As the September portion of the college football season comes to a close, there’s a full menu of conference games on tap in the top-tier leagues. As a result, no fewer than a half dozen ranked matchups will be staged, with enough to keep interested parties engaged from Friday night through the wee hours of Sunday.
Since we devote this space to the most compelling viewing options for the weekend, only two conferences are represented. Your interests may vary, of course, which is why we add our standard advice to keep that remote handy and change channels as events warrant.
Our Week 4 journey takes us to both coasts and many points in between. The first stop is Rocky Top, where the No.-1
ranking is on the line.
No. 1 Texas at No. 13 Tennessee
Time/TV: Saturday, noon ET, ABC.
Why watch: The Longhorns look to maintain their lofty perch as they open SEC play in one of the league’s most notorious road environments. The Volunteers have been mostly untested to this point but face a major challenge here for their young stars. Texas QB Arch Manning has struggled away from home over his career, so he’ll need WRs Cam Coleman and Ryan Wingo to be sure with their hands from the outset. They’ll be opposed by Vols LB Amare Campbell and DB Dejuan Lane. Tennessee’s freshman sensation QB Faizon Brandon makes his SEC debut. He and RBs DeSean Bishop and Daune Morris have had their way of things in the running game but will probably find tougher sledding against Longhorns DB Jelani McDonald and DE Colin Simmons. The latter is officially listed as probable but is expected to take the field.
Why it could disappoint: It can take a quarter or two for Texas to find its rhythm, and that might not be a winning formula on the road. But with that said, it’s up to the Vols to show they’re ready to compete at the highest level.
No. 6 Mississippi at No. 22 Florida
Time/TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC.
Why watch: The Rebels don’t have long to celebrate their emotional victory against LSU. Fortunately for Ole Miss, the Gators have a quick turnaround themselves after outlasting a feisty Auburn squad on the road. Rebels RB Kewan Lacy appears to have escaped major damage to his injured shoulder, but his availability for this week might not be known until game time. If he can’t go, it will be up to RB JT Lindsey to help QB Trinidad Chambliss keep the ground game moving. LB Myles Graham and the Gators’ front seven will have their hands full enough containing Chambliss. Florida would seem to be equally comfortable if the contest becomes another track meet. QB Aaron Philo will tuck and run himself but prefers to let RB Jadan Baugh handle the ground yards. It figures to be another busy day for Ole Miss LBs Tah’j Butler and Luke Ferrelli.
Why it could disappoint: Ole Miss could conceivably come out flat. It’s also possible the Gators aren’t up to top-10 caliber just yet.
No. 24 Oklahoma at No. 2 Georgia
Time/TV: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN.
Why watch: For the Sooners, who are coming off a loss at Michigan followed by a win against New Mexico that didn’t feel like one, a trip to Athens is not the ideal scenario to open SEC play. That is of little consequence for the Bulldogs, of course, as they look to continue their dominant ways and compete for another league title. Georgia QB Gunner Stockton hasn’t needed to sling it around much yet, thanks to a ground attack led by RB Nate Frazier that is averaging over seven yards per attempt. The Sooners’ defense, featuring DE Taylor Wein and LB Owen Heinecke, should bring that number down a bit. But the bigger concern for OU fans is the sluggishness of the offense. QB John Mateer hasn’t been solely to blame, but his accuracy issues and lack of ground support haven’t helped. Georgia’s deep LB corps featuring AJ Kruah and Chris Cole could keep the Sooners stuck in neutral.
Why it could disappoint: We still need to see how Georgia responds to an SEC-caliber defense – and no, Arkansas doesn’t count. But the real concern is for the Sooners to find themselves in an early hole that their offense won’t be equipped to overcome.
No. 17 Iowa at No. 18 Michigan
Time/TV: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS.
Why watch: Following a rocky preconference slate that included a disputed win, the Wolverines begin their daunting trek through the Big Ten. Up first are the Hawkeyes, who feature their usual brand of stingy defense. Michigan QB Bryce Underwood is still seeking consistency and might default to leaving the pocket more than he should. He’d do well to avoid encountering Iowa LB Cam Buffington too often. The Hawkeyes might actually have some offensive weapons this year to complement their defense. QB Hank Brown has a receiving threat in WR Tony Diaz, and RB Kamari Moulton, who missed the Northern Iowa game, should be back this week. The Wolverines can play some defense themselves, of course, with LB Troy Bowles often ending up near the point of attack.
Why it could disappoint: Both teams have already played games this year in which neither side reached 20 points. If that’s not the kind of football you enjoy, this might not be the matchup for you.
No. 16 Oregon at No. 12 Southern California
Time/TV: Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, NBC.
Why watch: We head to the Big Ten’s west-coast outpost for the league’s other marquee contest. Both title aspirants have a lot to prove, with the Trojans coming off an unexpected challenge at Rutgers and the Ducks still smarting from a non-conference setback at Oklahoma State two weeks ago. Oregon QB Dante Moore has respectable passing numbers and no picks on the season, not to mention a strong outing against the Trojans under his belt from 2025, but he must show he can make plays against top-25 opposition away from home. Yardage can be had against the Trojans, but S Prophet Brown can make Moore pay for mistakes. USC QB Jayden Maiava has had to break in new targets this season, but WRs Trent Mosley and Kayden Dixon-Wyatt appear to be quick studies. He’ll look to steer clear of Ducks’ edge rushers Matayo Uiagalelei and Teitum Tuioti.
Why it could disappoint: It will be hard to match the entertainment value of last season’s 42-27 win by the Ducks in Eugene. A flurry of mistakes could put either participant behind the proverbial eight-ball, but both would appear to have the fire power to stage a comeback if needed.
No. 20 Texas A&M at No. 11 LSU
Time/TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, ABC.
Why watch: Recent results made this prime-time selection look premature, but it’s an important contest nonetheless. Both teams might be too early to be in desperation mode, but a second consecutive SEC loss would be extremely damaging for either of these squads that were harboring playoff aspirations just a week ago. The Tigers will be especially glad to be back in Baton Rouge after negotiating all the hostilities in Oxford. Even so, QB Sam Leavitt needs to find a rhythm early. Aggies QB Marcel Reed is also in need of a bounce-back performance, and losing versatile WR Terry Bussey to a season-ending knee injury won’t help the cause.
Why it could disappoint: Since the Tigers were able to mount a rally the last time we saw them, the more likely mismatch scenario involves another offensive outage by the Aggies.
Northwestern at No. 4 Indiana
Time/TV: Friday, 8 p.m. ET, Fox.
Why watch: The Friday night Big Ten appetizer features the defending national champion Hoosiers as they embark on this year’s conference run. Up first are the Wildcats, who have only taken the field twice thus far but looked very good last week against Colorado. Indiana has met with little resistance to date, though its season-opening win against possible American contender North Texas could hold some value. Hoosiers QB Josh Hoover has been quite efficient with 10 scoring throws and no interceptions, and WR Charlie Becker continues to catch seemingly everything in his area code. Northwestern will counter with well-traveled QB Aidan Chiles, who has made good use of RB Joseph Himon II.
Why it could disappoint: Truth be told, we don’t know a whole lot about either team. But given recent history, the onus is on the Wildcats to make this a competitive affair.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College football Week 4 schedule breakdown: Seven games you can’t miss
