LSU coach Lane Kiffin’s return to Ole Miss in a battle between the No. 7 Tiger and No. 8 Rebels on ABC prime time is the highlight of college football’s Week 3.
The only other Week 3 Saturday game that involves two ranked teams comes when No. 18 SMU travels to No. 22 Louisville in a battle of teams looking to take early control of the ACC. Before that, No. 22 Houston and No. 13 Texas Tech have a Friday night showdown in Lubbock that will give early form to the Big 12 race.
Here is a look at Week 3 of the 2026 college football season.
College football schedule this weekend
FRIDAY, SEPT. 18
No. 22 Houston at No. 13 Texas Tech (-7 1/2), 6 p.m. MT/7
p.m. CT, FOX
SATURDAY SEPT. 19
UTEP at No. 19 Michigan (-34.5), 1:30 p.m. MT/2:30 p.m. CT, BTN
Florida State at No. 10 Alabama (-19.5), 1:30 p.m. MT/2:30 p.m. CT, ABC
UTSA at No. 1 Texas (-30), 6 p.m. MT/7 p.m. CT, SECN+
Kentucky at No. 9 Texas A&M (-17.5), 1:30 p.m. MT/2:30 p.m. CT, ESPN
No. 18 SMU at No. 22 Louisville (-1.5), 1:30 p.m. MT/2:30 p.m. CT, ESPN2
Michigan State at No. 3 Notre Dame (-29.5), 5:30 p.m. MT/6:30 p.m. CT, NBC
No. 7 LSU (-2.5) at No. 8 Ole Miss, 5:30 p.m. MT/6:30 p.m. CT, ABC
New Mexico at No. 24 Oklahoma (-21.5), 5:30 p.m. MT/6:30 p.m. CT, ACC
Where is College GameDay this week?
ESPN's College GameDay will be in Oxford, Miss., for the No. 7 LSU at No. 8 Ole Miss. Kickoff is at 5:30 p.m. MT/6:30 p.m. CT.
College football schedule: Top 2026 weekly games
- Week 1: No. 9 Ole Miss 41, No. 24 Louisville 38
- Week 2: No. 4 Texas 24, Ohio State 23
- Week 3: No. 22 Houston at No. 13 Texas Tech, Sept. 19; No. 7 LSU at No. 8 Ole Miss, Sept. 19
- Week 4: No. 6 Oregon at No. 14 USC, Sept. 26
- Week 5: Auburn at No. 18 Tennessee, Oct. 3
- Week 6: No. 4 Texas vs. No. 11 Oklahoma, Oct. 10
- Week 7: No. 1 Ohio State at No. 5 Indiana, Oct. 17
- Week 8: No. 10 Ole Miss at No. 4 Texas, Oct. 24
- Week 9: No. 1 Ohio State at No. 14 USC, Oct. 31
- Week 10: No. 6 Oregon at No. 1 Ohio State, Nov. 7
- Week 11: No. 4 Texas at No. 8 LSU, Nov. 14
- Week 12: No. 10 Texas A&M at No. 11 Oklahoma, Nov. 21
- Week 13: No. 4 Texas at No. 10 Texas A&M, Nov. 28
Odds to win college football national championship
From BetMGM.com
Ohio State +550; Texas +600; Georgia +700, Notre Dame +700; Oregon +700; Miami +800; Indiana +800; LSU +1000; Oregon +2000; Alabama +2500; Texas A&M +2800; Texas Tech +2800; Ole Miss +2800
Bret Bloomquist can be reached at bbloomquist@elpasotimes.com; @Bretbloomquist on X.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: College football games this week: Week 3 schedule, times, odds for games
