Week 3 of the college football season is already here, and there are great matchups on tap all day. No. 7 LSU vs. No. 8 Ole Miss is the main event tonight, but it's far from the only game worth watching.
When Lane Kiffin rolls into Oxford, it will be a circus the likes of which is rarely seen, even in college football. Once the game kicks off, that will be secondary to the action between the lines. Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy will try to take down an LSU team filled with their former Ole Miss teammates in a top-10 clash.
In the ACC, there's a top-25 battle between No. 16 SMU and No. 23 Louisville that may decide which one of them reaches Charlotte for the ACC title game in December. Kevin Jennings gives the Mustangs an established star, but Lincoln Kienholz is quickly making a name for himself as the leader of the Cardinals' offense.
Earlier in the day, five-star quarterback Jared Curtis will make his first start for Vanderbilt as the Commodores host NC State. The game could determine which team reaches bowl eligibility by the end of the season. Plus, Florida travels to Auburn in a barometer game for the SEC.
There's a lot of great football this weekend, so we've developed a guide to help you prioritize your viewing schedule.
The best games
NC State at Vanderbilt -- 12:45 p.m. on SEC Network, Fubo (try for free): Five-star freshman Jared Curtis will get his first career start for Vanderbilt as he takes over for Blaze Berlowitz. Curtis has looked solid in limited action against Austin Peay and Delaware, but he'll dive in headfirst against Power Four competition as NC State comes to Nashville. The last time we saw the Wolfpack against legitimate competition, they were stunned by Beau Pribula's mobility. Dave Doeren needs a bounce-back effort against an SEC opponent.
No. 12 USC at Rutgers -- 3:30 p.m. on CBS CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App, Paramount+ Premium: The Trojans have been strong through a 3-0 start, averaging more than 40 points per game against a relatively strong slate of Group of Six opponents. However, this marks the first power conference opponent of the year. Rutgers, conversely, is off to a miserable start. The Scarlet Knights are 0-2 after stunningly losing against UMass in the opener, before losing a close matchup 28-21 to Boston College. USC looks like the heavy favorite on paper, but cross-country Big Ten road trips have been treacherous for the Trojans in the past. Is this year's team built different?
No. 16 SMU at No. 23 Louisville -- 3:30 p.m. on ESPN2, Fubo (try for free): There's a very good chance this game determines which of these teams gets to Charlotte for the ACC Championship Game. The Mustangs already have an ACC win after turning the lights out on Florida State in Week 1, and the Cardinals are looking to avoid a 1-2 start after their heartbreaking loss to Ole Miss in Nashville. The quarterback matchup should be one of the best in Week 3 because Kevin Jennings and Lincoln Kienholz are big plays waiting to happen. The atmosphere at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium should be electric.
Mississippi State at South Carolina -- 4:15 p.m. on SEC Network, Fubo (try for free): Speaking of fun quarterback matchups, we have two high-level athletes playing the position in Columbia. Mississippi State signal caller Kamario Taylor just got done torching Minnesota in Minneapolis, and LaNorris Sellers is capable of changing a game with his arm or his legs. On top of that, both offenses want to operate at a quick pace, so I would try to avoid leaving the couch or blinking during this game. Does the winning team get ranked? It should.
Florida at Auburn -- 7 p.m. on ESPN, Fubo (try for free): The winner of this game could get ranked, too, as Florida travels to Auburn for a fascinating SEC tilt. Tigers coach Alex Golesh and Gators offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner are considered to be sharp offensive minds, but each one will have his work cut out for him on Saturday. The Auburn defense should be one of the better units in the SEC, and Jon Sumrall has a lot of talent to work with on that side of the ball at Florida. It should be an entertaining chess match on The Plains
No. 11 BYU at Colorado State -- 7:30 p.m. CBS CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App , Paramount+ Premium: The Cougars are coming off a key Big 12 win over Arizona, but they can't afford a letdown as they travel to Fort Collins for a nonconference matchup against the Rams. BYU has looked like a conference championship contender. The Cougars have controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, and quarterback Bear Bachmeier has operated the offense at a high level, especially when it comes to pounding the rock. This will be a fun nonconference matchup on Saturday night, and BYU should be tested before its open date in Week 4. Here's everything you need to know.
No. 7 LSU at No. 8 Ole Miss -- 7:30 p.m. on ABC, Fubo (try for free): This is the most anticipated game of the week -- and maybe the year. Lane Kiffin makes his villainous return to Oxford after leaving Ole Miss in the lurch right before last season's College Football Playoff, and governors are going back and forth about security measures. The circus off the field is great -- if not a little bizarre -- but the game that will be played between the white lines is the real treat. Trinidad Chambliss has a real case to be the best quarterback in college football, and Kewan Lacy has a strong argument at running back. On the other side, Kiffin's LSU offense dropped a 50-spot on Clemson in Week 1, but the status of quarterback Sam Leavitt is in doubt.
West Virginia at No. 25 Virginia -- 7:30 p.m. ACC Network, Fubo (try for free): Is "Country Roads" about the western part of Virginia or West Virginia? We'll let the winner decide. That winner may be decided by which team runs the ball more effectively, since the Mountaineers and Cavaliers both love to pound the rock. WVU is averaging 298.5 rushing yards per game, and Virginia posts 247.5 rushing yards per game. Both teams are also looking for a 3-0 star before the weekly grind of conference play really begins.
Best of the rest
- No. 2 Georgia at Arkansas -- 12 p.m. on ABC, Fubo (try for free)
- Arizona State at Kansas (London) -- 12 p.m. on FS1, Fubo (try for free)
- North Carolina at Clemson -- 12 p.m. on ESPN, Fubo (try for free)
- Kentucky at No. 9 Texas A&M -- 3:30 p.m. on ESPN, Fubo (try for free)
- Florida State at No. 10 Alabama -- 3:30 p.m. on ABC, Fubo (try for free)
- No. 12 USC at Rutgers -- 3:30 p.m. on CBS, Fubo (try for free)
- Michigan State at Notre Dame -- 7:30 p.m. on NBC, Fubo (try for free)
- No. 11 BYU at Colorado State -- 7:30 p.m. on CBS, Fubo (try for free)
- New Mexico at No. 24 Oklahoma -- 7:30 p.m. on ESPN2, Fubo (try for free)
- Virginia Tech at Maryland -- 7:30 p.m. on FS1, Fubo (try for free)
- James Madison at SDSU -- 10 p.m. on CW, Fubo (try for free)
