College football picks, schedule: ATS predictions, odds for the top 25 games today in week 3

The first two weeks of the 2021 college football season have been hectic to say the least. With quality non-conference games running out of steam and conference schedules starting in earnest on Saturday, we could see even more upheaval across the country in Week 3.

There are three games between ranked opponents on Saturday as No.1 Alabama visits No.11 Florida for the first time in a decade, No.22 Auburn hosts No.10 Penn State and No.1 # 23 BYU holds a blank for # 19 Arizona State. Overall, 23 of the Top 25 AP-ranked teams will be in action throughout the day with other featured clashes including No.3 Oklahoma vs Nebraska in celebration of the game’s 50th anniversary. century and No. 12 Notre Dame looking to find his groove against Purdue.

While winning is all that matters for the standings, we do care whether these teams will cover their gaps. Be sure to stick with CBS Sports throughout the day for college football coverage from the opening kickoff Saturday to the final whistle. Let’s take a look at our expert picks for the third full Saturday of the season.

Odds via Caesars Sportsbook | Every hour is

Nebraska to No. 3 in Oklahoma

Noon | Fox, fuboTV (Try for free) – Nebraska will come away motivated for this game, especially since it will have long-term implications for coach Scott Frost’s employment status. Sadly, the Cornhuskers just don’t measure up to a national-caliber Oklahoma team. The only question about this cover is whether Oklahoma cares about keeping scoring. Prediction: Oklahoma (-22) – Shehan Jeyarajah

Purdue at No.12 Notre-Dame

2:30 p.m. | NBC, fuboTV (Try for free) – Notre Dame is still high in the rankings, but the Fighting Irish have gone on the wire each of the past two weeks. Whether Purdue is a good enough team to finally make the Fighting Irish pay remains to be seen, but David Bell and Jack Plummer have shown encouraging signs. After Notre Dame wins its first two games by nine points combined, take the points here. Prediction: Purdue (+7.5) – Shehan Jeyarajah

# 1 in Alabama to # 11 in Florida

3:30 p.m. | CBS, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports app – If Dan Mullen wants at least to have a chance, he will start Anthony Richardson as quarterback. It doesn’t look like he’s prepared to pay this off based on what he’s said publicly this week. Ultimately, however, does it really matter? Probably not. The Alabama defense will go after whoever takes the shots and make sure the running game can’t start. Todd Grantham will take unnecessary risks on the defensive end, and the Crimson Tide will have an easy victory in The Swamp. Prediction: Alabama (-15.5) – Barrett Sallee

No.10 Penn State to No.22 Auburn

7:30 p.m. | ABC, fuboTV (Try for free) – I called Penn State to win this game earlier this summer, but changed my mind due to Bo Nix’s ability to handle football. In fact, everyone seems to be listening to what Tigers coordinator Mike Bobo is asking for. That sideline was utter chaos under former coach Gus Malzahn. It’s no longer the case now. Running backs Tank Bigsby and Jarquez Hunter will feast on a defense that has never seen a duo like this before and lead their team to victory and cover. Prediction: Auburn (+6) – Barrett Sallee

No.19 Arizona State vs. No.23 BYU

10:15 p.m. | ESPN, fuboTV (Try for free) – I think there will be some emotional disappointment for BYU and maybe even for the Cougars fans who not only brought a ton of energy to the Utah game, but also traveled well to Las Vegas for the opener against Arizona. I wouldn’t be surprised if Sun Devils coach Herm Edwards circled this game for most of the preseason and know this will be the team’s best chance to test their chops for the Pac- title. 12 against a quality opponent before entering conference competition. One reading from this game is that BYU is the most proven team in combat, and that may hold true early in the game, but I also think the Sun Devils have a higher cap and more gas in the tank. . Prediction: Arizona State (-3.5) – Chip Patterson

What college football picks can you confidently make in Week 3, and which Top 25 favorite is the toughest? Visit SportsLine to see which teams will win and cover the spread – all from a proven computer model that has grossed over $ 3,500 in profit over the past five+ seasons – and find out.