College football Week 4: The 10 best games this week
Week 4 of the college football season is upon us and there are a lot of good matchups, including an inordinate of intriguing games at noon.
This week includes a couple of important SEC games, two big Big 12 games, the 100th meeting in a Texas rivalry and a rare meeting between two Midwest powers.
Here are the 10 best games this week. All games are Saturday, and all times are Eastern.
10. LSU (2-1) at Mississippi State (2-1)
Time/TV: Noon, ESPN
The buzz: Mississippi State beat LSU in the opening game of the 2020 season, and LSU never truly has seemed to regain its legs. The Bulldogs are coming off a controversial loss to Memphis — controversial because SEC refs made a mistake that the league office apologized for — but their defense is solid. Not surprisingly for a Mike Leach-coached team, Mississippi State is all about the pass on offense and LSU’s pass defense has been spotty. The Bulldogs are last in the SEC in rushing offense. Surprisingly, LSU is next-to-last, putting a lot of pressure on QB Max Johnson. LSU’s pass rush has been excellent, but Mississippi State’s basically has been non-existent. Four of the best corners in the nation will be on view: LSU’s Eli Ricks and Derek Stingley Jr. and Mississippi State’s Martin Emerson and Emmanuel Forbes.
9. Missouri (2-1) at Boston College (3-0)
Time/TV: Noon, ESPN2
The buzz: Boston College is one of just two unbeaten teams in the ACC (the other is … Wake Forest), thanks to a stifling defense. But BC has played three, uh, bad teams (Colgate, UMass and Temple), and Mizzou is a big jump in competition. BC has lost starting QB Phil Jurkovec to a hand injury that likely is season-ending, which means the Eagles need a big-time effort from their defense and from their rushing attack; they don’t want to have to rely on QB Dennis Grosel to win the game. Mizzou’s rushing defense has been bad despite playing one MAC team and one FCS opponent. QB Connor Bazelak has been sharp throwing the ball, though. RB Tyler Badie has been effective as a runner and receiver.
8. UCLA (2-1) at Stanford (2-1)
Time/TV: 6 p.m., Pac-12 Network
The buzz: UCLA is coming off a last-second home loss to Fresno State in which its pass defense was shredded and its rushing offense couldn’t get untracked. Stanford’s run defense has been iffy, so perhaps UCLA gets back on track on the ground. In Brittain Brown and Zach Charbonnet, the Bruins have two talented backs. Stanford’s offense has picked up steam with the insertion of QB Tanner McKee into the starting lineup. He has avoided mistakes, and his passing ability has meant defenses can’t focus on stopping the run. This is a big game for UCLA: A second consecutive loss will make many wonder if the 2-0 start was way overblown.
7. Rutgers (3-0) at Michigan (3-0)
Time/TV: 3:30 p.m., ABC
The buzz: Michigan is playing football that would make Bo Schembechler proud: The Wolverines are lining up and mashing people. Michigan leads the nation in rushing offense at 350.3 yards per game, and the Wolverines have attempted just 49 passes (fifth-fewest nationally). Blake Corum (135.7 yards per game) and Hassan Haskins (93.7 ypg) have been an exceptional 1-2 punch at running back. Michigan really hasn’t beaten anyone of note, but in the past few seasons, Michigan would’ve struggled to put away the likes of Western Michigan. Rutgers hasn’t beaten anyone of note, either, and while the Scarlet Knights’ run defense has looked good, this is a much tougher test. Rutgers needs a huge game from QB Noah Vedral throwing the ball.
6. SMU (3-0) at TCU (2-0)
Time/TV: Noon, FS1
The buzz: The teams first met in 1915 and this will be the 100th meeting. The rivalry is known as “The Battle for the Iron Skillet” between schools located about 35 miles apart. TCU has won 17 of the past 20 meetings, though SMU did win the most recent game in 2019. SMU is coming off a last-play win against Louisiana Tech, but TCU’s defense looks to be better than anything the Mustangs have seen. SMU QB Tanner Mordecai, an Oklahoma transfer, leads the nation with 16 TD passes. TCU has allowed two TD passes. SMU’s defense isn’t much, so TCU figures to have success offensively. Can the Horned Frogs slow Mordecai?
5. West Virginia (2-1) at Oklahoma (3-0)
Time/TV: 7:30 p.m., ESPN
The buzz: Oklahoma’s two wins over FBS teams (Tulane and Nebraska) have not been impressive. The offense has lacked explosiveness, and QB Spencer Rattler hasn’t lived up to his billing as the preseason Heisman favorite. The Sooners’ rush defense actually has been solid, which may mean WVU needs QB Jarret Doege to win the game. That seems an iffy proposition: Doege has been loose with the ball, having thrown three picks. WVU does have some receivers with big-play ability, but OU’s pass rush has been excellent (the Sooners are tied for fourth in the nation with 13 sacks) and the Mountaineers’ offensive line has been spotty in pass protection.
4. Kansas State (3-0) at Oklahoma State (3-0)
Time/TV: 7 p.m., ESPN+
The buzz: Oklahoma State’s three wins have come by a combined 13 points. The passing attack has been unimpressive and the ground game mediocre. But the defense has been good, especially against the run, and, hey, 3-0 is 3-0. K-State has been even better defensively, especially against the run. The Wildcats have allowed just 164 rushing yards thus far, so this one seemingly will come down to whether the Cowboys can be effective on the ground. K-State got a good performance by backup QB Will Howard against Nevada (starter Skylar Thompson is hurt); can he play solid football two weeks in a row?
3. Clemson (2-1) at NC State (2-1)
Time/TV: 3:30 p.m., ESPN
The buzz: Clemson was supposed to be the best team in the ACC, but the Tigers were lucky to escape with a win this past Saturday against Georgia Tech, which was expected to be one of the worst teams in the ACC. NC State, meanwhile, entered the season as supposedly the second-best team in the ACC’s Atlantic Division, behind Clemson. Wolfpack RBs Zonovan “Bam” Knight and Ricky Person are a big-time 1-2 punch. They’ll be running behind a line that returns four starters. But can the Wolfpack run against Clemson? In two games against FBS teams, the Tigers have yet to allow an offensive touchdown. Alas, the offense has scored just 17 points in those games, and the o-line has really struggled. The Tigers have won eight in a row in the series; in the past two meetings (the teams didn’t meet last season), Clemson has outscored NCSU 96-17.
2. Arkansas (3-0) vs. Texas A&M (3-0) in Arlington, Texas
Time/TV: 3:30 p.m., CBS
The buzz: New A&M starting quarterback Zach Calzada — he took over after Haynes King was hurt — looked sharp in a 34-0 win over New Mexico this past Saturday. But the Lobos are one of the worst teams in the nation. Arkansas, on the other hand, can actually play defense, and it’ll be interesting to see how Aggies coach Jimbo Fisher tries to attack the Hogs with his backup quarterback. The flip side: A&M’s defense looks elite, and you wonder if Arkansas QB K.J. Jefferson can be effective. Don’t expect a lot of points.
1. Notre Dame (3-0) vs. Wisconsin (1-1) in Chicago
Time/TV: Noon, Fox
The buzz: This is the first meeting between the teams since 1964 and just the fourth since 1944 (that the game is at Soldier Field will make it even more special). This is the second “big game” of the season for the Badgers, who opened with a home loss to Penn State in which its offense shot itself in the foot … and knee … and upper thigh … and, well, you get the picture; Notre Dame, meanwhile, muddled past Florida State in OT in Week 1 (a win that looks less and less impressive each time FSU hits the field), then barely got past Toledo in Week 2 before handling Purdue in Week 3. The Irish play Cincinnati next week. The overriding storyline: Jack Coan, Notre Dame’s quarterback, is a Wisconsin transfer. The real storyline: Can Notre Dame’s offensive line block Wisconsin’s defensive front?