College football is back for Week 3 action on Saturday with plenty of conference matchups in the ACC. Despite a few cancellations and postponements earlier in the week -- including Baylor vs. Houston, which was put together in just six days -- the sport will roll forward with ACC, AAC, Big 12, Conference USA and Sun Belt teams all in action.
The marquee matchup of the day will feature No. 18 Louisville hosting No. 17 Miami in the only ranked-on-ranked game of the weekend. The winner of this game will set the tone for the ACC season and should be considered one of the biggest threat to unseat Clemson from the ACC throne.
Speaking of Clemson, the top-ranked Tigers will host The Citadel. Yes, it's going to be a blowout. But let's take a minute in the mid-afternoon to appreciate Tigers quarterback Trevor Lawrence and running back Travis Etienne.
The day starts off with a re-scheduled in-state rivalry game between Tulsa and No. 11 Oklahoma State.
Let's take a spin around the country and give you a guide for your Saturday viewing bonanza. All times Eastern
The biggest games
Tulsa at No. 11 Oklahoma State -- noon, ESPN: The Cowboys get their season cranked up in what they hope will result in a berth in the Big 12 Championship Game. The trio of running back Chuba Hubbard, wide receiver Tylan Wallace and quarterback Spencer Sanders is one of the best in the nation. It'll be a big stage for the Pokes to show the world what they're capable of.
Syracuse at No. 25 Pitt -- noon, ACC Network: The Panthers had their way with Austin Peay last week, and will look to keep the momentum going at home against the Orange. Panthers quarterback Kenny Pickett looked the part of a star last week averaging 13.9 yards per attempt. Plus, that defense allowed 1 rushing yard last week. One. Uno. Could they be a complete team? We shall see.
No. 23 Appalachian State at Marshall -- 3:30 p.m., CBS: The Mountaineers have a legit outside shot at running the table and pushing for the College Football Playoff. On the other side of the field, they'll have to deal with freshman signal-caller Grant Wells. The 6-foot-2, 210-pounder has had two weeks to prepare after throwing for 307 yards and four touchdowns against Eastern Kentucky two weeks ago.
No. 14 UCF at Georgia Tech -- 3:30 p.m., ABC: The Yellow Jackets stunned Florida State in Tallahassee, Florida, last week behind true freshman signal-caller Jeff Sims. They'll square off against a Knights squad that will open its season in what they hope will be a run to the College Football Playoff. If you want a quarterback battle, Sims vs. Dillon Gabriel should be a fun one.
No. 17 Miami (FL) at No. 18 Louisville -- 7:30 p.m., ABC: The marquee game of the day will take place Saturday night in Louisville, Kentucky. The Cardinals are led by quarterback Micale Cunningham and a star-studded group of wide receivers, while the Hurricanes could unleash more of the offense in the second game of the D'Eriq King era.
Other big games
South Florida at No. 7 Notre Dame -- 2:30 p.m., USA Network: The best way to describe the Fighting Irish's win over Duke last weekend was that it was "sluggish." Quarterback Ian Book couldn't get into a rhythm, the receivers struggled and they didn't look like a real contender for the CFP. The same can be said for the Bulls, who dispatched of The Citadel in rather ugly fashion last weekend.
The Citadel at No. 1 Clemson -- 4 p.m., ACC Network: Get a glimpse of Lawrence and Etienne early, because they'll be out of there relatively soon. However, the reason that this game is included is because of the free year of eligibility. Watch what the backups do … because teams need depth in order to win the national title.
Best of the rest
- Austin Peay at No. 13 Cincinnati -- noon, ESPN+
- No. 19 Louisiana at Georgia State -- noon, ESPN2
- Boston College at Duke -- noon, ESPN3
- SMU at North Texas -- 6 p.m., CBS Sports Network
- Wake Forest at NC State -- 8 p.m., ACC Network
