College Football Week 3, NFL Week 2 Highlight Packed Football Weekend

Football fans get a full weekend of major matchups as college football moves into Week 3 and the NFL reaches Week 2. The college schedule features three ranked-vs.-ranked games, while the NFL slate includes several early tests for teams with postseason expectations. College football’s headliner comes in Oxford, where No. 7 LSU meets No. 8 Ole Miss. The NFL follows Sunday with Cincinnati-Houston and Indianapolis-Kansas City among the games carrying early AFC implications.

College Football Week 3 Features Top-10 SEC Showdown

Kiffin Returns to Oxford

The most anticipated college game is LSU’s trip to Ole Miss. LSU coach Lane Kiffin returns to Oxford after going 55-19 in six seasons with the Rebels before leaving for LSU. Both teams enter 2-0, but LSU has an important injury concern: quarterback Sam Leavitt is listed as doubtful with a sore throwing shoulder. He has thrown for 574 yards through two games while adding five rushing touchdowns.

Texas Tech-Houston

No. 13 Texas Tech and No. 22 Houston provide another ranked matchup Friday night. Both are 2-0, with Houston’s rushing attack facing a Texas Tech defense ranked among the nation’s better units against the run.

Top College Football Games and Betting Odds

• No. 22 Houston at No. 13 Texas Tech: Friday, 8 p.m. ET, FOX. Texas Tech -7.5; total 52.5. Quarterbacks Connor Weigman and Will Hammond headline the matchup. Houston running back Makhi Hughes has three touchdowns through two games, while Texas Tech will look for Hammond to take another step after completing 20 of 26 passes against Oregon State.
• No. 16 SMU at No. 23 Louisville: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2. Louisville -1.5; total 59.5. One of the weekend’s tightest spreads makes this an important early ACC matchup.
• No. 7 LSU at No. 8 Ole Miss: Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, ABC. LSU -2.5; total 57.5. Leavitt’s availability is the major storyline for LSU, while Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss gets an opportunity to challenge the Tigers in a top-10 matchup.
• Michigan State at No. 3 Notre Dame: Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, NBC. Notre Dame -29.5; total 52.5. The Fighting Irish are heavily favored, putting more attention on whether Michigan State can keep the game competitive into the second half.

NFL Week 2 Brings Several Major Matchups

Chiefs Return to Primetime

Kansas City hosts Indianapolis on Sunday Night Football after opening its season with a 31-10 victory over Denver. Patrick Mahomes and Kenneth Walker III give the Chiefs a dangerous backfield combination, while Indianapolis will need Jonathan Taylor after he rushed for 98 yards and two touchdowns in a 41-23 Week 1 loss to Baltimore. Mahomes was a full participant in Wednesday’s practice despite being listed with a knee issue. Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson, meanwhile, did not practice because of a groin injury.

Top NFL Games and Betting Odds

Here’s a look at some ot the weekend’s best matchups with odds courtesy of sportsbooks like FanDuel and DraftKings.

• Cincinnati Bengals at Houston Texans: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET. Houston -2.5 to -3; total 46.5. Joe Burrow faces a Houston defense looking to rebound from allowing 36 points to Buffalo. C.J. Stroud is the key player for Houston as the Texans attempt to avoid an 0-2 start.
• Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET. Chicago -5.5; total 48.5. Chicago scored 59 points in its opener, while Minnesota put up 39 against Green Bay. Caleb Williams and Justin Jefferson give this NFC North matchup two of the league’s premier offensive players.
• Seattle Seahawks at Arizona Cardinals: Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET. Seattle -4.5; total 41.5. Seattle is looking to build on its opening win over New England, while Arizona enters after upsetting the Chargers.
• Indianapolis Colts at Kansas City Chiefs: Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC. Kansas City -6.5; total 46.5. Mahomes and Walker are the players to watch for Kansas City, while Taylor may be Indianapolis’ best avenue for controlling possession and keeping the Chiefs’ offense off the field.

Betting Markets Could Move Before Kickoff

Injuries Could Shift Weekend Lines

Injuries make several of these lines worth monitoring through the weekend. Leavitt’s status could affect LSU-Ole Miss, while Richardson’s groin injury creates uncertainty for Indianapolis. NFL lines are already showing some movement between sportsbooks, particularly in games such as Seattle-Arizona and Cincinnati-Houston. With ranked college matchups Friday and Saturday followed by a full NFL schedule Sunday, the weekend provides one of the first opportunities of the 2026 season to see which early contenders can turn strong starts into sustained momentum.