Week 3 College Football Playoff Implications: LSU vs. Ole Miss, Key ACC/Big 12 Showdowns

College football rolls on into Week 3, and the first wave of heavyweight conference matchups is upon us.

For teams in the Big 12 and ACC, especially, a trip to the conference championship is a lifeline. Win the game and -- short of a bizarre 8-5 Duke championship season last year -- you make the field. It supercharges every single week of competition, even for those outside of playoff favorites Texas Tech and Miami .

In the Group of Six, proving your mettle against fellow playoff contenders and other ranked opponents means everything. It doesn't even necessarily take an outright victory. And of course, there's an SEC headliner ready to take center stage as LSU coach Lane Kiffin prepares to lead his Tigers into The Grove to take on Ole Miss .

With that said, here are six games in Week 3 with major implications for the College Football Playoff and beyond.

No. 7 LSU at No. 8 Ole Miss

What more needs to be said about this game? It's a serious top-10 matchup in the Grove, one of the biggest home games in Ole Miss history. It features perhaps the nation's best quarterback, Ole Miss'  Trinidad Chambliss , against LSU's elite defense.

The winner of this game has a very manageable path to reach the SEC Championship Game and beyond. The loser could quickly find themselves out of contention. And oh, by the way, LSU coach Lane Kiffin used to coach at Ole Miss. Maybe you've heard?

No. 13 Texas Tech vs. No. 22 Houston

The first big test for these two programs comes on a Friday night in Lubbock. The Red Raiders are off to a slow start, but remain favored to win the Big 12. The Cougars represent potentially their biggest test of the entire season, and it comes to start Big 12 play during a short week.

Houston has earned a spot as the consensus No. 3 in the Big 12 coming into the year following a 10-win season and 2-0 start. The matchup represents the biggest game since UH joined the Big 12, and presents a pivotal opportunity for them to wrest control of the Big 12 title race away from Texas Tech.

No. 16 SMU at No. 23 Louisville

Could this Week 3 matchup be a play-in game to the College Football Playoff? With the Big Ten and SEC's second tiers taking some hits, there's absolutely space for the ACC to get a second team into the field (alongside Miami), and the Mustangs and Cardinals represent the top two competitors.

Louisville needs to handle business after losing a heartbreaker 41-38 against No. 9 Ole Miss in Week 1. With no other ranked games on the schedule, the Cardinals need this one. SMU, conversely, needs to either run the table in the ACC or upset No. 3 Notre Dame on the road late in the year. Keeping their flexibility open is paramount. Kevin Jennings vs. Lincoln Kienholz is the best quarterback battle no one is talking about.

No. 10 Alabama vs. Florida State

Last year, Alabama's loss to Florida State derailed its season from the start. With the game shifting back to Tuscaloosa, the Crimson Tide can exorcise some demons one week after surviving a few early punches against Kentucky . First-year quarterback Keelon Russell has been shaky at times, but the talent is obvious. Going against a desperate Florida State team, it's a chance for Alabama to get back to business and return to championship form.

No. 11 BYU at Colorado State

The Pac-12 has had a strong start to the 2026 season, taking multiple games down to the wire against elite opponents. The last step is to get one done -- and the Rams have a big opportunity here. Colorado State is 2-0 under first-year head coach Jim Mora Jr., and quarterback Hauss Hejny looks like a star in the making.

BYU remains a heavy favorite heading into the matchup with a spread settling around 17 points. However, with a bye week on the horizon and coming off a big win against Arizona , could it be a letdown spot? Colorado State will hope so.

No. 24 Oklahoma vs. New Mexico

Like Colorado State, the Lobos are a long shot going against the Sooners, facing a 21.5-point line. But Oklahoma was far below expectations on both sides of the ball against Michigan , and the Lobos are the perfect team to take advantage. New Mexico is one of the quirkiest programs in the country, and coach Jason Eck is happy to attack with physicality at every inch of the field. If the Sooners lose focus for even a second, New Mexico is ready to take advantage.

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_Originally reported by [CBS Sports](https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/week-3-college-football-playoff-lsu-ole-miss-acc-big-12/)._