If we’ve learned anything from watching college football over the years, it’s that the sport’s capacity to produce crazy results is constant. So while the Week 3 schedule might at first glance appear to lack meaningful contests, the unexpected should always be – well, expected.
With that in mind, here are our picks for the best games of the weekend ranked by entertainment potential and national importance. As always, keep one eye on the scoreboard and one hand on the remote in case a game not listed here suddenly becomes interesting (Northern Illinois, anyone?).
No. 18 Arizona at No. 15 Kansas State
Time/TV: Friday, 8 p.m. ET, Fox.
Why watch: The lone Top 25 matchup on the Week 3 slate kicks the weekend off early. In this realm of realignment, these two sets of Wildcats are now Big 12 conference mates. This game, however, was scheduled prior to Arizona entering the league, so it will not count in the conference standings. It should be an entertaining affair nonetheless, with both teams able to move the ball in different ways. The primary mode of transport for the visiting Wildcats from Tucson is by air from QB Noah Fifita to WR Tetairoa McMillan. The home Wildcats of the ‘Little Apple’ have been most effective on the ground, mainly via RB DJ Giddens though QB Avery Johnson also contributing.
Why it could disappoint: It shouldn’t. Neither defense is stingy enough to stop the opposing offense outright. About the only way this could become a rout is if one team starts committing a spate of turnovers.
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No. 4 Alabama at Wisconsin
Time/TV: Saturday, noon ET, Fox.
Why watch: The Crimson Tide take to the road for what figures to be their toughest non-conference challenge before embarking on their loaded SEC slate. The Badgers for their part face a huge step up in competition after a couple of nondescript outings. Wisconsin hasn’t been flashy in the passing game, but QB Tyler Van Dyke has kept the ball out of harm’s way. Alabama QB Jalen Milroe also struggled with his deep ball in his last outing, but the Badgers will also have to worry about his speed when he leaves the pocket.
Why it could disappoint: Quite simply, Wisconsin isn’t built for a comeback. If the Crimson Tide take a multi-score advantage, they could ice it away.
No. 6 Oregon at Oregon State
Time/TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, Fox.
Why watch: Think there might be some hard feelings in this one? The Beavers, among the programs left without a seat in the latest round of conference musical chairs, would like nothing more than to derail the highly ranked Ducks’ aspirations even before their first taste of Big Ten competition. Oregon faithful are undoubtedly glad the team is finished with the state of Idaho, but this visit to Corvallis will be anything but a mere tune-up. The Ducks’ offense has yet to take flight in 2024, needing a pair of special-teams scores to survive against Boise State. QB Dillon Gabriel has a terrific 84.3 completion percentage but has been sacked seven times with little ground support. Oregon State’s RB duo of Jam Griffin and Anthony Hankerson have combined for 475 rushing yards and six TDs through two games, potentially bad news for a Ducks’ defense that has shown vulnerability on the ground.
Why it could disappoint: The Ducks haven’t been able to put opponents away early thus far, so it seems unlikely they’ll be able to subdue the feisty Beavers. It’s possible Oregon finds its extra gear, but this has the makings of yet another four-quarter struggle.
Boston College at No. 8 Missouri
Time/TV: Saturday, 12:45 p.m. ET, SEC Network.
Why watch: Everyone had this one circled, right? The Tigers have thus far handled their lofty expectations with no drama, but this visit from the Eagles could become more of a challenge than anticipated. BC had an equally drama-free week with no hangover from its big win at Florida State and now has a chance to make an even bigger splash. The Mizzou offense has huge explosive potential due to the presence of WR Luther Burden III, but QB Brady Cook hasn’t needed to unleash many long balls yet. The Eagles have enjoyed a possession time advantage of over nine minutes on average, with agile QB Thomas Castellanos making extensive use of RBs Treshaun Ward and Kye Robichaux.
Why it could disappoint: The one thing we don’t know about the Eagles yet is whether they can handle comeback mode. The same can be said of the Tigers, of course, so the early ebbs and flows could be quite fascinating.
No. 22 Washington vs. Washington State
Time/TV: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, Peacock.
Why watch: Like the rivalry a state farther south, the Apple Cup’s usual place at the end of the season became another casualty of the Pac-12’s breakup. It’s technically a neutral-site contest in Seattle as it will be played at the Seahawks’ Lumen Field and not at Husky Stadium, but it should be a hometown crowd for Washington nonetheless. The Huskies were somewhat slow out of the gate last week against Eastern Michigan but have shown solid offensive balance between QB Will Rogers and RB Jonah Coleman. The Cougars own an impressive Power Four win against Texas Tech and would love to grab another along with the rivalry trophy. Their attack is usually in the hands of QB John Mateer, who has accounted for six TDs by air and two more by land with 719 yards of total offense.
Why it could disappoint: The Huskies’ defense is the one unit that could possess a decisive advantage. The first few drives will therefore be of utmost importance for the Cougars. If they are able to move the ball, the contest will likely remain competitive.
No. 19 Notre Dame at Purdue
Time/TV: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS.
Why watch: Life as an independent in the 12-team era gets no easier for the Fighting Irish, who are now faced with the prospect of needing to run the table just to earn playoff consideration. None of that matters to the Boilermakers, who will only view this as an opportunity to get the better of its sometimes Hoosier State rival with the national name brand. We don’t know a lot about Purdue yet as it rolled past Indiana State 49-0 in its only previous outing. But well-traveled QB Hudson Card was nearly flawless in that tune-up, and he and the rest of his arsenal, which includes TE Max Klare and RB Devin Mockobee, will be fresh following a week off. Notre Dame QB Riley Leonard is still looking for his first TD pass of the season. Having RB Jeremiyah Love in his backfield has helped, but expect Purdue to crowd the line of scrimmage until Leonard shows he can go over the top effectively.
Why it could disappoint: It’s hard to know how the Boilermakers will stack up at the line of scrimmage given the lack of data. The Fighting Irish have been uneven at best in the trenches, however, so a decisive barrage of points seems unlikely.
No. 17 LSU at South Carolina
Time/TV: Saturday, noon ET, ABC.
Why watch: The SEC continues to ease into league play. The Gamecocks in fact already have a conference win in the bank after throttling Kentucky last week. The Tigers got into the win column but had a harder than expected time putting away FCS visitor Nicholls State. As such, they head into SEC territory with some issues still unresolved. The connection between QB Garrett Nussmeier and WR Kyren Lacy has not been an issue for LSU, and they’ll provide an aerial threat to the Gamecocks’ defense that Kentucky could not a week ago. South Carolina’s passing attack has been stuck in neutral, but RB Raheim Sanders has found the end zone a couple of times.
Why it could disappoint: LSU fans are quite honestly hoping that it does. The Gamecocks probably need to make it a defensive slog to keep it close.
