McCarthy vs. Penix Jr., Lawrence vs. Burrow: NFL Week 2 features two CFP title game QB rematches - ESPN

A few of the quarterback matchups in Week 2 of the NFL season may have been of particular interest to college football fans.

At 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, the Cincinnati Bengals squared off with the Jacksonville Jaguars, marking the second time Trevor Lawrence and Joe Burrow started against one another in the NFL since the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship game.

Then, on «Sunday Night Football,» the Atlanta Falcons will meet the Minnesota Vikings — marking 2024 CFP National Championship starting quarterbacks Michael Penix Jr. and J.J. McCarthy's first showdown as professionals.

McCarthy and the Michigan Wolverines took down Penix Jr.'s Washington Huskies in their national title game battle, 34-13, which is good news for Vikings fans. The winning starting quarterback in college has a solid — if not perfect — record in professional rematches as well.

Here's a look back at how the NFL rematches of BCS and College Football Playoff-era starting national championship quarterbacks went.

Rematch year(s): 2021, 2025

Rematch of: 2020 College Football Playoff National Championship

Burrow, whose LSU Tigers won their national championship matchup, also came out on top in their first NFL meeting, throwing for 348 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Bengals to a 24-21 win.

With 8:36 left in the second quarter of their 2025 Week 2 matchup, Burrow exited and did not return after a sack by Jaguars DE Arik Armstead.

Despite his early exit, Cincinnati rallied to win 31-27, keeping his streak over Lawrence intact.

Rematch year(s): 2024

Rematch of: 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship

Watson led the Clemson Tigers past Hurts' Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2017 title game in college, but the roles reversed in