Week 3 College Football: Bold Predictions and Surprise Picks

College football's Week 3 is shaping up to be an exciting mix of upsets and dominant performances. Last week, underdog teams from smaller conferences pulled off some big wins, but this week, favorites might have a better chance.

Player Spotlights

Darian Mensah, Duke QB

Performance: Second-best passer in the country
Prediction: Over 400 yards and three touchdowns
Game: Duke vs. Tulane
Outcome: Road win for Duke

Cam Cook, Jacksonville State RB

Recent Stats: 270 yards on 46 carries
Game: Jacksonville State vs. Georgia Southern
Prediction: Over 200 yards and two touchdowns
Outcome: Road win for Jacksonville State

Bryant Wesco, Clemson WR

Situation: Filling in for injured top receiver Antonio Williams
Game: Clemson vs. Georgia Tech
Prediction: Eight catches for over 180 yards and two touchdowns

Big Games

Pittsburgh vs. West Virginia

Favorite: Pittsburgh
Key Player: QB Eli Holstein
Prediction: 10-point victory for Pittsburgh

No. 6 Georgia vs. No. 15 Tennessee

Favorite: Georgia
Series Dominance: Georgia has won eight straight
Key Player: RB Nate Frazier
Prediction: Over 100 yards and two touchdowns; Georgia wins by a touchdown

No. 18 South Florida vs. No. 5 Miami

Favorite: Miami
Key Player: QB Carson Beck
Prediction: Miami wins by 14 points

No. 16 Texas A&M vs. No. 8 Notre Dame

Favorite: Notre Dame
Key Factor: Notre Dame's running game
Prediction: Notre Dame wins by eight points

Florida vs. No. 3 LSU

Favorite: LSU
Key Player: QB Garrett Nussmeier
Prediction: LSU wins by four points

Upset Alert

Minnesota at Cal

Favorite: Cal
Key Players: Minnesota RBs Darius Taylor and Grant Washington
Prediction: Taylor rushes for over 100 yards and scores a touchdown; Cal secures a late stop to win

Reader Predictions

Ian: Four of five underdog teams will pull off upsets
Adam B.: Ohio will beat West Virginia
Josh V.: Kentucky will limit Ole Miss's passing yards
Brian M.: Jokes about Nick Saban's rental home policy

Last Week's Hits and Misses

Hits

Illinois picked off Darian Mensah and covered the spread
Iowa State beat Iowa again
Missouri covered the spread against Kansas
Oklahoma covered the spread at home

Misses

Florida's QB DJ Lagway didn't have the predicted game; Florida lost to South Florida
Arizona State almost pulled off a win against Mississippi State but came up short

Week 3 promises more excitement, with underdogs looking to pull off upsets and favorites aiming to dominate.