Week 4 looks substantially better than week 3.
After just two games between ranked opponents last week, there are three such matchups this week, including two between teams ranked in the top 15. And both games could prove crucial at the end of the season.
On Saturday afternoon, No. 12 Utah visits No. 14 Oklahoma State in a matchup that could easily happen again in December in the Big 12 championship game. On Saturday night, No. 6 Tennessee and its explosive offense visit No. 15 Oklahoma in the SEC opener in Norman.
Here are the five biggest games of the weekend.
(All times are Eastern and all Odds are from BetMGM.)
No. 24 Illinois vs. No. 22 Nebraska
Time: 8 pm Friday | TV: Fox | Line: Nebraska -8.5 | Total: 42.5
Both teams are undefeated to start the season as they prepare for Big Ten play. Illinois' win over Kansas in Week 2 doesn't look so good after the Jayhawks lost to UNLV in Week 3, and it remains to be seen how well Nebraska's Week 2 win over Colorado will hold up.
There are signs of real optimism for both teams, though. Both are allowing fewer than 10 points per game, and the offenses have done just enough. After throwing 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 2023, Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer already has six touchdown passes and hasn’t thrown an interception. Nebraska rookie Dylan Raiola threw his first career interception against Northern Iowa, but he has completed at least 70% of his passes in each of the Huskers’ first three games. The first team to get to 20 could win this one.
NC State at No. 21 Clemson
Time: Noon | TV: ABC | Line: Clemson -20.5 | Total: 47
After watching Clemson in Week 1 against Georgia, a line like this would have seemed unimaginable. But the Tigers beat Appalachian State in Week 2, as the offense bounced back strongly from its struggles against the Bulldogs. Then, they lost in Week 3.
NC State is having a rough start to the season. After a second-half comeback was needed to earn a Week 1 win over Western Carolina, the Wolfpack were defeated by Tennessee in Week 2 and QB Grayson McCall was injured in a Week 3 comeback win against Louisiana Tech. McCall will not be able to play Saturday and will be replaced by freshman CJ Bailey.
If NC State can pull off an upset (the Wolfpack have won two of their last three games against the Tigers), Miami will become the most important team to beat in the ACC. If Clemson is convincing in this game, the Tigers will have every right to think they're on par with the Hurricanes atop the conference.
No. 11 USC vs. No. 18 Michigan
Time: 3:30 pm | TV: CBS | Line: USC -6 | Total: 44.5
This is another line that would have seemed impossible at the start of the season, but USC's big win over LSU and Michigan's offensive struggles have made it clear so far that the Trojans are the better team.
Michigan will start Alex Orji at quarterback against the Trojans after Davis Warren started the first three games and threw three interceptions in the Week 3 win over Arkansas State. Orji has seen playing time in each of the first three games, but those have been primarily in running situations. He has thrown just six passes all year. Hopefully Michigan's offense will be even more run-oriented. Getting an early lead will be critical.
Michigan's likely insistence on running the ball will be a good test for a USC defense that has been incredibly solid in coordinator D'Anton Lynn's first season. The Trojans appear to be a much better tackling unit than in years past. Quarterback Miller Moss has completed 73% of his passes through two games, while former Mississippi State running back Woody Marks is averaging nearly six yards per carry.
No. 12 Utah vs. No. 14 Oklahoma State
Time: 4 pm | TV: Fox | Line: Oklahoma State -2.5 | Total: 52.5
After missing Utah’s Week 3 win over Utah State, all signs point to Cameron Rising playing against the Cowboys. The seventh-year quarterback missed the 38-21 win over the Aggies due to a right hand injury he suffered against Baylor. Even though the Utes played the Bears in Week 2, this is officially Utah’s first Big 12 game ever.
Despite Rising’s likely return, the Cowboys are the favorites at home. RB Micah Bernard is averaging 6.7 yards per carry after missing most of 2023 due to injury and TE Brant Kuithe appears to be fully healthy with eight catches for 142 yards and three touchdowns in three games.
Oklahoma State is still looking to get running back Ollie Gordon going. The All-American has rushed 62 times for 216 yards in three games this season. That's just 3.5 yards per carry. Seventh-year quarterback Alan Bowman wasn't great in an overtime win over Arkansas, but he did throw for 396 yards and five touchdowns against Tulsa in Week 3.
It's worth noting that Utah was a 2.5-point favorite entering Wednesday, but a lot of money was invested in Oklahoma State to turn the tables and make the Cowboys a 2.5-point favorite.
No. 6 Tennessee vs. No. 15 Oklahoma
Time: 7:30 pm | TV: ABC | Line: Tennessee -7 | Total: 57.5
Former Oklahoma quarterback and assistant Josh Heupel returns to Norman as the Volunteers' head coach Saturday night. Heupel finished second in Heisman voting in 2000, when the Sooners won the national championship with a 13-0 season. He coached at Oklahoma from 2006 to 2014, when he was not retained after an 8-5 season.
After coaching at Utah State, Missouri and UCF, Heupel has led the Vols for the past four seasons and will surely have a few tricks up his sleeve for his first game back in Norman as head coach. After all, this is a Tennessee team that attempted an onside kick and went 30-0 against Kent State in Week 3.
UT quarterback Nico Iamaleava has emerged as a Heisman favorite with his play so far, but Tennessee's real strength has been its ground game. The Volunteers have already rushed for over 1,000 yards this season, as 12 players have had at least one rushing attempt.
Oklahoma needs to get back on track and improve its sluggish passing game. Jackson Arnold has completed just 54 of 86 passes for 484 yards so far this season. That's less than six yards per pass. If Oklahoma wants to pull off an upset, Arnold needs to have his best game of the season.
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Other matches to watch
Florida at Mississippi State (noon, ESPN): This game is worth keeping an eye on, given the state of both programs. Billy Napier's Gators are 1-2 after two home losses and Mississippi State was beaten at home by Toledo in Week 3. If Florida can't get the win on Saturday, the questions about Napier's future will intensify significantly.
Vanderbilt at No. 7 Missouri (4:15 p.m., SEC Network): This is a game that had a chance to be in the top five if Vanderbilt had held on against Georgia State. Unfortunately, the Panthers got a late touchdown and an upset win over the Commodores in Week 3. Missouri would like to win much more comfortably than it did against Boston College, while Vanderbilt needs to prove that its win over Virginia Tech in Week 1 wasn't a fluke and that it will be more competitive in the SEC.
No. 8 Miami at South Florida (7 p.m., ESPN): Keep an eye on the Bulls. Yes, Miami is a 16.5-point favorite, but Alex Golesh's team won a bowl game a season ago and hasn't been beaten by Alabama in either of the past two seasons. Miami quarterback Cam Ward is the current Heisman favorite and will retain that status with another big game.
Cal at Florida State (7 p.m., ESPN2): Will this be the week Florida State finally gets a win? We're not quite sure. Cal is playing solid football this season and is off to a 3-0 start. The Bears won on the road at Auburn in Week 2 and the Tigers are a better team than the Seminoles right now.
No. 13 Kansas State at BYU (10:30 p.m., ESPN): We have a nice closing game this week, as the Wildcats are 6.5-point favorites over the Cougars. BYU earned a 20-point win at Wyoming in Week 3, as the Cowboys held to just 217 total yards. Kansas State, meanwhile, had one of the more impressive wins of the weekend with a 31-7 victory over Arizona.
