Week 4 is already lining up with a loaded slate, and the early-season chaos around college football has only made the schedule feel bigger.
The first two weeks have already produced plenty of shock value. UMass, which had gone 677 days without a win, beat Rutgers.
No. 16 Michigan had to survive a last-second Hail Mary attempt from Western Michigan.
No. 6 Oregon was upset on the road at Oklahoma State.
And No. 1 Ohio State coughed up a 20-point fourth-quarter lead against No.
4 Texas.
Now attention shifts to the Sept. 25/26 weekend, and the marquee matchups are easy to spot: No. 1 Texas at No.
15 Tennessee, No. 21 Oregon at No.
12 USC, No. 9 Texas A&M at No.
7 LSU, and Iowa at No. 19 Michigan.
The SEC schedule is headlined by Texas’ trip to Tennessee on Saturday, Sept. 26, with kickoff set for 12:00 PM ET / 11:00 AM CT on ABC. Later in the day, No.
8 Ole Miss visits Florida and No. 24 Oklahoma travels to No.
2 Georgia, both at 3:30 PM ET / 2:30 PM CT on ABC or ESPN. That league’s biggest night game brings No.
9 Texas A&M to No. 7 LSU at 7:30 PM ET / 6:30 PM CT on ABC.
Other SEC games on the slate include South Alabama at Kentucky at 12:45 PM ET / 11:45 AM CT on SEC Network, Vanderbilt at Auburn at 4:15 PM ET / 3:15 PM CT on SEC Network, South Carolina at No. 10 Alabama at 7 PM ET / 6 PM CT on ESPN, No. 20 Missouri at Mississippi State at 7:45 PM ET / 6:45 PM CT on SEC Network, and Tulsa at Arkansas at 8 PM ET / 7 PM CT on SEC Network+.
The Big Ten has a strong mix of Friday and Saturday games. Friday night starts with Howard at Rutgers at 7:00 PM ET / 6:00 PM CT on BTN, followed by Northwestern at No.
4 Indiana at 8:00 PM ET / 7:00 PM CT on FOX. On Saturday, Illinois goes to No.
6 Ohio State at noon ET on FOX, Iowa visits No. 19 Michigan at 3:30 PM ET / 2:30 PM CT on CBS, and No.
21 Oregon faces No. 12 USC at 7:30 PM ET / 6:30 PM CT on NBC.
Minnesota at Washington closes the league’s weekend slate at 11:00 PM ET / 10:00 PM CT on FOX.
The ACC also has a full weekend spread, beginning Friday night with Clemson at Cal at 10:30 PM ET / 9:30 PM CT on ESPN. On Saturday, Virginia Tech visits Boston College and Wake Forest goes to No.
23 Louisville, both at noon ET. Central Michigan at No.
5 Miami is set for 6:30 PM ET / 5:30 PM CT on The CW, Appalachian State at NC State kicks at 7:30 PM ET / 6:30 PM CT on ESPNU, and Georgia Tech at Stanford finishes the conference schedule at 10:30 PM ET / 9:30 PM CT on ESPN.
Saturday’s ACC slate also includes Bucknell at Pitt at noon ET on ACCNX, Central Arkansas at Florida State at 3:00 PM ET / 2:00 PM CT on ACC Network, William & Mary at Duke at 3:30 PM ET / 2:30 PM CT on ACCNX, Delaware at No. 25 Virginia at 6:00 PM ET / 5:00 PM CT on ACC Network, and Missouri State at No. 16 SMU at 9:00 PM ET / 8:00 PM CT on ACC Network.
In Other News...
Kentucky Fans Got A Clear Message On Kenny Minchey After Alabama
Kentucky had no shortage of problems in its 45-17 loss to No. 12 Alabama, but the most immediate question afterward centered on Kenny Minchey. The senior quarterback finished 18 of 31 for 146 yards with a touchdown and an interception, and he also lost a fumble as the Wildcats went scoreless in the second half.
Will Stein moved quickly to settle the biggest postgame debate, making it clear Minchey remains the starter. For a Kentucky team trying to steady itself after another difficult SEC outing, the message mattered as much as the result, even if the turnovers and missed chances left plenty to clean up. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Fans Wont Forget The Call That Changed Everything Against Alabama
Kentuckys night against Alabama had a little of everything the Wildcats needed to feel good about early and then plenty to regret by the end. A 17-13 halftime lead at Kroger Field put Kentucky in position to make the kind of statement win that can change a season, and Will Steins team showed enough punch to keep Alabama on edge for a while before the game slipped away in a 45-17 loss.
Stein acknowledged the disappointment after the game, but he also defended the aggressive fourth-down decision that backfired and helped the Crimson Tide seize control. The call will linger because it came at a key moment and swung the momentum, yet Stein still framed the performance as part of a larger climb, saying he believes Kentucky can keep improving and eventually compete in the SEC the way it wants to. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Faces A Brutal First Road Test With One Big Question
Kentuckys first road trip of the season drops the Wildcats into one of the toughest environments in the SEC, with a visit to No. 9 Texas A&M and Kyle Field in College Station. The Aggies have backed up their ranking with a defense that has allowed only 20 points total this season, making this less a routine road game than an early measuring stick for where Kentucky stands after a mixed showing against Alabama.
The Wildcats will need more than just a cleaner effort to hang around. Kenny Minchey and the running backs are among the key pieces expected to help Kentucky find enough offense to stay competitive, but the bigger question is whether the Wildcats can generate anything steady against a defense that has smothered opponents so far. It is the kind of matchup that can expose flaws quickly, and Kentucky is heading into it with little margin for error. [Read more 🡒]