Week 3 is loaded, and the top of the board is as good as it gets. No.
7 LSU at No. 8 Ole Miss is the headliner, but the day is packed with ranked matchups, quarterback debuts, and a few games that could quietly shape conference races before September is over.
The afternoon starts with one of the more intriguing quarterback stories on the slate. At 12:45 p.m. on SEC Network, five-star freshman Jared Curtis makes his first career start for Vanderbilt against NC State.
Curtis steps in for Blaze Berlowitz after looking solid in limited work against Austin Peay and Delaware, but this is a different level entirely with Power Four competition coming to Nashville. NC State, meanwhile, is trying to rebound after being stunned by Beau Pribula’s mobility the last time it faced legitimate competition.
Dave Doeren needs a response against an SEC opponent.
At 3:30 p.m. on CBS, No. 12 USC heads to Rutgers in a game that feels like a real test of whether the Trojans’ hot start means anything against a power conference opponent.
USC is 3-0 and averaging more than 40 points per game, but that comes against a relatively strong Group of Six slate. Rutgers, on the other hand, has already had a rough opening stretch, falling to UMass and then dropping a 28-21 game to Boston College.
The Scarlet Knights are 0-2, while USC has to answer the same question it always seems to face on these cross-country Big Ten trips: is this team built different?
Also at 3:30 p.m., No. 16 SMU visits No.
23 Louisville on ESPN2 in a game that could go a long way toward deciding who reaches Charlotte for the ACC Championship Game. SMU already owns an ACC win after knocking off Florida State in Week 1, while Louisville is trying to avoid a 1-2 start after its heartbreaking loss to Ole Miss in Nashville.
Kevin Jennings gives the Mustangs a proven threat, and Lincoln Kienholz has quickly become the kind of quarterback who can change a game in a hurry. L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium should have the kind of energy that matches the stakes.
The late afternoon brings another one with a little bit of everything. Mississippi State visits South Carolina at 4:15 p.m. on SEC Network, and the quarterback matchup alone makes it worth circling.
Kamario Taylor just lit up Minnesota in Minneapolis, while LaNorris Sellers can flip a game with his arm or his legs. Both offenses want to play fast, which is usually a good recipe for keeping people glued to the screen.
The winner might even find itself ranked.
Florida at Auburn follows at 7 p.m. on ESPN, and it has the feel of a classic SEC barometer game. Alex Golesh and Buster Faulkner are both regarded as sharp offensive minds, but each will have a difficult assignment on Saturday.
Auburn’s defense should be one of the SEC’s better units, and Jon Sumrall has plenty to work with on that side for Florida. It looks like a chess match on The Plains.
At 7:30 p.m. on CBS, No. 11 BYU goes to Colorado State after a big Big 12 win over Arizona.
The Cougars have looked every bit like a conference contender, controlling the line of scrimmage on both sides and getting strong play from Bear Bachmeier, especially in the run game. But this nonconference trip to Fort Collins should still ask a few questions before BYU’s open date in Week 4.
The biggest game of the night comes at 7:30 p.m. on ABC, where No. 7 LSU visits No.
8 Ole Miss. Lane Kiffin’s return to Oxford is the kind of scene college football practically lives for, and the off-field circus has already taken on a life of its own.
But once the ball is kicked, the focus shifts to the matchup itself. Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy give Ole Miss plenty of firepower, while LSU arrives after dropping a 50-spot on Clemson in Week 1.
The status of quarterback Sam Leavitt is in doubt, adding another wrinkle to a game that already has enough.
Another 7:30 p.m. kickoff worth watching is West Virginia at No. 25 Virginia on ACC Network.
The running games may decide this one, because both teams want to lean on the ground attack. West Virginia is averaging 298.5 rushing yards per game, while Virginia is at 247.5.
Both are also chasing a 3-0 start before conference play starts to take over.
Week 3 has a little of everything: a freshman quarterback’s first start, multiple ranked clashes, and LSU-Ole Miss as the centerpiece. The day offers no shortage of reasons to keep the remote close.
In Other News...
Louisvilles Second Quarter Exposed One Concern And One Encouraging Sign
Louisvilles second quarter against Villanova offered a little of everything, from broken coverages to signs of the physical edge the Cardinals want to carry early in the season. The defense had to sort through a coverage bust on a route concept that left a slot receiver open down the sideline, while quarterback Lincoln Kienholz kept a drive alive with improvisation and DJ Waller stood out for the kind of aggressive tackling that can change the tone of a series.
On offense, the film showed a unit still working through the details that separate a decent snap from a clean one. Louisville used motion to create answers and found some effective plays early, but there were also blocking moments that needed to be sharper, including a pair of assignments on the same run play that came up short. For a team trying to build consistency, that mix of promise and cleanup work is exactly what makes the second quarter worth circling. [Read more 🡒]
Louisville Faces An ACC Test That Could Shape Jeff Brohms Season
Louisvilles second straight home game arrives with a little more weight than a typical September ACC opener. The Cardinals host SMU in the first of their three consecutive games at home, and it is the league debut that will help define where Jeff Brohms team stands as conference play settles in. The matchup has drawn plenty of attention from reporters and columnists, with predictions and betting angles already circulating around a game that should tell plenty about Louisvilles direction.
SMU comes in with some early ACC credibility after winning a conference game against Florida State, which only adds to the urgency for Louisville to protect its home field. For Brohm, this is the kind of test that can quickly sharpen the conversation around a season, especially with more league games waiting right around the corner. The stage is set for a matchup that feels bigger than the calendar might suggest, and the result could say a lot about how the Cardinals are positioned in the ACC race. [Read more 🡒]
Louisville Faces An Early ACC Test That Could Change Everything
Louisville gets an immediate chance to measure itself in the ACC when it opens league play at home against SMU, a matchup that already carries more weight than most September conference games. The Mustangs arrive unbeaten and have looked dangerous behind quarterback Kevin Jennings, while Louisville has found a lift on offense with Lincoln Kienholz settling in at quarterback. For a team trying to position itself early in the conference race, this is the kind of game that can shape the conversation for weeks.
There is also a familiar edge to it, because these programs have already played tight, competitive football in recent seasons and the coaching matchup adds another layer of intrigue. SMU comes in with a system that has traveled well and an offense that can make you defend the whole field, which puts plenty of pressure on Louisville's defense to answer right away. In a league where one conference loss can linger, the Cardinals are staring at an opener that could tell a lot about where they stand. [Read more 🡒]