Week Three of the college football season offers a bevy of fascinating matchups with inter- and intra-conference games. Much of the slate this week is must-watch fodder for college football fans looking to parse who is rising to the top of headlines throughout the rest of the 2025 season.
Saturday’s ranked matchups begin with a conference game, as No. 6 Georgia travels to Knoxville for a date with the Volunteers in Tennessee. Both teams are starting a new quarterback in 2025, with the Bulldogs giving the keys to home-grown signal caller Gunner Stockton and Tennessee going with transfer Joey Aguilar. Georgia is a narrow 3.5-point favorite in the contest.
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One of the Cinderella stories of the 2025 season so far has been the South Florida Bulls. USF knocked off Boise State in convincing fashion for their first win of the season. They followed that up with the story of a week ago by going to Gainesville and beating Florida on their home turf. That earned them their ranking as the No. 18 team in the country. It’s been an impressive run for the Bulls, but it’s not over yet. They go to Miami to take on the No. 5-ranked Hurricanes this weekend. They are once again three-score underdogs to an uber-talented Miami team. But, we’ve seen in recent years that the ‘Canes are susceptible to an upset.
The nightcap for the ranked matchups is a massive non-conference game, with one-loss No. 8 Notre Dame playing host to No. 16 Texas A&M. The Aggies haven’t had much of a test to date, with a bit of a soft schedule out of the gate. Notre Dame, playing with a new quarterback in C.J. Carr, already dropped their first game of the year to Miami. Carr certainly looked like a quarterback in his first game for the Irish. The Aggies have a revamped defense and wide receiver corps they’ve been working in over the first couple of weeks.
There are several matchups across the landscape to keep our eyes on this weekend with plenty of action between Power 4 teams. Let us know who you’re watching in week three of the season in the comments below.
Arkansas QB Taylen Green vs. Ole Miss LB Suntarine Perkins
One of the best traits-based quarterbacks in the country plays his ball for the Razorbacks. Height, weight, speed, and arm talent are all part of Green’s repertoire that meshes well, and it could cause an upset in Oxford this weekend. Green is off to a hot start and looking to make his mark on the 2026 quarterback class.
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One of the more athletic and versatile defensive players in the country is Perkins for the Rebels. He’s a former five-star who will project off the ball in the NFL with plenty of ability to blitz and disrupt the passer. He had 10.5 sacks in 2024. He’s been quiet through two games, but this is a major showcase opportunity as two of the best players on their respective teams will be involved in a chess match throughout.
Texas A&M WR KC Concepcion vs. Notre Dame CB Christian Gray
Concepcion is a newbie to the Aggies as a transfer from NC State, but he looks right at home with his new squad. He’s already housed a punt return, and three of his nine receptions have gone for scores. He’s looked dangerous in this new offense where he’s surrounded by other weapons. He’s just a true junior, but he’s performing like a player who is a potential draft riser early in September. He‘ll have his work cut out for him on Saturday.
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Christian Gray is Notre Dame’s top cover corner in 2025. It was an up-and-down performance against Miami a couple of weeks ago in their first action of the season. He had two pass breakups in that game. Notre Dame will need him to come up big for the defense again, as the Irish pass rush looks to be down from years past.
Florida DT Caleb Banks looking to wreak havoc, pull upset
Florida’s best defensive player is Caleb Banks. Banks has missed the first two games of the season due to injury, but he’s slated to return to the fold on Saturday. The LSU offensive line is dealing with an injury at center, with Braelin Moore reportedly dealing with an ankle injury. That’s something to keep an eye on, as well as the return of Banks, since a 6’6” 335-pound mammoth in the middle never hurts to have in the fold. Banks is one of the best defensive tackles in the country.
Game of the Week
No. 6 Georgia @ No. 15 Tennessee
Saturday, 3:30 p.m. EDT
ABC
SEC conference play is officially back, and we have a game that is well within a touchdown on the Vegas line with a great resume win at stake for both teams. Each squad has walked through its first two opponents on the schedule.
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As previously mentioned, both teams introduced new signal-callers to their lineups to start the year. Both teams also have plenty of changes in personnel on both sides of the football. This game may come down to, ultimately, how each of the new quarterbacks plays this weekend.
On paper, the Bulldogs have one of the best overall pass-catching units in the nation, with strengths at both tight end and receiver. Lawson Luckie is one of the best tight ends in college football. Having a prospect like Oscar Delp as the number two at that position is a rarity. The Bulldogs made a point in the transfer portal to target a receiver, with the additions of Noah Thomas from Texas A&M and Zachariah Branch from USC. Both Branch and Thomas could not be more different players from a size (Thomas 6’5”; Branch 5’10”) and play-style standpoint. Dillon Bell and Colbie Young are talented returning players for the Bulldogs. Branch has been an exciting watch early. Tennessee may have its hands full on the back end. Monroe Freeling and Earnest Greene III are Georgia’s draft-eligible starting tackles looking to make a jump for their draft stock in 2025.
Tennessee is down their best player in cornerback Jermond McCoy, who has yet to play in a game this season. McCoy is nursing an injury. He’s one of the best corners in the sport when he’s healthy. Joshua Josephs is the Vols’ best pass rusher, boasting length and athleticism despite a smaller frame. Josephs is a former blue-chip recruit off to a hot start with a pair of sacks so far this season. Arion Carter at the linebacker spot is another player to spotlight. He’s the leader in the middle for the Vols, offering production and athleticism that’s sure to catch the eyes of plenty of NFL scouts.
Some of Tennessee’s better players on offense are underclassmen. Miles Kitselman is a draft-eligible tight end for the Vols with pass-catching upside. Wendell Moe is a high-value transfer add from Arizona. He’ll be at a guard spot for Tennessee on Saturday.
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As always, Georgia has athletic freaks across every level of the defense. The ‘Dawgs are a bit young on that side. Elo Modozie is a pass rusher to watch from the edge, and Christen Miller is a veteran in the middle with quick twitch and is a plus run defender at 6’4” and 305 pounds. Linebacker CJ Allen is a football savant with plus athleticism. He is also a sound tackler. Allen could be the top linebacker in the 2026 NFL Draft class. The guy next to him, Raylen Wilson, may be even more athletic thanks to his size and speed combination. This linebacker corps is a fun watch—it’s the undisputed best linebacker unit in the country, and it might not be close. Draft-eligible defensive backs to know are cornerbacks Daylen Everette and Daniel Harris.
