Image – Sportsnet
Week 4 ended the first month of the 2026 college football season in entertaining fashion.
On Friday, No. 5 Indiana defeated Northwestern in a defensive struggle. The Hoosiers carried a 12-0 lead into halftime before the Wildcats climbed back into the game, cutting the deficit to 15-7 entering the fourth quarter. Indiana and Northwestern then traded touchdown drives to open the final period before a Wildcats field goal set the final score at 29-23.
In Arch Manning’s first game in Knoxville against uncle Peyton’s alma mater, No. 14 Tennessee, No. 1 Texas escaped with a 20-17 win. In an ugly game, Manning and the Longhorns offense did enough to defeat the Volunteers and earn their first SEC win.
In a loaded afternoon slate, No. 21 Florida protected its home field against No. 4 Ole Miss 52-28, No. 18 Iowa defeated No. 19 Michigan on the final play of the game, No. 2 Georgia dominated Oklahoma 41-13 and Boise State traveled to Kalamazoo, Michigan, and beat Western Michigan 32-7.
The Gators’ ground attack controlled the game against the Rebels. Tailback Jadan Baugh carried the ball 29 times for 142 yards and three touchdowns to help Florida rout Ole Miss.
Hawkeyes quarterback Hank Brown completed a game-winning, 16-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Reece Van Zee as time expired.
Facing its best competition of the season, Georgia’s defense caused four Oklahoma turnovers including three fumbles and an interception. In a battle of the Broncos, Boise State outgained Western Michigan 337-223 and its defense forced quarterback Broc Lowry into an interception in a rout.
In the prime-time slate, No. 24 Mississippi State defeated No. 19 Missouri 31-24, No. 20 Oregon outscored No. 12 USC 41-27 and No. 10 LSU dominated No. 23 Texas A&M 35-6.
Bulldogs quarterback Kamario Taylor shined again, this time against the Tigers. Down 24-17 in the fourth quarter, Taylor and the Bulldogs outscored Missouri 14-0 in the fourth quarter to secure the win.
In a game that saw Oregon star quarterback Dante Moore suffer a concussion after a hard hit backup quarterback Dylan Raiola replaced him and led Oregon to a win by completed 8 of 10 passes for 77 yards after entering the game in the second quarter.
The Tigers’ defense dominated against the Aggies. LSU held Texas A&M to 4-for-15 on third down, 197 total yards and forced two turnovers.
Week 5 begins with an ACC showdown in Blacksburg, Virginia, between two undefeated teams. Pittsburgh and Virginia Tech will meet as each seeks its second ACC win of the season.
An old SEC rivalry takes center stage in the early slate when No. 7 Alabama makes another trip to Starkville, Mississippi, to face No. 16 Mississippi State..
The afternoon slate will include No. 14 Iowa hosting No. 5 Ohio State in a tense Big Ten showdown while No. 8 Florida will attempt to continue its success on the road at No. 25 Missouri, which seeks to get back on track.
The night slate is headlined by No. 4 Miami’s trip to Clemson. No. 18 USC and Washington will also look to bounce back when they meet at the Coliseum.
AP Top 5
No. 1 Texas 4-0 (1-0) SEC This Week: Off
No. 2 Georgia 4-0 (2-0) SEC This Week: Vanderbilt (3-1) (Saturday, 11:45 a.m., SEC Network)
No. 3 Notre Dame 4-0 Independents This Week: at North Carolina (2-1) (Saturday, 11 a.m., ESPN)
No. 4 Miami 4-0 (2-0) ACC This Week: at Clemson (3-1) (Saturday, 6:30 p.m., ABC)
No. 5 Ohio State 3-1 (1-0) Big Ten This Week: at No. 14 Iowa (4-0) (Saturday, 2:30 p.m., CBS)
Biggest risers and fallers in the AP Top 25 this week:
Risers
No. 8 Florida 4-0 (2-0) SEC Week 4: No. 21 (Defeated No. 4 Ole Miss 52-28)
No. 14 Iowa 4-0 (1-0) Big Ten Week 4: No. 17 (Defeated No. 18 Michigan 20-19)
No. 15 Oregon 3-1 (1-0) Big Ten Week 4: No. 18 (Defeated No. 12 USC 41-27)
No. 16 Mississippi State 4-0 (2-0) SEC Week 4: No. 24 (Defeated No. 19 Missouri 31-24)
No. 20 Houston 3-1 (0-1) Big 12 Week 4: No. 25 (Defeated Georgia Southern 42-27)
Fallers
No. 9 Ole Miss 3-1 (1-1) SEC Week 4: No. 4 (Lost to No. 21 Florida 52-28)
No. 17 Tennessee 3-1 (0-1) SEC Week 4: No. 14 (Lost to No. 1 Texas 20-17)
No. 18 USC 4-1 (2-1) Big Ten Week 4: No. 12 (Lost to No. 20 Oregon 41-27)
No. 25 Missouri 3-1 (0-1) SEC Week 4: No. 19 (Lost to No. 24 Mississippi State 31-24)
Dropped Out
Penn State 3-1 (0-1) Big Ten Week 4: No. 13 (Lost to Wisconsin 24-20)
Louisville 2-2 (1-1) ACC Week 4: No. 16 (Lost to Wake Forest 30-27)
Michigan 3-1 (0-1) Big Ten Week 4: No. 18 (Lost to No. 17 Iowa 20-19)
Texas A&M 2-2 (0-2) SEC Week 4: No. 23 (Lost to No. 10 LSU 35-6)
New
No. 19 Oklahoma State 3-1 (1-0) Big 12 Week 4: NR (Defeated West Virginia 41-24)
No. 22 Boise State 3-1 (0-0) Pac-12 Week 4: NR (Defeated Western Michigan 32-7)
No. 23 UCLA 4-0 (2-0) Big Ten Week 4: NR (Defeated Maryland 54-3)
No. 24 Kentucky 3-1 (1-1) SEC Week 4: NR (Defeated South Alabama 45-21)
The Week 5 Slate (Rankings based on the AP Top 25.)
*All times CDT.*
Friday, Oct. 2
Image – AP News
Pittsburgh (4-0) at Virginia Tech (4-0)
6 p.m., ESPN
Two old Big East foes, Pittsburgh and Virginia Tech, face off again as ACC teams on Friday night. The Panthers and Hokies will each battle for a fifth win with Mike Monaco (play-by-play), Jordan Rodgers (analyst) and Dana Boyle (sideline reporter) on the call at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Virginia.
Pittsburgh shut out Bucknell 59-0 on Saturday, Sept. 26 in its last game. Panthers quarterback Mason Heintschel completed 26 of 39 passes for 403 yards and 6 touchdowns. He also rushed three times for 33 yards in the victory. Heintschel’s running back is Damon Ferguson Jr., who carried the ball nine times for 56 yards and top receiver Cataurus Hicks, who caught three passes for 66 yards in their win against the Bisons.
Pittsburgh defensive back Josh Guerrier leads their defense with 22 tackles through four games so far during the 2026 season. Guerrier is assisted by defensive lineman Jimmy Scott, who has totaled four tackles and a sack so far this season.
Ethan Grunkemeyer and Virginia Tech opened ACC play with a 21-14 win against Boston College on Sept. 26. Grunkemeyer completed 22 of 36 passes for 147 yards and 1 touchdown. Running back Jeffrey Overton headlines the running back room and tight end Luke Reynolds leads the receiving group Overton recorded 25 carries, 209 yards and 1 touchdown while Reynolds caught five passes for 15 yards against the Eagles.
Hokies defensive lineman Cortez Harris leads the way for his defense with 11 tackles and five sacks. Linebacker Noah Chambers has added 20 tackles and a half a sack to strengthen the defense,
Outside of the two beatdowns where they scored 59 against Miami (Ohio) and Bucknell, Pittsburgh has only outscored the two Power 4 opponents they have played, UCF and Syracuse, 34-20. For the Panthers to defeat Virginia Tech, Mason Heintschel must play his best game of the season behind center as they go on the road looking to defeat the Hokies.
If Ethan Grunkemeyer can rely on tailback Jeffrey Overton to have a similar performance against Pittsburgh, that will set up his passing game well so Virginia Tech can score points. If Cortez Harris and Noah Chambers key in on stepping Heintschel, it will be easier to protect their home field and come out with a victory.
In what should be a back-and-forth game, Virginia Tech will come out on top against Pittsburgh. The Hokie defense will show up and consistently stop the Panther offense from success. Virginia Tech will continue their undefeated season before traveling to play California on Oct. 10.
Projected Score: Virginia Tech 24, Pittsburgh 17
Saturday, Oct. 3
Image – Sports Illustrated
No. 7 Alabama (4-0) at No. 16 Mississippi State (4-0)
11 a.m., ABC
Alabama and Mississippi State renew their old rivalry on Saturday afternoon, both looking to continue their undefeated seasons. The Crimson Tide and Bulldogs face off for an AP Top 25 matchup with Sean McDonough (play-by-play), Greg McElroy (analyst) and Katie George (sideline reporter) on the call at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field in Starkville, Mississippi.
Alabama routed South Carolina 49-18 on Saturday, Sept. 26 the last time it took the field. The Crimson Tide’s signal-caller Keelon Russell completed 21 of 27 passes for 365 yards, four touchdowns and rushed eight times for 35 yards and another touchdown in the win against the Gamecocks.
Alabama running back Daniel Hill struggled in to get the ground game going for the Crimson Tide, rushing eight times for 15 times and 1 touchdown. Ryan Coleman-Williams continues to lead the team in receiving after catching five passes for 98 yards and 2 touchdowns in the victory against the Gamecocks.
Alabama linebacker Caleb Woodson leads the team in tackles with 30 and has recorded two sacks through four games as well. Defensive lineman Devan Thompkins is a big part of the Crimson Tide pass rush with 16 tackles, 3 sacks and 1 forced fumble so far this season.
Mississippi State continues to be led by quarterback Kamario Taylor, who completed 27 of 38 passes for 360 yards, three touchdowns and an interception in their 31-24 victory against then No. 19 Missouri. Taylor’s favorite receiver Anthony Evans III caught eight passes for 114 yards while his tailback Fluff Bothwell carried the ball 25 times for 122 yards and a touchdown in the win against the Tigers.
Bulldogs’ linebacker Jalen Smith has recorded 28 tackles and 1 interception to headline Zach Arnett’s unit. Defensive lineman Jaray Bledsoe has also recorded 13 tackles and one and a half sack to support Smith and the rest of the defense.
Alabama cannot lose the lead at halftime against Mississippi State how they did against Kentucky and Florida State. Offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb needs to emphasize ball security and to avoid throwing the ball into harms’ way to Keelon Russell and the Crimson Tide’s offensive playmakers.
If Caleb Woodson and Devan Thompkins can lead the Alabama defense in multiple stops against Kamario Taylor and the Mississippi State offense, they will have a better shot of defeating the Bulldogs and moving to 5-0 on the season.
Mississippi State will depend on the success of Taylor and his playmakers. The Bulldogs’ defense needs to be solid on limiting Russell, Hill, Coleman-Williams and others but they are capable of outscoring Alabama with Taylor behind center.
It could be a rainy day in Starkville on Saturday but that should not limit the scoring that much. The game between Alabama and Mississippi State should be close throughout. However, the Crimson Tide’s experience in close games should help them get a road victory against the Bulldogs.
Projected Score: Alabama 34, Mississippi State 31
Image – The Daily Iowan
No. 5 Ohio State (3-1) at No. 14 Iowa (4-0)
2:30 p.m., CBS
ESPN’s College GameDay will be in town for a huge Big Ten battle between Ohio State and Iowa on Saturday. The Buckeyes will attempt to go on the road and give the Hawkeyes their first loss with Brad Nessler (play-by-play), Charles Davis (analyst) and Jenny Dell (sideline reporter) on the call at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.
Ohio State dominated Illinois 42-19 on Saturday, Sept. 26 the last time they hit the field. Quarterback Julian Sayin completed 27 of 36 passes for 367 yards, four touchdowns and rushed seven times for 29 yards and another touchdown. Wide receiver Jeremiah Smith continues to shine for the Buckeyes’ offense, caught 12 passes for 217 yards and all 4 of Sayin’s passing touchdowns. Tailback Bo Jackson carried the ball 11 times for 53 yards in the win against the Fighting Illini.
Safety Earl Little Jr. appears to be the next Ohio State star in the secondary as he leads the Buckeyes with 23 tackles and 1 pass defended through four games so far through the 2026 season. Defensive end Kenyatta Jackson Jr. has recorded 11 tackles and two sacks as well.
Iowa defeated Michigan in an exhilarating 20-19 victory on Saturday, Sept. 26. Quarterback Hank Brown completed 21 of 35 passes for 227 yards and 2 touchdowns. Running back Kamari Moulton rushed 13 times for 44 yards while wide receiver Tony Diaz caught three passes for 46 yards in the victory against the Wolverines. The strength of the Iowa football team is their defense. Linebacker Cam Buffington leads the Hawkeyes with 38 tackles while defensive end Joseph Anderson has two sacks through four games this season.
Ohio State will give Iowa their first loss if they continue to rely on what has given them success over the last two seasons. The Julian Sayin to Jeremiah Smith connection has been unstoppable this season. So if Sayin and Smith get that going, it will be is easy for complimentary football with Bo Jackson in the backfield and an improving defense that has many new pieces.
Iowa must hope that Cam Buffington and Joseph Anderson limit Sayin’s passing attack so that they can set up the run and move down the field consistently and get in the end zone. If the Hawkeyes’ defense sets up their offense with solid field position, they can set up their offense for success.
If Iowa can protect Kinnick Stadium and come out with a win against Ohio State they will prove they can make it to a College Football Playoff appearance. However, the confidence of the Buckeyes’ offense will be too much to handle and the Hawkeyes will fall.
Projected Score: Ohio State 28, Iowa 14
Image – WCJB
No. 8 Florida (4-0) at No. 25 Missouri (3-1)
2:30 p.m., ABC
Florida and Missouri will continue their series on Saturday on the gridiron. The Gators will look to continue their undefeated season when they face the Tigers with Joe Tessitore (play-by-play), Jesse Palmer (analyst) and Kris Budden (sideline reporter) on the call at Memorial Stadium at Faurot Field in Columbia, Missouri.
Florida surprised the college football world and blew out then-No. 4 ranked Ole Miss 52-28 in Gainesville on Saturday, Sept. 26. Quarterback Aaron Philo completed 16 of 23 passes for 1 touchdown while the running back duo of Jadan Baugh, who recorded 29 carries for 142 yards and three touchdowns, and Duke Clark, who rushed 12 times for 126 yards and 1 touchdown, led the Gators to a win over the Tigers. Vernell Brown III caught three passes for 25 yards in the win.
Linebackers Myles Graham (28 tackles and 0.5 sacks) and Jayden Woods (19 tackles, 4 sacks, and 1 forced fumble) have been the leading forces for an up and down Florida defense through four games this season.
Missouri took a disappointing 31-24 loss to then-No. 24 ranked Mississippi State on Saturday, Sept. 26 after losing a fourth quarter lead. Tigers’ quarterback Austin Simmons completed 23 of 39 passes for 395 yards for 3 touchdowns while his favorite wide receiver Cayden Lee caught 11 passes for 156 yards for 2 touchdowns in the loss. Running back Jamal Roberts took 26 carries for 95 yards on Saturday.
Missouri linebacker Nicholas Rodriguez leads the Tigers with 39 tackles while adding 1 sack through four games so far this season. Edge defender Daeden Hopkins has recorded 14 tackles, 6 sacks and 2 forced fumbles as well.
Florida’s offense will be the reason why they continue to win if they are successful against the Tigers on Saturday. Aaron Philo must get the ball to tailbacks Jadan Baugh and Duke Clark, to continue their success on Saturday. If Baugh and Clark succeed, it will continue to put less pressure on their defense to make stops.
Missouri’s defense must step up against the Gators’ high-scoring offense if they want to protect home field and avoid dropping back to back games. The Tigers will want Austin Simmons to get the ball down the field to Cayden Lee and rely on Jamal Roberts to move the clock down to keep the Florida offense off the field as much as possible.
John Sumrall has Florida back and where they need to be but they cannot overlook this game at Eli Drinkwitz’s Missouri team. The Gators will not do that and take care of business in Columbia, but it will be a close finish thanks to the Simmons and Lee connection.
Projected Score: Florida 34, Missouri 24
Image – The Clemson Insider
No. 4 Miami (4-0) at Clemson (3-1)
6:30 p.m., ABC
Miami might have made it all the way to the national championship last season but they can put an exclamation point on their takeover of the ACC if they defeat Clemson. The Hurricanes will look to formally end Dabo Swinney and the Tigers’ run with Chris Fowler (play-by-play), Kirk Herbstreit (analyst), Holly Rowe (sideline reporter) and Laura Rutledge (sideline reporter) on the call at Hard Rock Stadium in Coral Gables, Florida.
As expected, Miami defeated Central Michigan 52-3 on Saturday, Sept. 26. The Hurricanes’ quarterback Darian Mensah completed 23 of 27 passes for 338 yards and 3 touchdowns while rushing four times for 21 yards and another touchdown. Mensah’s top wide receiver is Malachi Toney caught six passes for 120 yards and 1 touchdown while his top running back Mark Fletcher Jr. last saw action on Friday, Sept. 18 against Wake Forest. He is set to return against Clemson after dealing with a minor upper-body injury.
Miami defensive lineman Marquise Lightfoot leads the Hurricanes in both tackles (17) and sacks (4) through four games so far this season. Alongside Lightfoot, defensive back JJ Dunigan has recorded 16 tackles and a fumble recovery.
Clemson defeated California 24-10 on Friday, Sept. 25. The Tigers’ quarterback Tait Reynolds completed 13 of 21 passes for 108 yards and 1 interception while rushing 11 times for 28 yards. Tailback Gideon Davison rushed 22 times for 159 yards and 2 touchdowns and wide receiver TJ Moore caught three passes for 24 yards against the Golden Bears.
Safety Corey Myrick leads Clemson with 35 tackles and a pass defended. Tigers defensive end Will Heldt has recorded 12 tackles and 4 sacks, headlining Tom Allen’s defensive front.
Miami needs to continue to rely on Darian Mensah and Malachi Toney to spread the field and score points against the Clemson defense to win this game. The Hurricanes should do more than enough on offense to give their defense enough time to rest so that they can stop the Tigers offense.
Corey Myrick and Will Heldt must lead the Clemson defense to successful stops consistently against the high-scoring Miami offense. There is not a great chance for the Tigers’ to win if their defense does not give their offense a chance to succeed with good field position.
Miami has already outscored their ACC competition 78-26 and it will not end on Saturday, even on the road against Clemson. The Hurricanes offense should go up and down the field on the Tigers’ defense and cruise to 5-0 before their bye week.
Projected Score: Miami 38, Clemson 17
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