Star quarterbacks Trinidad Chambliss and Sam Leavitt will lead their teams in likely the most anticipated game of the season.

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Conference play in the SEC is starting to heat up and this week features five intraconference games, each having conference-championship odds at stake. In a league where nearly every team still has playoff aspirations, it makes for terrific matchups every week.

There are three matchups that we’ll be keeping an eye on for Week 3. These games are pivotal for everyone involved, and a loss this week can define a team’s season. Take a look at those matchups below.

No. 2 LSU at No. 13 Ole Miss

The game of the year is finally here. Dubbed the “Lane Kiffin Bowl”, it’s been one of the most prominent stories in all of sports since the day he left Oxford for Baton Rouge. Both squads are unbeaten, and a top-10 win this early can significantly boost a team’s playoff odds. 

LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt made headlines this week after going from doubtful to questionable in a two-day span. Former Rebel linebacker TJ Dottery, a key player in Ole Miss’s playoff run last year, is also listed as questionable. Both players are expected to play, leaving fans suspicious of a smokescreen.

How Trinidad Chambliss, who has an 8.00 BiteScore and is currently unranked, handles LSU’s punishing defense is a pressing question for this matchup. The Rebels’ defense has shown weakness at times, and now faces one of the best offenses in the country. Whichever coach can keep his team level-headed will win this highly contentious game. 

No. 10 Mississippi State at South Carolina

A potential shootout is looming in Columbia. Both teams are coming off hot starts and are looking to continue that momentum in Week 3. The story of this game is the quarterbacks. 

Two of the most electric quarterbacks in the country will duel it out in the conference opener for both teams. We all know LaNorris Sellers, with a current 6.76 BiteScore, is an NFL talent, but he is now in a scheme under new offensive coordinator Kendal Briles. It will be interesting to see how the offense comes together in their first SEC test. 

MSU quarterback Kamario Taylor, our top-ranked player at the position with a perfect 10.00 BiteScore, is one of the more dynamic players in the conference and currently leads the SEC in passing yards. Which quarterback can lead their team to victory?

No. 15 Florida at No. 22 Auburn

In the first game between the Gators and the Tigers since 2011. Both teams have similar situations. First-year head coaches and revamped rosters were key storylines of the offseason for both teams. This renewed rivalry should go down to the wire, with both teams eyeing an unbeaten record.