In the most anticipated game so far this season, Ole Miss defeated Lane Kiffin and LSU, but Rebels coach Pete Golding says his team wants more.
Another SEC team got a win, needing the last possession to get it done. Against NC State, Vanderbilt enjoyed a miracle that, perhaps, was the result of coaching malpractice.
And West Virginia got its first big win of the season as it began to make its case as a contender in the Big 12.
Our college football experts break down key takeaways from Week 3.
What team made the biggest statement and why?
Ole Miss was not lacking for energy or motivation Saturday, but there's something to be said for meeting the moment, and the Rebels did just that.
With the Tigers coming into Oxford hot, and the baggage of Kiffin's dramatic exit looming over it all, the Rebels properly channeled their emotions into one of the best performances of the season so far. Their 17-0 start was a statement in its own right, and when the Tigers made their comeback and tied the game at 24 in the fourth quarter, Ole Miss did not blink.
Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss stepped in and painted the last strokes of his masterpiece, leading his team on a 13-play, 75-yard drive that he capped off with a dazzling 14-yard touchdown run. It was a Heisman-esque performance from Chambliss, who could have likely joined Kiffin in bolting for Baton Rouge but instead decided to be among the players who stayed.
"This one meant a lot more than other games," Chambliss said. "The coaches that were here, now at LSU -- and some players as well -- we've just been looking forward to it. I wanted this one really bad."
Just before midnight Saturday, once Jaylon Braxton picked off Sam Leavitt to seal the result, that decision looked as good as ever. Revenge, vindication ... call it what you want: But come the end of the season, the difference between winning this game and losing it could mean more than the satisfaction of sticking it to the guy who left.
"I told our team, 'I don't think anybody came here to beat LSU,'" Golding said. "That's not what our goal was coming in. Yes, is it sweet? Absolutely. Go enjoy tonight. But we've got to come back to work. ... It wasn't our Super Bowl, and we didn't make it out to be our Super Bowl." -- Paolo Uggetti
What was the most questionable coaching decision and why?
NC State held a three-point lead on the road with six seconds left, facing fourth down and backed up on its own 5-yard line.
But the Wolfpack inexplicably tempted fate.
They called for quarterback CJ Bailey to scramble around in the end zone attempting to run out the clock. Before he could, a host of Vanderbilt defenders tackled him and jarred the ball loose. The Commodores recovered the ball in the end zone for the stunning 35-31 victory.
NC State coach Dave Doeren said afterward that Bailey was supposed to go down on his own and take the safety.
"It's just a play where you roll out and you don't get tackled, you try to burn as much time as you can and then fall to the ground and protect the football," he said. "He got hit, and he didn't protect the football."
But asking the quarterback to dance around the end zone against an all-out rush is courting disaster.
Bailey could have taken a couple of seconds off and stepped out of the back of the end zone. Vanderbilt then would have had only a few seconds remaining, depending on the return, to run a desperation play.
Instead, the Commodores are 3-0 heading into SEC play.
The Wolfpack are 1-2, with the path to bowl eligibility looking like an uphill climb. -- Jake Trotter
What under-the-radar result do we need to pay attention to?
West Virginia's 38-27 win against Virginia in Charlotte has implications for both teams and both of their leagues, which are each trying to put multiple teams in the College Football Playoff. The ACC is looking for a second true contender to join Miami, and Virginia, the ACC runner-up in 2025, seemingly had potential with an experienced roster and dual-threat quarterback Beau Pribula. But West Virginia controlled play in the final three quarters, especially during a 17-0 run after Virginia had tied the score midway through the third quarter.
Oklahoma transfer Michael Hawkins Jr., who is the type of dual-threat quarterback who can really thrive in Mountaineers coach Rich Rodriguez's offense, accounted for five touchdowns (two passing, three rushing) in the win.
"He knew exactly what was going on," Rodriguez said. "So I think he grew a lot. I think our offense grew a lot today at certain moments, but Mike, he's electric. He's got a lot of really good football in front of him, too."
WVU isn't being branded as a CFP candidate just yet, but if the 3-0 'Eers continue their success in the wide-open Big 12, look out. -- Adam Rittenberg
Which game will matter most to the CFP?
How about two? A pair of top-10 SEC programs -- No. 7 LSU and No. 9 Texas A&M -- went down Saturday. The respective losses to No. 8 Ole Miss and Kentucky were significant enough in isolation. But the playoff implications they injected into the Aggies' visit to Baton Rouge this coming weekend only magnifies the scale of their Week 3 defeats.
Consider the weight hanging over these two programs in 2026. Perhaps you've heard of Lane Kiffin and the sky-high expectations surrounding his debut season at LSU. But don't sleep on the pressure lingering for Mike Elko and Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed with the Aggies vying for another trip to the CFP this fall. A two-loss SEC team will always have a shot at the 12-team field. But one of LSU or Texas A&M is going to be sitting firmly behind the eight-ball by the time the clock hits zero in Death Valley on Saturday night, and that's because both stumbled in Week 3. -- Eli Lederman
What's the most eye-popping stat of the weekend?
Last season, Texas A&M allowed just 176.6 passing yards (16th best nationally) on 6 yards per attempt (10th) en route to a playoff spot and an 11-2 season. On Saturday in College Station, Kentucky's Kenny Minchey averaged 14 yards per attempt (and 18 per completion) as he went 14-of-18 (including a perfect 9-of-9 in the second half) to lead the Wildcats to a 31-21 win over the No. 9 Aggies, marking their biggest road win against a top-10 opponent since 1947. Minchey completed passes of 19, 28, 53, 42, 22 and 32 yards as he picked the Aggies' defense apart. -- Dave Wilson
