Somehow, we are already at the quarter mark of the 2025 college football season. November — when the first College Football Playoff rankings will be released — is still a ways off, but playoff discussion is always relevant.
That’s especially true when looking at a slate of games like Week 3. After a chaotic second week of the year that saw quite a few ranked teams fall to unranked opponents — and see their playoff outlooks take a hit in the process — Week 3 features three ranked showdowns.
Outside of that, top 15 teams like Clemson face tough road tests to open conference play. It’s the type of weekend that could cause seismic shifts in the AP Top 25 poll.
Here’s a look at the Week 3 games that matter in the playoff race, and the stakes for each team involved.
College football rankings: Miami and Oregon leapfrog Georgia, Florida plummets after upset in CBS Sports 136
Chip Patterson
It’s been a lackluster start for Clemson. The Tigers opened the year ranked No. 4 with one of the nation’s most experienced rosters, but a deflating home loss to LSU in Week 1 followed by an uninspiring 27-16 win over Troy in Week 2 has left them playing from behind. Saturday’s ACC opener gives Dabo Swinney’s squad a chance to prove its sluggish start isn’t a sign of deeper issues.
Not quite a must-win, the game still carries urgency. Any loss between now and December could put the Tigers in desperation mode, especially if it comes against an unranked opponent.
Georgia Tech, meanwhile, sees nothing but opportunity. The Yellow Jackets have handled business through two weeks, including a season-opening win at Colorado, and sit on the fringe of the top 25. A victory against Clemson — something Tech hasn’t managed since 2014 — would be the breakthrough the Yellow Jackets need to jump into the rankings and solidify themselves as a factor in the ACC race.
For a program that’s won two national titles in the past four years and is coming off its second SEC title since 2022, there hasn’t been a lot of buzz around the Bulldogs in 2025. Kirby Smart, who is an absolute magician when it comes to manufacturing motivation, probably loves it that way. It doesn’t help Georgia’s case that its offense, led by first-year starting quarterback Gunner Stockton, looked ho-hum in Week 2 against FCS Austin Peay. The Bulldogs are going to have to step it up against a stout Tennessee defense this week. A win would serve as a reminder that Georgia is still Georgia, while a loss doesn’t do too much harm. It’s a road game against a ranked conference opponent, and Georgia’s schedule provides plenty of opportunity for a bounce-back down the line.
Tennessee’s offense, meanwhile, looks rejuvenated with transfer quarterback Joey Aguilar leading the way. Behind the arm of Aguilar, the Vols scored a program-record (in the modern era) 72 points against ETSU. They haven’t seen a defense like Georgia’s yet, though they’ll have a raucous Neyland Stadium crowd behind them. A victory would be another feather in the cap for coach Josh Heupel, who is 2-1 against rivals Alabama and Florida over the past three years but has yet to beat the Bulldogs in his Tennessee tenure. As with Georgia, Tennessee’s playoff hopes can survive a loss given what the Vols have coming up but, with difficult road games on the horizon, it would be a missed opportunity to let a ranked home win slip by.
It’s no exaggeration to say South Florida, an early season Cinderella, might have the best playoff résumé in the country. The Bulls are the first team to beat two ranked opponents, opening with a win against then-No. 25 Boise State — a CFP participant last season — before knocking off No. 13 Florida on the road. Now, they’re in the driver’s seat for the Group of Six’s auto-bid. A win at Miami could even push them into the at-large conversation, regardless of whether they claim a conference title.
As for Miami, is this the year Mario Cristobal finally breaks through? The Hurricanes are off to a strong start. While ACC contenders like Clemson and SMU have stumbled, Miami stamped itself as a national factor with a season-opening victory against Notre Dame, last year’s CFP runner-up. Losing to South Florida is no embarrassment at this point — but it’s best avoided, especially with only one currently ranked opponent left on Miami’s schedule after Saturday.
Florida at No. 3 LSU
It’s crunch time for Billy Napier. His back is against the wall yet again, as any goodwill he accrued from a solid close to 2024 and an even better offseason completely evaporated in that loss to South Florida. A triumph over one of Florida’s top rivals and a top-three team would be a great way to swing fans and the administration again. It would also put the Gators right back in the thick of the playoff race.
The implications for LSU are obvious. A home loss to a reeling Florida team coached by a man on the hottest seat possible would be disastrous. A win might not do too much to boost the résumé, but the alternative provides plenty of motivation for Brian Kelly’s squad.
No. 16 Texas A&M at No. 8 Notre Dame
Texas A&M has not beaten a ranked opponent on the road since 2014. The Aggies are 0-13 in that span. The results are lacking for a program that has a reputation of consistently underperforming. Getting that monkey off of Texas A&M’s back is the first step for coach Mike Elko on his journey of dragging the Aggies back to relevancy. Texas A&M touts a ranking that places it firmly in the playoff conversation. Now is the time to prove it actually belongs.
Notre Dame doesn’t have the benefit of playing for a conference championship, so its regular season wins — and losses — are magnified. The Fighting Irish have shown resilience in recent seasons, but they’re already balancing on a precarious edge less than a third of the way through their slate. No two-loss team has ever made the CFP without a ranked win, and a majority of two-loss teams to make the playoff thus far did so after winning a league title. As things stand, Texas A&M is the last top-25 opponent on Notre Dame’s schedule.
Dark Horse Game of the Week
Vanderbilt at No. 11 South Carolina
Diego Pavia predicted big things for Vanderbilt in the offseason. On his long list of proclamations was a national title. The Commodores have not come close to reaching that bar since joining the SEC almost 100 years ago and they’re still way, way outside the realm of realistic contenders to do so this year. That being said, they’re off to a good start with a 24-point win against Virginia Tech already under their belt and, though expectations are high in South Carolina, the Gamecocks do provide Vanderbilt a chance to earn a top-15 win and perhaps climb into the AP poll. Every great journey begins with one step.
Losing to Vanderbilt isn’t something to be ashamed about anymore. The ‘Dores are building a solid program under coach Clark Lea and they beat the likes of Alabama while pushing Texas and LSU to the limit last season. It would also be far from a death sentence for South Carolina’s playoff dreams. The Gamecocks face seven ranked opponents in their next 10 games. Even so, it’s always good to start conference play with a “dub”.
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