College football games today: Week 3 schedule for Friday

What you need to know as college football's Week 3 schedule gets an early start today, as Friday night lights kicks off around the country.

Your look at the Week 3 college football schedule for today, as five games kick off on Friday night. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Here’s what you need to know as the Week 3 college football schedule gets underway today as Friday night lights kicks off around the NCAA.

College football’s Week 3 schedule started on Thursday night with a battle of ACC rivals as NC State took down Wake Forest in a 10-point game, and now five more matchups involving Power Four teams are on the docket today in multiple conferences.

That includes one ranked team in action, as No. 22 Indiana looks to stay undefeated against in-state rival Indiana State in a key moment before playing some much tougher competition in the weeks to come.

Coach Prime is back in action today, too, as Colorado goes on the road in its first Big 12 action under the lights on the main ESPN network.

Here’s what you need to know as college football’s Week 3 schedule kicks off today...

College football games today: Week 3 schedule for Friday

All times Eastern, and game lines are courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

Indiana State at Indiana
Fri., Sept. 12 | 6:30 p.m. | BTN
Line: Indiana -46.5

Indiana State is still looking for its permanent quarterback with junior Keegan Patterson and sophomore Elijah Owens still competing for the QB1 job, although Patterson is expected to start after completing 65 percent of his throws for 2 TDs last week.

Fernando Mendoza is a 64.3 percent thrower for the Hoosiers, throwing 4 touchdowns and running for a fifth, coming off a season at Cal in which he had over 3,000 yards with 16 scores and 6 picks.

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Colgate at Syracuse
Fri., Sept. 12 | 7 p.m. | ACCN
Line: Syracuse -35

Syracuse head coach Fran Brown had his team run sprint drills last week after needing to come from behind in a win against UConn, so dissatisfied with their performance he was, but this week should prove an easier task for the Orange.

Colgate hasn’t defeated Syracuse in football since 1950, although there are several gaps in this rivalry since 1961. The Orange pounded the Raiders by a 65-0 count in their last meeting in 2023, and have won 140-14 in their three games this century.

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Colorado at Houston
Fri., Sept. 12 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN
Line: Houston -4.5

Houston is the modest favorite at home against Coach Prime’s Buffaloes, with quarterback Conner Weigman, a transfer from Texas A&M, at the helm of this offense, completing 65 percent of his throws for 174 yards per game on average. 

He’ll look to help a Cougars team that is 2-0 now but just 5-13 in Big 12 play since joining the league.

Colorado is expected to start two-year backup quarterback Ryan Staub after he hit 7 of 10 throws for 158 yards and 2 touchdowns last week. The Buffaloes competed against Georgia Tech in a season-opening 27-20 loss before beating Delaware last week.

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Kansas State at Arizona
Fri., Sept. 12 | 9 p.m. | Fox
Line: Kansas State -1.5

Kansas State, what happened? A contender for the Big 12 title coming into this season, the Wildcats dropped the opener in Dublin against Iowa State, needed a late score to beat North Dakota, and then lost by 3 to an Army team that lost to Tarleton last time out.

Arizona hasn’t been too greatly challenged yet, outflanking Hawaii and Weber State by a combined 88-9, as quarterback Noah Fifita has been good for 67 percent of his throws with 6 touchdowns.

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New Mexico at UCLA
Fri., Sept. 12 | 10 p.m. | BTN
Line: UCLA -14.5

The sportsbooks list the Bruins as a big favorite, as does the College Football Power Index computer model, giving them an 81.4 percent chance for victory. And it would be their first after falling to 0-2 after losses to Utah and UNLV.

Nico Iamaleava has been held to 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions since his transfer from Tennessee and is also UCLA’s leading rusher with 106 yards and a touchdown.

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AP top 25 college football rankings for Week 3

First-place votes in parentheses

1. Ohio State (57)
2. Penn State (5)
3. LSU (2)
4. Oregon (1)
5. Miami
6. Georgia
7. Texas
8. Notre Dame
9. Illinois
10. Florida State
11. South Carolina
12. Clemson
13. Oklahoma
14. Iowa State
15. Tennessee
16. Texas A&M
17. Ole Miss
18. USF
19. Alabama
20. Utah
21. Texas Tech
22. Indiana
23. Michigan
24. Auburn
25. Missouri

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