College Football Bye Week 3: Key teams taking a break and what it means for their season
Ten power conference teams are having a bye week in college football's Week 3. For some, having an early bye week will stall momentum. But for others, it's a useful chance to figure out the season to come. Here's a rundown of all ten power conference programs on a bye in Week 3 and what they'll be pondering this week.
College football teams with a bye in Week 3 and what they're working on
Ohio State
After two easy wins, the Buckeyes are one of those teams that would probably be fine to power through the bye week. But it'll give them a chance to focus on the next four games before OSU's second bye. Each of those will be tougher than the previous game, and it will culminate on Oct. 12 with a trip to Oregon. Preparation for that trip will be key for OSU's late-season stretch run.
Penn State
After a fairly ugly game with Bowling Green in Week 2, the Nittany Lions have to get some things fixed. Possibly the biggest issue is getting off the field. Penn State's offense was sharp against Bowling Green, but they weren't on the field enough. PSU allowed 7 of 14 third-down conversions by Bowling Green, and that has to be fixed moving forward.
USC
After an impressive start, USC is about to break into Big 10 play. With early games against Michigan, Wisconsin, Michigan State and Penn State, run defense has to be high on the list of concerns. LSU gained 4.5 yards per carry against USC, so the Trojans might want to fine-tune a few run defense principles.
Rutgers
For 2-0 Rutgers, they're still not getting much attention. But if they keep winning, the rest will come. The main area of work could be getting some publicity for RB Kyle Monangai. Monangai already has 373 rushing yards this season. He is coming off a 1,262-yard season in 2023. It's time for people to notice him. If not, Rutgers might give them a reason to learn.
Clemson
The Tigers probably can use another week to just forget about Week 1. Yes, the loss to Georgia was humbling. But Clemon's Week 2 showed that the upside is still there. The ACC race figures to be more of a marathon than a sprint. Clemson needs to just put the past behind them and play their way back into CFP contention.
SMU
Considered a dark horse to win the ACC, SMU needs to use the break to find its offense. They edged past Nevada in Week 0 and lost to BYU in Week 2. Kevin Jennings has been named the starting quarterback, and it's clear the bye week is about preparing Preston Stone to run the offense.
Louisville
One of the few unscathed ACC teams, Louisville hasn't played any remotely legitimate competition. The Cardinals don't have much to work on so far, but they can almost approach this bye week as leading into the actual season after a two-week exhibition stretch. The next two games against Georgia Tech and Notre Dame should provide better tests.
Syracuse
Off a 2-0 start, the Orange probably need to work on playing with a lead. In the win over Georgia Tech, Syracuse took a 31-14 lead with 8:39 to play in the game. From there, Georgia Tech walked the ball down the field twice and scored with relative ease, making the game competitive. It's a good problem to have, but Syracuse will probably work on how to grind out wins with a lead.
Stanford
After a Week 1 loss to TCU, Stanford needs to use the break to tighten up the defense that allowed 457 yards and 34 points to the Horned Frogs. It's a tough ACC schedule ahead, and Stanford's defense has to get better.
Iowa State
Off a 20-19 upset of rival Iowa, Iowa State probably can use the week to work on third down offense. Yes, Iowa has a great defense, but Iowa State can't count on winning in games where they go two for 14 on third-down conversions, as they did. That really needs to improve.
Which teams will best use Week 3's bye? Share your thoughts below in our comments section!