Week 2 was a bit of a revenge tour. Texas got its get-back by beating No. 1 Ohio State 24-23; Michigan buried any talk of their controversial Week 1 win by upsetting Oklahoma 17-10; and Oklahoma State stunned Oregon 39-31 as a 23.5-point underdog, avenging an embarrassing 69-3 loss in 2025.
That puts the Longhorns at No. 1 for the first time since preseason 2025, while the Ducks fell 15 spots after their dismal offensive performance.
Week 3 brings some solid conference games and a monster: Lane Kiffin’s return to Oxford. Here’s a preview of the best College Football Week 3 odds, plus College Football Week 3 trends to get you ready for action. All spreads, moneylines, and totals are subject to change.
View the latest NCAAF odds at Bovada
College Football Week 3 Games to Watch
Friday, Sept. 18: No. 22 Houston at No. 13 Texas Tech – 8 p.m. ET FOX
- Spread: Texas Tech -7.5
- Moneyline: Texas Tech -320, Houston +260
- Total: 53.5
The first ranked game is also the Big 12 opener for two 2-0 teams. Houston destroyed Southern 77-6 but enters 1-1 against the spread (ATS), while Texas Tech is 0-2 ATS after failing to cover against Abilene Christian and Oregon State. Texas Tech’s rebuilt defense ranks among the country’s strongest versus the run, but Houston upgraded its offensive line after quarterback Conner Weigman was injured in last year’s meeting. Some early odds listed Texas Tech as a double-digit favorite, but the spread has since settled around -7.5 as the market responds to Houston’s 2-0 start.
Saturday, Sept. 19: No. 2 Georgia at Arkansas – 12 p.m. ET ABC
- Spread: Georgia -24.5
- Moneyline: N/A
- Total: 54
Georgia enters SEC play after dropping 70 on Western Kentucky. That said, Arkansas is a big opposition upgrade, especially with the game in Fayetteville. The Bulldogs covered both of their 2026 spreads and face an Arkansas team that scored just 10 points versus Utah. If junior quarterback KJ Jackson struggles for the second week in a row, the Bulldogs will have to drop 40 themselves to go over the 50-plus total.
Saturday, Sept. 19: Florida State at No. 10 Alabama – 3:30 p.m. ET ABC
- Spread: Alabama -20.5
- Moneyline: N/A
- Total: 49
This is a rematch of Florida State’s 31-17 upset of Alabama in the 2025 opener. The Seminoles return as much larger underdogs after losing 27-24 to SMU and starting 0-2 ATS. Alabama is 2-0 after pulling away from Kentucky 45-17, although the Crimson Tide trailed at halftime before three turnovers shifted momentum.
However, offense could come easier versus Florida State. The Seminoles gave up three touchdowns against SMU QB Kevin Jennings, and starting linebacker Blake Nichelson is out for several weeks, while freshman reserves Izayia Williams and Daylen Green are out for the season.
Saturday, Sept. 19: No. 16 SMU at No. 23 Louisville – 3:30 p.m. ET ESPN2
- Spread: Louisville -1.5
- Moneyline: Louisville -115, SMU +105
- Total: 59.5
This is the closest ranked matchup on the board. SMU followed its 27-24 win at Florida State by beating UC Davis 56-10, while Louisville rebounded from a three-point loss to Ole Miss with a comfortable win over Villanova. Kevin Jennings has already led SMU past Louisville twice in ACC play, including a 38-6 win last season. Louisville’s home field is essentially the difference in a spread that is almost a pick’em.
Saturday, Sept. 19: Florida at Auburn – 7 p.m. ET ESPN
- Spread: Florida -2.5
- Moneyline: Florida -140, Auburn +120
- Total: 53.5
Florida has scored 118 points through two games under new coach Jon Sumrall, but this will be its first road game and first matchup against an SEC opponent. Quarterback Aaron Philo and the Gators’ offense will face an Auburn defense that has allowed only 24 points across wins over Baylor and Southern Miss. The 50-plus total shows that the Auburn offense is no slouch either, as they dominated Southern Miss behind 343 rushing yards.
Saturday, Sept. 19: No. 7 LSU at No. 8 Ole Miss – 7:30 p.m. ET ABC
- Spread: LSU -3
- Moneyline: LSU approximately -150, Ole Miss +130
- Total: 58.5
This one has all the drama. Lane Kiffin returns to Oxford less than a year after leaving Ole Miss for LSU. His Tigers are 2-0 after beating Clemson 51-10 and Louisiana Tech 45-14, but Sam Leavitt looked shaky as a passer in Week 2, throwing three interceptions against the Bulldogs. Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss has 561 passing yards and five touchdowns through two games, and the Rebels beat them 24-19 last year. The home team has won six straight in the series, but LSU is still opening as road favorites. You can chalk that up to the Tigers’ hot start and the controversial but talented new head coach.
Key Players to Watch in College Football Week 3
- Sam Leavitt, QB, LSU: Leavitt’s three Week 2 interceptions matter more against an Ole Miss team capable of converting short fields into touchdowns. His running ability remains LSU’s counter when the first read is covered.
- Trinidad Chambliss, QB, Ole Miss: Chambliss has 561 passing yards, five touchdowns, and one interception through two games. LSU’s defense dominated Clemson and could negate his explosive plays.
- Conner Weigman, QB, Houston: Texas Tech knocked Weigman out of last year’s matchup. Houston strengthened its protection, and he’s had a hot start in 2026.
- Kevin Jennings, QB, SMU: Jennings is 19-7 as SMU’s starter and has already beaten Louisville twice.
- Keelon Russell, QB, Alabama: Alabama scored 45 at Kentucky, but it was the defense and its three turnovers that led the charge. Russell will need a better performance versus a Seminoles squad that upset them last year.
College Football Week 3 Betting Trends
Week 3 provides the first chance to compare teams across multiple results. These trends separate straight-up outcomes from point-spread and total performance.
- AP Top 25 teams went 14-4 straight up but only 7-10-1 ATS in Week 2 games last season.
- Big ranked favorites created most of the ATS losses in 2025 Week 2. Penn State, LSU, Texas, Clemson, and Texas A&M won without covering spreads of at least 30 points.
- The six FBS underdogs that won outright in Week 1 of 2025 went 4-2 straight up the following week.
- Ole Miss has covered four straight as a homedog since 2021, winning three of those games straight up.
- LSU is 6-4 ATS over the past 10 meetings, but the Tigers haven’t covered at Ole Miss since 2019.
- SMU has won all four meetings with Louisville straight up. That includes both games since the schools became ACC opponents.
- SMU has covered eight of its past 10 games overall, including both games this season and both recent meetings against Louisville.
AP Top 25 – Week 3
| RK | TEAM | REC | PTS | TREND |
| 1 | Texas | 2-0 | 1678 | Up 3 |
| 2 | Georgia | 2-0 | 1551 | – |
| 3 | Notre Dame | 2-0 | 1531 | – |
| 4 | Indiana | 2-0 | 1466 | Up 1 |
| 5 | Miami | 2-0 | 1452 | Up 2 |
| 6 | Ohio State | 1-1 | 1407 | Down 5 |
| 7 | LSU | 2-0 | 1334 | Up 1 |
| 8 | Ole Miss | 2-0 | 1216 | Up 1 |
| 9 | Texas A&M | 2-0 | 1165 | Up 1 |
| 10 | Alabama | 2-0 | 1068 | Up 2 |
| 11 | BYU | 2-0 | 966 | Up 4 |
| 12 | USC | 3-0 | 944 | Up 2 |
| 13 | Texas Tech | 2-0 | 910 | – |
| 14 | Penn State | 2-0 | 692 | Up 2 |
| 15 | Tennessee | 2-0 | 676 | Up 3 |
| 16 | SMU | 2-0 | 636 | Up 1 |
| 17 | Utah | 2-0 | 558 | Up 3 |
| 18 | Iowa | 2-0 | 391 | Up 3 |
| 19 | Michigan | 2-0 | 382 | NR |
| 20 | Missouri | 2-0 | 344 | Up 3 |
| 21 | Oregon | 1-1 | 324 | Down 15 |
| 22 | Houston | 2-0 | 292 | – |
| 23 | Louisville | 1-1 | 244 | Up 1 |
| 24 | Oklahoma | 1-1 | 222 | Down 13 |
| 25 | Virginia | 2-0 | 182 | – |
College Football Week 3 FAQs
When Does College Football Week 3 Begin?
The Week 3 schedule begins Thursday, September 17, with Syracuse visiting Pittsburgh at 7:30 p.m. ET. Ranked action starts Friday when Miami visits Wake Forest before Houston plays Texas Tech.
What Is the Biggest College Football Week 3 Game?
No. 7 LSU at No. 8 Ole Miss is the weekend’s only top-10 matchup. It also brings Lane Kiffin back to Oxford after leaving Ole Miss for LSU.
Which College Football Week 3 Games Feature Ranked Teams?
Houston-Texas Tech and SMU-Louisville are ranked matchups before LSU-Ole Miss headlines Saturday night. Several other ranked teams face conference or rivalry opponents.
Where Can You Bet on College Football Week 3
Bovada’s college football betting page lists updated spreads, moneylines, totals, props and futures.
Where Can You Watch College Football Week 3
The national schedule includes Houston-Texas Tech on FOX; Georgia-Arkansas, Florida State-Alabama, and LSU-Ole Miss on ABC; SMU-Louisville on ESPN2; and Florida-Auburn on ESPN.