Week 3 of the college football season is in the books, and the return of ranked matchups did not disappoint. Louisville and Lamar Jackson took down Florida State to start the day, but there was plenty more action for your viewing pleasure with more than 50 FBS games on Week 3's Saturday slate. In other action: Ohio State tipped Oklahoma; North Dakota State dropped Iowa; Michigan State took down Notre Dame; and Alabama held serve against Ole Miss.
Scoreboard | College football video
Follow all of the action below with our updates from the day:
Saturday Sept. 17
Ohio at No. 15 Tennessee, Noon, SEC Network
Iowa State at TCU, Noon, FS1
Akron at Marshall, Noon, CBS Sports Network
New Mexico at Rutgers, Noon, ESPN News
Middle Tennessee at Bowling Green, Noon, ESPN3
South Carolina State at No. 5 Clemson, Noon, ACC Network
Preview: Despite two early season wins, Clemson’s offense still has not kicked in to high gear. The fifth-ranked Tigers will try again to get their offense going when they host in-state FCS foe South Carolina State. The Bulldogs are playing their third FBS opponent in three weeks, having already lost to both UCF and Louisiana Tech.
Players to watch
South Carolina State linebacker Darius Leonard leads the team with 24 tackles, and has one forced fumble this season.
Clemson linebacker Kendall Joseph has recorded 21 tackles, including a team-high five for loss, one sack and one interception.
Key stats
The Bulldogs have been outscored 91-24 this season.
The Tigers defeated South Carolina State 73-7 in 2014, and 52-13 in 2013.
The Tigers have averaged 407 yards per game this season, ranking 69th among FBS teams.
Clemson ranks 92nd in scoring offense this season (24.5 per game).
Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson, who completed 67.8 percent of his passes last season, has completed just 52.9 percent through two games this season.
The Bulldogs are averaging only 3.4 yards per carry this season, while Clemson is averaging 3.6.
South Carolina State has allowed 391.5 passing yards per game and seven passing touchdowns.
Injuries
Clemson linebacker Ben Boulware is likely out with an ankle injury.
Tigers cornerback Adrian Baker is doubtful with a knee injury.
Clemson wide receiver Hunter Renfrow is out with a broken bone in his hand and is expected to miss several weeks.
No. 2 Florida State at No. 10 Louisville, Noon, ABC
Preview: No. 10 Louisville has piled up offense through its first two games of the season. Now the Cardinals face their stiffest test in Florida State. The Seminoles have risen to No. 2 in the rankings following opening week wins over Ole Miss and Charleston Southern.
Players to watch
Florida State defensive end DeMarcus Walker leads the FBS with 4.5 sacks through two games.
Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson became the first FBS quarterback to throw for over 400 yards and rush for 175 in last Saturday’s game against Syracuse. He also threw a touchdown pass and rushed for four more.
Key stats
This will be the first matchup between Top-10 teams at Papa John’s Stadium since 2006.
The Cardinals are leading the FBS in total offense, averaging 754 yards per game.
Louisville is leading the FBS in scoring offense, averaging 66 points per contest.
Florida State freshman quarterback Deondre Francois has completed 69 percent of his passes and thrown five touchdowns against only one interception this season.
The Seminoles are 12-2 all-time against Louisville, with the only losses coming in 1952 and 2002.
Dating back to last season, Florida State running back Dalvin Cook has failed to reach the 100-yard mark in three straight games.
Louisville’s top three receivers (Jamari Staples, James Quick and Jaylen Smith) are all averaging at least 24.3 yards per reception.
Injuries
Seminoles safety Derwin James is out indefinitely with cartilage damage in his knee, an injury sustained last week against Ole Miss.
Kansas at Memphis, Noon, ESPNU
North Dakota State at No. 13 Iowa, Noon, ESPN2
Georgia State at No. 9 Wisconsin, Noon, Big Ten Network
Preview: Wisconsin is looking to start a season at 3-0 for the first time since 2011 after posting wins over LSU and Akron. Georgia State looks to tighten up defensively after giving up an average of 40 points and 493 yards during its 0-2 start.
Players to watch
Wisconsin senior running back Corey Clement is leading the way with team highs of 197 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns. He is averaging 4.7 yards per carry.
Georgia State junior quarterback Conner Manning enters with a quarterback rating of 104.7, completing 29-of-56 passes for 298 yards and two touchdowns.
Key Stats
Georgia State is averaging 17.5 points per game, and has scored and given up 7 points off turnovers.
The Panthers have managed only 104 rushing yards in its two games while giving up 789.
Senior safety Bryan Williams and senior linebacker Alonzo McGee are leading the Georgia State defense with 18 tackles apiece.
Wisconsin is playing its third consecutive home game before playing four games against nationally-ranked opponents – Michigan State, Michigan, Ohio State and Iowa.
The Badgers did not have a letdown after upsetting LSU as they cruised to a 54-10 win over Akron.
Wisconsin senior quarterback Bart Houston has completed 34-of-53 passes for 436 yards and two touchdowns.
No. 25 Miami (Fla.) at Appalachian State, Noon, ESPN
Vanderbilt at Georgia Tech, 12:30 p.m., ACC Network
Virginia at Connecticut, 1:30 p.m., ESPN3
North Carolina A&T at Tulsa, 2 p.m., ESPN3
Idaho at Washington State, 2 p.m., Pac-12 Network
Eastern Kentucky at Ball State, 3 p.m., ESPN3
UNLV at Central Michigan, 3 p.m., ESPN3
Fresno State at Toledo, 3 p.m., ESPN3
San Diego State at Northern Illinois, 3:30 p.m., CBS Sports Network
Colorado at No. 4 Michigan, 3:30 p.m., Big Ten Network
Preview: No. 4 Michigan has faced little resistance with wins over Hawaii and UCF by a combined 97 points. With a Big Ten opener against Penn State looming and a season-long battle with Ohio State assured, Jim Harbaugh’s Wolverines first need to focus on a visiting Colorado squad sporting a 2-0 record and a ferocious defense.
Players to watch
Buffaloes quarterback Sefo Liufau owns 78 school records and is eight touchdowns passes shy of the program record (60). This season the senior has completed 74.5 percent of his passes for 522 yards and has four total touchdowns.
After passing for 73 yards and a touchdown in limited action last season, Wolverines quarterback Wilton Speight has burst onto the scene in 2016. The junior threw three touchdowns on just 13 attempts against Hawaii and torched UCF for 312 yards and four touchdowns.
Key Stats
Michigan is 3-1 all-time against Colorado and 49-26-1 against current Pac-12 foes.
Colorado leads the nation in total defense (160.5 yards per game) and ranks sixth in scoring defense (7.0 points).
The Buffaloes have totaled 500 yards of offense in two straight games for the first time since 2002.
Colorado has dropped 22 straight games against ranked opponents.
The Wolverines have scored 50 points in consecutive games for the first time since 1992 and their 114 points through two games is their most since 1914.
Michigan’s offense has not committed a penalty and its only turnover came on an interception on the first snap of the season. The Wolverine’s defense has yielded just one red zone opportunity and has two fumble recoveries, matching their total for last season.
Michigan wide receiver Amara Darboh has caught a touchdown in five of the last seven games, including his first-ever multi-touchdown effort against UCF.
No. 22 Oregon at Nebraska, 3:30 p.m., ABC
No. 1 Alabama at No. 19 Mississippi, 3:30 p.m., CBS
Preview: Alabama has dominated Ole Miss historically, but lost this matchup each of the last two years. The Crimson Tide come in ranked No. 1 in the nation, while an uneven start for Ole Miss has dropped them to No. 19.
Players to watch
Alabama wide receiver ArDarius Stewart is averaging 22.6 yards on nine receptions, and has scored three touchdowns.
Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly has completed 62.1 percent of his passes this season while throwing for 532 yards and seven touchdowns.
Key stats
Ole Miss is 1-10 in school history against the No. 1-ranked team in the country, with the only win coming in 2014 against Alabama.
Crimson Tide freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts has thrown for 405 yards and rushed for 51, while totaling six touchdowns (four passing, two rushing).
Alabama is 47-11-2 all-time against Ole Miss.
The Rebels are looking to become the first team to beat Alabama three years in a row in the Nick Saban era.
The Rebels have scored touchdowns on all 10 of their red-zone opportunities this season.
Alabama’s 16.0 points allowed through two games are the eighth-fewest in the FBS, while their 87 total rushing yards allowed ranks fourth.
Injuries
Ole Miss wide receiver D.K. Metcalf is out for the season with a foot injury.
Rebels tight end Taz Zettergren is questionable with an undisclosed injury.
Florida International at Massachusetts, 3:30 p.m., ESPN3
Monmouth at Kent State, 3:30 p.m., ESPN3
Western Kentucky at Miami (Ohio), 3:30 p.m., ESPN3
James Madison at North Carolina, 3:30 p.m., ACC Network
Pittsburgh at Oklahoma State, 3:30 p.m., ESPN
South Florida at Syracuse, 3:30 p.m., ACC Network
Boston College at Virginia Tech, 3:30 p.m., ESPNU
Western Michigan at Illinois, 4 p.m., ESPN News
New Mexico State at Kentucky, 4 p.m., SEC Network
East Carolina at South Carolina, 4 p.m., SEC Network
Idaho State at Oregon State, 5 p.m., Pac-12 Network
Old Dominion at NC State, 6 p.m., ACC Network
Louisiana Monroe at Georgia Southern, 6 p.m., ESPN3
Delaware at Wake Forest, 7 p.m., ACC Network
Maryland at UCF, 7 p.m., CBS Sports Network
Navy at Tulane, 7 p.m., ESPN3
Liberty at SMU, 7 p.m., ESPN3
South Alabama at Louisiana Lafayette, 7 p.m., ESPN3
Mississippi State at No. 20 LSU, 7 p.m., ESPN2
No. 17 Texas A&M at Auburn, 7 p.m., ESPN
Texas State at No. 24 Arkansas, 7:30 p.m., SEC Network
North Texas at No. 23 Florida, 7:30 p.m., ESPNU
No. 12 Michigan State at No. 18 Notre Dame, 7:30 p.m., NBC
Preview: After a two-year hiatus, No. 12 Michigan State and No. 18 Notre Dame renew their storied rivalry in South Bend. The Fighting Irish rebounded from their double-overtime loss in the season opener with a 39-10 rout of Nevada last week, while Michigan State is one of only eight FBS teams that was idle last weekend.
Players to watch
Tyler O’Conner completed 13-of-18 passes for 190 yards and three touchdowns in Michigan State’s opener on Sept. 2.
Notre Dame quarterback DeShone Kizer has thrown seven touchdown passes through two games while completing 71.4 percent of his passes for 341 yards.
Key stats
Notre Dame has won three consecutive meetings, and leads the all-time series 48-28-1.
Of the last 14 games between the two teams, 10 have been decided by 7 points or fewer.
Only USC (36 wins) has defeated Notre Dame more times than Michigan State.
Michigan State has won nine of its last 12 games against ranked teams.
Kizer’s passing efficiency rating of 195.9 ranks fifth in the FBS.
Under current head coach Brian Kelly, Notre Dame has 10 wins when both teams enter the game ranked in the top-25.
Injuries
Notre Dame cornerback Nick Watkins is out with an arm injury.
Fighting Irish defensive back Shaun Crawford is out for the season with a torn Achilles
Notre Dame receiver Torii Hunter Jr. is questionable due to a concussion.
No. 16 Georgia at Missouri, 7:30 p.m., NBC
No. 3 Ohio State at No. 14 Oklahoma, 7:30 p.m., FOX
Preview: No. 14 Oklahoma’s recovery from its season-opening loss to No. 13 Houston began with a 42-point dismantling of Louisiana-Monroe last Saturday. Now the Sooners have a chance for redemption as they welcome No. 3 Ohio State. The Buckeyes are 27-1 since Sept. 6, 2014 and appear hungry after being dethroned as NCAA champion last season.
Players to watch
Buckeyes quarterback J.T. Barrett has amassed 498 yards through the air and eight total touchdowns, including a pair of rushing scores against Tulsa last week. The junior looks to bounce back after Tulsa snapped his school-record streak of 12 straight games with 300 yards of total offense.
Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield, who finished fourth in Heisman voting last year, is bolstering his resume early by completing 38-of-53 attempts for 567 yards and five touchdowns. The junior has passed for 300 yards and/or multiple touchdowns in 15 of the last 16 games.
Key Stats
Ohio State is 1-1 all-time against Oklahoma and 18-5-1 against Big 12 foes.
The Buckeyes have won a school-record and nation-leading 18 straight true road games.
Ohio State’s defense has not allowed a touchdown this season and has scored three of its own.
Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer is 33-13 against top-25 foes, including 12-3 with Ohio State.
Ohio State has scored at least 42 points in four straight games, including last year’s 44- and 42-point outputs against Notre Dame and Michigan.
Oklahoma is 41-2 at home under coach Bob Stoops against nonconference opponents.
The Sooners have won seven straight home games since the start of 2015 and are averaging 48.7 points and 602.3 yards per game during that span.
Oklahoma wide receiver Mark Andrews has caught just five passes, but they have gone for 154 yards and three touchdowns.
Duke at Northwestern, 8 p.m., Big Ten Network
USC at No. 7 Stanford, 8 p.m., ABC
Preview: The two teams that wrapped up Pac-12 play last season in the conference’s title game open the 2016 schedule as the Trojans visit No. 7 Stanford. The Cardinal are well rested, having not played since an opening-weekend victory over Kansas State, while USC knocked off Utah State last Saturday.
Players to watch
USC receiver Juju Smith-Schuster has two touchdown catches among his eight receptions this season, with 65 receiving yards through two games.
Cardinal Heisman hopeful Christian McCaffrey compiled 166 yards of total offense and two rushing touchdowns against Kansas State.
Key stats
Stanford has won six of the last eight meetings, including defeating USC twice last season.
USC has lost only five times in Palo Alto since 1972.
The Trojans have rushed for only one touchdown through two games, and are averaging 3.3 yards per attempt.
The Trojans rank 114th in the FBS through two games with an average of 308 total yards.
USC return man Adoree’ Jackson is averaging 28 yards per kickoff return and returned his only punt 77 yards for a touchdown.
The Cardinal are 47-6 at home since 2008.
Injuries
USC cornerback John Plattenburg is questionable due to a concussion.
Trojans defensive tackle Khaliel Rodgers is questionable with a hamstring injury.
Stanford running back Bryce Love is questionable with an ankle injury.
Portland State at No. 8 Washington, 8 p.m., Pac-12 Network
Preview: Upon earning its highest national ranking since 2001, No. 8 Washington looks to keep rolling when it hosts FCS foe Portland State. The Huskies have dismantled their two opponents this season and racked up 862 yards in two games against Rutgers and Idaho. The Vikings allowed almost 70 points in its latest game against San Jose State and enter the game 1-1.
Players to watch
Portland State’s Paris Penn has gained 164 rushing yards on just 19 attempts (8.6 average).
Washington quarterback Jake Browning has completed 74.5 percent of his passes (41-for-55) for 581 yards and eight touchdowns in just two games.
Key Stats
Washington has surrendered just three sacks in 59 total drop backs this season.
The Vikings allowed 642 yards of total offense and eight touchdowns in a 66-35 loss to San Jose State.
The Huskies have gained 236 more yards of total offense than their opponents, yet have run 42 fewer plays.
Anthony McNichols leads the Vikings in tackles (18), tackles for loss (2.0) and sacks (2.0).
John Ross leads a balanced Huskies receiver group with 12 catches for 157 yards and four touchdowns.
Portland State has already been flagged 17 times for 166 yards.
Washington has outscored its first two opponents 69-3 in the first half.
The Huskies have scored touchdowns through the air, on the ground, on a punt return, on a kick return and on an interception.
Buffalo at Nevada, 9 p.m., CAMP
UCLA at BYU, 10:15 p.m., ESPN2
Utah at San Jose State, 10:30 p.m., CBS Sports Network
No. 11 Texas at California, 10:30 p.m., ESPN
Hawaii at Arizona, 10:45 p.m., Pac-12 Network
