College Football Week Three Guide

Big-time conference matchups, a clash of Heisman contenders and the latest installment of one of the great new rivalries are upon us.

Wait, all of the top-three teams are playing ranked opponents on the road for the first time in history?

This is madness. This is Week Three.

Here’s your guide to this week in college football.

Game of the Week

No. 1 Alabama (-11) at No. 19 Ole Miss, 3:30 p.m. EST, CBS

Thanks to Katy Perry in 2014 and the Tip Six in ’15, the Rebels of Mississippi are 2–0 in the past two meetings with Lord Saban’s Crimson Tide. Ole Miss’ new-found dominance against college football’s top program has birthed a great new rivalry in the Southeastern Conference.

The initial win by the Rebs in 2014 shocked the college football world, catapulting Ole Miss to its best season in over a decade. And in 2015, the second-consecutive victory made a serious statement to the rest of college football that Hugh Freeze’s Rebels were a true contender in the sport.

But post-upset life for Alabama in 2015 was much brighter than it turned out to be for the Rebs.

After the dynamic 43–37 win in Tuscaloosa, Ole Miss tumbled down the college football rankings just two weeks later, after four turnovers and a 38–10 beatdown by the Gators in the Swamp.

The tumble didn’t stop there either, with the Rebels dropping games to unranked Memphis and an overtime-thriller to Arkansas. Before redeeming their 2015 campaign with three impressive wins over ranked opponents (LSU, Mississippi State and Oklahoma State), they had slipped all the way to 25th.

The win over the Tide suddenly seemed so insignificant, while Alabama was riding high on its way to a 16th national title.

It’s a new season, but it’s the same old song and dance.

When they meet on Saturday in Oxford, the Crimson Tide is rolling in with college football’s top ranking, once again championship bound. Once again, a prime target for Hugh Freeze and the Ole Miss Rebels to prove themselves.

After a second-half collapse to Florida State in the season opener, the Rebs are looking to bounce back into contention in coach Freeze’s fifth season in Oxford. Quarterback Chad Kelly will be where the Rebels rely to lead them past this vaunted Alabama defense. Last year in Tuscaloosa, Kelly had a masterful performance, tossing three touchdowns, scoring one on the ground and racking up over 360 total yards.

To overpower this Alabama defense, Kelly will have to play just like that, pretty darn close to perfect.

Alabama, after a dominant 52–6 victory over USC in Dallas, is looking to find their identity as an offense under true freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts. And a 3:30 game at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium against the strongest defense he’s ever faced (which only includes USC and Western Kentucky) is not the most ideal situation to be welcomed into the SEC by.

They’ve carried the goalpost through the Grove and into the streets of Oxford, they’ve stopped the Tide on the road, can they do it again?

Is Hugh Freeze and the Rebels, legendary coach Nick Saban’s Kryptonite?

The race for the SEC, at least in the West, has arrived.

Big Game Predictions

Week Three features a great slate of games. Here’s predictions for a few of the top matchups of the week:

The Non-Conference Spectacles

No. 3 Ohio State (-2) at No. 14 Oklahoma, 7:30 p.m. EST, FOX

The biggest non-conference matchup of the week (maybe, the year) is taking place in Norman, Oklahoma. And I think that’s the most important part of this game.

Who wins?: Oklahoma

No. 12 Michigan State at No. 18 Notre Dame (-8), 7:30 p.m., NBC

Michigan State is known for its defense, but I don’t think the Spartans can overtake quarterback DeShone Kizer and the Fighting Irish in South Bend. Kizer has a big game here and solidifies his name as a Heisman contender.

Who wins?: Notre Dame

No. 25 Miami (-4) at Appalachian State, Noon, ESPN

They almost upset the SEC East favorite Tennessee Volunteers in Neyland Stadium and showed the country they are a capable football team in the season opener. I think they spoil coach Mark Richt’s first year in Miami and upset the Hurricanes in the biggest game that Appalachian State has ever hosted.

Who Wins?: Appalachian State

Big-Time Conference Matchups

No. 2 Florida State (-2) at No. 10 Louisville, Noon, ABC

The only top-1o matchup of the day is looking to be a classic. Heisman hopefuls FSU running back Dalvin Cook and Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson face off. Jackson has been the most dynamic player in college football thus far (13 total touchdowns), but this week I think he finally gets limited.

The quarterback battle here is huge, with two young stars. In his first game on the road, redshirt freshman Deondre Francois faces a talented Cardinals defense. I don’t think Francois necessarily struggles, but the Noles will rely on the run game more than we’ve seen them thus far, allowing for Dalvin Cook to have his first breakout game of 2016. In the end, the Seminoles outmatch Lousiville across the board and win this one rather easily.

Who wins?: Florida State

No. 1 Alabama (-11) at No. 19 Ole Miss, 3:30 p.m., CBS

The game of the week, the Rebels are looking to make it three in a row against the top-ranked Crimson Tide.

I think they do.

Who wins?: Ole Miss

Heisman Watch

The nation’s best will be on display this week, against quality competition at that, who among them are set for big performances in Week Three?

Leonard Fournette, LSU RB

In the Tigers’ conference opener last year, Fournette kicked off his Heisman campaign with a bang against the Bulldogs, rushing for nearly 160 yards and three touchdowns.

He does the same this week, after sitting out week two and being limited by Wisconsin in the season opener.

Christian McCaffery, Stanford RB and Returner

Alabama exposed USC’s defense in Dallas, trouncing the Trojans 52–6. McCaffrey has the chance to run wild Saturday night, when they host the Trojans in primetime on ABC.

Chad Kelly, Ole Miss QB

Swag Kelly has been duly-noted as the SEC’s premier signal caller.

I think he’s the best in all of college football, and proves that on Saturday with a Manziel-esque performance in a win over the Crimson Tide.