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Week 3 of the college football season is here, and that means another Saturday of non-stop action.
Like most weekends in the fall, there is no shortage of games to choose from. But even though it is still early in the season, we already have a sense of which teams are in the playoff hunt and which games are the most important.
This week we have three top-25 matchups, three other top-25 teams playing on the road, and a sneaky important game for Notre Dame.
Here are the can't-miss college football games to watch this weekend.
Why it is important: Prior to the season there were some concerns that the OU defense would not be good enough this year, and that the Sooners were ripe to be picked off in the Big 12. But outside of a shaky start against UCLA, it is clear that Oklahoma is the class of the Big 12 and a big-time playoff contender. At the same time, this seems like a good spot for OU to trip up if they are not careful — Iowa State is playing their home opener after being shut down by an Iowa team that is probably better than most realize.
Why it is important: Notre Dame's win over Ball State was not as close as the score might suggest, but the 8-point win was still closer than it should have been. Meanwhile, Vandy has defeated their first two foes by a combined score of 76-17. The Irish have bigger names on the schedule, but they can't afford another ho-hum performance against a lesser team.
Why it is important: This could be an elimination game in the SEC West. Both teams still have to play Georgia and Alabama, so neither can afford a loss here.
Why it is important: Neither of these teams is a legit threat in the playoff picture yet. But the winner of this game will start to get noticed. If OSU wins, they have a decent shot to get to 9-0 before they have to play Oklahoma, West Virginia, and TCU the final three weeks. If Boise State wins, they will take a leg up on UCF as the GoF1 (top playoff candidate in the Group of 5).
Why it is important: Ole Miss would probably be the second-best team in the SEC West, but they are flying under the radar right now because they play in the same division as Alabama, LSU, Auburn, Mississippi State, and Texas A&M. Bama should win easily, but the game will likely be a fun shootout as Ole Miss is going to score points.
Why it is important: This series has a chance to turn into a sneaky-good rivalry. The season is not lost yet for either team, but it will be for whoever loses here.
Now check out the rest of the playoff power ranking
