Don’t be discouraged by the fact that there are no “traditional” blockbusters on this slate. Conference action is heating up, and there are a number of games that should set the stage for the meaty part of the schedule, including three ranked matchups. This is a Saturday for those who know ball, starting with a 10 a.m. local kickoff in Salt Lake City and ending with a Big Ten After Dark game that will stretch well into Sunday morning for those in the Eastern time zone. Sounds lovely.
Here are the top 10 games of Week 4, starting with a few honorable mentions and counting down.
Honorable mention: Iowa at Rutgers (Fri.), Arkansas at Memphis, Maryland at Wisconsin, Syracuse at Clemson, North Texas at Army, West Virginia at Kansas, BYU at ECU, Washington at Washington State
(All point spreads are courtesy BetMGM. All kickoff times are Eastern and Saturday unless otherwise noted.)
10. SMU (2-1) at TCU (2-0), Noon, ESPN2
Sadly, the 104th installment of the Iron Skillet will be the last for the foreseeable future between these DFW rivals. TCU and gunslinging quarterback Josh Hoover have looked strong through two games and expect to be in contention in the Big 12. SMU, coming off a College Football Playoff appearance in 2024, needs to avoid a second loss after blowing a late lead to Baylor a couple of weeks ago.
Line: TCU -7
9. Michigan State (3-0) at No. 25 USC (3-0), 11 p.m., Fox
The folks in East Lansing will need to rest up for this 11 p.m. local kickoff. The Spartans look improved in Year 2 under coach Jonathan Smith, but haven’t faced a team of USC’s caliber yet. Similar could be said of the Trojans, who cruised to 3-0 with a comfortable road win over Purdue last weekend. USC’s offense has led the way, averaging 55 points a game behind quarterback Jayden Maiava, who leads FBS in QB rating (215.53) and yards per attempt (14.1).
Line: USC -18.5
8. Tulane (3-0) at No. 13 Ole Miss (3-0), 3:30 p.m., ESPN
Tulane can stake its claim as the top Group of 6 team with an upset over the Rebels. The team already has power conference wins over Northwestern and Duke, and a ranked win against the SEC would give it an edge over fellow American Conference contender USF. BYU transfer quarterback Jake Retzlaff is running wild and will likely face off against Austin Simmons for Ole Miss, who coach Lane Kiffin expects back from injury after Trinidad Chambliss started against Arkansas. Kiffin’s squad already has two SEC wins, but gets a tough nonconference draw with No. 3 LSU looming next week.
Line: Ole Miss -12.5
7. South Carolina (2-1) at No. 23 Missouri (3-0), 7 p.m., ESPN
The Gamecocks crumbled against Vanderbilt last Saturday, losing 31-7 and committing four turnovers. Worse still, star quarterback LaNorris Sellers left the game due to injury, though he is listed as probable on this week’s injury report. South Carolina will need him at the top of his game against a white-hot Missouri, led by transfer QB Beau Pribula and an impressively balanced offense. Both teams have brutal schedules, each with five currently ranked opponents on the docket after this one, making Saturday’s prime-time matchup a critical one.
Line: Missouri -10.5
6. Arizona State (2-1) at Baylor (2-1), 7:30 p.m., Fox
It’s not the biggest Big 12 game of the day (more on that below), but it’s a good one. Both of these teams stumbled against SEC opponents in the type of showcases the Big 12 needs to win to earn broader respect, but don’t let that distract from a pair of conference contenders with star power. Baylor quarterback Sawyer Robertson is second in the FBS in passing yards (1,070) and touchdowns (10) through three games, and Arizona State’s quarterback Sam Leavitt and receiver Jordyn Tyson recently linked up for one of the best touchdowns you will see all season.
Line: Baylor -2.5
True freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood has two passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns for Michigan. (Gregory Shamus / Getty Images)
5. No. 21 Michigan (2-1) at Nebraska (3-0), 3:30 p.m., CBS
The Bubble Wrap is officially off Michigan true freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood. It worked against Central Michigan, when Underwood threw for 235 yards (1 TD, 1 INT) and ran for another 114 yards and two touchdowns in a 63-3 rout for the Wolverines. Now we’ll see how it looks against a Nebraska side that held off Cincinnati in Week 1 before outscoring Akron and Houston Christian by a combined total of 127-7. Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola against Underwood is the headliner in a matchup that should bring the Big Ten hierarchy into clearer focus.
Line: Michigan -2.5
4. Florida (1-2) at No. 4 Miami (3-0), 7:30 p.m., ABC
The Hurricanes might be a wagon, derailing the USF hype train last week with a 49-12 drubbing — the same USF that defeated Florida a couple of weeks ago. Miami quarterback Carson Beck is your Heisman favorite, leading a potent offense that’s putting up 40-plus points a game against one of the better nonconference slates. Miami’s defense looks improved as well, which is bad news for Florida after DJ Lagway tossed five interceptions in the loss to LSU. Head coach Billy Napier’s seat is preheating yet again, and the Gators desperately need to show something with a bye week ahead, followed by a pair of top-10 opponents in Texas and Texas A&M.
Line: Miami -7.5
3. No. 9 Illinois (3-0) at No. 19 Indiana (3-0), 7:30 p.m., NBC
That’s right: The Big Ten game of the week, and one of the best tilts of the weekend, features Illinois and Indiana. A top-20 clash between two of the league’s more ill-fated football programs over the last century. It’s their first ranked meeting since 1950. “Underdog” stories are a tough sell in the Big Ten, but it’s earned for these two, each coming off one of the best performances in school history in 2024. Whether they can truly contend in the 2025 conference title race remains to be seen, but the victor deserves to be taken seriously. Maybe the loser, too.
Line: Indiana -6
2. No. 17 Texas Tech (3-0) at No. 16 Utah (3-0), Noon, Fox
This has the makings of a big-time showdown between two of the more fascinating and talented teams in the Big 12. And though it’s early, the outcome could have a significant impact on the conference title and Playoff races. Utah has bounced back from a disappointing 2024 with a refreshed offense featuring new coordinator Jason Beck, a dynamic dual-threat quarterback in Devon Dampier, and one of the best offensive lines in the country. Texas Tech hasn’t faced much competition through three games, but its pricey transfer class has looked the part in three straight blowouts, including a stacked defensive line. With respect to Iowa State, the winner of this one vaults to the top of the Big 12 power rankings.
Line: Utah -3
1. No. 22 Auburn (3-0) at No. 11 Oklahoma (3-0), 3:30 p.m., ABC
There’s a lot to unpack with this game. It’s the Jackson Arnold Bowl, with Auburn’s former five-star recruit returning to face his former team. On the other side is Oklahoma’s new quarterback, John Mateer, who has the second-best betting odds in the Heisman Trophy race. It’s also a matchup of two teams and head coaches who entered the season facing some healthy skepticism, but are now jockeying to contend in the SEC and CFP race after each picked up a quality nonconference win: the Sooners over Michigan and the Tigers over Baylor. Both teams look to be ascending, but there’s a lot of momentum at stake in this one.
Line: Oklahoma -6.5
(Top photo of Jackson Arnold: Stacy Revere / Getty Images)
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