College football Week 3 games include rivalry matchups to watch

If we've learned anything from watching college football over the years, it's that the game's ability to produce crazy results is constant. So while Week 3's schedule may seem at first glance to lack meaningful competition, the unexpected should always be — well, expected.

With that in mind, here are our picks for the weekend's best games by entertainment potential and national importance. As always, keep one eye on the scoreboard and one hand on the remote if a game not listed here suddenly becomes interesting (Northern Illinois, anyone?).

No. 15 Kansas State at No. 18 Arizona

Time/TV: Friday, 8 pm ET, Fox.

See why: The only top 25 matchup on the Week 3 slate kicks off the weekend early. In this state of rebuilding, these two sets of Wildcats are now Big 12 conference mates. This game, however, was scheduled before Arizona entered the league, so it will not count in the conference standings. It should be an entertaining affair though, with both teams capable of moving the ball in different ways. The primary mode of transportation for the visiting Wildcats from Tucson is by air from QB Noah Fifita to WR Tetairoa McMillan. The Wildcats, home to the 'Little Apple', have been most effective on the ground, mainly through RB DJ Giddens although QB Avery Johnson has also contributed.

Why it can be frustrating: It shouldn't. Neither defense is stingy enough to stop opposing offenses outright. It can be a disaster if a team starts committing turnovers.

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No. 4 Alabama at Wisconsin

Time/TV: Saturday, noon ET, Fox.

See why: The Crimson Tide hit the road for what figures to be their toughest non-conference challenge before embarking on their loaded SEC slate. The Badgers face a huge step up in the competition after a couple of nondescript outings for their part. Wisconsin wasn't flashy in the passing game, but QB Tyler Van Dyke kept the ball out of harm's way. Alabama QB Jalen Milroe also struggled with his deep balls in his last outing, but the Badgers also have to worry about his speed when he gets out of the pocket.

Why it can be frustrating: Quite simply, Wisconsin wasn't built for comebacks. If the Crimson Tide takes a multi-score advantage, they can ice it.

No. 6 Oregon at Oregon State

Time/TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, Fox.

See why: Think this one might have some hard feelings? Among the programs left without a seat in the latest round of conference musical chairs, the Beavers want nothing more than to derail the highly ranked Ducks' ambitions ahead of their first taste of Big Ten competition. The Oregon faithful are no doubt happy that the team is done with Idaho State, but this visit to Corvallis will be anything but a mere tune-up. The Ducks' offense has yet to take flight in 2024, needing a pair of special-teams scores to survive against Boise State. QB Dillon Gabriel has a stellar 84.3 completion percentage but has been sacked seven times with little ground support. Oregon State's running back duo Jam Griffin and Anthony Hankerson have combined for 475 rushing yards and six TDs through two games, potentially bad news for a Ducks defense that has shown weakness on the ground.

Why it can be frustrating: The Ducks haven't been able to put opponents away so far, so it looks like they'll be able to subdue the unlikely Beavers. It's possible that Oregon found its extra gear, but it made for another four-quarter fight.

Boston College at No. 8 Missouri

Time/TV: Saturday, 12:45 pm ET, SEC Network.

See why: Everyone was confused by this one, right? The Tigers have managed their high expectations without any drama so far, but this trip to the Eagles could turn out to be more of a challenge than expected. BC had an equally drama-free week with no hangover from a big win at Florida State and now has a chance to make an even bigger splash. The Mizzou offense has huge explosive potential thanks to the presence of WR Luther Burden III, but QB Brady Cook has yet to find the need to get open on the long ball. The Eagles enjoyed an advantage averaging more than nine minutes of possession, with agile QB Thomas Castellanos making extensive use of RBs Treshaun Ward and Kye Robichaux.

Why it can be frustrating: One thing we still don't know about the Eagles is whether they can handle comeback mode. The same can be said for the Tigers, so the early ebb and flow can be quite impressive.

No. 22 Washington vs. Washington State

Time/TV: Saturday, 3:30 pm ET, Peacocks.

See why: A state as far south as the rivalry, the Apple Cup's usual spot at the end of the season became another casualty of the Pac-12's split. This is technically a neutral-site contest in Seattle because it will be played at the Seahawks' Lumen Field and not at Husky Stadium, but it should be a hometown crowd for Washington. The Huskies were a bit slow last week against Eastern Michigan but showed solid offensive balance between QB Will Rogers and RB Jonah Coleman. The Cougars own an impressive Power Four win over Texas Tech and would love to grab another with the rivalry trophy. Their offense is usually led by QB John Matter, who has 719 yards of total offense with six TDs through the air and two more on the ground.

Why it can be frustrating: The Huskies' defense is one unit that may possess a decisive advantage. The first few drives will therefore be crucial for the Cougars. If they are able to move the ball, the contest will likely remain competitive.

Notre Dame at No. 19 Purdue

Time/TV: Saturday, 3:30 pm ET, CBS.

See why: Life as an independent in the 12-team era doesn't get any easier for the Fighting Irish, who now face the prospect of needing to run the table just to earn playoff consideration. None of that matters to Boilermakers, who will see it only as an opportunity to one-up its occasional Hoosier state rival with a national name brand. We still don't know much about Purdue as it was beaten in its only previous outing by Indiana State 49-0. But well-traveled QB Hudson Card was nearly flawless in that tune-up, and he and the rest of his arsenal, including TE Max Klare and RB Devin Mockobee, will be fresh off a week off. Notre Dame QB Riley Leonard is still looking for his first TD pass of the season. Having RB Jeremiah Love in his backfield has helped, but expect Purdue to crowd the line of scrimmage until Leonard shows he can effectively go over the top.

Why it can be frustrating: It's hard to know how the Boilermakers will line up at the line of scrimmage due to the lack of data. The Fighting Irish were uneven at best in the trenches, however, so a decisive barrage of points seemed unlikely.

No. 17 LSU at South Carolina

Time/TV: Saturday, noon ET, ABC.

See why: The SEC continues to simplify league play. The Gamecocks actually already have a conference win in the bank after throttling Kentucky last week. The Tigers got into the win column but had a tougher-than-expected time putting away FCS visitor Nicholls State. As such, they move into SEC territory with some issues still unresolved. The connection between QB Garrett Nussmeier and WR Kyren Lacy isn't a problem for LSU, and they'll provide an aerial threat for the Gamecocks defense that Kentucky didn't have a week ago. South Carolina's passing attack stuck in neutral, but RB Raheem Sanders found the end zone a few times.