Week 3 arrives with a slate that is packed from noon to night, but the game that jumps off the page is the one bringing Lane Kiffin back to Mississippi. No.
7 LSU visits No. 9 Mississippi in the most anticipated matchup on the 2026 regular-season calendar so far, and the stakes are already clear: the winner gets an early edge in the SEC championship race, even if the loser stays firmly in the College Football Playoff picture.
Kiffin spent six seasons coaching the Rebels before leaving in Nov. 2025, which only adds another layer to a game that already has plenty of weight. It also headlines a Saturday that features several ranked matchups with major implications across the sport.
One of the other most intriguing games of the day comes in Louisville, where No. 16 SMU takes on a Cardinals team that received the second-most votes among squads outside the top 25 in the latest US LBM Coaches Poll. With more than two months left in the regular season, that one could go a long way toward shaping who is best positioned to meet Miami in the ACC championship game.
There’s also a revenge angle in Tuscaloosa, where No. 10 Alabama hosts Florida State in a rematch of last year’s stunning 31-17 season-opening Seminoles win. Alabama enters as nearly a three-touchdown favorite and will be looking to settle that score.
The day opens with a full set of ranked teams in action at noon, including No. 2 Georgia at Arkansas on ABC, No.
6 Ohio State against Kent State on Fox, and No. 15 Penn State against Buffalo on Big Ten Network.
At 3:30 p.m., the schedule turns crowded fast, with No. 8 Texas A&M facing Kentucky on ESPN, Alabama and Florida State on ABC, No.
11 USC at Rutgers on CBS, No. 16 SMU at Louisville on ESPN2, No.
17 Utah vs. Utah State on Fox, and No.
19 Michigan vs. UTEP on Big Ten Network.
The late window keeps the pressure on. No.
3 Notre Dame meets Michigan State at 7:30 p.m. on NBC, while No. 7 LSU visits No.
9 Mississippi at the same time on ABC. Also at 7:30, No.
13 BYU plays at Colorado State on CBS and No. 21 Oklahoma hosts New Mexico on ESPN2.
No. 25 Virginia takes on West Virginia at 7:30 p.m. on ACC Network in a game being played at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Elsewhere, No. 22 Missouri hosts Troy at 7 p.m. on SEC Network+, No.
14 Tennessee plays Kennesaw State at 7:45 p.m. on SEC Network, and No. 1 Texas closes the night against UTSA at 8 p.m. on SEC Network+.
There are also two more ranked teams in action in the midafternoon and early evening slots, with No. 4 Indiana hosting Western Kentucky at 4 p.m. on Peacock and No. 20 Iowa facing Northern Iowa at 4 p.m. on FS1.
For viewers, Week 3’s top-25 games will be spread across ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, Fox, NBC, CBS, FS1, the ACC Network and the Big Ten Network on Sept. 19. ESPN-family games can be streamed through the ESPN app with a valid cable login or via Fubo, while over-the-air national broadcasts are also available through Fox Sports Go with a TV login, Fubo, SEC Network+ and Peacock.
In Other News...
Louisville Let This Ranked Test Slip At The Worst Moments
Louisville has spent most of the first half in a ranked test that felt close enough to swing either way, but No. 16 SMU has had the better finishing touch so far at L&N Stadium. The Cardinals are trailing 17-14 at halftime after Lincoln Kienholz accounted for 89 total yards and two touchdowns, while SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings has settled things down with 132 passing yards, a touchdown and an interception.
The gap has been shaped by SMUs ability to answer when the game tightens up, with Kendrick Raphael giving the Mustangs a steady ground presence and helping them edge ahead before the break. Louisville has been good enough to stay in striking distance, but the margin for error in a ranked matchup is already looking thin, and the Cardinals will need a sharper second-half finish if they want to keep this one from slipping away. [Read more 🡒]
Lincoln Kienholz Just Delivered Louisville's Biggest Moment Against SMU
Lincoln Kienholz has given Louisville an immediate lift in his first season as the starting quarterback, and the early returns against SMU showed exactly why the Cardinals were eager to hand him the job. The 4-star transfer settled in quickly, moving the offense with his arm and his legs while helping Louisville build momentum in a game that demanded poise and a few timely answers.
Kienholz was efficient in the first half and also added a rushing score, giving Louisville the kind of dual-threat presence that can change a game in a hurry. The play that stood out most came when he turned a broken protection into a big gain downfield, a snapshot of the improvisation and calm that have made him such an important piece for the Cardinals already. [Read more 🡒]
Louisville May Have Found The Backfield Spark It Desperately Needed
Louisville went looking for a backfield jolt against SMU, and Keyjuan Brown delivered the kind of afternoon that can change a rotation in a hurry. He piled up a career-high 163 rushing yards and gave the Cardinals the explosive run game they had been chasing, helping carry the offense with a burst that stood out in a game that needed playmakers.
Isaac Brown, meanwhile, entered the season with plenty of expectations but had a much quieter day, finishing with just eight carries for 37 yards. That contrast leaves Louisville with an intriguing question moving forward: whether the Cardinals have finally found the spark they needed, and how they choose to balance the workload if this is more than a one-game jolt. [Read more 🡒]