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Week 3 of the College Football slate has no shortage of intriguing games. There are a host of showdowns featuring ranked teams and a few between powerhouse conferences. This weekly piece will speak about the possible upsets, along with lines (provided by ESPN Bet). Here are 8 teams that should be on upset alert in Week 3…
Arizona at Kansas State (K-State -7.5)
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This has the potential to be the most exciting game of the weekend. Both teams can put up points and will be playing in what should be a fantastic atmosphere at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium. K-State narrowly defeated Tulane on the road last week by a score of 34-27. The ground game was excellent (215 rushing yards on a 6.5 yards-per-carry average), led by DJ Giddens (114 yards on 19 carries) and Dylan Edwards (54 yards on four carries). Arizona will have to try and slow down Giddens, whereas K-State has to be mindful of elite WR Tetairoa McMillan. With Arizona’s ability to score points at a high level, this line seems a bit high. The ultimate result of this game could come down to who has the ball last.
LSU at South Carolina (LSU -7)
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LSU hasn’t looked great through two games this year. After dropping the season opener to USC, the Tigers struggled at home versus Nicholls before eventually pulling away in the second half. Even with the 44-21 victory, LSU had issues running the football. The Tigers accrued only 68 yards on 21 carries (3.2 YPC average). Going on the road versus nearly all SEC opponents can be challenging. South Carolina’s home crowd will surely be into this contest. If the Gamecocks can make LSU one-dimensional, they’ve got a real chance at pulling the upset. Keep an eye on elite freshman DE Dylan Stewart…he’s the real deal. South Carolina held Kentucky (in Lexington) to only six points and 44 passing yards last week. Be careful, Tigers.
Alabama at Wisconsin (Alabama -16.5)
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This should be a very fascinating game. Alabama did win 42-16 last week versus USF, but it didn’t tell the whole story. Alabama was up 14-13 heading into the final quarter. USF also rushed for 200 yards on the day. Camp Randall will be ROCKING on Saturday afternoon It’s one of the most highly-anticipated games in Madison in years. The Badgers haven’t looked like world-beaters thus far. However, they do have the home-field advantage, Luke Fickell is a great coach, and the team can run the football — something Alabama could be susceptible to.
Memphis at Florida State (FSU -6.5)
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Yeesh. After an 0-2 start, Florida State is reeling. It’s a bit surprising to see the Seminoles a 6.5-point favorite in this game. Memphis is considered one of the dark horse candidates to make the College Football Playoff. The Tigers are 2-0 to start the year. Running back Mario Anderson is looking like an all-conference player, and QB Seth Henigan is completing passes at a 70-percent clip. QB DJ Uiagalelei has to get going early to get the Seminoles some semblance of momentum. Adding to the intrigue in this game is the fact that FSU HC Mike Norvell led the Memphis program before leaving to take over in Tallahassee.
Texas A&M at Florida (Texas A&M -4)
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This could be the last stand for Florida under Billy Napier. Whenever you’ve got a wounded animal backed into a corner, that animal tends to attack. Being a four-point underdog at home in the Swamp to a rebuilding Texas A&M program is certainly not what the fan base would have expected at this point in Napier’s tenure. Albeit versus Samford, freshman QB DJ Lagway was spectacular — throwing for 456 yards and 3 TDs in the Gators’ 45-7 win this past weekend. With Graham Mertz coming back soon, A&M will have to prepare for both QBs to play.
Indiana at UCLA (Indiana -3)
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The cluster of James Madison transfers has given Curt Cignetti and the Indiana football program some real juice. So much so that the Hoosiers are a slight favorite on the road versus UCLA. Indiana is well-coached, and the continuity from Cignetti’s previous stop certainly has helped Indiana get off to a good start. However, going on the road across the country isn’t always easy. This is UCLA’s home opener. Despite looking rough versus Hawaii, that game also did have its unique challenges (namely heat and travel). UCLA has a more talented roster than Indiana, and as such the Bruins should be able to come out and perform much better compared to a week ago.
West Virginia at Pitt (WVU -2)
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The Backyard Brawl is always a fun game to take in. These two programs hate each other nearly as much as their respective fan bases do. West Virginia was thoroughly dominated by Penn State in the season opener. Pitt is currently 2-0 with wins over Kent State and Cincinnati. With this game being played at home, the Panthers likely should’ve been listed as a slight favorite. There could be some motivation at play here with the Mountaineers being favored by a couple of points.
Washington State at Washington (UW -4.5)
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We have another rivalry game here with the famed Apple Cup. These former Pac-12 foes often play each other tough. This game is being played in Seattle at Lumen Field (home of the Seahawks) — though fans figure to flood the area from up on the Palouse. Washington is completely rebuilding after the cupboard was left very barren in the wake of DeBoer leaving. Wazzu might not have as much collective talent. However, the Cougars do have an edge in continuity and veteran leadership. In a rivalry game, truly anything can happen.
