AP College Football Poll 2015: Latest Rankings, Projections for Key Week 3 Games
Don't get used to where the best in college football stand in the newly released Week 3 Top 25 polls, because another whirlwind week of big games is on tap to shake things up again.
With many of the early-season tuneup contests out of the way, things are getting really good in the top conferences with epic showdowns planned for Saturday. Many elite schools are facing their first true conference tests of the season, and getting through with the "W" won't be an easy task.
Without beating around the bush any longer, let's glance at the Top 25 as well as this weekend's schedule.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Week 3 College Football Top 25
| 1 | Ohio State Buckeyes | Ohio State Buckeyes | Ohio State Buckeyes |
| 2 | Alabama Crimson Tide | Alabama Crimson Tide | Alabama Crimson Tide |
| 3 | TCU Horned Frogs | TCU Horned Frogs | Michigan State Spartans |
| 4 | Michigan State Spartans | Michigan State Spartans | TCU Horned Frogs |
| 5 | Baylor Bears | Baylor Bears | Baylor Bears |
| 6 | USC Trojans | Florida State Seminoles | USC Trojans |
| 7 | Georgia Bulldogs | USC Trojans | Clemson Tigers |
| 8 | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | Georgia Bulldogs | Notre Dame Fighting Irish |
| 9 | Florida State Seminoles | Clemson Tigers | UCLA Bruins |
| 10 | UCLA Bruins | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | Georgia Bulldogs |
| 11 | Clemson Tigers | Ole Miss Rebels | Ole Miss Rebels |
| 12 | Oregon Ducks | UCLA Bruins | Oregon Ducks |
| 13 | LSU Tigers | Oregon Ducks | Florida State Seminoles |
| 14 | Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets | LSU Tigers | Texas A&M Aggies |
| 15 | Ole Miss Rebels | Auburn Tigers | Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets |
| 16 | Oklahoma Sooners | Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets | LSU Tigers |
| 17 | Texas A&M Aggies | Oklahoma Sooners | Oklahoma Sooners |
| 18 | Auburn Tigers | Texas A&M Aggies | Auburn Tigers |
| 19 | BYU Cougars | Arizona Wildcats | Arizona Wildcats |
| 20 | Arizona Wildcats | Missouri Tigers | Utah Utes |
| 21 | Utah Utes | Utah Utes | Wisconsin Badgers |
| 22 | Missouri Tigers | BYU Cougars | BYU Cougars |
| 23 | Northwestern Wildcats | Wisconsin Badgers | Missouri Tigers |
| 24 | Wisconsin Badgers | Northwestern Wildcats | West Virginia Mountaineers |
| 25 | Oklahoma State Cowboys | Oklahoma State Cowboys | Northwestern Wildcats |
Rankings courtesy of Amway coaches', Associated Press and Bleacher Report
Week 3 Schedule and Predictions
| - | Thu., Sept. 17 | - | - |
| 7:30 p.m. | No. 11 Clemson at Louisville (Even) | ESPN | Clemson |
| - | Fri., Sept. 18 | - | - |
| 8 p.m. | No. 9 Florida State (-10.5) at Boston College | ESPN | FSU |
| - | Sat., Sept. 19 | - | - |
| 12 p.m. | Connecticut at No. 22 Missouri (-24) | ESPN | Missouri |
| 12 p.m. | Nevada at No. 17 Texas A&M (-25) | SEC Network | A&M |
| 12 p.m. | Tulsa at No. 16 Oklahoma (-33) | Fox Sports 1 | OU |
| 12 p.m. | Air Force at No. 4 Michigan State (-27.5) | ABC | MSU |
| 12:30 p.m. | No. 23 Northwestern at Duke (-2.5) | ESPN3 | Duke |
| 2 p.m. | Georgia State at No. 12 Oregon (-48.5) | P12N | Oregon |
| 3:30 p.m. | No. 18 Auburn at No. 13 LSU (-6.5) | CBS | LSU |
| 3:30 p.m. | Northern Illinois at No. 1 Ohio State (-31.5) | ABC/ESPN2 | Ohio St. |
| 3:30 p.m. | Troy at No. 24 Wisconsin (-35) | BTN | Wisc. |
| 3:30 p.m. | Texas San Antonio at No. 25 Oklahoma State (-24.5) | Fox Sports 1 | Ok St. |
| 3:30 p.m. | No. 14 Georgia Tech at No. 8 Notre Dame (-2) | NBC | Georgia Tech |
| 6 p.m. | South Carolina at No. 7 Georgia (-15.5) | ESPN | Georgia |
| 8 p.m. | SMU at No. 3 TCU (-38) | FSN | TCU |
| 8 p.m. | Stanford at No. 6 USC (-8) | ABC | USC |
| 9:15 p.m. | No. 15 Ole Miss at No. 2 Alabama (-8.5) | ESPN | Alabama |
| 10:30 p.m. | No. 19 BYU at No. 10 UCLA (-14.5) | Fox Sports 1 | UCLA |
| 10:30 p.m. | No. 21 Utah at Fresno State (N/A) | CBSSN | Utah |
| 11 p.m. | Northern Arizona at No. 20 Arizona (N/A) | P12N | Arizona |
No. 18 Auburn at No. 13 LSU
Sure, they escaped what would have undoubtedly been one of the biggest upsets in college football history. But the Auburn Tigers are still licking their wounds following an overtime test from Jacksonville State.
Simply put, Auburn had to pull together a few huge defensive stops while marching for a game-tying touchdown with seconds left just to get the FCS opponent into overtime. It took care of business once there, but immediately the worry shifted to who's next.
Saturday's environment couldn't possibly be more opposite from Auburn's home opener, as they'll travel to Death Valley to face the LSU Tigers. Fresh off their season-opening performance, a 21-19 win at Mississippi State, LSU has climbed to No. 13.
Meanwhile, Auburn was lucky to remain in the Top 25 as ESPN's Paul Finebaum noted:
The silver lining for Auburn is that, somehow, the team is still unbeaten at 2-0 and the memories of that near-loss will fly away should it upset LSU on the road. But being taken to the woodshed like that against an FCS opponent isn't something that just happens—it's a byproduct of a team not ready for the SEC's elite.
Expect Auburn's secondary to pose a much bigger fight than it did last week, but a shoddy run defense should get punished by Leonard Fournette and the LSU rushing attack. On the other end, Jeremy Johnson is struggling way too much to keep the Tigers in a brutal road contest late into the fourth quarter.
Prediction: LSU 27, Auburn 20
No. 11 Clemson at Louisville
The Thursday night spectacle—or spectacles, some weeks—doesn't always bring one of the best matchups of the weekend, but it's just more fun when it does. This time, it's Clemson facing an immense test on the road at ACC counterparts Louisville.
Two teams that were expected to be somewhat close in ACC contention have separated through two games. While Clemson has climbed to No. 11 after two emphatic wins in tuneup contests, the Cardinals are a lowly 0-2 after defeats to Auburn and Houston.
To avoid dropping to 0-3 for the first time in 31 years, Louisville welcomes a top-15 team into its house. They won't allow them out without a fight, as quarterback Kyle Bolin shared with Louisville Courier Journal's Steve Jones:
""Thursday night is going to be a big game,” Burgess said. “We’re looking for our first victory. We’re going to go very hard in practice. Coach is going to make sure of that. The leaders are going to make sure of that. We’re going to prepare ourselves the best we can and take the field with confidence.”
"
Already battle-tested and with the chance to turn the season around on the national stage, don't expect Bobby Petrino's squad to keel over as they make this one competitive. But it's just hard to envision their suddenly susceptible defense being able to stop Deshaun Watson.
Louisville doesn't have the defense it did a year ago, after losing a whopping seven of 11 starters from that unit. Six of those players are currently in the NFL, which speaks volumes to what the Cardinals are trying to replace there.
Pride will kick in to keep Louisville somewhat close on this one, but Clemson has too much firepower to keep from covering the spread.
Prediction: Clemson 30, Louisville 21
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
