The fourth weekend of the College Football season is officially in the books and while it wasn't the most loaded slate with plenty of teams on the bye, there was plenty of drama. Dabo Swinney and Clemson lost all but ending their chances at the Playoff while we saw massive matchups between Miami and Florida, Utah and Texas Tech, Michigan and Nebraska, and in Auburn Vs Oklahoma.
As we're just about a third of the way through the College Football season, the race for the College Football Playoff is starting to take shape. Some of the teams everyone penciled into the College Football Playoff before the season have fallen completely out of the race while new contenders are on the rise.
Predicting the Week 4 AP Top 25 Poll: Miami continues to surge
This weekend was disappointing for the Auburn Tigers as they had every chance to beat Oklahoma but, they couldn't get that one play to flip the game. Jackson Arnold got sacked 10 times and missed some big throws while the rushing attack was no help with just 1.9 yards per carry. The defense got beat for a touchdown on a controversial play the SEC already revealed was illegal and aside from that they had a solid showing. Hugh Freeze's offense still has plenty of room to grow but, this team is clearly much better than the product we saw last season.
The USC Trojans put together an impressive showing on Saturday Night into Sunday Morning as the Trojans offense looked like a classic Lincoln Riley group. Jayden Maiava was flawless when he needed to pass the ball but, the rushing attack was the driving force in this game as Waymond Jordan and Eli Sanders drove the offense. The defense still has plenty of areas where they can improve but, it's clear the talent is there to take the next step.
It was great to finally see Marcus Freeman's team in a game that wasn't against a College Football Playoff contender after two tough losses to open the season. The offense continues to look incredibly exciting as Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price combined for 5 touchdowns while CJ Carr passed for 2 scores. The defense is still a massive concern but, this is still a group dealing with injuries while breaking in a new defensive coordinator.
The way that the Illinois Fighting Illini got demolished on Saturday Night is hard to fathom as they should've had every chance to win that game and instead you now question everything. The only time the Illini turned the ball over was when their backup quarterback was in the game which makes it even more stunning the defense allowed 63 points. Bret Bielema and his staff now need to rally this group as there's still plenty to play for but, this was a demoralizing loss.
This weekend was a massive let down for the Utah Utes as they had so many chances in the first three quarters to take control of this game but, ended up getting blown out in the 4th quarter to seal the game. Devon Dampier wasn't able to get anything going running and as a passer he threw a pair of costly interceptions. The Utes still have every chance to go on a run the rest of the way but, the loss on Saturday was a massive blow.
There isn't a quieter unbeaten Top 25 team than the Missouri Tigers and Eli Drinkwitz has his team rolling. The backfield duo of Ahmad Hardy and Jamal Roberts continues to be one of the most exciting in the Country as they combined for 214 yards and 2 touchdowns while Beau Pribula added 72 yards. The Tigers defense bottled up LaNorris Sellers rushing ability making South Carolina finish with -9 rushing yards on 22 attempts.
After their massive win over South Carolina, the Vanderbilt Commodores got their revenge on Georgia State who stunned them last season. The rushing attack was incredible for the Commodores picking up chunk plays at will. As teams in the SEC and around the Country continue to pile up losses, Diego Pavia's hopes of making the Playoff look more realistic.
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets used this week to pick up another win knocking off Temple in impressive fashion. The Yellow Jackets are a tough team to gauge as their wins over Colorado and Clemson have taken hits. Brent Key's team has a chance to be a force in the ACC but, the defense still has room to grow.
The Michigan Wolverines had a massive test against Nebraska on Saturday, and they went into enemy territory without their Head Coach and left with a win. While Bryce Underwood is an upgrade, the rushing attack remains the reason to be excited about the offense as they averaged 8.7 yards per carry with Justice Haynes, Bryce Underwood, and Jordan Marshall shredding the Cornhuskers.
This weekend everyone got to see Texas Tech's offseason additions on full display and the investment in the trenches looked perfect. The Red Raiders bottled Devon Dampier's rushing ability and turned him into a passer which was a nightmare as he threw two interceptions. Typically, you'd be concerned about the health of Behren Morton but, Will Hammond looked incredible in relief.
Everyone poked fun at Curt Cignetti for not playing any teams capable of putting up a fight in Non-Conference play, but with the way they came out and played against Illinois, it may need to be the new normal. The Hoosiers jumped on Illinois early taking a 31-10 lead into the half and they never let up. Fernando Mendoza was stellar again like we saw in Non-Conference play and he's going to become a name to watch in the Heisman race. Winning this game was key for Indiana if they wanted to return to the College Football Playoff and they appear to be well on their way.
After their loss to Georgia, the Tennessee Vols got the chance to take all of their anger out on UAB and they did winning 56-24. The offense continues to look as explosive as ever even while mixing in the backups. The defense still shows some flaws but, they remain without their two best cornerbacks and when they return everything should get easier for this team.
The Alabama Crimson Tide spent the weekend on the bye week after demolishing Wisconsin last weekend. The extra week of preparation is going to be massive as Alabama faces Georgia next weekend in a pivotal SEC matchup. Alabama needs to find a way to win this game; otherwise, two losses this early in the season could knock them out of College Football Playoff contention.
Matt Campbell's Iowa State Cyclones spent the weekend on the bye after starting their season 4-0 with big wins over Kansas State and Iowa. The defense has been stellar this season but if the Cyclones are going to compete for the Big 12 Championship, they're going to need to find some rhythm on offense. The good news is that the Cyclones won't face a ranked team the rest of the way, which should keep them in contention for the Big 12 Championship and the College Football Playoff.
Lane Kiffin's team is stringing together a nice early resume as the Rebels are now 4-0 with two SEC wins and a win over a solid Tulane team. The only question for Lane Kiffin's team may be at quarterback, as transfer Trinidad Chambliss has looked incredible while Austin Simmons deals with an injury. Next weekend, Kiffin's team will have their biggest test yet, as they face LSU, but it could vault them well into the Top 10.
The Texas Longhorns closed out their stretch against inferior opponents by blasting the Sam Houston Bearkats. This game was far and away the best Arch Manning played as he was efficient as a passer while scoring twice with his legs. The defense continues to be the biggest reason to believe in his team as it's one of, if not the best, unit in the Country.
The Texas A&M Aggies spent this week on the bye after their incredible last-minute win over Notre Dame. Their win over the Irish improved a bit as they got their first win of the season, and this team is clearly a Top 10 team. The defense has some issues to work through, but this is shaping up to be an exciting season in College Station.
The Oklahoma Sooners now have two impressive victories as they knocked off the Michigan Wolverines and the Auburn Tigers. The offense wasn't perfect in this game, but when the Sooners needed it most, John Mateer drove his team down the field and put the exclamation mark on the win with the game-winning touchdown. The defense was dominant in another big game as they sacked Jackson Arnold 10 times as it looked like he was seeing ghosts near the end.
Everything has been a complete 180 in Tallahassee as the Seminoles look like a team with swagger and an identity. The offense added another 66 points to its resume, and the Seminoles are now just 11 points behind the total they scored in the entire season last year. Next week brings an ACC test against Virginia but, this team shouldn't be pushed until they face Miami in two weeks in what could be an ACC Championship preview.
The Oregon Ducks dismantled their In-State rivals, the Oregon State Beavers, in a game where they did whatever they wanted. Dante Moore threw for a career high 4 touchdowns while getting 7 different receivers involved with multiple catches. The defense played stoutly without getting any turnovers or sacks, but held Oregon State to 7 nonetheless. Next weekend is the first big test of the season as the Ducks head to Happy Valley to face a loaded Penn State team.
The Georgia Bulldogs got to take an extra week recovering after a massive overtime win over Tennessee, as they were on the bye. Kirby Smart has an extra week to prepare his team for his kryptonite as they'll face Alabama, and a win is important in proving that this season's team is capable of winning a National Championship.
The LSU Tigers will likely slide down one spot, but this weekend was a positive for the Tigers, as it was the best Garrett Nussmeier and the offense has looked. The Tigers got to work through some of their issues against Southeastern Louisiana, and the game against a far inferior opponent could prove to be key, as it allowed Garrett Nussmeier to get on the same page as some of his new weapons. Next weekend, it's right back to being tested as the Tigers face off against Ole Miss.
There may not be a more impressive resume than the one the Miami Hurricanes have built as they've beaten Notre Dame, USF, and Florida in a rivalry game where you toss out the record books. Carson Beck struggled but, it didn't matter as the rushing attack leaned on Florida all night and broke them in the 4th quarter. The defense kept pressure on DJ Lagway the entire night sacking him 4 times while holding him to 61 yards in an incredible performance. The Canes go on the bye next week before another massive test against Florida State.
After facing 3 far inferior opponents, the Penn State Nittany Lions spent the weekend on the bye, which means they're going to stay as the 2nd ranked team. Thus far, Penn State has only faced teams they can beat up on which makes it almost impossible to judge where this team will look in Big Ten play. Next weekend, the Nittany Lions face off against Oregon, where we'll learn a ton about both teams.
The Ohio State Buckeyes spent the weekend on the bye, and no one did anything worthy of dethroning the reigning National Champions. The Buckeyes still hold what could be a great win after beating Texas to start the season, but Big Ten play will kick off next weekend, where the Buckeyes will have several big tests.
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