Week 3’s college football slate is loaded, but the SEC is where the real gravity sits. Several of the day’s biggest games come with more than just conference implications - they carry coaching pressure, playoff angles, and a few old grudges for good measure.
Start in Tallahassee, where Florida State gets another crack at Alabama after last season’s opener went the Seminoles’ way. The question this time is simple: can Florida State do it again, or can the Crimson Tide answer back and maybe help push Mike Norvell closer to the edge?
Norvell has been on the hot seat for a while, and that win over Alabama last year hasn’t been enough to change the temperature. Alabama brings in a new, very mobile quarterback, and the offense still has to prove it can win with more force up front and a steadier run game.
Florida State’s task is less complicated: just show it can hang.
There’s also a matchup that could matter later when the College Football Playoff picture gets sorted out. Louisville and SMU are both trying to answer some lingering questions in a game that may be revisited by the selection committee.
Louisville battled Ole Miss hard in a narrow loss, while SMU had a much shakier night than expected against a so-so Florida State team on the road. The quarterbacks have looked the part so far, with SMU’s Kevin Jennings and Louisville’s Lincoln Keinholz each putting up strong numbers.
Both teams have skill players who can stretch the field and help move the chains on the ground, which should make this one worth tracking.
Another game to circle features two of the SEC’s most explosive quarterbacks and two undefeated teams trying to protect their records. Mississippi State has been one of the early surprises, with Kamario Taylor driving a dangerous offense that has already piled up 100 total points, 726 total yards, and 8 total touchdowns from Taylor himself.
South Carolina counters with LaNorris Sellers, who is back at quarterback and still brings a tough physical presence even if his play has been uneven over more than two seasons as the starter. That combination makes for one of the day’s most intriguing quarterback showdowns.
Florida and Auburn also meet in a game that says plenty about where both programs are headed under new leadership. Jon Sumrall’s Gators are 2-0 and have come out swinging offensively, putting up 118 combined points.
Alex Golesh’s Auburn team has taken a different route, leaning on defense and allowing only 24 total points through two games. This one should tell us which staff has made the bigger early leap, and the winner could even make a push into the AP poll.
Then comes the game with the biggest emotional charge: Lane Kiffin going back to Ole Miss. It’s the first Top 10 matchup between these SEC rivals since 1962, and Kiffin is returning to a place where the last time we know he was in Oxford, he was leaving on a private plane to get out of dodge and start over at LSU.
Now he walks back into a hostile setting to face a roster he helped build, with Trinidad Chambliss still at quarterback and Kewan Lacy in the backfield. Ole Miss, meanwhile, has to deal with an LSU offense that has already scored 96 combined points in two games.
In Other News...
Tebow Sends Florida Fans A Clear Signal Before Auburn Test
Tim Tebow is already making clear what he thinks of Floridas new direction, and hes not hiding his enthusiasm for Jon Sumrall. The former Gators quarterback and current SEC Network analyst has been vocal in backing the first-year head coach ahead of Floridas SEC opener against Auburn, pointing to the kind of presence and personality he believes matter in Gainesville.
Sumralls start has given Florida some early momentum at 2-0, but the trip to Auburn will offer a much sharper measure of where this team stands. Tebows praise centered on Sumralls character and coaching potential, with the confidence and charisma he brings to the job standing out as the traits that can help him win over a demanding fan base if the results keep coming. [Read more 🡒]
Florida Just Gave Auburn Fans A Painful Reminder Before SEC Opener
Floridas social media team leaned into the buildup for Saturday nights SEC opener by bringing back a familiar voice: LaMical Perine. The former Gators running back narrated a hype video released ahead of the matchup with Auburn, and the clip naturally centered on one of the most memorable plays from the 2019 meeting between the schools, when Perine broke loose for an 88-yard touchdown run that helped Florida win.
It is a timely reminder for Auburn fans because this years game comes with both teams unbeaten at 2-0 and both under new head coaches, which gives the opener a little extra edge even without a ranking attached to it. Florida is clearly happy to reach back to a recent moment that still stings on the other sideline, and the Gators will get a chance to see whether that old highlight can carry any present-day weight when the teams meet in prime time. [Read more 🡒]
Todd Golden Just Gave Florida One More Preseason Test
Floridas preseason tune-up list just got a little longer, with Todd Golden adding a second exhibition game before the Gators tip off for real. After already lining up their fall preparation, Florida will now host Stetson on Oct. 27 at the OConnell Center, giving the roster one more chance to settle in front of a home crowd before the games start counting.
The matchup will be available on SEC Network+ and the Gators Sports Network, another sign that Florida is treating the preseason like more than a formality. It also fits into a broader schedule that is now taking shape for 2026-27, with dates, opponents and broadcast notes beginning to come into focus as Golden continues mapping out the road ahead. [Read more 🡒]