5 College Football Teams On Upset Alert In Week 3

Week 2 of the 2026 college football season was worth remembering.

A pair of top-15 teams fell to unranked opponents, with Oregon and Oklahoma coming up short on the road. A few other ranked teams had to overcome adversity to remain unscathed for another weekend.

There were also two FCS-FBS upsets. Illinois State defeated Northern Illinois 28-24, while Montana State took down Nevada 20-7. I mentioned both of those games in my upset alert article last week.

Who needs to watch out in Week 3?

*All odds via FanDuel

No. 13 Texas Tech Red Raiders

Sep 5, 2026; Lubbock, Texas, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders head coach Joey McGuire on the field before the game against the Abilene Christian Wildcats at Galaxy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Spread: TTU -7.5

Texas Tech is 2-0, but the Red Raiders haven't necessarily looked impressive. The Red Raiders failed to cover the spread in both wins, and were challenged in a 35-24 road victory against Oregon State.

The Beavers actually led 24-21 in the fourth quarter; however, Texas Tech scored 2 touchdowns in the final 7 minutes to gut out a victory. Either way, the Red Raiders were outgained 472-352, punted 7 times, and committed 7 penalties, along with missing a field goal.

It's just been sloppy so far, and now Texas Tech returns home to host No. 22 Houston on a short week. The Cougars had their own issues against Oregon State to open the season.

With that being said, quarterback Conner Weigman and Houston's offense are explosive enough to give Texas Tech fits. Weigman is completing nearly 70% of his passes with 4 touchdowns to 1 interception so far this season. He left the 35-11 loss to the Red Raiders in 2025 with a shoulder injury, so he'll have some extra motivation to perform.

South Carolina Gamecocks

Spread: USC -3.5

Shane Beamer faces plenty of pressure after South Carolina failed to make a bowl game in two of the last three seasons. The Gamecocks haven't been tested in two blowout wins over Kent State and Towson.

With Mississippi State coming to town, Beamer better be preparing his team for a battle in their SEC opener. The Bulldogs look like they're turning a corner in Jeff Lebby's third year at the helm.

Sophomore quarterback Kamario Taylor has made a massive leap, increasing his completion percentage by 12.1%. He's completed 38/56 passes for 581 yards with 7 touchdowns to 0 interceptions, while rushing 19 times for 145 yards and another score.

Mississippi State went to Minnesota last week and pounded the Golden Gophers 38-13. Can the Rebels make it two straight on the road?

Clemson Tigers

Sep 12, 2026; Clemson, South Carolina, USA; Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney watches a field goal attempt during the second half at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Spread: CLEM -3.5

Not much has gone right for Clemson through eight quarters. The Tigers were picked apart in Baton Rouge in Week 1, and returned home to lick their wounds against Georgia Southern. The effort was uninspiring in a 22-7 win where the offense produced just 6 points in the second half.

The Tigers finished 2/14 on third downs, averaged 3.8 yards per rush, gave the ball away twice, and committed 10 penalties. It just isn't a very fun product to watch right now. Dabo Swinney is making a quarterback change going into the matchup against North Carolina, turning to true freshman Tait Reynolds.

In two games, Reynolds has completed 20/33 passes for 200 yards, with 19 rushes for 29 yards. He hasn't scored or turned the ball over.

The Tar Heels don't have an explosive offensive attack, but the defense is doing its job. North Carolina has only allowed 13 total points, and stepped up in clutch situations in the win over TCU back in Week 0.

Clemson's offense might be in for a long day, and Swinney will have more questions to answer if the woes continue.

Virginia Tech Hokies

Spread: VT -2.5

The James Franklin caravan hits the road for the first time, traveling to face the Maryland Terrapins. So far, Virginia Tech has made quick work of VMI and Old Dominion. The Hokies built a 34-3 advantage against the Monarchs, cruising through the second half to win 44-21.

Ethan Grunkemeyer was solid, connecting on 31/42 passes for 327 yards with 2 touchdowns. Virginia Tech did struggle to get into a rhythm on the ground, finishing with 89 rushing yards on 2.1 yards per carry.

Maryland will be an opponent capable of competing with the Hokies on both sides of the ball. While the competition has been relatively light so far in wins over Hampton and UConn, the Terrapins have the No. 4 total defense in the country, allowing 154 yards per game and just 38.5 yards on the ground per contest.

Rising star quarterback Malik Washington has vastly improved his completion percentage, looking much more comfortable as a sophomore. In 2 games, he's completed 53/72 passes for 533 yards with 3 touchdowns and 0 interceptions.

With the home-field advantage and a little momentum, expect Maryland to push Virginia Tech to the limit.

Northwestern Wildcats

Spread: NW -3.5

Northwestern is a slim favorite entering its second game of the 2026 season. The Wildcats were off this past week, but their opener against South Dakota State left much to be desired. The program only led 20-18 in the fourth quarter, though a pair of touchdowns in the final five minutes made the scoreboard look a little better.

The Wildcats did compile nearly 500 yards of total offense, but didn't turn that production into points until late in the game. Northwestern ran for 224 yards, and new starting quarterback Aidan Chiles threw for 273 yards in his debut.

However, the program will need to make the most of its opportunities early against the Colorado Buffaloes, who come in Evanston 2-0. Colorado made it through a wacky Week 1 win over Georgia Tech, and took Weber State to the woodshed last weekend.

Sophomore quarterback Julian Lewis has been up-and-down in his college career. He's still got a lot of potential, completing 31/50 passes for 490 yards with 5 touchdowns and 0 interceptions in 2 starts.

Defensively, Colorado is solid against the run, allowing fewer than 100 yards per game, and the unit is playing with more effort.

Chiles led the Big Ten in interceptions two years ago, and can't afford to play careless in this one.

If Colorado wins, the Buffaloes would match their win total from last year in just three games.

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No. 13 Texas Tech Red Raiders

South Carolina Gamecocks

Clemson Tigers

Virginia Tech Hokies

Northwestern Wildcats

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