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Let’s face it: It’s not the most enticing, blockbuster slate of games this weekend, with just two ranked matchups. But there are some rivalries and pairings that should help define (or expose?) some of the teams that have been difficult to pin down during the first few games. And as we see almost every week in college football, there’s always something unexpected on the menu.
Here are the top 10 games of Week 3, starting with a few honorable mentions and counting down.
Honorable mention: UNLV at Kansas (Friday), No. 18 Notre Dame at Purdue, No. 1 Georgia at Kentucky, Colorado at Colorado State, UCF at TCU
(All point spreads are from BetMGM; click here for live odds. All kickoff times are Eastern and on Saturday unless otherwise noted.)
10. Washington State (2-0) at Washington (2-0), 3:30 p.m., Peacock
So…. the Pac-12 is back? Sort of? Still, this game is too quick a reminder of those recast scars. The Apple Cup would be played after Thanksgiving, with some Pac-12 implications on the line. That won’t be the case on Saturday, although at least we still have a rivalry. Quarterback Will Rogers and running back Jonah Coleman have looked solid under new Washington coach Jedd Fisch, but watch for a significant disappointment for Wazzu. Quarterback John Mateer was a dual-threat dynamo (467 passing yards, 252 rushing yards, 8 total TDs) and should give the Cougars a chance down the road.
Line: Washington -4.5
9. Tulane (1-1) at No. 15 Oklahoma (2-0), 3:30 p.m., ESPN
The Green Wave nearly defeated Kansas State in New Orleans last weekend, derailed by a controversial offensive pass interference call that negated a late touchdown. The Sooners worked to a 16-12 victory over a Houston team that lost 27-7 at home to UNLV in Week 1. Oklahoma was outpaced on offense and needed a late safety to stave off the Coogs, with quarterback Jackson Arnold completing 19 of 32. passes only 174 meters. The Sooners enter the weekend with a top 15 team, but begin a stacked SEC schedule next weekend when they host Tennessee and can’t afford any non-conference disappointment. Tulane is not yet out of the race for the Playoff spot in Group 5, but should likely take the lead.
Line: Oklahoma -13.5
8. No. 16 LSU (1-1) at South Carolina (2-0), noon, ABC
Everyone focused on the misleading final score between Alabama and South Florida, but it also took LSU until midway through the fourth quarter before Nicholls was put aside. Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier put up strong numbers (302 yards, 6 TDs), but the offense struggled to establish the run while John Emery Jr. hurt, and the defense gave up back-to-back 13-play touchdown drives and a 67-yard. touchdown run. The Tigers need to find a rhythm against an equally confusing South Carolina. The Gamecocks scraped past Old Dominion in Week 1 and then dominated Kentucky on the road last Saturday, allowing fewer than 200 yards. So… good luck predicting this.
Line: LSU-7
7. Texas A&M (1-1) at Florida (1-1), 3:30 p.m., ABC
Billy Napier’s hot seat got some time off in a 45-7 win over Samford, a game that provided Napier’s best chance to save things in Gainesville. True freshman quarterback DJ Lagway set a school record with 456 passing yards and three touchdowns, starting in place of the injured Graham Mertz. The five-star prospect and top-three recruit in the class of 2024 has injected a spark of hope into a season and program that felt derailed by the opening loss to Miami. Napier said this week that both quarterbacks will play (a Florida tradition!), so see how the snaps are split against A&M. Because any chance of Napier having a future in The Swamp probably hinges on Lagway being the real deal straight away.
Line: Texas A&M -4.5
6. West Virginia (1-1) at Pitt (2-0), 3:30 p.m., ESPN2
Neither team is ranked. Neither are among the top prospects in their respective conferences. But we love a spicy rivalry, and the Backyard Brawl certainly qualifies. The teams have split this matchup the last two years and WVU needs a road win to avoid a disappointing 1-2 start. West Virginia topped FCS Albany in a 49-14 win last week, but the Mountaineers did allow 306 passing yards after struggling to contain Drew Allar and Penn State. Pitt threw for 302 yards in a wild 21-point second-half comeback victory at Cincinnati.
Line: West Virginia -2
5. No. 24 Boston College (2-0) at No. 6 Missouri (2-0), 12:45 p.m., SEC Network
An unexpected confrontation in the rankings, during the quirky kick-off of the SEC Network. Thanks to new BC head coach Bill O’Brien, who followed Florida State’s turmoil with a 56-0 shutout of Duquesne and breathed new life into the Eagles. It is a combination of coach and program that makes a lot of sense. But the headliner is a Mizzou squad that has climbed to sixth place after outscoring their opponents 89-0 in two games. The Tigers’ schedule is manageable by SEC standards — no Georgia, Ole Miss, Tennessee or LSU — but they now have a surprising shot at a Top-25 win before starting regular season play. It’s also a chance to have wide receiver Luther Burden III go for 64 yards on seven catches in two blowout wins.
Line: Missouri -17
4. No. 9 Oregon (2-0) at Oregon State (2-0), 3:30 p.m., Fox
A more interesting rivalry match than we expected a few weeks ago. The Beavers and new head coach Trent Bray are coming off a 21-0 win over San Diego State, and Idaho transfer QB Gevani McCoy has shown promise. Coming off a 10-point win over Idaho, McCoy’s former team, the Ducks needed a fourth-quarter comeback and a last-second field goal to beat Boise State and Ashton Jeanty at home. Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel has been very efficient — he has completed 84.3 percent of his passes in two games — but allowing 221 rushing yards to Jeanty and the Broncos may have exposed some defensive issues that could hinder the Ducks once Big Ten play gets underway.
Line: Oregon -16.5
3. Memphis (2-0) at Florida State (0-2), noon, ESPN
This was supposed to be a tilt between one of the best teams in the Group of 5 and an ACC contender. Memphis has kept its end of the bargain, but FSU desperately needs a win to keep the sky in place. Unfortunately for the Tigers, a win or a narrow loss no longer ensures the G5 Playoff resumes in any significant way. The Seminoles are coming off an inactive week and still have plenty of time to change the atmosphere, but very little about the performance against Georgia Tech and BC suggests they will get their way with Memphis and QB Seth Henigan. The Tigers can make a statement with a resounding win, or ruin their Playoff hopes with a loss.
Line: Florida State -6.5
2. No. 4 Alabama (2-0) at Wisconsin (2-0), noon, Fox
Bama, a 30.5-point favorite over USF last week, ultimately won by 26 points. But the final score of 42-16 was a deceptive margin of victory for what was a 14-13 game entering the fourth quarter. The Tide has some things to clean up, but so does Wisconsin, which hasn’t exactly inspired wins over Western Michigan and South Dakota. The Badgers are still finding their way in year two under Luke Fickell, and how they fare on Saturday, win or lose, could reveal a lot about the atmosphere in Madison. Quarterback Tyler Van Dyke (60.3 percent completion, 6.4 yards per attempt, 1 passing TD) and the Wisconsin offense need to be much more explosive, as what our Wisconsin writer Jesse Temple writes could be “the most important non-conference home clash in the program history’. Jesse also caught you up on the 1928 matchup.
Line: Alabama -16.5
1. No. No. 20 Arizona (2-0) at No. 14 Kansas State (2-0), Friday, 8 p.m., Fox
We have Wildcats vs. Wildcats under the Friday night lights. And even though this is the first leg of a non-conference series that was scheduled prior to the realignment, it should help set the tone for Big 12 play. After putting up 61 points on New Mexico as Tetairoa McMillan racked up 304 receiving yards, Zona had some trouble in a 22-10 win over Northern Arizona, including just two catches for 11 yards for TMac. Either way, the special bond between him and quarterback Noah Fifita should keep Arizona in the Big 12 title race. Kansas State is also in that mix, although the close call against Tulane highlighted a group that hasn’t quite found its feet yet. Dual-threat quarterback Avery Johnson looked more comfortable throwing the ball last Saturday, but the biggest concern is a defense that gave up 342 passing yards to the Green Wave and now has to defend one of the best receivers in college football.
Line: Kansas St. -7.5
(Photo of Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson: Peter Aiken/Getty Images)