College football Week 3 schedule: Sneaky good games of the week
College football continues in Week 3, and with the ACC playing a stacked slate, fans would be remiss not to tune into some of these under-the-radar games.
Major college football continues this weekend, with the rest of the ACC set to begin its season. Plenty of high-profile matchups are out there, including No. 18 Louisville against No. 17 Miami, but some of the more overlooked games on the weekend have the potential to be some of the most exciting. As Saturday quickly approaches, here are some of the best games that fans are not talking about.
Texas State at Louisiana-Monroe (+6)
Texas State has already given fans two exciting matchups this season, and this week should be no different as the Bobcats travel to face the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks. Still searching for its first win, Texas State should come into its third game hungry after a double-overtime loss to UTSA, and quarterback Tyler Vitt figures to have another big game after a breakout performance in Week 2.
The Warhawks, meanwhile, should not be in over their heads against the Bobcats after a rough outing against Army. Texas State has given fans a thrill the last two weeks, and Saturday evening should be no different as quarterback Colby Suits and Louisiana-Monroe try to rebound.
Boston College at Duke (-5.5)
The Duke Blue Devils are coming off of a rough loss to Notre Dame, but a home tilt with the Boston College Eagles should give them a chance to regain some confidence. This one will likely come down to two transfer quarterbacks, with Chase Brice and Phil Jurkovec dueling it out as they look to make good first impressions on their new fan bases.
Boston College’s offense has the potential to be explosive this year, with a rock-solid line augmented by Jurkovec, running back David Bailey, and wideouts Kobay White and Jaelen Gill. Duke may be the favorite, but do not be surprised if the Eagles take this one in head coach Jeff Hafley’s debut.
Houston at Baylor (-4)
Editors Note: The game has been canceled due to COVID concerns.
While Houston and Baylor both currently sit outside of the AP rankings, these are two proud programs that should play each other tough. Saturday’s game is the season opener for both teams, with each facing a massive adjustment as the new campaign gets underway.
The Bears must overcome the loss of head coach Matt Rhule, who left for the Carolina Panthers, while the Cougars no longer have star quarterback D’Eriq King, who transferred to Miami. With both teams undergoing serious transition, this game should give fans a good idea of how competitive each will be in their respective conferences, and should come down to the wire.
Navy at Tulane (-7)
Tulane won a thriller against South Alabama last Saturday, one of the games highlighted in last week’s column, and should be in good shape to come away with another victory this weekend. However, defending Navy’s triple-option offense is never an easy task, and while the Midshipmen were humbled by BYU a weak ago, the Green Wave present less of a challenge.
Tulane freshman running back Tyjae Spears figures to contribute in a big way once again after a tallying 105 yards on 11 carries last weekend, while Navy figures to run the ball with a cadre of different skill position players. Expect a run-heavy game that comes down to the fourth quarter.
Wake Forest at North Carolina State (-2.5)
Wake Forest dropped its first game 37-13 last Saturday against Clemson in a game which was nowhere near as close as the final score, but the Demon Deacons should face a fairer fight this weekend against North Carolina State.
The Wolfpack has not yet played this season, but figure to sit somewhere in the middle to the ACC standing much like the Demon Deacons. Saturday night should be a good barometer for both teams, and Taylor Morin remains a player to watch after recording nine catches for 93 yards and a touchdown against the Tigers. With Wake Forest also still deciding on Jamie Newman‘s successor at the quarterback position, this weekend should provide some clarity.
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