College football’s Week 4 slate is loaded with ranked-on-ranked matchups, conference openers, and a few games that already feel like they could shape the rest of September. The last full weekend of the month brings six big clashes involving ranked teams in the SEC and Big Ten, and there’s no shortage of pressure points.
The headliner for plenty of fans will be Texas’ trip to Tennessee, where Arch heads into the stadium where Peyton made his name, trying to build a legacy of his own. The Longhorns already own a win over No.
1 Ohio State, but now they’re walking into their first road game and opening SEC play against a Tennessee team that can score in bunches. The question is whether the Vols’ offense can do that against a Texas defense that has yet to be tested by anything like this.
Florida gets a shot to keep building momentum at home against Ole Miss in a game that has all the ingredients of a letdown spot for the Rebels. Ole Miss is coming off an emotional win against Lane Kiffin and LSU, then has to turn around and face an undefeated Gators team that just picked up a strong statement win over Auburn. Florida has also shown it can run the ball well, so the Rebels have to answer one simple question: did they spend too much of their emotional fuel on LSU, or can they reset fast enough to handle another tough road test?
Out west, Oregon and USC bring a different kind of intrigue. Both Big Ten playoff hopefuls have something to prove, but for different reasons.
Oregon already has a bad loss to unranked Oklahoma State and wants to use USC as a way to get back on track in the eyes of playoff selectors. USC, meanwhile, is still unbeaten, but its defense remains a major question after allowing plenty against Rutgers.
That sets up a classic strength-on-weakness test against Oregon’s skill talent.
LSU and Texas A&M meet in a game that could carry real postseason weight. Both teams have SEC championship ambitions, and both are coming in off losses.
LSU’s defeat was the better-looking one, a road loss to top-ten Ole Miss. Texas A&M’s was much uglier, a home loss to unranked Kentucky.
The Aggies may need this one even more, but either way, neither team can afford to stack a second straight loss.
There are more games worth keeping an eye on beyond the top billing. Iowa visits Michigan in the Big Ten opener for both schools, with the Hawkeyes coming in off a narrow three-point win over Iowa State in their only Power 4 game so far.
Michigan, meanwhile, played UTEP closer than it wanted early before pulling away, and the offense has looked sluggish. That one kicks at 3:30 p.m. on CBS.
At 3:30 p.m. on ESPN, Oklahoma goes to Georgia in a matchup that looks rough on paper for the Sooners. Oklahoma has the second-worst scoring offense in the SEC and the 99th-ranked total offense nationally, and now it has to deal with a Georgia defense that ranks seventh in FBS and is giving up about 3 yards per play.
Missouri’s trip to Mississippi State closes out the notable slate at 7:45 p.m. on SECN. The Bulldogs are ranked now after Kamario Taylor led a big win at South Carolina, and the numbers back up the rise: he has more than 800 passing yards and 11 touchdown passes, while Mississippi State owns two road wins over P4 schools. Miami is the only other such school.
In Other News...
Joe Burrow Just Gave LSU Fans A Reason To Stay Patient
Lane Kiffins first game as LSUs head coach came with an awkward backdrop, a loss to Ole Miss, the program he once led. It was hardly the kind of debut that settles a fan base, but the early read on Kiffin is still incomplete, especially with the season only just beginning and LSUs resources giving him a real runway to work with.
Joe Burrow helped steady that conversation in an interview, making clear he believes Kiffin can succeed long term at LSU. For a fan base that is already eager to see signs of progress, that kind of endorsement carries weight, even if the on-field results are still catching up to the expectations. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Secondary Gets A Timely Boost Before A Huge Texas A&M Test
LSU heads into a top-25 SEC matchup with Texas A&M still searching for its first conference win, and the timing could hardly be more important for a secondary that needs a steadier night. The Tigers are already dealing with season-ending losses to tight end Trey'Dez Green and safety Dashawn Spears, but they did get some encouraging injury news this week as cornerback Ja'Keem Jackson was upgraded to questionable and safety Tamarcus Cooley was listed as active.
That matters because Texas A&M brings a receiving corps that can stress the back end, and LSU's secondary is coming off a performance that left room for plenty of correction. The Tigers do not need a perfect health report to make this one interesting, but getting bodies back into the mix at least gives them a better chance to match up with a passing game that could put real pressure on the defense right away. [Read more 🡒]
Joe Burrow Just Reignited A Loaded LSU Mount Rushmore Debate
Joe Burrow has never been shy about weighing in on LSU history, and on a recent podcast with Julian Edelman he jumped straight into one of the programs favorite debates: who belongs on the schools football Mount Rushmore. Burrows list mixed different eras and different kinds of greatness, bringing together Billy Cannon, Justin Jefferson, JaMarr Chase, Odell Beckham Jr. and Tyrann Mathieu as the names he felt best captured what LSU football has been.
It is the kind of conversation that can go on for hours in Baton Rouge because each pick comes with its own case and its own crowd of supporters. Burrows choices also say plenty about how he sees the programs identity, rewarding not just championships and accolades but the players who helped define LSUs national profile. And as always with a Mount Rushmore discussion, the real intrigue is in who gets left out. [Read more 🡒]