Frogs O’ War Staff Picks: College Football Week 3

Week Three of the 2023 College Football season is being derided as one of the worst slates of games in recent memory. On the heels of a loaded Week Two, this week features zero games between ranked opponents and only ten of the Top 25 teams face Power 5 competition. Still, a day watching football is better than one without football; we only get so many of these weekends a year, so may as well enjoy them. Also, every year the week that appears most sleepy and boring is usually when the magic happens, so expect the unexpected this weekend. Here’s how the Frogs O’ War staff sees the week playing out across the Big 12 and the top national games:

---

Big 12

Kansas State Wildcats at Missouri Tigers - Sat. Sept. 16, 11:00 AM, SEC Network

Miles: Kansas State but it’s close!

Russ: Kansas State remains unbeaten.

Drew: Kansas State in a strangely close game.

Anthony: K-State. Wildcats are the far superior team, but this will be a weird one with the result in the balance late in the game.

Austin: Kansas State starts 3-0 unlike a season ago.

Iowa State Cyclones at Ohio Bobcats - Sat. Sept. 16, 11:00 AM, ESPNU

Miles: Iowa State but I’m not confident about it.

Russ: Iowa State bounces back in a close one.

Drew: Iowa State wins in a low scoring game that’s closer than it should be.

Anthony: Ohio has some dudes, but think the Cyclones win and cover.

Austin: Iowa State narrowly squeaks by.

Oklahoma Sooners at Tulsa Golden Hurricanes - Sat. Sept. 16, 2:30 PM, ESPN2

Miles: Oklahoma should be fine here Tulsa lost A LOT in the portal.

Russ: Oklahoma with the easy W.

Drew: Oklahoma in a laugher.

Anthony: Sooners by five TDs

Austin: Oklahoma by a landslide.

Cincinnati Bearcats vs. Miami Ohio RedHawks - Sat. Sept. 16, 6:00 PM, ESPN+

Miles: Cincinnati cruises.

Russ: Cincinnati wins big at home.

Drew: Cincinnati in a blowout.

Anthony: Cincinnati wins, but be careful here, this game is sandwiched between the big win at Pitt and the massive Big 12 opener hosting Oklahoma. Could be a sneaky trap game for the Bearcats.

Austin: Cincinnati without a doubt.

Oklahoma State Cowboys vs. South Alabama Jaguars - Sat. Sept. 16, 6:00 PM, ESPN+

Miles: Oklahoma State but they’re running out of time to find a QB.

Russ: Oklahoma State, we’ll see if a quarterback emerges.

Drew: Oklahoma State by a bunch.

Anthony: OK State. Not sure if the Cowboys are actually terrible or actually good, and we probably don’t find out until October games vs. KSU and KU in Stillwater. Carter Bradley can sling it for the Jags; OSU might have to score more than 27 points to get the win.

Austin: Oklahoma State, but the defense must play well.

BYU Cougars at Arkansas Razorbacks - Sat. Sept. 16, 6:30 PM, ESPN2

Miles: Arkansas in a close one.

Russ: Arkansas. BYU has had m

Drew: I think Arkansas wins but not by much.

Anthony: Arkansas. No Raheim Sanders, no problem for the Hogs

Austin: Arkansas topples BYU.

West Virginia Mountaineers vs. Pitt Panthers - Sat. Sept. 16, 6:30 PM, ABC

Miles: I like West Virginia in this one.

Russ: WVU wins a tight battle at home.

Drew: I think Pitt wins on the road leading West Virginia fans to wonder why Neal Brown still has a job.

Anthony: Pitt takes the Backyard Brawl again and WVU head coach Neal Brown returns to the hot seat.

Austin: First non-Big-12 pick. Going Pitt here.

Texas Longhorns vs. Wyoming Cowboys - Sat. Sept. 16, 7:00 PM, Longhorn Network

Miles: Texas wins big.

Russ: Texas continues to roll to start the season.

Drew: Texas in a blowout. Quinn Ewers goes for 5 touchdowns.

Anthony: Texas minus whatever. Longhorns will be eager to crush the Cowboys and turn to Twitter to laugh at Texas Tech fans.

Austin: Texas by a lot.

Kansas Jayhawks vs. Nevada Wolf Pack - Sat. Sept. 16, 9:30 PM, CBS Sports Net

Miles: Kansas wins big.

Russ: Jalon Daniels gets rolling as Kansas wins big.

Drew: Kansas in a blowout.

Anthony: Jayhawks smash

Austin: I like the Jayhawks in this one.

Big 12 vs. FCS:
Baylor Bears vs. Long Island Sharks - Sat. Sept. 16, 11:00 AM, ESPN+
UCF Golden Knights vs. Villanova Wildcats - Sat. Sept. 16, 5:30 PM, ESPN+
Texas Tech Red Raiders vs. Tarleton State Texans - Sat. Sept 16, 6:00 PM, ESPN+

---

Top National Games

LSU Tigers at Mississippi State Bulldogs - Sat. Sept. 16, 11:00 AM, ESPN

Miles: Give me the Bulldogs in an upset!

Russ: LSU survives for the win.

Drew: I think LSU wins but the Bulldogs cover and make it interesting.

Anthony: LSU wins big. Jayden Daniels dazzles and the Tigers defense stifles everything Miss State tries to throw at it.

Austin: LSU. They’ve got a lot to prove after their week one defeat.

Minnesota Golden Gophers at North Carolina Tar Heels - Sat. Sept. 16, 2:30 PM, ESPN

Miles: North Carolina keeps rolling.

Russ: North Carolina as Drake Maye has a big game.

Drew: UNC wins in a fairly high scoring game.

Anthony: UNC may trip up eventually, but not here. The Mack Brown - PJ Fleck post-game hand-shake/bro-hug/choke-hold will be epic.

Austin: North Carolina. Big Mack Brown and Drake Maye fan here.

Tennessee Volunteers at Florida Gators - Sat. Sept. 16, 6:00 PM, ESPN

Miles: Tennessee in a close, ugly game.

Russ: Tennessee. Florida is overrated.

Drew: I’ll take the upset here and pick Florida. In an otherwise bland slate of college football this weekend, this game feels like the one to salvage the Saturday. A high ranked team with a new quarterback and new weapons going on the road to play a night game against a big rival feels like an opportunity for a shocker.

Anthony: As a kid growing up in the Volunteer State, this was always the biggest game of the year...but I am very old and these teams haven’t both been good in the same season for this game to matter in a long long time. That continues another year, as Florida is not good. However, something stinks about the line, with Tennessee now favored by less than a TD. Vols win, but this should be a fun one to the finish.

Austin: Tennessee. Florida loses another one.

---

Frogs O’ War Pick ‘Em Leaderboard

You can get in on the action for Week Three HERE

---

Staff Standings