Five matchups that will decide college football's top games in Week 3
Now it starts getting good.
This weekend in college football brings four matchups of ranked opponents with some dynamic story lines and games that will impact the College Football Playoff.
Here's a look at what the decisive factors in five of Saturday's biggest contests (all times Eastern):
Mississippi front seven vs. Derrick Henry
TIME/TV: 9:15 p.m. Saturday, ESPN
The first priority when facing the Alabama offense is stopping Henry. The junior's rare combination of size and speed force defenses to load up the box, which creates opportunities for quarterback Jacob Coker to throw in positive situations.
The 11th-ranked Rebels are one of the few teams with the tools to shut Henry down without overcommitting. It starts up front with a big, athletic defensive line led by Robert Nkemdiche. The group can neutralize the No. 2 Tide’s offensive line and allow the linebackers freedom to make plays. This will force Coker, who is untested against an elite defense, into making plays against a veteran Ole Miss secondary.
But if Henry is able to run wild, Coker is able to get comfortable, and the Alabama offense will be operating at maximum efficiency. Though the Rebels have a talented offense, they can’t expect to win on the road outscoring the Tide and their amazing defense.
DeShone Kizer vs. Georgia Tech defense
TIME/TV: 3:30 p.m. Saturday, NBC
Thrown into the fire last week at Virginia, Kizer rallied the Irish to an improbable win. Now set to make his first start with Malik Zaire out for the season, the sophomore is going to need to produce more magic for No. 10 Notre Dame against the No. 16 Yellow Jackets. He’ll see lots of blitzes and stacked fronts with Georgia Tech able to rely on a veteran secondary.
Kizer, like he did against the Cavaliers, must stay poised and find receivers within the framework of the offense. He'll also be asked to use his mobility to extend plays and gain yards in the running game. Avoiding turnovers is a priority, as well, to keep the Irish defense off the field and limit their time against the Yellow Jackets offense which leads the nation in rushing.
Auburn offensive line vs. LSU defensive line
TIME/TV: 3:30 p.m. Saturday, CBS
Through two games, the offense of Gus Malzahn looks nothing like what it was thought to be. Quarterback Jeremy Johnson entered the season as a Heisman candidate. He has struggled, and No. 15 Auburn has not been able to establish a consistent running game. Now it faces its toughest test so ar this season in Baton Rouge.
Finding a ground attack will be critical to Auburn’s offensive success. That’s where the offensive line comes in. Can it win battles up front against No. 14 LSU’s talented front and create room for Peyton Barber and give Johnson time to throw? If not, the offense gets bogged down. That puts all the pressure on the Auburn defense to stop Leonard Fournette. Not an enviable task.
Tanner Mangum vs. Josh Rosen
TIME/TV: 10:30 p.m. Saturday, FS1
The early season's two most impressive freshmen quarterbacks face off at the Rose Bowl. Mangum was expected to be on the bench much of this season, but when BYU lost starter Taysom Hill, Mangum rallied the Cougars in miraculous fashion against Nebraska and Boise State.
Rosen, meanwhile, has been the expected starter at UCLA since the nation’s top quarterback recruit enrolled in January. And he has done nothing dampen enthusiasm, throwing for 574 yards and four touchdowns in two wins. In a game that should produce plenty of points, Mangum must win this individual matchup if the Cougars stand the chance of a third big upset.
Stanford secondary vs. Southern California wide receivers
TIME/TV: 8 p.m. Saturday, ABC
Quietly the No. 7 Trojans have been one of the country’s most dominant teams through two weeks, outscoring Arkansas State and Idaho 114-15. So the challenge for the Cardinal is pretty clear: Find a way to slow down the USC offense.
The one positive for David Shaw’s team is that defense is the team’s strong suit right now. The real issues for Stanford are on offense, putting a premium on the Cardinal making this a low-scoring, defensive game. As part of the strategy, there can be no big plays over the top of the secondary. They must force the Trojans to methodically move the ball down the field.
It won’t be easy. The USC receiving corps loaded with speed, starting with JuJu Smith-Schuster. All three of the sophomore's touchdown catches have been for more than 40 yards. The Cardinal back four have talent. They’re going to have to hold up and make some plays to slow down USC.
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