Week 3 of the college football season is here, and while this Saturday's slate isn't as juicy as the past two weeks, there are should still be plenty of solid football games. Since the Top 25 teams tend to get all the attention, we don't want you to forget about some of the high-quality games between unranked schools. For those who like to enjoy their Saturdays by getting in the action, we've given our betting leans for a good chunk of the televised slate.
Will Notre Dame put together a spirited effort with Drew Pyne as QB, and will Kansas continue to overperform relative to the betting markets by getting to 3-0 with a win over Houston?
Below, we'll break down this weekend's slate of games featuring teams ranked outside the AP Top-25.
MORE CFB BETTING PICKS: Top 25 ATS
All odds courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook
Friday, Sept. 16
Louisville vs. Florida State (7:30 p.m., ESPN)
Entering the season, we were pretty high on Scott Satterfield and the Cardinals as a whole, and while it's only two weeks into the season, they don't appear to be the same team we had thought. Florida State, however, has already made strides in Mike Norvell's third season. Jordan Travis and the Seminoles' offense should be able to have their way on the ground, opening up the Cardinals' defense to allow Travis to beat them through the air. Travis has been solid against the blitz (147.7 passer rating) and his ability to extend drives can lead FSU to a 3-0 start.
Pick: Florida State -2.5
Wyoming vs. Air Force (8:00 p.m., CBSSN)
Air Force is going to be in consideration as one of the top Group of Five teams in college football, but getting Wyoming over two touchdowns at home is enticing enough to lean towards the underdog. Andrew Peasley and the Cowboys' offense does just enough to stay within two TDs on Friday night.
Pick: Wyoming +15
Saturday, Sept. 17
Syracuse vs. Purdue (12 p.m., ESPN2)
Purdue heads up to the JMA Wireless Dome to face a 2-0 Syracuse bunch that's impressed to begin the season. Syracuse QB Garrett Shrader will have trouble continuing his efficient play from the past two weeks, and as a result, Aidan O'Connell and the Boilermakers' offense do enough to notch a road victory.
Pick: Purdue +1
Cincinnati vs. Miami Ohio (12 p.m., ESPNU)
Even in what is expected to be a "down year" for the Bearcats, Luke Fickell's bunch is still the favorite to win the American, and a 10-plus win season is not out of the equation. The Bearcats control Saturday's matchup against Miami Ohio from kick to finish, and Ben Bryant's big day results in a four-plus TD win for Cincinnati.
Pick: Cincinnati -22
Indiana vs. Western Kentucky (12 p.m., BTN)
Getting Indiana under a touchdown here is the side we're leaning towards. The Hoosiers had some trouble building a lead on Idaho last week, but Connor Bazelak's ability to make plays with his arm on crucial down and distances allows the Hoosiers to secure a comfortable home win over a stingy Western Kentucky bunch.
Pick: Indiana -6.5
UCLA vs. South Alabama (2 p.m., PAC12)
UCLA finishes their cupcake non-conference slate with a 3-0 record, but we still don't know much about the Bruin's season-long prospects. They'll certainly make it to a bowl game, but can they compete for a PAC-12 title? We'll see, but for right now they continue to take care of business, notching a three-plus TD win over USA.
Pick: UCLA -15.5
Virginia vs. Old Dominion (2 p.m., ACCN)
Tony Elliot's got the chance to make the Cavaliers a consistent competitor in the ACC, but year one's going to come with some growing pains, evident in Virginia's 24-3 road loss to a good, but still middle-of-the-pack Illinois' bunch. Old Dominion QB Hayden Wolff can match scores with Virginia's offense, resulting in the Monarchs staying within the spread.
Pick: Old Dominion +9.5
Notre Dame vs. California (2:30 p.m., NBC)
Marcus Freeman is still in search of his first win as head coach of the Fighting Irish, and while Notre Dame's offense has had its issues to begin the season, backup QB Drew Pyne surprises the nation with an efficient game as the new QB1. 11-points is a lot to ask Notre Dame to cover given their offensive struggles, but a couple of explosive plays can lead ND to a cover.
Pick: Notre Dame -11
Northern Illinois vs. Vanderbilt (3:30 p.m., CBSSN)
While Vanderbilt is still the weakest team in the SEC, it's a bit disrespectful to see them as road underdogs against Northern Illinois. Commodores QB Mike Wright puts together a bounce-back performance after being benched in the Commodores' Week 2 loss to Wake Forest. An early lead can force Rocky Lombardi and the Huskies' offense to maintain a more pass-heavy approach, which favors the Commodores' secondary.
Pick: Vanderbilt +2.5
Minnesota vs. Colorado (3:30 p.m., ESPN2)
Colorado's gotten blown out the first two weeks of the season, and as a result, they're now close to four-TD underdogs against Minnesota. The Buffaloes might only need 10 points to cover this number, and we're hoping they can sneak in the backdoor to stay within the current spread. Minnesota's got a real chance to win the Big Ten West, but ultimately the number might be a bit too high here.
Pick: Colorado +27.5
Wisconsin vs. New Mexico State (3:30 p.m., BTN)
Wisconsin looks to bounce back after a disappointing offensive showing in its 17-14 upset loss to Washington State. Thankfully for the Badgers, New Mexico State's inept offense might not even get into the end zone on Saturday. Badgers steamroll the Aggies.
Pick: Wisconsin -37
Houston vs. Kansas (4 p.m., ESPNU)
Lance Leipold has the Jayhawks playing respectable football to begin 2022, as the Jayhawks are averaging 55.5 points through their first two games. While the KU football program as a whole is trending upwards, going on the road and staying competitive with Houston is a tall task. Clayton Tune and the Cougars' offense churn out a double-digit home win over their future Big 12 conference foe.
Pick: Houston -9
Washington State vs. Colorado State (5 p.m., PAC12)
One could make the case Washington State might be in for a letdown performance after Saturday's 17-14 upset win over Wisconsin at Camp Randall, but we think Cam Ward lights up the Rams' defense en route to a 17-plus point victory.
Pick: Washington State -16.5
LSU vs. Mississippi State (5 p.m., CBSSN)
LSU put together a solid showing in their 65-17 blowout win over Southern, and while it's hard to forget about their Week 1 showing against Florida State, it's rare to see the Tigers pegged as home underdogs. LSU's secondary steps up against Will Rogers and the Bulldogs' passing game, resulting in the first big win of the Brian Kelly era.
Pick: LSU +2.5
Iowa vs. Nevada (7:30 p.m., BTN)
Everyone seems to agree this number is too high for Iowa to cover given the ineptitude of their offense to begin the season. While sometimes it can be beneficial to maintain a contrarian approach and trust a team's power rating, until Iowa's offense scores 20-plus points in a game, it's tough to make a case for them to cover a rather large spread. It's possible that Nevada might only need a field goal to stay within the number.
Pick: Nevada +23
Maryland vs. SMU (7:30 p.m., FS1)
This is one of the more under-the-radar games of Saturday's slate, as SMU travels east to face Maryland in College Park. Watching Taulia Tagovailoa versus Tanner Mordecai will hopefully lead to some offensive fireworks, but ultimately getting the Mustangs over a field goal is the side we're looking at on Saturday night.
Pick: SMU +3.5
FAU vs. UCF (7:30 p.m., CBSSN)
It's tough to trust the UCF offense to outscore FAU by double-digits in this one. If FAU's defense can limit John Rhys Plumlee and the Knights' offense on early downs forcing him into obvious passing situations, that bodes well for the Owls. Owls QB N'Kosi Perry outduels Plumlee as the Owls stay within the spread.
Pick: FAU +9
Arizona State vs. Eastern Michigan (11 p.m., PAC12)
Arizona State's going to be the team that meets expectations, and by that we mean they'll cover as favorites, but fail to stay competitive when underdogs. Back the Sun Devils to bounce back from last week's 34-17 loss to Oklahoma State with a better effort against Eastern Michigan.
