CFB Best Games to Watch Week 3: Previewing the Top College Football Matchups, Latest Odds
College football Week 3 features a top-10 SEC showdown as No. 7 LSU visits No. 8 Ole Miss for Lane Kiffin's return to Oxford, while Houston-Texas Tech and SMU-Louisville add two more ranked matchups. Florida and Auburn also meet in an intriguing SEC test between unbeaten teams. Check out the best college football games to watch in Week 3, including start times, TV information and the latest odds.
Peter Alexis - September 16, 2026, 10:30 AM EDT
4 Minute ReadCollege Football Week 3 Headlined by LSU vs. Ole Miss Lane Kiffin Bowl, Other Exciting Matchups
Week 3 does not have the overwhelming depth of some Saturdays, but the best games bring plenty of intrigue. The slate starts Friday night with a ranked Big 12 matchup before Saturday delivers an important ACC game, an old SEC rivalry and the most anticipated coaching reunion of the young season.
No game carries more emotion than LSU-Ole Miss, with Kiffin returning to Oxford for the first time since leaving the Rebels for LSU. That top-10 showdown anchors the night, but several earlier games could have major conference and playoff implications.
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Best College Football Games to Watch in Week 3
No. 22 Houston vs. No. 13 Texas Tech
- Date: Friday, September 18
- Time: 8:00 PM ET
- TV: FOX
- Odds: Texas Tech -9.5 | Total 52.5
Friday night provides the first ranked showdown of the weekend as undefeated Houston travels to Lubbock for an early Big 12 measuring stick. The Cougars just demolished Southern 77-6, scoring on their first 11 possessions, while Texas Tech enters 2-0 after beating Oregon State 35-24 last weekend.
The spread shows how much respect Texas Tech commands as the defending Big 12 champion, with the Red Raiders laying nearly double digits against another ranked team. Houston's experience makes that a significant number, and this should provide the first real indication of whether the Cougars belong in the conference-title conversation.
No. 16 SMU vs. No. 23 Louisville
- Date: Saturday, September 19
- Time: 3:30 PM ET
- TV: ESPN2
- Odds: Louisville -1.5 | Total 59.5
SMU has opened 2-0 after winning 27-24 at Florida State and following it with a 56-10 blowout of UC Davis. Louisville bounced back from its opening loss by crushing Villanova 59-13, setting up an early ranked ACC game where neither side has much separation in the market.
Louisville is only a 1.5-point home favorite, essentially making this a toss-up once home field is accounted for. The 59.5 total is also one of the highest among the weekend's marquee games, fitting two offenses capable of generating explosive plays.
Florida vs. Auburn
- Date: Saturday, September 19
- Time: 7:00 PM ET
- TV: ESPN
- Odds: Florida -2.5 | Total 53.5
Florida and Auburn both enter 2-0 under first-year head coaches, turning an old SEC rivalry into an intriguing early referendum on Jon Sumrall and Alex Golesh. Florida has outscored Florida Atlantic and Campbell 118-24, while Auburn followed its dramatic win over Baylor by beating Southern Miss 43-8.
Florida is only laying 2.5 points despite dominating its first two opponents, which shows how much Jordan-Hare Stadium and Auburn's improved start matter to the market. It is also Florida's first trip to Auburn since 2011, adding another layer to a matchup between two teams about to learn much more about themselves.
No. 7 LSU vs. No. 8 Ole Miss
- Date: Saturday, September 19
- Time: 7:30 PM ET
- TV: ABC
- Odds: LSU -3 | Total 59.5
This is the unquestioned headliner. Lane Kiffin returns to Oxford for the first time since leaving Ole Miss for LSU, with both programs 2-0 and meeting as top-10 teams for the first time since 1962. College GameDay will also be in Oxford for a matchup that already carried plenty of emotion before factoring in the playoff implications.
LSU has looked formidable through two games, including its 51-10 destruction of Clemson and a 45-14 win over Louisiana Tech, while Ole Miss enters behind Trinidad Chambliss and an offense that scored 41 against Charlotte last week. LSU laying a field goal on the road shows how quickly Kiffin's new roster has earned respect, while the 59.5 total points toward the potential for a high-level SEC shootout.
Other Top College Football Games to Watch
North Carolina vs. Clemson
- Date: Saturday, September 19
- Time: 12:00 PM ET
- TV: ESPN
- Odds: Clemson -5.5 | Total 47.5
Few unranked games carry more fascination. Bill Belichick has UNC at 2-0 after beating TCU and ETSU, while Dabo Swinney is already under pressure after Clemson was destroyed 51-10 by LSU and then struggled through a 22-7 win over Georgia Southern. Freshman Tait Reynolds will make his first college start for Clemson, creating another major storyline in a game that could dramatically change the tone around both programs.
Clemson being favored by only 5.5 at home would have been difficult to imagine entering the season. The number reflects how quickly confidence has fallen in the Tigers and how much credibility Belichick has already built through UNC's unbeaten start.
Virginia Tech vs. Maryland
- Date: Saturday, September 19
- Time: 7:30 PM ET
- TV: FS1
- Odds: Virginia Tech -3.5 | Total 53.5
James Franklin's Virginia Tech rebuild gets its first legitimate road test after the Hokies opened 2-0 with a 73-3 win over VMI and a 44-21 victory over Old Dominion. Maryland is also 2-0 after beating UConn 38-14, making this a far more meaningful measuring stick than either team has faced so far.
Virginia Tech laying around a field goal on the road shows that Franklin's early work has already gained some market respect. Maryland should provide the first real indication of whether the Hokies are ready to become immediately relevant in the ACC.
NC State vs. Vanderbilt
- Date: Saturday, September 19
- Time: 12:45 PM ET
- TV: SEC Network
- Odds: Vanderbilt -3.5 | Total 51.5
This has sleeper potential. NC State responded to its opening loss against Virginia by destroying Richmond 73-0, while Vanderbilt enters 2-0 and gets another chance to show that its recent rise is sustainable against Power Four competition.
Vanderbilt being favored at home is notable in its own right, but the line remains close enough to suggest a competitive afternoon in Nashville. NC State desperately needs a quality road result after its Week 0 loss, while the Commodores have an opportunity to move to 3-0 before SEC play intensifies.
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