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Week 3 of the 2023 college football season is upon us, following a Week 2 slate featuring many games that came down to the wire.

We rank the five best college football Week 3 games below, and wagering markets are available for each matchup once you activate our top-notch sports betting promo codes. Redeeming each scores new users up to $3,565 in bonus bets:

College football Week 3 games to watch: No. 11 Tennessee (-6.5) vs. Florida

It’s time to see how good Tennessee truly is. The Volunteers haven’t been overly impressive through two games but still claimed victories over Virginia and Austin Peay.

Florida isn’t the creme of the crop in the SEC East, losing to Utah in the season opener and beating McNeese in Week 2. But earning a win in Gainesville at night is never easy, and the Gator faithful will be lively when No. 11 Tennessee comes to town.

Joe Milton has been good through two weeks but doesn’t appear capable of matching what Hendon Hooker provided for the Volunteers in 2022. On the year, Milton has completed 66% of his throws for 429 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions. He’s also rushed for 40 yards and three scores.

Fans will notice many similarities between Milton, 6-foot-5 and 235 pounds, and former Gators QB Anthony Richardson, 6-foot-4 and 232 pounds. Both are physically gifted with unbelievably strong arms but sometimes struggle with accuracy.

Best Week 3 college football matchups: No. 14 LSU (-9.5) vs. Mississippi State

Mississippi State is slept on in the SEC West, which has no clear-cut favorite to win the division. The Bulldogs trounced SE Louisiana 48-7 in Week 1 and beat a sneaky good Arizona team in overtime last week.

Will Rogers, starting in his fourth season in Starkville, provides a veteran presence under center for the Bulldogs. The Mississippi native has completed 71% of his passes for 389 yards, five touchdowns, and no picks.

After an embarrassing 45-24 loss to Florida State, LSU must be perfect the rest of the way for a shot at making the College Football Playoff. The Tigers rebounded in Week 2, beating Grambling 72-10, but navigating a tough SEC schedule will prove difficult for Brian Kelly’s team.

Week 3 college football top games: Minnesota vs. North Carolina (-7.5)

North Carolina started 2023 with a bang, defeating South Carolina 31-17. Things got sticky for the Tar Heels in Week 2 in a 40-34 double-overtime win vs. Appalachian State.

Heisman-hopeful Drake Maye has been great through the air, passing for 477 yards and two touchdowns, but turnovers have been an issue, as the 21-year-old already has two interceptions on the year.

This Week 2 matchup pits teams that deploy vastly different offensive game plans. Carolina likes to air it out, while Minnesota is more comfortable rushing the ball.

The Golden Gophers handed it off 56 times in its 25-6 Week 2 win vs. Eastern Michigan. Athan Kaliakmanis attempted only 15 passes for 117 yards and an interception.

Best games of college football Week 3: No. 15 Kansas State (-4) vs. Missouri

Kansas State has raced out of the gates in 2023, clobbering Southeast Missouri State 45-0 and beating Troy 42-13. The Wildcats have a formidable duo in Will Howard, who has 547 passing yards and five touchdowns, and D.J. Giddens, with 180 rushing yards.

But K-State will be tested on the road this week vs. Missouri, whom the Wildcats crushed 40-12 last year in Manhattan.

The Tigers will lean heavily on Cody Schrader, whose 222 rushing yards are the third-most in the SEC. Missouri’s defense has yet to force a turnover this season but will need turnover luck if it hopes to take down the Wildcats on Saturday afternoon.

Most watchable NCAA Football Week 3 matchups: Western Kentucky vs. No. 6 Ohio State (-29)

The oddsmakers predict a blowout in Western Kentucky vs. Ohio State, but this will be more tightly contested than anticipated.

The Buckeyes are 2-0, claiming victory over Indiana and Youngstown State, but haven’t wowed considering the quality of each opponent. There have been some clear growing pains with Kyle McCord, who looked good vs. Youngstown State but will need to take another step this week vs. the Hilltoppers.

Western Kentucky has a high-flying offense that averaged 46 points per game in 2022, the 15th-most in the nation. Austin Reed led the charge with 4,744 passing yards and 40 touchdowns, and he’s had a terrific start to the Hilltoppers’ 2023 campaign.

Reed’s six touchdowns are tied for ninth in FBS, and another strong performance will make this a close game in Columbus on Saturday afternoon.

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