Seven Finest College Football Video games to Watch in Week 4 Leads With Illinois-Indiana

For the overwhelming majority of applications, nonconference play is over and the time to show your value in opposition to extra aggressive league competitors is right here. That’s proper Texas Tech: no extra hiding behind the weakest schedule in the country.

The Red Raiders are removed from the one power-conference program to not play anyone value their salt but. Indiana, winners over the likes of Old Dominion, Kennesaw State and Indiana State, takes a significant leap up the ladder to face a Top 10 Illinois workforce this week. Utah and Michigan State additionally rank within the backside 20 in energy of schedule, however at the very least every faculty performed a Power 4 opponent in its first three video games.

All that to say, these 4 applications, and extra, will get an opportunity so as to add a résumé-bolstering win Saturday. Plus, a switch quarterback will get his likelihood for revenge and Billy Napier has one other (sure, one other) shot at redemption.

Here are the video games to concentrate on in Week 4, that includes takes from Sports Illustrated consultants Pat Forde and Bryan Fischer, as heard on SI’s faculty soccer podcast, Others Receiving Votes:

Saturday, midday ET, Fox

These aren’t your typical Kyle Whittingham–coached Utes. Well, they nonetheless boast the eighth-best scoring protection within the nation—a staple of the veteran coach’s groups at Utah—nevertheless it’s the offense that’s impressed behind the arrival of New Mexico tandem, OC Jason Beck and QB Devon Dampier. And the Utes might want to rating to maintain tempo with the Red Raiders’ top-ranked scoring offense (58 factors per recreation). Texas Tech fifth-year quarterback Behren Morton is tied for the FBS lead with 11 passing touchdowns and second in effectivity (208.43) going into this recreation between early season Big 12 front-runners.

What SI’s consultants say:

Forde: “I’m going with the Utes. Solid program that had the blip last year. They’re back. And they did what Vanderbilt did. What Oklahoma has done—where you don’t just go get a quarterback, you get the quarterback’s offensive coordinator, too, and you bring in the package and you ramp your offense that way. And it is working extremely well so far for them. I hope the fans get there early and enjoy their sunrise tailgating.”

Fischer: “Give me Utah at home. The hook scares me a lot in this one with that three and a half. But I think Utah with the offense they have, they’re going to be able to keep things close. And look, their advantage is the one thing that can negate what Texas Tech has done in the portal. [The Red Raiders] went heavy along their offensive and defensive lines. Well, guess what? Utah has maybe the best offensive line in the country. They certainly have two first-round tackles on both the left and right side. I think Devon Dampier and Jason Beck, the OC there, I think they know what to do when games are close. When they need a play called, I think they have a lot of things up their sleeve.”

Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC

Jackson Arnold returns to Norman, Okla., seemingly renewed after spending his first two seasons with the Sooners. The Auburn quarterback has been extra correct (69.6% completion proportion, up from 62.6% in 2024) and an actual menace on the bottom (5.5 yards per carry and 4 touchdowns), by means of three video games with the Tigers, although notably with a smaller pattern dimension. Also, a Brent Venables protection awaits, having allowed only a single landing this season and permitting a measly 3.48 yards per play (greatest in FBS amongst groups which have performed three video games). Expect a troublesome, bodily recreation.

Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

If you haven’t paid consideration to what Jon Sumrall is doing in New Orleans, you’ve missed out. With a revamped roster and new quarterback Jake Retzlaff, the Green Wave have polished off two Power 4 opponents in Northwestern and Duke and survived a scare at South Alabama, establishing their hardest check but in Ole Miss. The Rebels survived a shootout with Arkansas final week behind the shocking debut of Trinidad Chambliss, a switch from Division II Ferris State, at quarterback. If Chambliss can replicate that efficiency (413 complete yards and three scores), Tulane might have lastly discovered a 2025 opponent it will probably’t sustain with.

Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS/Paramount+

Is it time to begin believing within the Year 3 Matt Rhule turnaround in Lincoln, Neb.? He gained 10 video games in his third season at Temple, then 11 in his third yr with Baylor. (Just don’t rely his third season with the Carolina Panthers and the speculation is alive and properly.) This yr’s Nebraska workforce positive appears to have the juice, anchored by a powerful protection, a burgeoning star operating again in Emmett Johnson and assured quarterback play from sophomore Dylan Raiola. There can be no Sherrone Moore on the street once more for the Wolverines as he closes out his two-game suspension. Bring again the cutoffs Biff Poggi. Please. 

Forde: “Last week, we saw Michigan do with Bryce Underwood, which is what they really didn’t do against Oklahoma, which is cut him loose to run and be the exquisite athlete he is. He had over 100 yards rushing on, I think only nine carries. Yeah, it was Central Michigan, but that’s the dynamic of his game that I think makes him all the more dangerous. And he’s plenty confident. You get him going with some runs and watch the confidence build there and see that offense start moving better, and I think Michigan can win and cover in Lincoln. Nebraska has tended to turn into a bundle of nerves in close games as they did against Cincinnati and nearly blew that, so I don’t trust them in a close game here.”

Fischer: “I think I’m going to lean with the home team getting points. I mean, this is the peak of what Nebraska can be on the field this year when Dylan Raiola is operating well in that offense, when those black shirts come to play on defense. I think they can win this game. And I think this is going to be a big test for whether, not only is Nebraska for real in the Big Ten as a potential fringe, maybe [College Football Playoff] dark horse, because the schedule does set up well. If they can get past this game, you can see the runway going there in terms of building momentum. This is a big game for Matt Rhule.”

Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock

Cupcake time is over for Curt Cignetti’s Hoosiers because the Illini come to city for the primary ranked matchup between these two applications since 1950. So it’s becoming that the 2 applications arrive at this assembly on such equal footing. Defense has been the calling card early for each groups, with the Illini permitting 7.33 factors per recreation and the Hoosiers yielding 7.67 factors per contest throughout the primary three weeks. Both quarterbacks, Illinois’s Luke Altmyer (709 yards, eight touchdowns, 181.99 ranking) and Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza (708 yards, 9 touchdowns, 189.70 ranking) have posted nearly equivalent stat traces and have but to show the ball over. With a margin that skinny, likelihood is this recreation finally ends up shut within the fourth quarter.

What SI’s consultants say: 

Forde: “I’m going to take the Hoosiers and give the five and a half [points]. It’s a pretty big number in, I think, two pretty even teams. But I really have liked this Indiana team all preseason. You know, I think we put them No. 10 in our preseason Top 25, higher than about anybody else. They’ve got a better quarterback in Fernando Mendoza and their defense is very good. They’ve got some skill players. I’m rolling with the Hoosiers.”

Fischer: “I think turnovers are going to be key in this one, in terms of which of those quarterbacks is going to give the ball away. So far, they really haven’t. But I think if you’re going to lean towards somebody making a boneheaded play, I almost want to go Fernando Mendoza. He’s had a couple of passes that have been a little bit errant. That’s a lot of points for a ranked team on the road. So give me Illinois, plus five and a half. I might live to regret this one because I am a big supporter in terms of what Indiana has coming into this game. But I think Illinois, they know how to win these games. They’ve been tested a lot more than Indiana has this season. So give me the Illini.”

Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, ABC

You can’t say Napier hasn’t gotten his alternatives to select up a marquee win whereas on the helm in Gainesville, Fla. Last week didn’t go so sizzling, with DJ Lagway imploding for 5 interceptions on the street in Death Valley, however at the very least the journey isn’t as dangerous this week. The atmosphere is likely to be much less hostile as properly, however the degree of competitors gained’t be. Miami steamrolled South Florida, 49–12 final week—the identical Bulls workforce that beat Florida on a last-second area purpose the week prior. The path doesn’t get any higher for the Gators within the weeks to come back, with six extra top-15 opponents on the schedule after Miami. Now’s pretty much as good a time as any for Napier to get again within the win column—as a result of he’ll want quite a lot of wins on the finish of the season to have any hope of preserving his job.

What SI’s consultants say: 

Fischer: “Give me Miami, even with that hook in particular. I mean, I think if they are going to run up any type of score, if they’re going to have an opportunity to throw it deep and get another big play on the Gators, trust me, Mario Cristobal is going to do this in this one. Especially with Florida State on deck, they are operating at peak efficiency right there in Miami. I think this is a big game for Carson Beck. Give me Miami and the seven and a half.”

Forde: “I mean, if anybody I think has played the best so far this season, it might be Miami. I’ve been really impressed by what they’ve put on the field. And I think they are going to continue that and they’re going to roll. They’ll win. I ain’t worried about the hook. They’re taking that game and coming out authoritatively.”

Saturday, 11 p.m. ET, Fox

Utah begins a recreation at 10 a.m. native and Michigan State kicks off at 11 p.m. ET; what occurred to the school soccer we love? Nevertheless, this battle between historical world warrior mascots stands to assist decide which program is likely to be a contender and which one is likely to be a pretender. Neither faculty has performed anybody but, aside from the Spartans’ wacky, double-overtime win over Boston College, however the Trojans have performed what you’re alleged to in opposition to lesser competitors: dominate. USC leads the nation with 604 yards per recreation and a whopping 9.64 yards per play, with Jayden Maiava main the nation with a jaw-dropping 12.5 yards per play. Hopefully this recreation will get wacky properly after midnight on the East Coast. 

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