Each week during the college football season, Sportsvival will select six of the biggest and most interesting games for our weekly Pick-6. We will provide a quick preview of every matchup, identify some of the top NFL Draft prospects to watch and make a final score prediction.
Week 3 gives us three games featuring two teams from the Sportsvival Top 25, a major test for Alabama, another chance for Notre Dame to prove it belongs among the nation’s elite and an important ACC opener right here in Pittsburgh.
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Pick 1: #8 LSU at #7 Ole Miss
This is the headliner of Week 3.
Both teams enter the game 2-0, and both have legitimate College Football Playoff expectations. LSU had a slow start against Louisiana Tech last week before exploding in the second half of a 45-14 victory. Quarterback Sam Leavitt played well, and tight end Trey’Dez Green continues to look like one of the Tigers’ most dangerous offensive weapons. Ole Miss also handled its business with little trouble, cruising past Charlotte and showing once again that the Rebels have enough balance to threaten anyone in the SEC.
The matchup I will be watching is LSU’s defensive front against Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy. Lacy is one of Sportsvival’s Top 50 prospects for the 2027 NFL Draft, while Ole Miss linebacker Suntarine Perkins gives the Rebels a defensive playmaker who can change the game in a hurry. This one should be physical, fast and full of big plays. Playing in Oxford gives Ole Miss a slight edge.
NFL Draft prospects to watch: OT Jordan Seaton, LSU; TE Trey’Dez Green, LSU; EDGE Suntarine Perkins, Ole Miss; RB Kewan Lacy, Ole Miss
Sportsvival prediction: Ole Miss 31, LSU 28
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Pick 2: #21 Houston at #11 Texas Tech
Houston has been one of the early surprises of the season. The Cougars are 2-0 and have piled up points, but now they take a major step up in competition by heading to Lubbock.
Texas Tech is also 2-0, but the Red Raiders showed a few cracks last week when they allowed Oregon State to move the ball through the air. Houston will try to attack that secondary, but Texas Tech still has the more proven roster and one of the more dangerous home-field advantages in the Big 12. If the Red Raiders control the line of scrimmage, they should eventually wear Houston down.
This is also a good scouting game. Texas Tech has several experienced defenders, while Houston’s offensive front features one of the better linemen in the conference.
NFL Draft prospects to watch: TE Terrance Carter Jr., Texas Tech; LB Ben Roberts, Texas Tech; DL A.J. Holmes Jr., Texas Tech; OG Shadre Hurst, Houston
Sportsvival prediction: Texas Tech 34, Houston 24
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Pick 3: #14 SMU at #24 Louisville
This could quietly become one of the best games of the weekend.
SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings has been outstanding through two games and looks fully comfortable running the Mustangs offense. SMU has already shown it can score points in a hurry, and Jennings has quickly become one of the more exciting quarterbacks in college football. Louisville, meanwhile, responded well after its opening loss to Ole Miss and still has a dangerous offense led by quarterback Lincoln Kienholz and running back Isaac Brown.
The key to the game could be Louisville’s ability to pressure Jennings and keep SMU from getting into rhythm. If the Cardinals can force a few mistakes, they have a chance to pull the upset at home. Still, Jennings is playing too well right now, and SMU’s offense gives the Mustangs the edge.
NFL Draft prospects to watch: QB Kevin Jennings, SMU; RB Isaac Brown, Louisville; EDGE Clev Lubin, Louisville
Sportsvival prediction: SMU 31, Louisville 27
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Pick 4: Florida State at #10 Alabama
Florida State badly needs a statement.
The Seminoles already took a tough home loss to SMU, and now they head to Tuscaloosa for one of the more difficult road trips in the country. Alabama has not been perfect, but the Crimson Tide still have the look of a team that is growing more dangerous each week. Quarterback Keelon Russell is settling in, the running game has been productive and Alabama’s defense still has enough athletes to make life difficult for opposing offenses.
For NFL scouts, Alabama receiver Ryan Williams remains one of the biggest attractions on the field, and cornerback Zabien Brown is another highly regarded talent. Florida State has enough speed and ability to make Alabama work, but the Seminoles have not shown enough consistency for me to believe they can walk into Tuscaloosa and win.
NFL Draft prospects to watch: WR Ryan Williams, Alabama; CB Zabien Brown, Alabama; DL Devan Thompkins, Alabama
Sportsvival prediction: Alabama 34, Florida State 20
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Pick 5: Michigan State at #3 Notre Dame
Michigan State comes into South Bend at 2-0 and clearly looks improved, but this is a huge jump in competition.
Notre Dame has looked every bit like a Top 3 team through two weeks. The Irish have been strong on both sides of the ball, and quarterback CJ Carr continues to look like the next big-time Notre Dame passer. Defensively, the Irish have been fast, physical and fundamentally sound, which is exactly what you want to see from a legitimate playoff contender.
This is also an excellent scouting game. Cornerback Leonard Moore is one of the best prospects in the 2027 class, while linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa and linebacker Drayk Bowen give Notre Dame even more NFL talent on defense. Michigan State should compete hard, but the Irish simply have more firepower.
NFL Draft prospects to watch: CB Leonard Moore, Notre Dame; QB CJ Carr, Notre Dame; LB Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, Notre Dame
Sportsvival prediction: Notre Dame 38, Michigan State 17
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Pick 6: Syracuse at Pitt
We are going local for the final Pick-6, and this one gets the Week 3 weekend started early with Syracuse coming to Pittsburgh for a Thursday night ACC matchup at Acrisure Stadium.
Pitt enters the game 2-0 and received votes in the latest Sportsvival Top 25. The Panthers opened the season by crushing Miami, Ohio, 59-14, before surviving UCF, 12-7. Quarterback Mason Heintschel has already shown why he is one of the most exciting young quarterbacks in the ACC, but Pitt’s offense will need to be sharper than it was against UCF.
Syracuse quarterback Steve Angeli gives the Orange an experienced passer capable of testing Pitt’s secondary. For the Panthers, getting pressure on Angeli and avoiding big plays will be critical. The Thursday night atmosphere should also give Pitt a little extra juice. There is always added energy when a conference game is played under the lights, and with the Panthers at home, this is a good opportunity to make an early statement in the ACC race.
Heintschel is still more of a future NFL Draft prospect than a 2027 prospect, but scouts will continue following his development closely. Pitt tackle Ryan Baer is a legitimate 2027 prospect, while linebacker Braylan Lovelace gives the Panthers another defender worth watching.
NFL Draft prospects to watch: OT Ryan Baer, Pitt; LB Braylan Lovelace, Pitt; QB Steve Angeli, Syracuse; future prospect QB Mason Heintschel, Pitt
Sportsvival prediction: Pitt 27, Syracuse 20
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Sportsvival’s Week 3 Pick-6 Selections
Ole Miss over LSU, 31-28
Texas Tech over Houston, 34-24
SMU over Louisville, 31-27
Alabama over Florida State, 34-20
Notre Dame over Michigan State, 38-17
Pitt over Syracuse, 27-20
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