College Football Picks Week 3: Top 25 Odds, Box Score Predictions, Rankings, Schedule

The Week 3 college football schedule leaves a lot to be desired in terms of high-profile games.

Saturday's slate has a single Top 25 clash and that is only in place because the Boston College Eagles leaped into the rankings with the help of a surprise road win over the Florida State Seminoles.

Boston College is not expected to compete with the sixth-ranked Missouri Tigers, but some strange results have happened over the first few weeks of the season.

Friday's marquee clash between the Arizona Wildcats and Kansas State Wildcats is the most important Week 3 game with regard to the College Football Playoff conversation.

The winner will at least begin to define the hierarchy in a crowded Big 12.

Week 3 Top-25 Schedule and Odds

Peter G. Aiken/Getty Images

MANHATTAN, KS - AUGUST 31: Wide receiver Andre Davis #13 of the Kansas State Wildcats runs up field after catching a pass against cornerback Celeycan Hill #23 of the Tennessee Martin Skyhawks, in the second half at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium on August 31, 2024 in Manhattan, Kansas. (Photo by Peter G. Aiken/Getty Images)

Friday, September 13

No. 20 Arizona at No. 14 Kansas State (-7) (8 p.m. ET, Fox)

Saturday, September 14

No. 4 Alabama (-15.5) at Wisconsin (Noon ET, Fox)

No. 13 Oklahoma State (-20.5) at Tulsa (Noon ET, ESPN2)

No. 16 LSU (-7) at South Carolina (Noon ET, ABC)

Arkansas State at No. 17 Michigan (-24) (Noon ET, BTN)

No. 24 Boston College at No. 6 Missouri (-16.5) (12:45 p.m. ET, SEC Network)

No. 9 Oregon (-14) at Oregon State (3:30 p.m. ET, Fox)

Ball State at No. 10 Miami (-36.5) (3:30 p.m. ET, ACC Network)

Tulane at No. 15 Oklahoma (-13.5) (3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)

No. 18 Notre Dame (-12) at Purdue (3:30 p.m. ET, NBC)

No. 12 Utah (-21.5) at Utah State (4:30 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network)

No. 5 Ole Miss (-23) at Wake Forest (6:30 p.m. ET, CW Network)

UTSA at No. 2 Texas (-34) (7 p.m. ET, ESPN)

No. 1 Georgia (-24) at Kentucky (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC)

Northern Iowa at No. 23 Nebraska (7:30 p.m. ET, BTN)

Kent State at No. 7 Tennessee (-48) (7:45 p.m. ET, SEC Network)

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

No. 20 Arizona at No. 14 Kansas State (-7)

Chris Coduto/Getty Images

TUCSON, ARIZONA - AUGUST 31: Wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan #4 of the Arizona Wildcats scores a touchdown during the first quarter against the New Mexico Lobos at Arizona Stadium on August 31, 2024 in Tucson, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)

The Arizona-Kansas State clash is the first of many Big 12 showdowns that will flip around our thoughts on the conference.

Kansas State comes into Friday as the third-best Big 12 team in the AP Top 25, but it is only directly behind the Utah Utes and Oklahoma State Cowboys.

K-State is coming off a road test against the Tulane Green Wave in which it needed a second-half comeback to avoid an upset.

Avery Johnson is one of the most dynamic quarterbacks you haven't heard of yet, and his dual-threat ability will be on display against Arizona.

His playmaking skills should be the X-factor for the host Wildcats, but Arizona has a star in its own right in wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan.

McMillan already has 315 receiving yards and four touchdowns this season. K-State must slow him down to prevent a home defeat.

K-State's home-field advantage could also be a defining factor in the matchup. The Wildcats have a two Big 12 losses at home in the last two seasons.

Chris Klieman's team eclipsed the 40-point mark in every home win last season and scored 35 in its only home defeat to the Iowa State Cyclones.

An offensive explosion could help K-State welcome Arizona to life in the Big 12 with a loss and establish itself as the top player in the league in the process.

No. 24 Boston College at No. 6 Missouri (-16.5)

Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

COLUMBIA, MO - SEPTEMBER 07: Missouri Tigers quarterback Brady Cook (12) celebrates a 31-yard touchdown run in the second quarter of a college football game between the Buffalo Bulls and Missouri Tigers on September 7, 2024 at Memorial Stadium in Columbia, MO. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Boston College is not expected to replicate its upset formula from the Florida State game against Missouri.

The Eagles are a similar level of underdog on the point spread, but the Tigers are in much better shape than FSU.

Mizzou outscored its first two opponents 89-0, and it has a potential top-10 NFL draft pick at wide receiver in Luther Burden III.

Burden and Theo Wease Jr. have built a years-long connection with quarterback Brady Cook and that could lead to the Tigers' passing stretching their ACC foe.

Boston College's path to winning involves extended drives led by quarterback Thomas Castellanos, but that may be difficult hard to achieve against the Missouri defense.

BC's defense only allowed 13 points in two games, but it has not faced a passing attack of Mizzou's stature yet.

The Tigers have a chance to make a statement in a Top-25 game to then set the tone for their SEC slate, which begins in Week 4 at home against an improved Vanderbilt team.

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