Okay. Week 2 was okay. It was a bit of a let down after Week 1, but it was okay. To make amends, Week 3 is going to be great. We are all so happy that college football is back.
All game times in Eastern Daylight Time.
Last Week: 7-3 (.700)
2016 Season: 14-6 (.700)
DK’s 2016 Week 3 CFB Game Picks
Florida State @ Louisville (Saturday, September 17th, 12:00 p.m., ABC)
If you chose this game to be the first matchup between Top 10 teams this season, you could have won some cash. Louisville gets College GameDay this week, with one of the three biggest games in the ACC this season. Out-of-nowhere Heisman Trophy candidate QB Lamar Jackson will try to get the win over pre-season Heisman candidate Dalvin Cook. Louisville is really good and is at home, but the Seminoles are better. Florida State will eke out a win.
Pick: Florida State 31, Louisville 27
Temple @ Penn State (Saturday, September 17th, 12:00 p.m., BTN)
Temple is not the conference title contender that it was a season ago, but Matt Rhule’s Owls are capable of being a pest in this intrastate rivalry game. Penn State showed moxie last week before falling to Pitt. The Nittany Lions will honor Joe Paterno this week, so Happy Valley figures to be packed and emotional. The home team will win.
Pick: Penn State 38, Temple 24
North Dakota State @ Iowa (Saturday, September 17th, 12:00 p.m., ESPN2)
Iowa is ranked in the Top 20, and returns QB C.J. Beathard in 2016. The Bison, however, are famous for taking a team’s bag money and then beating them on their own field. Be careful, here, Hawkeyes. The B1G home team will come to play, and will use its superior size up front to grind out a win.
Pick: Iowa 24, North Dakota State 21
Oregon @ Nebraska (Saturday, September 17th, 3:30 p.m., ESPN)
Coaches Mark Helferich and Mike Riley know each other very well as former in-state Pac-12 rivals. This season, both teams are unbeaten, but Oregon’s defense has been shaky at times, particularly in its opener against FCS UC Davis. Stopping the run will be key for the Quack Attack, and QB Tommy Armstrong Jr. and company will make that hard. Nebraska will get it done in Lincoln.
Pick: Nebraska 35, Oregon 30
Alabama @ Mississippi (Saturday, September 17th, 3:30 p.m., ABC)
The top-ranked Crimson Tide have had a difficult time with the Rebels in recent years, even falling to them last season at home, en route to a national championship. QB Chad Kelly and his team will put up a fight, but will not have the firepower to handle QB Jalen Hurts and RB Damien Harris.
Pick: Alabama 37, Mississippi 23
Western Michigan @ Illinois (Saturday, September 17th, 4:00 p.m., ESPN3)
This is the “sneaky good game of the week”, pitting the Broncos against Lovie Smith’s Illini. The home team has been much better this season than last, playing with poise and passion, despite losing in Week 2 at home. Western Michigan (and new scholarship LB Kasey Carson) is a slight favorite in this game, but Illinois will pull the home upset, before heading into B1G play.
Pick: Illinois 35, Western Michigan 31
Mississippi State @ LSU (Saturday, September 17th, 7:00 p.m., ESPN2)
Which LSU team will show up? Danny Elfling should claim signal-calling duties for LSU, and the offense will look more like the unit that was effective in the second half against Jacksonville State. The Bayou Bengals will get the night win at home.
Pick: LSU 40, Mississippi State 23
Texas A&M @ Auburn (Saturday, September 17th, 7:00 p.m., ESPN)
QB Trevor Knight has settled in as the starter for Kevin Sumlin’s Aggies, and they roll onto the plains undefeated. Auburn gave Clemson a fight in the season opener, and the line has the Tigers favored at home. This game will go a long way toward determining which team contends for the SEC West title. DL Myles Garrett will give Auburn’s OL fits. The Aggies will prevail.
Pick: Texas A&M 27, Auburn 21
Michigan State @ Notre Dame (Saturday, September 17th, 7:30 p.m., NBC)
The Domers recovered from their Week 1 upset in Austin by pasting Nevada at home in Week 2. Michigan State was sluggish in a Week 1 win over FCS Furman, but had an early bye to iron out some early season problems. The loser of this game will struggle to contend for the season-ending College Football Playoff, so it is a big game for each team. Expect DeShone Kizer to be the main QB, and to lead the Fighting Irish to a huge win at home.
Pick: Notre Dame 33, Michigan State 28
USC @ Stanford (Saturday, September 17th, 8:00 p.m., ABC)
Clay Helton leads the Trojans into Stanford Stadium to take on the 7th ranked Cardinal. This series has been chippy since Jim Harbaugh took over on The Farm in 2007, but Stanford has traditionally played better against Southern Cal as an underdog during this stretch. QB Ryan Burns played very well for Stanford in Week 1, but this game will turn on the productivity of last season’s Heisman runner-up, RB Christian McCaffery. The Cardinal will win another thriller in this series at home, but USC will make them earn it.
Pick: Stanford 40, USC 35
