College football picks, schedule: Predictions against the spread, odds for the top 25 NCAA games in Week 3

The college football Season 3 schedule isn't packed with matchups between the AP's top 25 teams, but a closer look at the top games reveals there's plenty of potential for upsets on Saturday. There are eight different games that feature a ranked team on the road against an unranked team, and four of those matchups are between in-state rivals. If there's a Saturday in the season that's full of upsets — and there almost always is — the Week 3 schedule offers plenty of opportunities to watch a few underdogs pull off big home wins.

The day begins with No. 4 Alabama taking on Wisconsin on the road and the crowd at Camp Randall Stadium, while No. 16 LSU begins its SEC schedule with a showdown against South Carolina in Columbia. In the afternoon, No. 18 Notre Dame will try to rebound at Purdue and No. 9 Oregon will face a hostile crowd at Oregon State as these two schools rekindle their rivalry for the 128th time. What follows is an overnight window that includes both No. 1 Georgia, seeking its 42nd consecutive regular-season win and facing Kentucky in Lexington, and Colorado, rekindling its rivalry with Colorado State after last year's overtime thriller.

All signs point to a Saturday where we'll learn a lot more about the country's top teams and potentially see some memorable moments for underdogs looking to pull off an upset win.

Stay with CBS Sports all day Saturday for college football coverage from opening kickoff. Let's take a look at our expert picks for the best games in Week 3.

SportsLine Consensus Odds | All Times Eastern

Colorado in Colorado State

7:30 p.m. | CBS, Paramount+ with ShowtimeCBSSports.com, CBS Sports App — Colorado is 2-5 under Sanders outside of friendly Folsom Field. We've already seen how things can get out of hand for the Buffaloes on the road this season. Last week against Nebraska, they had nine penalties for 104 total yards and couldn't find a rhythm as their first five offensive plays ended in three punts, a turnover on downs and a pick six. It will also be interesting to see how Sanders' team responds to adversity. The 2023 season has shown us that the wheels can quickly come off when the losses start piling up. I'm not tipping a Colorado State win, but the Rams should be able to keep the game close. Selection: Colorado State +7.5 — Will Backus

No. 1 Georgia in Kentucky

19:30 | ABC, fubo (Try for free) — The prospect of facing Georgia's defense is daunting. Kentucky collapsed against South Carolina last week, managing just 183 yards and allowing five sacks and 11 tackles for loss. You get the feeling Vandagriff will have nightmares after facing his former team on Saturday. Georgia's longest winning streak against an SEC team is Kentucky, which has lost 14 straight games to the Bulldogs. The average win differential: 19 points. Selection: Georgia -24 – Brandon Marcello

No. 4 Alabama at Wisconsin

Noon | Fox, fubo (Try for free) — Wisconsin has been underwhelming on offense in its two games with Tyler Van Dyke, who transferred from Miami, at quarterback. Alabama barely got out of the game against South Florida in Week 2 as an endless barrage of penalties hampered the Crimson Tide's offense. In contrast, Alabama was solid on defense against a potent South Florida attack, holding the Bulls to 2 of 18 attempts at third down. Keeping 'Bama quarterback Jalen Milroe in check will be a challenge for the Badgers. But even if he gets loose, it's hard to imagine either team scoring enough points to top that score. Selection: Under 51.5 -David Cobb

No. 16 LSU in South Carolina

12:00 pm | ESPN, fubo (Try for free) — Honestly, there's nothing I like about this game. The totals seem just about right, but while I'm hesitant to back LSU as a favorite of this magnitude, this matchup doesn't seem too bad for the Tigers. LSU's defensive weakness is in the secondary, and I don't know if South Carolina will be able to exploit that like some other teams have. Selection: LSU -7 — Tom Fornelli

No. 18 Notre Dame at Purdue

3:30 p.m. | CBS, Paramount+ with ShowtimeCBSSports.com, CBS Sports App — Many successful coaching careers at Purdue have been capped by historic victories over Notre Dame, and this certainly seems like a fallible version. If the Boilermakers can protect quarterback Hudson Card, he's one of the best quarterbacks the Fighting Irish will defend this season. Notre Dame will secure a win, but Purdue will give the Irish their best. Selection: Purdue +10.5 — Shehan Jayarajah

No. 9 Oregon at Oregon State

15:30 | Fox, fubo (Try for free) — Oregon isn't in top form yet, but the issues that have prevented the Ducks from meeting expectations are solvable. The offensive line's woes seemed to calm down during the Boise State game thanks to a mid-game personnel shakeup. If Oregon can avoid the mental errors (particularly penalties) that have cropped up over the past two weeks, it won't be long before all the talented pieces fall into place. I expect these away conditions to bring out the best in Dan Lanning's squad as Oregon moves forward. Selection: Oregon -16.5 — Chip Patterson

What college football picks can you confidently make in Week 3? Visit SportsLine to see which teams will win and cover the spread — all based on a proven computer model that has returned over $2,000 in profit since its inception — and find out.