty. The things that looked out of sync in Week 1 were on full display in Week 2. The defense has been picked apart in consecutive weeks, not helping quarterback Katin Houser as he has been solid but still adjusting to his new team. The running game has really been a strain, with the new-look offensive line struggling. Illinois has made great strides in football over the past couple of years, but it looks like this will be the campaign it takes a step back.
North Dakota State
The case: The new FBS team is having little problems adjusting to the level as North Dakota State is 3-0 after fending off a late rally from Air Force for its first Mountain West victory.
The verdict: Not guilty. Did we really think the Bison would have problems in FBS? They haven't skipped a beat and look far better than the rest of the conference. You figured it would win a good amount of games, but it's time to start really thinking about North Dakota State winning the Mountain West and being in the playoff conversation, just in Year 1 as football excellence continues in the Fargodome.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fraud Alert: Oregon, Oklahoma enter danger zone after Week 2 setbacks
