College Football Picks & Predictions: Week 3 (Saturday)
Week 2 of the 2026 college football season featured some incredible performances. Texas running back Hollywood Smothers scored two rushing touchdowns in the fourth quarter of a 24-23 victory over Ohio State. Miami quarterback Darian Mensah fueled his Heisman Trophy hype with 273 total yards and three touchdowns in a 77-7 blowout win over Florida A&M. The focus now shifts to a Week 3 slate packed with intriguing storylines and ranked teams in action. Here's a look at three of my favorite college football picks for Saturday's contests.
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Saturday’s Best College Football Picks (Week 3)
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
No. 7 LSU Tigers vs. No. 8 Ole Miss Rebels
Lane Kiffin will return to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Saturday night for the first time since he left Ole Miss to be the head coach at LSU last November. Adding to the excitement is that this is a matchup between top-10 squads aiming to make a statement in SEC play. Quarterbacks Trinidad Chambliss (+1300) and Sam Leavitt (+2500) also boast top-10 odds to win the Heisman Trophy on DraftKings Sportsbook. They’ve both put up over 500 passing yards and at least six touchdowns through two games.
There’s no denying the offensive greatness in this clash. LSU has racked up 96 points during two victories, logging a stellar 57.6% third-down conversion rate and averaging 14.6 yards per completion. Meanwhile, Ole Miss has tallied 82 points in two wins, posting a perfect 100% red-zone scoring rate and averaging 6.6 yards per play. Surrounding the quarterbacks are reliable weapons like Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy (30 carries, 148 yards) and LSU tight end Trey’Dez Green (10 catches, 162 yards).
As a result, expect this contest to be decided on the defensive side of the ball. LSU has dominated in that capacity, allowing the fewest yards per play (2.5) and fewest opponent first downs per game (8.0) in the country. Ole Miss hasn’t found the same success, ranking outside of the top 50 defenses in both categories. I trust the Tigers to force punts and field goals throughout the evening much more than I do the Rebels. Overall, LSU has covered the spread in six of its past 10 head-to-head meetings with Ole Miss.
Pick: Tigers -3 (-110)
No. 16 SMU Mustangs vs. No. 23 Louisville Cardinals
Miami is the cream of the crop in the Atlantic Coast Conference, but don’t overlook SMU and Louisville. The two ACC contenders will battle for a crucial victory on Saturday. The Mustangs have met expectations so far, sneaking by Florida State 27-24 and crushing UC Davis 56-10. On the other side, the Cardinals bounced back from a 41-38 loss to Ole Miss by thumping Villanova 59-13 in Week 2. There’s no doubt that the crowd inside L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium will be pumped up for a top-25 showdown.
Take note of the underrated quarterback play here. SMU’s Kevin Jennings has completed 40 of his 52 pass attempts for a whopping 767 yards and eight touchdowns (two interceptions). The fifth-year senior has big-game experience rarely found at the college level. Louisville’s Lincoln Kienholz has connected on 34 of his 50 pass attempts for 639 yards and four touchdowns, while recording 111 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. The Ohio State transfer is quickly making a name for himself in Kentucky.
Jennings and Kienholz have ushered their offenses to top-25 marks in yards per game and third-down conversions per game. Simply put, these two units keep the chains moving. Anticipate a high-scoring duel to break out, though avoid focusing on the game total (59.5). SMU has scored at least 25 points in 11 of their past 14 contests, dating back to the start of 2025. Louisville has matched that trend, scoring at least 25 points in 11 of their previous 14 contests. You can wager on that outcome at plus odds.
Pick: Both Teams Score 25+ Points (+110)
Florida Gators vs. Auburn Tigers
Florida made headlines in the offseason when it hired Jon Sumrall from Tulane as its head coach. The tough-nosed leader has guided the Gators to a 2-0 record, smashing Florida Atlantic 66-21 and Campbell 52-3. It’s a similar story for Auburn. The university hired Alex Golesh from South Florida as its head coach. The Tigers’ intense offensive mind has steered them to a 2-0 record, with wins over Baylor (17-16) and Southern Miss (43-8). Only one of these SEC programs will earn a 3-0 record after Saturday.
Two names to watch out for at Jordan-Hare Stadium are Florida running back Jadan Baugh and Auburn quarterback Byrum Brown. Baugh is one of the most intimidating ball-carriers in the nation, already totaling 296 rushing yards and five touchdowns. He averages more yards per rush attempt (10.6) than any other player with at least 20 carries. Brown is an explosive dual-threat quarterback who isn’t afraid to go for it all. However, his three-interception outing in Week 1 proves that may not always be a good thing.
This game could easily go down to the wire, so I’ll shy away from choosing a victor. Instead, I’ll target a lackluster Auburn offense. The Tigers rank 65th in points per play (0.361), 76th in yards per completion (11.4) and 113th in red-zone scoring rate (62.5%). It’s worth noting that Brown completed 12 of his 18 passes for just 134 yards (zero touchdowns) when he faced Sumrall’s Tulane defense in a 45-10 loss in 2024. Expect a few stalled possessions or turnovers to help Auburn’s team total under cash.
Pick: Tigers Team Total Under 26.5 Points (-120)