College Football Week Three Preview:
#12 Clemson-Georgia Tech, #6 Georgia-#15 Tennessee,
#18 South Florida-#5 Miami Among National Highlights
(DG’s “This Week In CFB” YouTube Show = below)
By David Glenn
North Carolina Sports Network
(last updated Sept. 10, 2025)
The 2025 college football season continues Thursday through Saturday with a compelling Week Three schedule.
The most prominent games nationally (each previewed below) include a pair of Top 25-vs.-Top 25 contests, plus a head-to-head clash between Atlantic Coast Conference contenders: #12 Clemson at Georgia Tech (Sat., noon, ESPN), #6 Georgia at #15 Tennessee (Sat., 3:30 p.m., ABC) and #18 South Florida at #5 Miami (Sat., 4:30 p.m., The CW).
Meanwhile, in the Old North State, NC State and Wake Forest get to enjoy ESPN’s exclusive Thursday night TV window in Winston-Salem, Duke’s new multi-million-dollar quarterback is taking a road trip to face his former team, and UNC is seeking a dominant victory over an FCS opponent in Chapel Hill, among other interesting storylines.
Here are more details on our “Three To See” selections from this week’s national schedule:
National “Three To See,” Game One
#12 Clemson (1-1) at Georgia Tech (2-0), Sat., noon (ESPN)
This is one of the most intriguing games in all of college football this week, and it could be a very dangerous one for Clemson coach Dabo Swinney and his Tigers for a lot of different reasons.
First, Georgia Tech coach Brent Key has become sort of a Dragon Slayer during his time with the Yellow Jackets. Tech hasn’t yet had anything better than a 7-6 season under Key, but in their seven games against nationally ranked opponents since he took the job in September 2022, the Yellow Jackets are 6-1 in those highest-profile matchups.
Second, Clemson can’t possibly have its usual confidence and swagger right now. The Tigers lost their opener to LSU, at home, then struggled badly against Troy before rallying to win that game. In particular, Clemson’s offense has been off, with Cade Klubnik struggling at quarterback and with the Tigers not having their typically explosive running game.
Third, Tech is at home, which often helps the underdog in a big way.
For whatever it’s worth, under Swinney, Clemson has absolutely owned Tech during this past decade or so. Over the last 12 games in this rivalry, the Tigers have won 11, and most of those weren’t close. The only previous head-to-head matchup between these two head coaches resulted in a 42-21 Clemson win two years ago, although that one was in Death Valley.
While Clemson’s defense has played very well overall this season, the Tigers will face a complicated challenge in Tech’s sixth-year senior quarterback Haynes King, assuming he’s healthy enough to play after sitting out the Yellow Jackets’ win over Gardner-Webb last week with a lower-body injury.
King is 24 years old, super-smart and super-tough, and he can make plays even against good defenses, even when you feel like you’ve boxed him in. He absolutely destroyed Colorado in Tech’s opener, making huge plays with his arm and his legs.
The Yellow Jackets have two really good running backs, too, in fifth-year senior Jamal Haynes and junior Malachi Hosley, a transfer from Penn of the Ivy League, and Key — an All-ACC guard for the Jackets himself back in the day — takes great pride in his team’s offensive line play.
Perhaps Clemson (a three-point favorite) will be up to the task on both sides of the ball, but this is a scary road trip for Dabo and Co.
National “Three To See,” Game Two
#6 Georgia (2-0) at #15 Tennessee (2-0), Sat., 3:30 p.m. (ABC)
This is probably the most compelling matchup of the entire college football weekend, because both teams are highly ranked, the favored Bulldogs haven’t looked like their typically dominant selves through their 2-0 start, and the underdog Volunteers are at home in this one, so the 100,000-plus at Neyland Stadium will be overwhelmingly on their side.
It won’t surprise anyone who has followed college football closely over this past decade or so to learn, however, that under two-time national championship coach Kirby Smart, the Dawgs have won eight consecutive games in this rivalry, including four straight in Knoxville by the very decisive scores of 41-0, 43-14, 41-17 and 38-10.
Tennessee coach Josh Heupel has an impressive 39-11 record against the rest of the world during his four-plus seasons with the Volunteers, but he’s 0-4 against Georgia, and none of those losses was particularly close.
Former Appalachian State star Joey Aguilar is Tennessee’s new starting quarterback, and former Duke standout Star Thomas is one of the Volunteers’ top running backs, so there will be plenty of local flavor in this one. Also, UT’s starting center, Notre Dame transfer Sam Pendleton, is from Reagan High School near Winston-Salem, and one of Georgia’s starters is redshirt sophomore defensive back Kyron Jones, from Charlotte Christian High.
Georgia’s defense has looked brilliant, as usual, with NFL prospects such as linebacker CJ Allen, tackle Christen Miller and cornerback Daylen Everette, among others. But the Bulldogs haven’t yet been great offensively, with new quarterback Gunnar Stockton playing behind a banged-up line.
One red flag for the Volunteers (a three-point underdog) is that both of their starting cornerbacks will miss this game with injuries, including Jermod McCoy, a potential first-round NFL pick who’s recovering from a torn ACL.
National “Three To See,” Game Three
#18 South Florida (2-0) at #5 Miami (2-0), Sat., 4:30 p.m. (The CW)
Right out of the gate, a serious question: Is this the biggest regular-season college football game ever broadcast on The CW?
That channel — which typically gets the crumbs from the ACC football buffet table, if you will — really lucked out with this one.
Who knew that South Florida, which had mediocre 7-6 records in each of its first two seasons under head coach Alex Golesh, would beat a nationally ranked Boise State team to open this season, then go to The Swamp and take out a nationally ranked Florida Gators team, too?
That’s the backdrop to the Bulls’ trip this week to Miami Gardens, where the host Hurricanes have lived up to their very high preseason expectations so far, with a 2-0 record that includes a Week One victory over top-10 Notre Dame.
South Florida has won with the combination of an opportunistic offense and a bend-but-don’t-break defense that has given up significant yards but also has come up with some timely turnovers, especially against Boise State.
The Broncos managed only seven points against South Florida, and the Gators managed only 16. Miami quarterback Carson Beck, an accurate thrower and experienced decision-maker with plenty of weapons, may be a big part of UM coach Mario Cristobal’s solution there.
On offense, South Florida’s key player is someone from our own backyard.
Starting quarterback Byrum Brown, who leads the Bulls in both passing yardage and rushing yardage through their 2-0 start, is from Rolesville High School near Raleigh. As a prep senior, he had scholarship offers from App State, Campbell, Elon, NC Central, North Carolina A&T and other in-state programs, but he signed with South Florida under a different staff and stayed through the coaching transition two years ago.
Brown, a redshirt junior now in his third season as the Bulls’ starting quarterback, became the school’s first 3,000-yard passer in 2023 but missed about half of last season with a serious lower-leg injury.
Miami (a 16-point favorite) is definitely expected to win this game — some even expect an avalanche — but perhaps The CW will get to showcase something truly scintillating this time.
NOTE: For the in-state edition of our Week Three college football preview, including analysis on the highest-profile games, plus schedules and TV/streaming options for all 32 teams (FBS, FCS, Division Two, Division Three) in the Bold North State, please click HERE.
