5 Things to Watch in College Football Week 3

College football is back in full swing. There are always things to watch every week of the season. Here are 5 things to watch in college football week 3.  

1. Lane Kiffin’s Return to Ole Miss

Lane Kiffin brought Ole Miss to new heights as their head coach. Last season, Kiffin left Ole Miss for the LSU job before the Rebels played in the CFP. This week, he returns with LSU to Oxford to play Ole Miss. LSU looked dominant in week 1 against Clemson, but struggled with turnovers in week 2 against Louisiana Tech. The defense has played well and if the offense can limit turnovers, LSU could go into Ole Miss and get a big win.

Ole Miss recovered from Kiffin leaving quickly last season, as they made the CFP semifinal. Retaining quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and running back Kewan Lacy was huge going into this season, although some of their teammates followed Kiffin to LSU. The Rebels won a shootout against Louisville, then had a win by a bigger margin against Charlotte. Offensively, they are playing well, but the defense has some question marks. The environment will be hostile and if the defense can improve, Ole Miss could hand their former coach a loss. 

2. Houston at Texas Tech

There is a ranked matchup in the Big 12 on Friday, as Houston travels to Texas Tech to take on the Red Raiders. The Cougars have defeated Oregon State and Southern in their first two games. Quarterback Conner Weigman has passed for 425 yards and four touchdowns. He has some good skill position players to work with in running back Makhi Hughes and wide receiver Amare Thomas. They have helped the Cougars average 55 points per game. The defense has allowed just 13 points per game. Houston has hopes of competing in the Big 12 and this win would catapult them up the standings early in the season.

Texas Tech was talked about a lot this offseason. Brendan Sorsby is not on the roster after plenty of conjecture, but now Thomas Castellanos and Will Hammond share the quarterback duties. They both have helped the Red Raiders defeat Abilene Christian and Oregon State by averaging 34 points per game. The defense has allowed 17 points per game and hasn’t played up to its potential yet. Texas Tech is the favorite to win the conference, but they will need to play better in this game to help them achieve their goals. 

3. SMU at Louisville

SMU travels to take on Louisville in a game that is a battle of teams looking to make the ACC Championship Game. The Mustangs hae defeated Florida State and UC Davis in their first two gams. Quarterback Kevin Jennings is experienced and has passed for 767 yards and eight touchdowns in the first two games. Getting more of a running game will be on the agenda for the Mustangs, while the defense has been decent. The Mustangs have some tough games in the ACC, so a win here could give them extra cushion by the end of the season. 

Louisville had Ole Miss on the ropes in week 1 and then had no issues getting past Villanova in week 2. Lincoln Kienholz leads the team in both passing yards, 639, and rushing yards, 111, while the offense has put up 48.5 points per game. Running back Isaac Brown will hope to get things going on the ground more, but the offense should open up for him. Defensively, they have given up 27 points per game, but they did play a good offense against Ole Miss. Louisville is looking to make the ACC Championship Game and a win here would be huge, as they don’t play a ranked team the rest of the season. 

4. New SEC Coaches Going at it

Florida and Auburn both hired new coaches this offseason and now play each other in week 3. Jon Sumrall took over for Florida after stints at Troy and Tulane. So far for the Gators, Sumrall is undefeated with the Gators scoring 59 points per game and allowing just 12 per contest. They have a star running back in Jadan Baugh, who has rushed for 296 yards and five touchdowns. Vernell Brown III has been electric with the ball in his hands and had three total touchdowns in week 2. They look improved over last season, but at Auburn is their first big game. 

Alex Golesh will coach his debut SEC game against Florida after going 2-0 in nonconference games to start the season. The offense has scored 30 points per game, but really struggled at times in week 1 against Baylor. Auburn’s defense has played relatively well, giving up 12 points per game. For Auburn to reach their potential, quarterback Byrum Brown will need to be a true threat with his legs and efficient with his arm. A win for either team will give their program momentum this season when they are both looking for growth. 

5. Bill Belichick vs. Dabo Swinney

In a game of some of the most accomplished football coaches out there, Bill Belichick’s UNC Tar Heels go to Clemson to take on Dabo Swinney’s squad. After a rough first season and some off-field issues this offseason, UNC has started off 2-0, with a win over TCU really turning around perception. The defense has really stepped up, as they have allowed just 6.5 points per game this season. They still have a long way to go for a true turnaround, but a win in this game could really help. 

After getting blown out by LSU, there have been plenty of talking points about Swinney’s future in the sport. They rebounded and defeated Charleston Southern in week 2, but they still haven’t really played to their potential. Tait Reynolds replaced the injured Christopher Vizzina at quarterback and helped give the offense some momentum, so maybe that will help Dabo get things on track. Whoever wins this game may get a little more comfort about their situations moving forward. 

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