After a few weeks with multiple top-heavy college football schedule, Week 4 offers a whopping six games between teams ranked in the latest US LBM Coaches Poll.
The two biggest of those, arguably, occur in the SEC, with Texas laying its No. 1 ranking on the line in a road trip to No. 13 Tennessee on Rocky Top. Top-15 meeting aside, the matchup also casts a dilemma for former Vols quarterback Peyton Manning: Will he root for his alma mater, or his nephew, Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning?
Elsewhere, No. 6 Mississippi football will look to avoid an emotional letdown on the road at No. 22 Florida, one week after sending Lane Kiffin and LSU packing from Oxford, Mississippi, with a 32-24 loss. Speaking
of the Tigers, the now 11th-ranked Tigers will host No. 20 Texas A&M, a week after the Aggies were shocked at home by Kentucky.
The Big Ten is host to the week's other top-25 meetings, with No. 17 Iowa traveling to take on No. 18 Michigan in a battle of undefeateds and No. 16 Oregon still looking to rebound from a loss to Oklahoma State — never mind that 84-0 shellacking of hapless Portland State — in a visit to Los Angeles and No. 12 Southern California.
Here's how USA TODAY Sports' experts are picking games across the top-25 landscape:
College football Week 4 top-25 predictions, picks
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Monday, Sept. 21, at 3:30 p.m. ET
No. 1 Texas at No. 13 Tennessee
- Odds: Texas (-5.5)
- Over/under: 55.5 points
- Moneyline: Texas (-220) | Tennessee (+180)
- Craig Meyer: Texas 33, Tennessee 31
- Austin Curtright: Texas 28, Tennessee 17
- John Leuzzi: Texas 24, Tennessee 17
- Jordan Mendoza: Texas 27, Tennessee 17
- Adam Bittner: Tennessee 28, Texas 20
What our experts are saying: "This feels like a game Texas could lose, especially on the road in a hostile Neyland Stadium. Defense travels, though, and I don’t think Tennessee true freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon will be able to handle the Longhorns’ tough unit. Texas wins handily behind a strong run game and a solid bounce-back performance from quarterback Arch Manning." — Austin Curtright, USA TODAY Sports
No. 24 Oklahoma at No. 2 Georgia
- Odds: Georgia (-13.5)
- Over/under: 44.5 points
- Moneyline: Georgia (-600) | Oklahoma (+450)
- Craig Meyer: Georgia 27, Oklahoma 13
- Austin Curtright: Georgia 27, Oklahoma 6
- John Leuzzi: Georgia 42, Oklahoma 17
- Jordan Mendoza: Georgia 41, Oklahoma 20
- Adam Bittner: Georgia 35, Oklahoma 14
What our experts are saying: "Between its erratic quarterback, shaky offensive line and sometimes questionable play-calling, the Sooners' offense appears to be broken beyond salvation. Their excellent defense will do more than enough to help them to a respectable season, but on the road against a team like the Bulldogs, there's no realistic expectation for this version of Oklahoma to be able to put up enough points to win." — Craig Meyer, USA TODAY Sports
No. 3 Notre Dame at Purdue
- Odds: Notre Dame (-28)
- Over/under: 57.5 points
- Moneyline: Notre Dame (-5000) | Purdue (+1900)
- Craig Meyer: Notre Dame 38, Purdue 10
- Austin Curtright: Notre Dame 41, Purdue 7
- John Leuzzi: Notre Dame 50, Purdue 17
- Jordan Mendoza: Notre Dame 52, Purdue 16
- Adam Bittner: Notre Dame 48, Purdue 24
What our experts are saying: "Marcus Freeman's Irish have largely looked the part of a College Football Playoff contender, and that continues on the road against Purdue. Ryan Browne gives his best effort to keep the Boilermakers in the game past the first quarter, but Notre Dame’s high-powered defense, which has been averaging 7.7 points per game, becomes too much to handle. CJ Carr, who didn’t throw for a touchdown against Michigan State, throws for three against the Boilermakers." — John Leuzzi, USA TODAY Sports
Northwestern at No. 4 Indiana
- Odds: Indiana (-21)
- Over/under: 49.5 points
- Moneyline: Indiana (-1600) | Northwestern (+1050)
- Craig Meyer: Indiana 37, Northwestern 17
- Austin Curtright: Indiana 40, Northwestern 20
- John Leuzzi: Indiana 35, Northwestern 14
- Jordan Mendoza: Indiana 48, Northwestern 23
- Adam Bittner: Indiana 35, Northwestern 20
What our experts are saying: "The Wildcats averaged nearly 18 points per game against ranked opponents in 2025 and are coming off a 41-7 pasting of Colorado that turned some heads. Quarterback Aidan Chiles is averaging 11.2 yards per attempt so far this season, so don’t be surprised if this becomes a pesky opponent for the reigning national champs on a short week." — Adam Bittner, USA TODAY Sports
No. 6 Ole Miss at No. 22 Florida
- Odds: Florida (-3.5)
- Over/under: 61.5 points
- Moneyline: Florida (-155) | Ole Miss (+130)
- Craig Meyer: Ole Miss 34, Florida 28
- Austin Curtright: Florida 34, Ole Miss 31
- John Leuzzi: Ole Miss 28, Florida 10
- Jordan Mendoza: Ole Miss 39, Florida 37
- Adam Bittner: Ole Miss 34, Florida 24
What our experts are saying: "Florida gets a massive opportunity to strike an Ole Miss team coming off the high last week. The Gators are going to put up points and it's up to Trinidad Chambliss and company to match it. Florida leads the majority of the way but the Rebels come up with the late score to survive." — Jordan Mendoza, USA TODAY Sports
Illinois at No. 7 Ohio State
- Odds: Ohio State (-27)
- Over/under: 53.5 points
- Moneyline: Ohio State (-5000) | Illinois (+1850)
- Craig Meyer: Ohio State 41, Illinois 17
- Austin Curtright: Ohio State 38, Illinois 14
- John Leuzzi: Ohio State 43, Illinois 17
- Jordan Mendoza: Ohio State 35, Illinois 21
- Adam Bittner: Ohio State 35, Illinois 17
What our experts are saying: "When these teams met last season, the highly anticipated top-20 showdown turned into a one-sided Ohio State win. Don't expect this year's meeting to be much different. The Buckeyes simply possess too much firepower and talent across the roster. In fact, Ohio State could effectively decide this game before halftime. Julian Sayin should tear up the Illini’s defense, which is surrendering 252.7 passing yards per game. I expect him to throw at least two touchdown for the third time in four games." — John Leuzzi, USA TODAY Sports
South Carolina at No. 8 Alabama
- Odds: Alabama (-12)
- Over/under: 54.5 points
- Moneyline: Alabama (-500) | South Carolina (+380)
- Craig Meyer: Alabama 36, South Carolina 20
- Austin Curtright: Alabama 35, South Carolina 24
- John Leuzzi: Alabama 34, South Carolina 17
- Jordan Mendoza: Alabama 48, South Carolina 24
- Adam Bittner: Alabama 42, South Carolina 20
What our experts are saying: "The Crimson Tide looked shaky last week against Florida State, winning by only 14 against what's been a middling Seminoles team. Still, this is the same team that went on the road and won by four touchdowns against a plucky Kentucky squad, meaning they shouldn't have too much of a problem with a Gamecocks team that's flirting with squandering yet another season with Dylan Stewart and LaNorris Sellers." — Craig Meyer, USA TODAY Sports
No. 20 Texas A&M at No. 11 LSU
- Odds: LSU (-9)
- Over/under: 52.5 points
- Moneyline: LSU (-325) | Texas A&M (+270)
- Craig Meyer: LSU 34, Texas A&M 17
- Austin Curtright: LSU 28, Texas A&M 20
- John Leuzzi: LSU 31, Texas A&M 24
- Jordan Mendoza: LSU 33, Texas A&M 26
- Adam Bittner: Texas A&M 30, LSU 24
What our experts are saying: "Texas A&M will be locked in this week after it was upset 31-21 at home by Kentucky last week. Unfortunately for the Aggies, LSU will also be looking to rebound in Week 4 after a road loss to Ole Miss. Both Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed and LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt are better runners than passers, but I trust Leavitt a bit more, especially at home with a Lane Kiffin-led offense. The Tigers are also seeking revenge after they were stomped by Texas A&M at home last season, which led to the firing of former coach Brian Kelly." — Austin Curtright, USA TODAY Sports
No. 16 Oregon at No. 12 USC
- Odds: Oregon (-3)
- Over/under: 62.5 points
- Moneyline: Oregon (-160) | USC (+130)
- Craig Meyer: Oregon 33, USC 24
- Austin Curtright: Oregon 38, USC 30
- John Leuzzi: Oregon 45, USC 35
- Jordan Mendoza: Oregon 45, USC 41
- Adam Bittner: USC 42, Oregon 28
What our experts are saying: "A game both teams must win. There's all sorts of issues for each side, but it's really concerning to see the USC defense hasn't exactly lived up to expectations recently. Oregon will further expose it after a few weeks to fix things. Dan Lanning has Lincoln Riley's number, and the Ducks continue their dominance over the Trojans and get the season back on track." — Jordan Mendoza, USA TODAY Sports
Wisconsin at No. 14 Penn State
- Odds: Penn State (-9.5)
- Over/under: 44.5 points
- Moneyline: Penn State (-375) | Wisconsin (+300)
- Craig Meyer: Penn State 27, Wisconsin 16
- Austin Curtright: Penn State 27, Wisconsin 24
- John Leuzzi: Penn State 31, Wisconsin 7
- Jordan Mendoza: Penn State 27, Wisconsin 19
- Adam Bittner: Penn State 24, Wisconsin 13
What our experts are saying: "The Nittany Lions’ defense has been dominant to start 2026 and the Badgers managed just 217 yards and 13 points in their lone power conference test against Notre Dame. Perhaps Penn State’s light schedule has helped goose its numbers, but Wisconsin also averaged just nine points per game in conference play a year ago. The greater burden of proof is on Luke Fickell’s offense." — Adam Bittner, USA TODAY Sports
No. 15 Utah at Iowa State
- Odds: Utah (-8)
- Over/under: 48.5 points
- Moneyline: Utah (-350) | Iowa State (+275)
- Craig Meyer: Utah 31, Iowa State 27
- Austin Curtright: Utah 31, Iowa State 14
- John Leuzzi: Utah 35, Iowa State 17
- Jordan Mendoza: Utah 28, Iowa State 16
- Adam Bittner: Utah 28, Iowa State 17
What our experts are saying: "The Utes haven't skipped a beat under Morgan Scalley, and that's a credit to the veteran presence on both sides of the ball. Devon Dampier is an extremely underrated signal-caller, and he continues working magic to keep Utah undefeated by a comfortable score." — Jordan Mendoza, USA TODAY Sports
No. 17 Iowa at No. 18 Michigan
- Odds: Michigan (-5.5)
- Over/under: 38.5 points
- Moneyline: Michigan (-220) | Iowa (+180)
- Craig Meyer: Michigan 16, Iowa 13
- Austin Curtright: Michigan 16, Iowa 13
- John Leuzzi: Iowa 17, Michigan 10
- Jordan Mendoza: Iowa 15, Michigan 12
- Adam Bittner: Michigan 21, Iowa 13
What our experts are saying: "This feels like a throwback Big Ten slugfest where defense and field position take centerstage (viewers may know the names of both punters as well as the quarterbacks by the fourth quarter). In the end, Michigan's offensive inconsistencies remain a concern while Hank Brown continues to build his legend in Iowa City. If Michigan can protect the football after committing five turnovers through its first three games, however, it could start Big Ten play with a win themselves." — John Leuzzi, USA TODAY Sports
Wake Forest at No. 19 Louisville
- Odds: Louisville (-12.5)
- Over/under: 58.5 points
- Moneyline: Louisville (-500) | Wake Forest (+380)
- Craig Meyer: Louisville 38, Wake Forest 30
- Austin Curtright: Louisville 34, Wake Forest 27
- John Leuzzi: Louisville 41, Wake Forest 20
- Jordan Mendoza: Louisville 35, Wake Forest 24
- Adam Bittner: Louisville 34, Wake Forest 24
What our experts are saying: "A clunker after a big win has been something of a staple of Jeff Brohm's coaching career — just ask Louisville fans — and given some of the Cardinals' issues this season with penalties, it's hard to envision them cruising past what's been a formidable Demon Deacons squad. Still, Lincoln Kienholz and the Louisville offense will be too explosive for a Wake Forest team that will be at a talent disadvantage in this matchup." — Craig Meyer, USA TODAY Sports
No. 21 Missouri at Mississippi State
- Odds: Mississippi State (-6)
- Over/under: 58.5 points
- Moneyline: Mississippi State (-235) | Missouri (+190)
- Craig Meyer: Mississippi State 34, Missouri 24
- Austin Curtright: Mississippi State 38, Missouri 34
- John Leuzzi: Mississippi State 28, Missouri 21
- Jordan Mendoza: Mississippi State 30, No. 21 Missouri 28
- Adam Bittner: Mississippi State 38, Missouri 34
What our experts are saying: "While there are four matchups between top-25 ranked teams in the SEC in Week 4, Mississippi State-Missouri might be the most fun game in the conference. Bulldogs quarterback Kamario Taylor is one of the most impressive players in college football, and just led an offense that scored 41 points against South Carolina in three quarters on the road.
"Missouri’s passing attack has been much-improved this season with Ole Miss transfer Austin Simmons at the helm. Davis-Wade Stadium at night is going to be rocking, though, and Mississippi State moves to 2-0 in SEC play for the first time since 2014." — Austin Curtright, USA TODAY Sports
Minnesota at No. 23 Washington
- Odds: Washington (-10)
- Over/under: 45.5 points
- Moneyline: Washington (-375) | Minnesota (+300)
- Craig Meyer: Washington 19, Minnesota 14
- Austin Curtright: Minnesota 24, Washington 20
- John Leuzzi: Minnesota 21, Washington 17
- Jordan Mendoza: Washington 27, Minnesota 22
- Adam Bittner: Washington 31, Minnesota 10
What our experts are saying: "Demond Williams Jr. has been great with 1,042 scrimmage yards in just three games. The Huskies’ running game has been less great. They’ve averaged fewer than 80 yards per game with Williams’ production excluded. That may bite them at some point, but Minnesota isn’t profiling as the opponent to take advantage after a 38-13 beating by Mississippi State a couple of weeks ago." — Adam Bittner, USA TODAY Sports
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College football Week 4 picks: Expert predictions, odds for every top 25 game
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