Week 3 doesn’t look very appetizing on the surface. There’s just one matchup between ranked teams on Saturday, so it’s a great weekend to channel surf.
It’s also possibly a great weekend for an upset no one sees coming. There’s always a week or two every year without a lot of standout games. And more often than not, a week that we all think will be straightforward turns out to produce a shocking result. Will that happen this weekend? We’re about to find out.
Here are the games we’re keeping a close eye on Saturday.
South Carolina is coming off a dominant 31-6 win over Kentucky last week. Can the Gamecocks keep the momentum going against an LSU team that still has things to work on? After getting picked apart by USC in Week 1, LSU struggled early in Week 2 against Nicholls before pitching a shutout over most of the second half.
What do the Badgers have for the Crimson Tide? Wisconsin is undefeated but has been far from impressive so far this season, with shaky wins over Western Michigan and South Dakota. Alabama is also coming of a surprisingly close win over South Florida. Both teams have something to prove on Saturday.
Saturday’s only game between ranked opponents features two programs on the rise. Boston College is riding high very early in the Bill O’Brien era, especially after a 28-13 win over Florida State in Week 1. Meanwhile, Missouri has yet to allow a point after a pair of shutout wins over Murray State and Buffalo.
This rivalry continues even though Oregon is now a member of the Big Ten and Oregon State and Washington State are in the Pac-12 wilderness (though they did get some encouraging news this week). Oregon has dropped from No. 3 at the start of the season to No. 9 thanks to two close wins. The Beavers will be hoping to knock down their hated rivals at home, especially after the Ducks bolted from the Pac-12.
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Touchdown Alabama
Jam Miller extends the Tide’s lead with a 34-yard touchdown sprint through the Wisconsin defense. That may do it for the Badgers with Tyler Van Dyke announced out for the game.
Interception leads to Mizzou TD!
BC QB Thomas Castellanos makes an errant throw and Missouri’s Tre’Vez Johnson takes advantage with a pick and 22-yard return. Then the Tigers capitalize on the turnover when Brady Cook hits Luther Burden, who makes a slick move and runs for the touchdown. It’s a tie ballgame after the 2-point conversion is good.
Touchdown LSU!
The Tigers get one right back as Garrett Nussmeier finds Kyren Lacy in the end zone on a short crossing route. Nussmeier was superb on that drive: 4-for-4, 73 yards and a TD. A bad snap leads to a botched extra point, so it’s 24-16.
South Carolina 24, LSU 10
While all that was going on, LaNorris Sellers had another gamebreaker for South Carolina, sprinting through the LSU defense for a 75-yard touchdown.
Touchdown BC!
The Eagles add onto their lead with a 67-yard touchdown connection from Thomas Castellanos to Reed Harris on what appeared to be a blown play. A botched snap brought the Mizzou defense up and Harris was wide-open once he caught the ball behind them. No. 6 Missouri is in trouble early!
Touchdown Alabama!
And just like that, the Crimson Tide score again! They took over at their own 27-yard line with just over 30 seconds left in the half. Two passes later, they’re up 21-3.
Badgers miss field goal
Wisconsin had a chance to cut into Alabama’s lead just before halftime, Nathaniel Vakos missed a 44-yard FG attempt by a wide margin. There’s just over 30 seconds left in the half as Alabama takes over.
LSU strip sack!
The Tigers will have the ball back in great position to score again after Sage Ryan sacked and stripped South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers of the ball.
Touchdown LSU!
The Tigers have some life! Caden Durham rumbles through the South Carolina defense to score LSU’s first points of the game.
Meanwhile, No. 24 BC has an early 7-3 lead on No. 6 Mizzou in Columbia. The only touchdown of the game so far was a 12-yard pass from Thomas Castellanos to Jerand Bradley.
South Carolina blocks punt, scores TD
LSU’s Peyton Todd has a punt blocked and South Carolina returns it to the 10-yard line. A play later, Raheim Sanders jukes into the end zone for a touchdown to extend the Gamecocks’ lead to 17-0.
Touchdown Alabama!
The Tide take advantage of the turnover and tack on another TD. This time it’s Jalen Milroe running it around the edge for an easy score to put Alabama up 14-3.
Fumble recovered by Bama!
Wisconsin’s Chez Mellusi tries to lower his shoulder on a defender and loses the ball! The Crimson Tide will have it back in great position on the edge of the red zone.
South Carolina 10, LSU 0
The Gamecocks pieced together another solid drive as that game goes into the second quarter, but the Tigers hold strong in the red zone and South Carolina settles for a field goal.
Touchdown Alabama!
Who else but Ryan Williams would get the Crimson Tide on the board? The 17-year-old freshman just sprinted right by his defender and caught a 31-yard touchdown pass from Jalen Milroe to put Alabama in front.
Michigan’s offensive woes are still prevalent early in its game against Arkansas State. The Red Wolves would get a field goal off this turnover.
Alabama’s LT Overton just delivered the hit of the day on Wisconsin backup QB Braedyn Locke. Locke’s fumble was recovered by the Badgers but they were later stuffed on a fourth-and-1 at the 40-yard line.
The Crimson Tide had been moving the ball on their first drive of the game before Wisconsin firmed up and held them to a 46-yard field goal attempt, which Graham Nicholson missed wide right. The Badgers still lead 3-0.
Interception LSU!
LaNorris Sellers makes the first big mistake of the game in trying to throw it deep to a receiver. LSU’s Zy Alexander makes the over-the-shoulder pick before crashing into the end zone hedges.
