2026 College Football Watch Guide – Week 3

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They say misery loves company but I doubt that will make the faithful in Norman, Oklahoma and Eugene, Oregon feel any better about last weekend. The Sooners and the Ducks were the unfortunate victims of 2026’s first big upsets of the year – for games played less than sixty minutes and one second, that is.

After a week of relentless ridicule the Wolverines stuffed the Sooners into the ugly box and pulled out an improbably 17-10 win in front of 100,000+ in the Big House. All 100,000 of them also stayed in the stands after the game too, since beating the #11 team in the country isn’t as impressive as beating a MAC opponent. It just means more.

Meanwhile, the Ducks never got out of their own ugly box as they fell to Oklahoma State 39-31. The Cowboys had lost 21 straight to FBS opponents before last Saturday and put up a whopping 554 yards of offense. Questions already swirled about Oregon after their close win over Boise State and they answered each of them in emphatically the worst possible way.

Oklahoma and Oregon can commiserate in their sorrow but my goodness does it make for fantastic viewing. Upsets are arguably the most exciting part of sports. It’s why we rally around the Cinderella story every March and root for the underdog against the perennial power. Maybe I’m just enormously relieved Iowa didn’t find themselves in the same boat as the Sooners and Ducks on Saturday night. Thank you, Caden Buhr.

Any upsets on deck for week 3? Let’s check it out. Schedule graphics are courtesy of Projection Sports.

#22 Houston @ #13 Texas Tech is the headliner weeknight game by a mile. The Red Raiders let Oregon State hang around a lot longer than many expected last week and only winning 35-24. The Cougars also only topped the Beavers 33-20 in week 1, so the real story in college football should be the brewing powerhouse in Corvallis.

The other weeknight games I don’t expect to be terribly competitive. #5 Miami @ Wake Forest and Syracuse @ Pittsburgh are two conference battles which are always worth keeping an eye on. The Hurricanes have pasted opponents by a combined 122-13 this year so I wouldn’t be surprised if they easily handled Wake Forest. The Orange and Panthers should hopefully provide a more even contest.

Take a trip across the pond with Arizona State @ Kansas kicking off from Wembly Stadium in London. Kansas made headlines ahead of the Border War for their hype video which likened the rival Tigers with Civil War guerilla partisans and war criminals. It didn’t help the Jayhawks much, as Mizzou pulled away for a 38-10 victory. Kansas could make another video about the 1862 Battle of Picacho Peak in Arizona if they want to infuriate the Sun Devils, but I don’t know if promoting a Confederate victory would be a smart move either.

There’s a chance we could see one high profile coach’s tenure come to an end in North Carolina @ Clemson. Dabo Swinney’s once mighty Tigers have underwhelmed in 2026, getting walloped by LSU in week 1 and only beating Georgia Southern last week by 12. On the other side, after an unexpected victory in week 0, Bill Belichick’s Tar Heels are 2-0, but they still need to prove themselves against one of the ACC’s big brands to gain real staying power. With a very touch schedule and Clemson down, this week might be their best opportunity.

#16 SMU @ #23 Louisville could be a preview of the ACC championship game. Through two games, Mustang QB Kevin Jennings has tossed eight touchdowns, good for third in the country, 767 passing yards and 76.9% accuracy. But Louisville’s Lincoln Kienholz has impressed in his own right, famously leading the Cardinals to go blow for blow with Ole Miss in week 1, and he has yet to throw a pick this season.

Also impressive was Mississippi State Bulldogs QB Kamario Taylor, who demolished the Gophers on their own turn last week. He’ll face a tougher test when he leads his team to Columbia for Mississippi State @ South Carolina. The Gamecocks have a promising man under center of their own in LaNorris Sellers, who’s been productive as much on the ground as through the air.

We’ll get one more week of quarterback battle with Northern Iowa @ #18 Iowa, as the dreaded “OR” appeared on Iowa’s depth chart. Hank Brown took 100% of the snaps against Iowa State, but this looks to be Jeremy Hecklinski’s last chance to make his case. The game shouldn’t ever be in doubt, so we could even see Jimmy Sullivan late in the game. It’s now or never, Heck.

If you’re looking for a border battle, look to West Virginia @ #25 Virginia, where the Cavaliers look to continue their strong start to the season. QB Beau Pribula and Virginia have burned through their first two opponents while the Mountaineers have found plenty of success on the ground, rushing for just under 600 yards this season.

Finally we come to #7 LSU @ #8 Ole Miss which brings Lane Kiffin back to Oxford and if the top ten rankings aren’t enough to draw your attention, the seething hatred of the Rebel faithful will be. After ditching Ole Miss prior to their playoff run, this game has been circled on the calendar for every CFB fan. The Tigers have looked dominant, outscoring opponents 96-24 while Ole Miss easily dispatched Charlotte last week after surviving Louisville in week 1. Do the Rebels get their revenge, or will Kiffin get the last laugh?

Which games have your attention in week 3?

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