Chop Chat's College Football 2016 Game Picks: Week 3

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Here’s a look at this week’s top college football games and who the Chop Chat’s staff thinks will win each of the showdowns.

Well, well, well…what a difference five days can make. From being on top of the world to looking up at the rest of the competition, that’s what the world of college football picks can be like. Thanks to a stellar effort from Kentucky and an unnecessary show of manhood by BYU, we have new leadership on top of our weekly picks – with just 14 weeks and roughly 150 more games to pick.

Week three of the college football season doesn’t exactly have the same sexiness as week one did, but it sure as heck is much more of a looker than what we had to deal with just one week ago. As many as four teams ranked in the top 20 can see their playoff hopes vanish with a loss this week – making this slate of games that much more important. With that, it’s time to forget about the past, congratulate those who did their jobs and live to fight another day.

Here’s a look how everyone did last week and the updated season standings.

Season Standings

Kelvin – 15-5 (.750) Last Week: 9-1

Kyle – 15-5 (.750) Last Week: 9-1

Brad – 14-6 (.700) Last Week: 8-2

Jason – 14-6 (.700) Last Week: 7-3

Sep 3, 2016; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Hurricanes running back Mark Walton (1) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Florida A&M Rattlers during the second half at Hard Rock Stadium. The Miami Hurricanes defeat the Florida A&M Rattlers 70-3. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Miami at Appalachian State – Let this set in for just one moment: the five time national champion Hurricanes are just a four point favorite over a team that has been at the FBS level for just a handful of years. Miami should win the game easily, but remind your friends who root for them about that little fact when they talk about “being back”.

Preseason Pick: Miami All Pick: Miami

North Texas at Florida – I make no apologies for legitimately thinking that the Crocs were going to lose for the first time in three decades last week to Kentucky. I’m not going to be that dumb this week against the Mean Green, but we will be celebrating the first of several losses this season for Florida very soon.

Preseason Pick: Florida All Pick: Florida

USF at Syracuse – The Bulls enjoy some ACC action for the first of two straight weeks when they hit the road to face the Orange. It wasn’t pretty last week for Syracuse when they got beat down by Louisville, but it wont be that bad this week: they should only lose by about 20.

Preseason Pick: USF Jason, Kelvin and Kyle’s Pick: USF Brad’s Pick: Syracuse

Oregon at Nebraska – This has all the makings of a phenomenal game between power programs…if we could get a time machine and head back to 2001 when both schools were in the national title conversation. In 2016, the Ducks don’t look like a title contender, but still look in a better situation right now than the Huskers.

Preseason Pick: Nebraska Jason, Brad and Kyle’s Pick: Oregon Kelvin’s Pick: Nebraska

Texas A&M at Auburn – It wasn’t supposed to be this way in 2016. The Aggies were supposed to be the unranked team with a loss already during the season while Auburn was supposed to be the team that people thought had an outside shot of winning the SEC West. Now, the question is going to be can Kevin Sumlin avoid the silly loss and keep momentum going until games against Alabama and LSU.

Preseason Pick: Auburn All Pick: Texas A&M

USC at Stanford – The Trojans are still trying to figure out what has taken place the first two weeks of the season, between getting embarrassed against Alabama and having players hit refs against Utah State. I still firmly believe the Cardinal are overrated and have a couple losses in them, but one won’t take place this week.

Preseason Pick: USC All Pick: Stanford

Sep 3, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) walks off the field after a play during the fourth quarter against the Houston Cougars at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Michigan State at Notre Dame – The first of four games we will be picking this week involving ranked on ranked crime takes place in South Bend. A loss here sends the Irish home from the playoff conversation while the Spartans would still have time to catch up with the Big Ten schedule ahead of them. This one reluctantly goes to the Gipper.

Preseason Pick: Notre Dame All Pick: Notre Dame

Alabama at Ole Miss – For the last two seasons, the one thing that has stood in the way of a perfect regular season for the Crimson Tide has been a loss to a Rebels team that, quite frankly, hasn’t been able to finish the job when it comes to capitalizing off that win. With a loss already against the Seminoles and a game against Georgia looming next week, the men from Oxford who talk a lot are staring at 1-3 before the calendar turns to October.

Preseason Pick: Alabama All Pick: Alabama

Ohio State at Oklahoma – Yet another team hanging on to their playoff lives are the Sooners, who can’t afford another loss after dropping their opener against Houston. Let us all be clear for a second: a win over the Buckeyes puts them square back in the conversation and likely the Top 10 with the Big 12 schedule set to begin. Ohio State has dominated so far this season, but may just be living on borrowed time and be ripe for an upset. It’s a coin flip in this one.

Preseason Pick: Oklahoma Jason and Kyle’s Pick: Oklahoma Kelvin and Brad’s Pick: Ohio State

Sep 10, 2016; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles running back Dalvin Cook (4) picks up a first down against Charleston Southern in the first half at Doak Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Glenn Beil-USA TODAY Sports

***GAME OF THE WEEK*** Florida State at Louisville – Even the biggest diehard fans of the Seminoles like all four of us are would feel a lot better about this game had Derwin James not messed up his knee, knocking him out for this game and who knows how many more. The defense has to find out who the next man up will be against the Cardinals’ stud quarterback Lamar Jackson, who has looked good against Charlotte and Syracuse.

This is the type of game where we will also find out what kind of player quarterback Deondre Francois is. He shined in the second half comeback against Ole Miss…now, he needs to head on the road (one of just three games outside of Florida in the regular season for the ‘Noles) and lead the offense – along with running back Dalvin Cook – against a Louisville team that is hungry for maybe the biggest win in program history. It will be closer than it would have been, but the Seminoles survive.

Preseason Pick: Florida State All Pick: Florida State