SB Nation • 12 min read

Week 4 Football: What to Watch

If you’re a real college football masochist, then the Thursday night game is for you. Featuring two of the AAC’s bottom feeders, this game is for you real diehards. Or those with a gambling addiction. I’m sure there’s a big intersection on that Venn diagram.

What in the world happened to Oklahoma State? That program won 10 games as recently as 2023. Then they went 3-9 last year, including an 0-9 record in Big XII play, and they’re just 1-1 this year including a 69-3 drubbing at the hands of Oregon

last week. If they lose to Tulsa – another AAC bottom feeder – then it might be the end of the road for Mike Gundy. But he’s a man. He’ll be okay.

That Iowa-Rutgers game is sneaky good on Friday night. Yeah, I know… “Iowa offense”. But would it surprise you to learn that the Hawkeyes are putting up over double the points this year than Oklahoma State (31.3/game vs 15.0/game)? Okay, Iowa had the benefit of Albany and UMass on the schedule already, but points are rare in corn fields. Let them enjoy it.

I’m pretty pumped up about the Saturday slate of games. There are interesting games at every turn and the week will surely have its share of enthralling moments.

Before we get into the game-by-game specifics, I find it interesting how SP+ and Sagarin differ so wildly on a few teams. The eyeball test tells you that SP+ has a better read on Texas Tech and Clemson than does Sagarin, but then Sagarin appears to have a better feel for South Carolina and Miami. So who knows. If only we had these teams playing each other!

Speaking of Texas Tech, the matchup with Utah will be their first true test of the year and will tell us if Joey McGuire’s team is for real or not. And no offense to UCLA (okay, maybe just a little), but the same can be said about Utah’s schedule to date.

Arkansas-Memphis is another in the noon slot worth watching. The Razorbacks had a heartbreaking loss at Ole Miss last week while Memphis has looked real good under Ryan Silverfield. A win would propel the Tigers into the thick of the G5 race for a playoff spot.

SMU-TCU is always an entertaining game and should be again this weekend. The Mustangs have certainly taken a step back from last year while the Horned Frogs look like they’re rebounding after their national championship runner-up hangover… or maybe UNC really is that bad (probably both).

I’m not saying you should watch this game – and it’s highly doubtful that anything more than a camera from a phone of a player’s mom will be on this game – but maybe track this box score because good gracious…

I’m not ready to buy Auburn just yet, especially after they struggled with South Alabama last week. Oklahoma appears to be straightening out now in Brent Venables 4th season. This weekend will tell us a lot about both programs. A win for the Sooners will have them – barring a complete collapse against Kent State next week – undefeated heading into the Red River Rivalry.

Like Memphis, Tulane is playing to propel themselves into the G5 playoff spot discussion. The win last week against Duke was impressive (even with letting Duke back into the game late), but can the Green Wave get up two weeks in a row? Ole Miss is a way better team than the Blue Devils, but after back-to-back close SEC wins over Kentucky and Arkansas and with LSU looming next week, is this a trap game?

Michigan-Nebraska… yawn.

Go UCF!

SP+ thinks NC State and Duke will be a tight affair, but Sagarin thinks the Wolfpack have an advantage. We’ll see. Hopefully Mr. Sagarin is correct.

Getting into the primetime games, South Carolina at Missouri has some intrigue, even if the Gamecocks haven’t looked near good enough to have that SP+ ranking. A win for Eli Drinkwitz’s Tigers will have them – again, barring a collapse next week against UMass – undefeated heading into their bye week, which precedes a four-week run of ranked opponents.

Miami will be carrying the ACC banner into their game with Florida. Billy Napier’s getting fired this year, and it likely doesn’t come this week, but maybe? If the Hurricanes lose, which is completely possible as this Gators team is still stacked with talent as usual, that’s not going to be a good look for the ACC.

Illinois-Indiana is a matchup of top 25 teams. The future sure is weird.

The late night slate isn’t all that intriguing, but Michigan State and USC are both undefeated (it’s true – look it up!), so there’s that. Gotta have something to pass out on the couch to, right?

Go State!

Rankings for SP+ Ratings and Sagarin Ratings listed, respectively, ahead of each team’s name.