Week 3 has a little bit of everything, and the headliner is impossible to miss: Lane Kiffin is back in Oxford, this time guiding No. 7 LSU against No.
8 Ole Miss at 7:30 p.m. The matchup has been circled since the schedule came out, and the scene is set for a packed night.
That’s not the only game drawing attention, either. No.
2 Georgia hits the road for its first SEC game and first true road test, traveling to Arkansas for a Noon ET kickoff on ABC. The Razorbacks are still struggling, and head coach Ryan Silverfield is already trying to steady the ship just two games into his run in Fayetteville.
Earlier in the afternoon, ESPN2 will carry a Top 25 showdown at 3:30 p.m. between SMU and Louisville. The game features the two leaders in yards per game, with SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings and Louisville quarterback Lincoln Kienholz both looking to see who can get to 30 points first.
At 4:15 p.m. on the SEC Network, Mississippi State visits South Carolina in a matchup that puts this year’s new hotshot quarterback, Kamario Taylor, against 2024 SEC Freshman of the Year LaNorris Sellers. NFL scouts will also have their eyes on the debut of edge rusher Dylan Stewart.
Then at 7 p.m. on ESPN, first-year head coach Jon Sumrall takes Florida to Auburn to meet first-year head coach Alex Golesh in what looks like the SEC’s welcome-to-the-league game of the week. The winner should come away with Top 25 momentum heading into Week 4.
The Dawgs247 staff has its against-the-spread picks ready for all of it, including upset selections, as Week 3 rolls on.
In Other News...
Razorback Stadium Had A Wild Pregame Visitor Before Arkansas Faced Georgia
Before Georgia and Arkansas kicked off at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, the most memorable sight in Fayetteville was not on the depth charts but on the field itself. A skunk was spotted wandering around the stadium pregame, an odd little detour to a matchup that already carried plenty of attention because of where the teams stood heading in.
Georgia entered the day as a heavy favorite, listed by 24.5 points, with the game set for ABC and the usual backdrop of recent form and the series history between the programs. Even before the opening whistle, though, the scene had already produced the kind of college football moment that feels almost tailor-made for a Saturday in the SEC. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Suddenly Has A Nate Frazier Concern It Didnt Want
Georgias backfield took a hit Saturday when starting running back Nate Frazier went down with a lower leg injury during the game against Arkansas and had to leave the field limping. He briefly reappeared on the sideline moving well enough to sprint, which at least offered a moment of relief, but the picture changed later when he was seen walking with a noticeable limp before heading to the locker room.
The concern only grew when transfer wide receiver Isiah Canion also left with an injury in the first half and did not return. For a Georgia team trying to keep its offense on track, the timing of both setbacks is less than ideal, and Kirby Smart is expected to have more to say once the game is over and the full extent of the injuries becomes clearer. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia's Arkansas Win Came With One Concern Fans Can't Ignore
Georgia handled Arkansas 45-17 with a performance that looked a lot like the Bulldogs at their most efficient, leaning on the ground game and letting Gunner Stockton settle in as both a runner and passer. Stockton rushed for 97 yards, threw for 147 more and a touchdown, while Chauncey Bowens powered the offense with three scores. Georgias defense did its part too, piling up multiple sacks and keeping Arkansas from finding much rhythm.
The one uneasy note came late enough to linger afterward: wide receiver Isiah Canion left the game with a leg injury. For a team that already looks balanced and sturdy in the box score, any injury to the receiving corps is worth watching closely, especially as Georgia tries to keep building momentum behind a run-first attack that worked so well Saturday. [Read more 🡒]