Spooky season already?

The GIST: There aren’t many elite matchups on tomorrow’s docket, but that just means the gridiron is primed for upsets. Here’s who’s under pressure racing into Week 3:

The Top-25 matchups: No. 20 Arizona and No. 14 Kansas State are starting the party early with tonight’s 8 p.m. ET kickoff on Fox. Arizona is buzzing thanks to their dynamic duo of quarterback (QB) Noah Fifita and wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, but time will tell how these IRL BFFs hold up against their first Big 12 challenge.

• Then in tomorrow’s only ranked matchup, No. 6 Missouri hosts No. 24 Boston College at 12:45 p.m. ET on SECN. Mizzou is heavily favored, but BC’s already proved they can handle Top-10 opponents.

Cam Rising’s questionable health: After exiting last week’s game with a hand injury, No. 12 Utah’s superstar QB is not expected to play against Utah State tomorrow at 4:30 p.m. ET on CBS. While the Utes should easily handle the Aggies without him, fans will be anxious to see if Rising emerges from the tunnel in uniform — their College Football Playoff (CFP) hopes rest squarely on him.

The must-win games: Tomorrow, two preseason Top-10 teams face opponents they have to beat to maintain any shot at the CFP. First, Florida State will seek their first win of the season (yikes) against Memphis at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN. If they don’t seal it, FSU will be long past panic mode.

• Then at 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS, the No. 18 Notre Dame Fighting Irish will try to shake off last week’s legacy-tarnishing loss with a road dub over intrastate rival Purdue. Irish QB Riley Leonard will be under a microscope — if he even takes the field.

The GIST: Yesterday, Yahoo! Sports reported that the Pac-12, which collapsed in last year’s realignment wave and currently operates as a shell of a conference, might survive after all. Never back down, never what?

The details: After the offseason’s mass exodus, the Pac-12 — or more fittingly, the Pac-2 — has two years to rebuild to the NCAA–mandated eight-school minimum or face extinction. This week, they reportedly made major progress: Boise State, San Diego State, Colorado State, and Fresno State are rumored to be joining the Pac from the Group of Five’s Mountain West Conference (MWC) in 2026.

• If true, these moves will set off another realignment chain reaction as the MWC scrambles to replace the deserters. And since the Pac-12 still needs at least two more schools, their likely next target, the West Coast Conference, is bracing for impact.

Zooming out: Even if the rebuild is successful, the old Pac-12 is gone forever — slapping the Conference of Champions’ logo on a bunch of Group of Five teams does not instantly make them Power conference–caliber programs.

• That said, in an era where money and media exposure are essential building blocks of elite athletic departments, copping the Pac-12’s former clout could accelerate their ascent.

This weekend’s protected rivalries: Thanks to impeccable timing, the Pac-2’s football teams — the Washington State Cougars and Oregon State Beavers — will face off tomorrow against the intrastate rivals that left them for dead. The Cougs will take on Washington in the Apple Cup at 3:30 p.m. ET, with No. 9 Oregon heading to OSU to fight over the Platypus Trophy at the same time.

• The latter is especially interesting, as Oregon entered the season with high hopes but failed to dominate lesser opponents in their first two wins. Put this one on upset watch — especially since it’s personal for the Beavs.

🏑 Field hockey: No. 3 Virginia Cavaliers (3-0) vs. No. 5 Maryland Terrapins (3-1) — Tonight at 7 p.m. ET — B1G+

• This one’s bound to be a showdown. Virginia’s offense is loaded — seven different Cavaliers have scored in their first three games. But the Terps are known for their lockdown defense, led by veterans Ericka Morris-Adams, Josie Hollamon, and Rayne Wright.

🏐 Women’s volleyball: SMU Doubletree Invitational — Today and tomorrow at various times — Viewing information here

• In a weekend packed with top-tier matchups, SMU’s home invite stands out. The Mustangs came out of nowhere to pull off two massive upsets in two weeks — can they do it again with No. 10 Kentucky and No. 7 Purdue in the mix?

⚽ Men’s soccer: No. 3 Stanford Cardinal (5-1-0) vs. No. 23 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (1-0-3) — Tomorrow at 7 p.m. ET — ACCNX

• Kicking off conference play with back-to-back road trips against the reigning national champs and runners-up? Stanford’s full of bold moves, and so far, it’s paid off. But don’t let the Irish’s underwhelming record fool you: The reigning ACC kings are not to be trifled with.

⚽ Women’s soccer: No. 1 Stanford Cardinal (7-0-0) vs. No. 11 Santa Clara Broncos (6-1-0) — Sunday at 4 p.m. ET — ESPN+

• The Cardinal’s women are also staring down a gauntlet of road games, which is probably why their pre-conference slate has been all California, all the time. They’ll kick off one last Bay Area tune-up before taking on the ACC, so buckle up, then let’s ride.

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