One more nonconference test awaits next week against Florida, but if what we saw Saturday is any indication, Miami is going to head Into October after acing a challenging opening month of its schedule. The Hurricanes crushed Cinderella story South Florida 49-12, using depth and physicality to pull away late.
At long last, it appears fourth-year ‘Canes coach Mario Cristobal has everything he needs to not only take Miami to the College Football Playoff but potentially do some damage there as well. Florida has the talent to cause trouble in their Week 4 showdown, but the Gators are reeling after quarterback DJ Lagway was intercepted five times in a loss at LSU on Saturday night.
If Miami handles business against Florida, it will head into an Oct. 4 clash with Florida State at 4-0. The Seminoles would likely be 4-0 as well, making the matchup a potential top 10 rivalry clash.
It wasn’t all roses and daises for college football’s top national contenders in Week 3, though. Texas struggled through a particularly dreary showing, as Longhorns fans booed Arch Manning. The prized quarterback threw 10 straight incompletions at one point during an ugly win over UTEP that revealed more of Texas’ flaws.
Let’s now hand out some grades for Week 3 as we evaluate every team that started or ended the day with national championship odds of +2000 or better.
2025 national championship odds listed below courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook. Teams below listed in order of their AP Top 25 ranking.
Grade: C+
Result: 37-9 win win vs. Ohio
Title odds: +600
Ohio State’s red zone struggles, a pair of Julian Sayin interceptions and one notable defensive breakdown kept Ohio State from covering a 31.5-point spread. The Buckeyes’ performance was flawed, but it still came with dominant undertones. The receiver tandem of Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate combined for 254 yards as the Buckeyes piled up nearly 600 total yards.
Grade: C
Result: 52-6 win vs. Villanova
Title odds: +650
Penn State could have benefitted from playing someone with a pulse before it hosts Oregon in two weeks following a bye. Instead, the Nittany Lions sleepwalked through an uninspiring three-game opening salvo against overmatched competition instead. The final score against Villanova was impressive, but the offensive execution was often lacking again.
LSU
Grade: B
Result: 20-10 win vs. Florida
Title odds: +1100
LSU’s defense is carrying more weight than expected. The Tigers picked off Florida quarterback DJ Lagway five times in a masterclass showing, as they shut out the Gators in the second half just two weeks after shutting out Clemson in the second half. The Tigers continue to be disappointing offensively but have gotten away with it because of their defense.
Oregon
Grade: C+
Result: 34-14 win vs. Northwestern
Title odds: +650
After obliterating its first two overmatched opponents, Oregon looked a tad lethargic in a win at Northwestern that began at 9 a.m. PT. The sleepiness was understandable given the time of day and level of competition. A rivalry game against Oregon State next week, followed by a massive showdown at Penn State, will tell us more about this team.
Miami
Grade: A
Result: 49-12 win vs. South Florida
Title odds: +1800
Miami looked at South Florida’s Cinderella start, chuckled and said, “that’s cute.” Then, the Hurricanes laid a whooping to their in-state brethren, amassing nearly 600 yards as part of a physically dominant effort. Carson Beck was intercepted twice but otherwise teamed with a strong running game to produce an explosive performance.
Grade: B
Result: 44-41 (OT) win at Tennessee
Title odds: +650
Georgia’s defense showed some concerning flaws in an action-packed 44-41 overtime victory at Tennessee. The Bulldogs will need to iron those out before a visit from Alabama’s high-powered offense in two weeks. But quarterback Gunner Stockton proved he is the real deal in his first road start, as UGA’s offense answered the bell in huge moments.
Texas
Grade: F
Result: 27-10 win vs. UTEP
Title odds: +750
It’s officially time to hit the panic button on Arch Manning and the Texas offense. The Longhorns looked sluggish and out of sorts as a 41.5-point favorite during an uninspiring win over an FBS bottom-dweller. Manning finished 11-of-25 passing for 114 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He isn’t the only problem, but Manning sure doesn’t look like part of the solution.
Grade: C
Result: 41-40 loss vs. Texas A&M
Title odds: +3300
This was supposed to be one of college football’s top defenses — maybe even the very best. But the Fighting Irish were too flimsy to hold serve at home. Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed was never sacked, and Notre Dame produced just two tackles for loss. That’s frustrating for anyone, but especially for a program led by a great defensive mind like Marcus Freeman.
Alabama
Grade: A-
Result: 38-14 win vs. Wisconsin
Title odds: +1500
Alabama’s passing attack looked like a well-oiled machine as quarterback Ty Simpson and receiver Ryan Williams shined during an easy win for the Crimson Tide. Wisconsin didn’t score an offensive touchdown until garbage time as the Alabama defense racked up four sacks and two turnovers. A lack of proficiency in the running game was the only real problem here.
Read the full article here
