Now we have seen most FBS teams play two or even three games. Last week, the talk was almost uniformly, "Sure, the schedule doesn't look that exciting on paper, but that's always when crazy stuff happens!" On that front, first, the people saying that tended to have invested interest in people engaging with Week 2 of the college football season. And second, that's kind of like the whole "Most accidents happen in the home" thing. Well, duh. You spend most of your time in your home. By the same token, a week where expectations are low and more matchups set the stage for upsets yields more unexpected results.
For me, Week 2 was as much about getting a chance to see more players in action and to see some teams make adjustments. It's all about matters related to sample size in a sport where the sample never gets terribly robust. Here are my players to start and to sit for Week 3. There are more big games, still some FCS opponents in the mix, and some teams and players that still have significant questions to answer.
AAC Starts and Sits
START
Corri Milliner, WR, UAB vs. Akron
When Trent Dilfer was hired at UAB, the levels of intrigue and skepticism were high, but a couple of years in, it feels like most have lost interest and are just waiting for the news he's been fired (particularly those with "toldya!" takes holstered). As such, they may not know that Milliner
Now we have seen most FBS teams play two or even three games. Last week, the talk was almost uniformly, "Sure, the schedule doesn't look that exciting on paper, but that's always when crazy stuff happens!" On that front, first, the people saying that tended to have invested interest in people engaging with Week 2 of the college football season. And second, that's kind of like the whole "Most accidents happen in the home" thing. Well, duh. You spend most of your time in your home. By the same token, a week where expectations are low and more matchups set the stage for upsets yields more unexpected results.
For me, Week 2 was as much about getting a chance to see more players in action and to see some teams make adjustments. It's all about matters related to sample size in a sport where the sample never gets terribly robust. Here are my players to start and to sit for Week 3. There are more big games, still some FCS opponents in the mix, and some teams and players that still have significant questions to answer.
AAC Starts and Sits
START
Corri Milliner, WR, UAB vs. Akron
When Trent Dilfer was hired at UAB, the levels of intrigue and skepticism were high, but a couple of years in, it feels like most have lost interest and are just waiting for the news he's been fired (particularly those with "toldya!" takes holstered). As such, they may not know that Milliner has come out of the gate aflame. He has 11 catches for 198 yards and two touchdowns. Akron, perpetually a bottom-of-the-barrel FBS program, has yet to score a single point this season. Plus, Dylan Raiola just threw for 364 yards and four touchdowns against the Zips.
SIT
Evan Simon, QB, Temple vs. Oklahoma
First, yes, it is weird the Owls are hosting the Sooners. Second, it's time to pump the brakes on Simon. While K.C. Keeler has certainly pumped some life into the Owls, Simon is not as good as his nine touchdowns against zero interceptions would suggest. There's the fact he's played UMass and Howard, and the fact he washed out at Rutgers before heading to Temple. Oh, and the Sooners and their defense. They will make things miserable for Simon.
ACC Starts and Sits
START
TJ Harden, RB, SMU at Missouri State
The Mustangs just suffered a tough loss to Baylor, but the team can bounce back and take out some frustrations on Missouri State. However, Harden doesn't actually need to bounce back, as he ran for 115 yards and three touchdowns against the Bears. As for Missouri State, it is freshly an FBS team and opened the season allowing 73 points to USC.
SIT
Mark Fletcher, RB, Miami (FL) vs. South Florida
We have already seen the Hurricanes play a serious opponent in Notre Dame. Miami's top receivers did well that day, but Fletcher turned 15 carries into 66 yards. That bears more relevance than the 11 carries for 86 yards and two touchdowns against Bethune-Cookman. Now, I'm not saying the Bulls are the Irish defensively, but the Bulls have now kept Boise State and Florida in check offensively.
Big Ten Starts and Sits
START
Hank Beatty, WR, Illinois vs. Western Michigan
When Beatty had five catches on five targets for 108 yards and added a punt-return touchdown in Illinois' opener, it was intriguing, but it was against Western Illinois. That could have been fluky and based on a breezy game against an FCS opponent. Then, against Duke, Beatty was targeted nine times and had eight catches for 128 yards. He was also credited with one run for 25 yards and a touchdown. Now? Beatty looks like a real weapon. Western Michigan is a MAC opponent, and it has given up 23 points to Michigan State and 33 to North Texas. Whatever the Broncos end up being, they won't be Duke defensively.
SIT
Darius Taylor, RB, Minnesota at Cal
Two things here. First, Taylor is dealing with a leg issue, and his status is up in the air. Second, even if Taylor were fully healthy, I would have him as a sit for Week 3. It's early, but Cal has only allowed 58.5 rushing yards per game. Minnesota has to travel a long way to face what seems to be an above-average run defense. Thus, I'd sit Taylor, and if he's out, I wouldn't take a shot on his backup A.J. Turner either.
Big 12 Starts and Sits
START
Behren Morton, QB, Texas Tech vs. Oregon State
Morton has barely had to break a sweat this season. He's thrown 44 passes through two games, completing 77.3 percent of them and tossing seven touchdowns against zero interceptions. I don't think Morton will get his first test in Week 3, because the limbo between eras of the Pac-12 has been tough on Oregon State. The Beavers have hosted Cal and Fresno State, allowing 34 and 36 points, respectively.
SIT
Wayshawn Parker, RB, Utah at Wyoming
Hey, things can get weird at Laramie. Also, the matchups for Big 12 teams this week are quite easy. Parker has done damage on limited touches against UCLA and Cal Poly, but honestly, the Cowboys may have a better defense than UCLA this season when all is said and done. Even if Wyoming has only played Akron and Northern Iowa, it is allowing under 200 yards per game and a mere 3.5 points per game.
Conference USA Starts and Sits
START
Nahzae Cox, WR, MTSU at Nevada
Things are bleak at Middle Tennessee State, and it may be looking for a new head coach before the season is even over. On the other hand, all of that is seemingly true at Nevada as well. Cox has been the sole bright spot for the Blue Raiders thus far, as he has nine catches for 125 yards and two touchdowns. The Wolf Pack rank 117th in defensive SP+, so Cox could continue to be the one silver lining for his team. A team that may have a new head coach before September is over.
SIT
Donovan Faupel, WR, NMSU at Louisiana Tech
Faupel is off to a fine start to the season with a larger role and a new quarterback in Logan Fife. However, the Louisiana Tech defense is looking pretty feisty thus far. It's not just that the Bulldogs blanked SE Louisiana. Louisiana Tech visited Death Valley in Week 2 to face the Tigers, and its defense genuinely made things difficult for Garrett Nussmeier. If things are tough on Fife, the cascading effect is that things will be tough on Faupel.
MAC Starts and Sits
START
Victor Snow, WR, Buffalo at Kent State
The MAC, arguably the worst conference in the FBS, continues to serve as a tune-up opponent for other conferences, or teams face FCS teams in an effort to secure wins and qualify for a bowl game this winter. However, we also have this conference matchup, and involved is a program that has been in the running for the worst in the FBS for the last few years. Kent State just got rolled 62-14 by Texas Tech, so little, if anything, has changed. Snow has been consistent to start 2025. In both games he's played, he has notched 67 yards and a touchdown.
SIT
Sieh Bangura, RB, Ohio at Ohio State
After a lost year at Minnesota, Bangura has returned to the program where he became a Group of Five star. He's faced two Power Four opponents in Rutgers and West Virginia, and he's managed 152 yards and a touchdown on 36 carries. I do believe Bangura will chew up MAC defenses, but that is to come. This is a trip to face the Buckeyes, a team in the running for the best defense in college football, and a defense that ranks second in SP+.
Mountain West Starts and Sits
START
Caleb Ramseur, RB, Nevada vs. MTSU
Hey, the other side of this matchup of wayward programs is just as enticing. Middle Tennessee State lost 34-14 to Austin Peay! I'm still trying to parse the Nevada backfield in part because the game against Penn State was a disaster, to the surprise of nobody. By dint of managing to average 2.0 yards per carry against the Nittany Lions, Ramseur looked relatively good. In Week 2 against Sacramento State, he had 13 carries for 70 yards, and he had three catches for 17 yards. I think Ramseur is the guy in this backfield to take a shot at.
SIT
Chris Durr, WR, Wyoming vs. Utah
It's time for a bit of a reality check for Durr. He may be in for a fine season, because eight catches for 190 yards and a touchdown is impressive even when you do it against Akron. It's just that Durr's success has come against Akron and Northern Iowa. Kyle Wittingham and Morgan Scalley are still at Utah, so this remains a defense you don't want to mess with. Also, a defense that has allowed 9.5 points per game in 2025.
SEC Starts and Sits
START
Jackson Arnold, QB, Auburn vs. South Alabama
Arnold's start to his Auburn tenure has been fascinating. In his first game, he threw the ball okay, but ran for 137 yards and two touchdowns against Baylor. Then, in his second outing, he only had five yards on the ground but completed 85.7 percent of his passes with three touchdowns against Ball State. Get you a quarterback who can do both! Tulane ran all over South Alabama, and the fact that Morgan State scored 21 points against South Alabama is also encouraging for Arnold.
SIT
Nate Frazier, RB, Georgia at Tennessee
Frazier is off to a slow start after an impressive freshman season. He's totaled 116 yards through two states, and while he had two touchdowns against Austin Peay, he also lost a fumble. Tennessee's defense is intriguing right now. It ranks third in defensive SP+ and has allowed 76.0 rushing yards per game to start the season. If Frazier gets on track, I don't think it happens in Week 3.
Sun Belt Starts and Sits
START
Colton Joseph, QB, Old Dominion at Virginia Tech
Joseph is chaos personified on the field, but he's also the Old Dominion offense. Sure, he fumbled twice against NC Central, but he threw for three touchdowns and added 49 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Did he throw a trio of picks against Indiana? He did indeed, and he also ran for 179 yards and two scores on the road against what may be a top-25 defense in 2025. There is also, admittedly, partially based on my thinking, "Maybe the Monarchs will take down the Hokies, and that will be enough for Brent Pry to get fired." I have no stake in the Virginia Tech program, but Pry's axing is inevitable, and this defense has allowed over 190 rushing yards per game.
SIT
Corey Rucker, WR, Arkansas State vs. Iowa State
Huh. Rucker had over 1,000 yards last season, but the start to this campaign gives me pause. He has five catches for 79 yards and a touchdown through two games. Rucker has been targeted 13 times, but not every target is created equally. Even if Rucker does turn it around, this is not the matchup to bet on that. The Cyclones are 3-0, including a win in Dublin, and rank 19th in defensive SP+.
