College football picks for Week 3 top games today

Making our final picks for the biggest games on the Week 3 college football schedule today.

Locking in our picks for college football's top Week 3 games today / Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

College football’s Week 3 schedule of games gets underway today with several marquee matchups that will have a direct influence on how early conference standings will look, and could play a role in sorting out the eventual playoff picture. Now let’s lock in our final picks for the biggest games.

There’s one matchup with ranked teams on the same field, a notable SEC vs. ACC game that finds a resurgent Boston College on the road against playoff hopeful Missouri in a test to see if the Eagles really do belong among the ranked, or if they’re an early season fluke.

In the SEC, we’ll see an undefeated South Carolina playing host to LSU, which is already at one loss and unable to afford another, with a strong defense going up against a potent Tigers offense.

And for the first time in more than a decade, Alabama will venture north of the Mason-Dixon Line to square off against Big Ten challenger Wisconsin in an SEC vs. Big Ten tilt that serves as Kalen DeBoer’s first test away from home in the days leading up to the Crimson Tide’s clash against Georgia.

Looking ahead to an active slate of Week 3 games, let’s lock in our final straight-up picks for the most important matchups across the country.

College football Week 3 picks today

Percentage predictions are courtesy of College Football Power Index

Texas A&M at Florida

Texas A&M: 59.2%
Florida: 40.8%

College Football HQ picks ... Florida. This one could go either way, especially with the Aggies’ relative strength on the defensive line, but the Gators could have more skill threats to throw at the secondary, plus home field advantage.

• Florida vs. Texas A&M prediction
• Gators vs. Aggies score picks by expert model

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Tulane at Oklahoma

Oklahoma: 77.8%
Tulane: 22.2%

College Football HQ picks ... Oklahoma. There’s some concern around the Sooners’ ability to protect their offense, combined with some injuries on that side of the ball, especially after a close call against Houston, and Tulane can test this defense with a battery of skill talent.

• Oklahoma vs. Tulane prediction
• Sooners vs. Green Wave score prediction by expert model

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Oregon at Oregon State

Oregon: 68.5%
Oregon State: 31.5%

College Football HQ picks ... Oregon. The Beavers are the nation’s fifth-best rushing offense and have home field against a Ducks squad that has won its games by a combined 13 points and with questions on both lines of scrimmage, but Oregon’s talent should win out.

• Civil War Game prediction by expert model

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Georgia at Kentucky

Georgia: 92.4%
Kentucky: 7.6%

College Football HQ picks ... Georgia. Kentucky has dropped the last 14 meetings against the Bulldogs by an average of 19 points and Brock Vandagriff was just 3 of 10 passing last week, not a good sign going against Georgia’s lethal pass rush and overpowering offensive speed.

• Georgia vs. Kentucky score prediction by expert model
• Bulldogs vs. Wildcats prediction

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Notre Dame at Purdue

Notre Dame: 73.6%
Purdue: 26.5%

College Football HQ picks ... Notre Dame. Big pressure on the Irish coming out of the loss to Northern Illinois, but this secondary should eventually get the better of Purdue quarterback Hudson Card, but he can keep it close, especially as the Boilers test Notre Dame’s protection.

• Notre Dame vs. Purdue prediction
• Purdue vs. Notre Dame score prediction by expert model

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Boston College at Missouri

Missouri: 76.5%
Boston College: 23.5%

College Football HQ picks ... Missouri. BC can run the ball with authority, has a solid dual threat quarterback, and can defend against the run, but Mizzou is more balanced and has the pieces to test the deeper field in a way the Eagles don’t right now.

• Missouri vs. BC prediction
• Boston College vs. Mizzou score picks by expert model

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Alabama at Wisconsin

Alabama: 92.2%
Wisconsin: 7.8%

College Football HQ picks ... Alabama. Don’t let a trip into Big Ten Country fool you: SEC speed still kills, and the Crimson Tide have it all over the field, even if the Badgers could find some angles against a Bama offensive line that has struggled early on.

• Alabama vs. Wisconsin prediction
• Crimson Tide vs. Badgers score picks by expert model

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LSU at South Carolina

LSU: 50.6%
South Carolina: 49.4%

College Football HQ picks ... LSU. While the Gamecocks have the bodies to rush the passer, the quality of LSU’s blockers should keep Garrett Nussmeier clean in the pocket, even without the benefit of a consistent rushing attack.

• LSU vs. South Carolina prediction
• Tigers vs. Gamecocks score picks by expert model

More ... College football Week 3 picks against the spread

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