1. Week 3 of the 2016 college football season is filled with intriguing matchups. After last week’s
lackluster schedule, this week is sure to bring some exciting play. Here’s a list of the best
matchups, with the players to watch in each game. All times are Eastern.
(13) Louisville hosts (3) Florida State at noon on ABC. The most exciting player in this game
has to be Louisville QB Lamar Jackson. The 19 year old scored EIGHT touchdowns in the first
half against Charlotte in Week 1, and three touchdowns within the first five minutes of their
game against Syracuse last week. It will be very interesting to see what he can do against a top
team like FSU.
(19) Ole Miss hosts (1) Alabama at 3:30 PM on CBS. After the Rebels’ devastating loss against
FSU in Week 1, they look to bounce back against the best team in the country, Alabama. Ole
Miss has upset Alabama in their last two meetings, but the Crimson Tide leads the overall series
48-11-2. The player to watch for this game is Alabama OLB Tim Williams. Ranked by Mel Kiper
Jr. in his Preseason 2017 Big Board as the number one overall prospect, he had 10.5 sacks last
year, but only played around 20 percent of the snaps. Scouts are looking to see how well he
transitions to a starting role and his skills against the run.
(18) Notre Dame hosts (12) Michigan State at 7:30 PM on NBC. The Fighting Irish started the
year off with a surprising 50-47 overtime loss to Texas in Week 1, but had an easy win against
Nevada at home. Michigan State is 1-0 with a 28-13 win over Furman in Week 1, so this will be
their first true test to prove if they are worthy of another spot in the College Football Playoff. The
player to watch for this game is Michigan State DT Malik McDowell. Todd McShay tweeted in
June that McDowell was “so far the best I’ve seen.” While McDowell wasn’t the top prospect in
McShay’s Preseason Top 32, he was pretty close with the number 3 ranking. Listed at 6-6, 276
with elite athleticism, he only has to produce on the field to secure his spot as a top 3 pick.
(14) Oklahoma hosts (4) Ohio State at 7:30 PM on Fox. Oklahoma was the preseason #3
ranked team, but Houston handed Bob Stoops another upset loss. On the other hand, Ohio
State is well on their way to another superb season after blowout wins against Bowling Green
and Tulsa. The player to watch for this game is Oklahoma RB Samaje Perine. Overshadowed
by Christian McCaffrey, Leonard Fournette and Dalvin Cook, Perine is another productive
season away from being a top running back in the country. With a 1,349 yard, 16 touchdown
sophomore season last year, he only needs to refine his receiving skills in order to become a
potential Heisman trophy winner. Look for him to break out on the national stage with a big
game against Ohio State.