Week 3 Schedule, What You Should Watch

There’s some early-season intrigue as the Week 3 college football schedule kicks off today, with a ranked-versus-ranked matchup involving the SEC and ACC, while some rivalry games begin out west, and Kalen DeBoer takes the Crimson Tide north of the Mason-Dixon line for the first time in over a decade.

What should you watch as Week 3 action kicks off today? Get your remote ready: Here are the top games you should have on your TV screens all day Saturday.

All times are Eastern

Why watch? It’s rare to see the Crimson Tide on the road north against a Power team, and the scene at Camp Randall will be lively as the Badgers host Alabama for the first time since 1928. Tyler Van Dyke has the arm to test Alabama’s defensive secondary, but SEC speed could still be the deciding advantage, even if the Tide looked a little rusty against USF last week.

12pm on Fox

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Why watch? LSU is already 1-1 with its playoff hopes in jeopardy and can’t afford another loss, especially in the SEC, and this game is on the road against a Gamecocks team that can play serious defense up front. LSU can run the ball and protect its quarterback, but if Carolina can stop the run early, this game should be close.

12pm on ABC

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Why watch? BC is one of the surprises in college football this early in the year and plays a dynamic offense with dual-threat quarterback Thomas Castellanos at the helm, but an SEC road trip against a balanced Mizzou team that is playing excellent defense right now will be a tough test.

12:45 p.m. on SEC Network

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Why watch? Two SEC teams (1-1) need a win after losing to ranked teams at home in their openers. Florida will try to play two quarterbacks, a strategy that has had mixed results in the past, but freshman DJ Lagway made a good first impression last week, and Gators fans want to see more, while Steve Spurrier said Graham Mertz deserves another chance.

3:30 p.m. on ABC

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Why watch? Tulane harassed Kansas State last week and nearly pulled off an upset and remains one of the top playoff hopes in the Group of Five. And it could find angles against an OU offense that was stuck in molasses last week in a tight game against a Houston team it should have crushed. The Sooners make their SEC debut against the Vols next week and need a good showing.

3:30 p.m. on ESPN

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Why watch? Traditionally one of college football’s great rivalries in November, the conference shuffle has disrupted the schedule for the Civil War game, which will now be played in September. Oregon has looked vulnerable in its first two games, winning by a combined 13 points, and questions remain around both lines of scrimmage against a Beavers team looking to make a big statement.

3:30 p.m. on Fox

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Why watch? A chance for revenge for the Rams, who played the Buffs in a hard-fought rivalry game last season that left Travis Hunter stricken in the hospital. Coach Prime is 1-1 after the loss to Nebraska and faces increasingly tough questions, and is under pressure to get it right.

7:30 p.m. on CBS

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