Each of the first two weeks in college football's new season only featured a smattering of high-profile games. That changes in Week 3, as there are numerous matchups that are guaranteed to shake up the rankings regardless of which team comes out on top.
So far, things have remained pretty steady at the top. Ohio State, Alabama and TCU did nothing over the first two weeks to suggest they didn't deserve the preseason buzz. The challenges are only going to get more difficult moving forward, though.
With that in mind, let's check out the complete slate of Top 25 games for Week 3, featuring viewing details for each. That's followed by a preview of some of the most important games on tap this weekend.
Week 3 Top 25 Schedule
Biggest Games
No. 15 Ole Miss at No. 2 Alabama
After opening the season with a key win over Wisconsin, Alabama cruised by Middle Tennessee as expected. The quarterback position remains a point of concern, however, as Jake Coker and Cooper Bateman combined for just two touchdowns and two interceptions against an overmatched foe.
The Crimson Tide are going to need more reliable play from their quarterbacks, or at least one of them, in order to secure their spot in the College Football Playoff. Head coach Nick Saban admitted plans remain fluid until the team starts getting more stability under center, per Matt Zenitz of AL.com.
"I think both guys need to improve, and we evaluate this on a day-to-day basis," Saban said. "We're going to make the decision based on what we think is best for our team. If it's to play two guys, it'll be two guys. If we think one guy is going to give us a better chance in this game, we'll certainly play that guy."
Now they have to face an Ole Miss squad that's blown out UT Martin and Fresno State by a combined score of 149-24. While those certainly aren't top-tier opponents, it's still impressive considering how some other ranked teams have struggled against unheralded squads so far.
The key to the game will be the Rebels' defensive front. Robert Nkemdiche and Co. have registered just two sacks so far. Getting more pressure on the Alabama quarterbacks will be essential if they want to pull off the upset.
No. 14 Georgia Tech at No. 8 Notre Dame
A season that began with so much promise for Notre Dame is now at a crucial fork in the road. Injuries have already started to mount for the Fighting Irish, the most prominent being quarterback Malik Zaire going down for the season with an ankle injury, and a clash with Georgia Tech is an early test.
The offense has lost three key contributors in the early stages. While that's always a concern, having to overcome that while working new starting quarterback DeShone Kizer into the offense makes for an uphill battle against the high-flying Yellow Jackets. SportsCenter pointed out all of the Irish's notable losses so far:
Meanwhile, Georgia Tech is putting up more than 65 points per game in the early going. Like Ole Miss, the level of competition has been low, but it's fair to say the triple option is clicking on all cylinders and confidence is running high.
The Yellow Jackets need to push the pace as much as possible early in the game. If they can build an early lead, it should take Notre Dame out of its comfort zone and unsettle the revamped offense. On the flip side, should the Irish past this test, expectations will begin to rise again.
No. 18 Auburn at No. 13 LSU
LSU deserves more credit than it's received for beating Mississippi State on Saturday. After the Tigers' opener got canceled due to inclement weather, the defense had to prepare for the Dak Prescott-led Bulldogs without that warm-up game to work out the kinks. Prescott shined, but they shut down the running game.
Now the Tigers go up against an Auburn squad looking to rebound after a dreadful performance nearly allowed Jacksonville State from the FCS ranks to complete a monster upset. The question is whether that near-disaster is an ominous sign of things to come or simply a wake-up call.
One thing's for sure: Jeremy Johnson must start doing a much better job of protecting the football. Not only does he have five interceptions in two games, but his decision-making has been subpar. It's just one reason the Tigers are lucky to still be in the Top 25, which Paul Finebaum of the SEC Network discussed:
All told, how Auburn plays in the Tiger Bowl will be one of the week's top storylines for better or worse. Though the talent is there, it's played lackluster football so far. If LSU can take advantage, it has a favorable schedule to navigate leading up to an early-November clash with Alabama.
via http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2566962-college-football-week-3-schedule-top-25-teams-tv-schedule-live-stream-info
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