Conference play is here, and with it comes the kind of shakeup that can turn a clean College Football Playoff picture into a mess by halftime. Week 4 opens with a bracket that already has plenty of pressure points, from the Group of 6 race to a handful of heavyweight showdowns that could reshape both playoff hopes and seeding.
At the top of the Group of 6 picture, the Broncos have held the lead from the start of the season, and they can tighten their grip on the bid if they go into Kalamazoo, Mich., and beat MAC favorite Western Michigan. Notre Dame, meanwhile, still hasn’t stitched together a complete four quarters this season, but the next two weeks - trips to Purdue and North Carolina - give that talented roster a chance to do it.
Saturday night brings one of the biggest tests of the day for Lincoln Riley and USC. Oregon is the kind of opponent that can expose any soft spots in a hurry, and this one feels like a defining moment for the Trojans’ playoff chase. Ohio State, by contrast, doesn’t have that same do-or-die feel against Illinois, but a convincing win in its conference opener could put the Buckeyes right back in the conversation as the team to beat.
Alabama also enters a tricky stretch over the next two weeks, and the Tide can’t afford to look past anyone with quarterbacks like LaNorris Sellers waiting on the other side on Saturday. Indiana has its own issues to clean up after a closer-than-it-should-have-been game against Northwestern, and Curt Cignetti won’t love what he saw from either side of the ball. The bright spot was tailback Lee Beebe Jr., who looks like a bona fide star and could end up playing a massive role for the reigning champions.
There’s also a matchup that may not grab the broadest national attention but still carries serious CFP weight between the lines. The Cougars look like the class of the Big 12, and they get a chance to catch their breath on Saturday before a stretch that could define their season, with trips to TCU and a home date against Notre Dame later in October. On the other sideline, the Tigers are staring at a situation they likely never expected this early: a CFP elimination game in late September when they host Texas A&M at night in Death Valley.
Georgia finally gets a real test against an opponent with a pulse, with Oklahoma coming between the hedges. The obvious draw is what Kirby Smart has planned defensively for John Mateer, but Georgia’s CFP outlook may hinge even more on whether its offense can keep humming against a Sooners defense that still brings plenty of sting.
Mario Cristobal, meanwhile, should be focused on the injury report as Miami heads into what ought to be an easy one against Central Michigan on Saturday afternoon. The Hurricanes have already lost a host of starters this season, even while getting off to a hot start, and they’ll need to get healthier before ACC play begins next weekend at rival Clemson.
Ole Miss has its own emotional reset to manage after exacting a measure of revenge against Lane Kiffin, and Pete Golding has clearly spent the week making sure his team doesn’t drift into a letdown. The Rebels are being cast as the underdog going into the Swamp, but if they can finish the job by sunset, they could have the three best wins in the country - a résumé few teams will be able to match before Halloween.
And then there’s the first of what could be at least two Manning Bowls this season, with Arch & Co. heading to Knoxville for a noon kickoff in a game that doubles as a battle over the UT name. Road games have been a test for the Longhorns before, but a win at Neyland Stadium would go a long way toward locking down the top ranking.
In Other News...
BYU Cross Country Lands In A Modesty Debate Fans Wont Ignore
Recent training images of BYU cross country athletes in minimal athletic attire have stirred up a familiar kind of offseason chatter, this time centered on where practicality ends and university standards begin. The debate has quickly spread beyond the team itself, with some questioning whether the gear fits BYU and LDS Church expectations for modesty while others point out that it is ordinary training apparel in a sport built around comfort, movement and performance.
The timing makes the conversation a little more noticeable because BYUs mens and womens programs are still carrying plenty of national weight after recent NCAA Division I titles. For a team that stays in the championship conversation, even routine practice photos can become part of a bigger discussion about image, identity and what fans think a BYU athlete should look like on campus and on the course. [Read more 🡒]
BYUs Run Game Is Forcing A Bigger Question Than Fans Expected
Through three games, BYUs ground game has looked like the kind of identity shift that changes the way a season feels. The Cougars have piled up 788 rushing yards at 6.7 yards per carry, and Pro Football Focus has them rated as the No. 2 rush offense in the country. Senior back LJ Martin has been central to it all, and the depth behind him has helped keep the pressure on defenses snap after snap.
LJ Martin is also closing in on a notable individual milestone, inching toward becoming just the fourth player in school history to reach 3,000 career rushing yards. And if this pace holds, the bigger question may not be whether BYU has a strong run game, but whether it is building toward something that starts brushing against school records. With backups and other offensive pieces already contributing, the Cougars have given themselves room to wonder how far this surge can go. [Read more 🡒]
BYUs Next Wave Is Giving Cougars Fans A Real Reason To Believe
BYUs recent recruiting work is starting to look a lot less theoretical and a lot more real, because true freshmen are already finding ways to matter. The Cougars have been able to lean on young players sooner than expected, and that gives the program a different kind of momentum as it keeps building toward the next few signing cycles. It is the sort of development that can change how a fan base views the roster, not just for what it is today but for what it may become.
The next wave is already coming into focus with several 2027 prospects who fit the profile BYU has been targeting: productive high school players with enough upside to help quickly once they arrive in Provo. Some of those recruits are drawing competing offers, while others come with a thinner statistical record because of injuries or missing data, which only adds to the intrigue around how their games will translate. For BYU, the appeal is obvious, because the Cougars are not just chasing talent, they are trying to keep stacking enough of it that the future feels a little closer every week. [Read more 🡒]