- Five other ranked matchups: There are six games between top-25 teams in Week 4, more than we’ve had all season to this point.
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Be prepared to be glued to your couches all weekend. Week 4 of college football is unbelievably loaded.
There are six games between top-25 teams this week. For reference, we’ve only had five ranked matchups all season to this point.
Here are PFF’s previews for Week 4's five biggest games.
No. 1 Texas Longhorns at No. 14 Tennessee Volunteers (12:00 PM ET on ABC)
Storyline to know: Two historic programs meet for the first time in nearly 60 years
While Texas and Tennessee share rich histories and are both in the SEC, the two programs have rarely met on the gridiron. In fact, the Longhorns and Volunteers have played each other just three times, with the most recent meeting occurring in 1969.
This year’s iteration is the biggest matchup in what’s a loaded Week 4 slate. ESPN’s College Gameday will be in attendance, both teams sport identical 3-0 records and each is ranked inside the top 15 of the latest AP poll.
Matchup to watch when Texas has the ball (Max): Will Jim Knowles change up his defensive philosophy against Arch Manning?
Jim Knowles in his first season as Tennessee’s defensive coordinator after guiding Penn State’s defense last year. Through three games, his defensive philosophy with the Volunteers is based on two principles: Winning with four rushers and playing a heavy dose of zone coverage. Tennessee is only 114th in blitz rate this season (25.4%) while playing zone coverage at the fifth-highest rate in America (85.5%). It’s worked out well so far, as the Volunteers are only giving up 14 points per game on average.
But Texas quarterback Arch Manning has been incredible in those situations, showcasing some of the processing ability that made his uncle, Peyton, one of the greatest signal-callers of all time. Manning has an 88.5 PFF passing grade over the last two seasons when defenses don’t blitz him and play zone coverage. But when defenses blitz him and pair that with man coverage, that passing grade drops down to a 64.8.
Knowles would be wise to try to speed Manning up by sending extra rushers his way, especially considering Texas has the best team PFF pass-blocking grade in the country right now. If not, Manning could pick the Volunteers apart with clean pockets to work from.
Matchup to watch when Tennessee has the ball (Dalton): Tennessee’s elite rushing attack vs. Texas’ front seven
The Volunteers have been able to work around true freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon thus far by running the football with great efficiency. Entering Week 4, they rank among the top 10 FBS teams with 7.0 yards per carry, excluding sacks, and 11 rushing touchdowns. Led by star running back DeSean Bishop, Tennessee also leads the nation with 50 first downs and 29 explosive runs on the ground.
Texas answers with a stout front seven that has allowed just 3.9 yards per carry this season. Interior defenders Ian Geffrard and Alex January have locked things down between the tackles, while linebackers Rasheem Biles and Justin Cryer have cleaned up any messes behind them. The Longhorns would be wise to load the box in the run game and force Brandon to beat them with his arm.
Predictions
In a game that could turn into a shootout, I’ll take the veteran quarterback Arch Manning over a true freshman in Faizon Brandon in his first major game.
Dalton: Tennessee 27, Texas 24
Texas has yet to prove it can play four dominant quarters of football against top competition. Tennessee takes advantage of the Longhorns’ erratic play and scores a massive home victory at Neyland Stadium.
No. 4 Ole Miss Rebels at No. 21 Florida Gators (3:30 PM ET on ABC)
Storyline to know: Two programs that are on cloud nine right now
Both Ole Miss and Florida are coming off of massive victories this past weekend. The Rebels most recently took down seventh-ranked LSU, exacting revenge on Tigers head coach Lane Kiffin for leaving Oxford last year. The Rebels are now the only team in the country that has beaten multiple top-25 teams this season after upending No. 24 Louisville in Week 1.
Meanwhile, Florida went on the road and topped rival Auburn by a 44-39 final score. First-year head coach Jon Sumrall has the Gators off to a 3-0 start, their best since 2019.
Matchup to watch when Florida has the ball (Max): Can the Rebels slow down Jadan Baugh?
It’s early, but Florida’s Jadan Baugh looks like the early favorite for the Doak Walker Award right now. The projected first-round pick’s eight rushing touchdowns are tied for the most in the FBS, while his 30 forced missed tackles lead the country. He’s generated at least 136 yards and two touchdowns in every game thus far.
Ole Miss’ run defense has been pretty suspect so far. The Rebels are just 95th in yards per attempt allowed (4.9) and 103rd in yards after contact per attempt allowed (3.4). Ole Miss’ 46 missed tackles are the second-most of any Power Four school thus far, too. If the Rebels don’t buckle up their chin straps in run defense this week, Baugh could continue his torrid start to the season.
Matchup to watch when Ole Miss has the ball (Dalton): Trinidad Chambliss vs. Florida’s dangerous pass rush
Trinidad Chambliss' mastery knows no bounds, particularly in pressure situations. He currently ranks eighth among qualified quarterbacks with an 81.1 PFF passing grade under pressure, while his three big-time throws in such situations tie him for the FBS lead. Furthermore, Chambliss manages to avoid pressure altogether by averaging a swift 2.57-second time to throw.
He’ll be put to the test against a Florida defensive line that has dominated so far this season. The Gators lead the nation in total pressures and have produced the seventh-most sacks. Their pressure rate and pass-rush win rate ranks among the top 30 FBS teams as well. Edge rushers Jayden Woods and Emmanuel Oyebadejo combined for 11 pressures and six sacks last week alone versus Auburn. Chambliss will once again need to be extremely mindful of impending pressure in obvious passing situations.
Predictions
Baugh could present serious problems for Ole Miss’ defense. But Trinidad Chambliss is the current Heisman favorite for a reason, and Florida’s defense showed some serious vulnerabilities to a far less explosive offense in Auburn.
Dalton: Ole Miss 35, Florida 31
The result of this game will be heavily dependent on who can establish their tempo and get an early lead. If the Gators can keep Ole Miss’ offense off the field, they can win. However, it’s hard to pick against Trinidad Chambliss with the way he’s playing right now.
No. 20 Oregon Ducks at No. 12 USC Trojans (7:30 PM ET on NBC)
Storyline to know: Is Oregon a contender or not?
Oregon entered the season with national championship expectations as the No. 2 team in the preseason AP poll. But just three weeks into the season, that seems like a distant memory.
The Ducks needed a comeback to beat Boise State by seven points in Week 1 before losing to Oklahoma State in Week 2. Oregon entered both of those contests favored by 23.5 points or more.
The Ducks now go on the road to play a top-15 team in USC, which is desperate to make the College Football Playoff this season. One more loss for Oregon, and its hopes of reaching the playoff will be on life support, let alone winning it all.
Matchup to watch when Oregon has the ball (Max): Will Oregon’s offensive line hold up against USC’s pass rush?
Oregon’s biggest issue on offense has been its offensive line. The Ducks have three new starters on their front, including two new tackles in Ziyare Addison and Fox Crader. They both struggled mightily in Oregon’s loss to Oklahoma State, allowing a combined four sacks, two hits and 11 total pressures. Dante Moore has had trouble under pressure this season, completing just 31% of his passes for 3.9 yards per attempt.
Oregon now must deal with a USC defensive line that has done a terrific job at getting after the quarterback this year. The Trojans’ 47.4% pass-rush win rate as a team is 20th in America, and their 87.0 team PFF pass-rush grade is second in the nation to, ironically, the Ducks. It should be noted, though, that USC has faced a soft schedule so far: San Jose State, Fresno State, Louisiana and Rutgers.
Matchup to watch when USC has the ball (Dalton): Can Oregon slow down USC’s high-powered passing attack?
Per usual, USC’s offense is off to a scorching hot start to the season. Jayden Maiava currently leads the nation with 1,173 passing yards and 12 touchdowns. His 90.8 PFF passing grade ranks seventh among qualifiers, as he’s distributed the ball well to young weapons like wide receivers Trent Mosley and Kayden Dixon-Wyatt as well as tight end Mark Bowman.
Maiava will need to be at his best against a talented Oregon defense. He’ll likely be without Mosley, the team’s second-leading receiver, due to injury. The Ducks will also need to show that their pass defense has improved from their early-season performance. Oregon surrendered five touchdowns through the air across two games against Boise State and Oklahoma State.
Predictions
Oregon reestablishes itself as a playoff contender with a win on the road over a top-15 USC squad.
Oregon finds its footing after an early loss while USC’s suspect defense leaves them asking perennial questions about being a playoff contender.
No. 23 Texas A&M Aggies at No. 10 LSU Tigers (7:30 PM ET on ABC)
Storyline to know: Two programs that need a bounce-back game
Both LSU and Texas A&M are reeling from losses in Week 3. The Tigers went on the road and lost to No. 8 Ole Miss. The Aggies’ defeat was far more shocking, falling at home to Kentucky despite being favored by 16.5 points.
Whoever wins this game gets its season back on track, while the loser essentially has to win out in order to make the College Football Playoff.
Matchup to watch when LSU has the ball (Max): Does Sam Leavitt need to continue playing hero ball?
Sam Leavitt’s best season of his career came in 2024, when he quarterbacked Arizona State to a Big 12 Championship and the College Football Playoff. That year, his 1.1% turnover-worthy play rate was third in the FBS. In 2025, Leavitt played carelessly and tried to do too much outside of structure, ballooning his turnover-worthy play rate up to 3.9%.
At LSU, Leavitt has played mostly good football, but his five interceptions are tied for the most in America. To be fair to him, he does only have one turnover-worthy play, and LSU’s offense hasn’t helped him out much. The Tigers rank outside the top 50 in rushing grade, receiving grade, pass-blocking grade and run-blocking grade.
LSU now faces a Texas A&M defense that got picked apart by Kentucky quarterback Kenny Minchey, who averaged 14 yards per attempt despite his struggles in the Wildcats’ first two games. There’s an opportunity for Leavitt to have even more success if LSU can help him out more.
Matchup to watch when Texas A&M has the ball (Dalton): Do the Aggies have any gas in the tank on offense?
Despite being 2-1 with a 48-point performance on their ledger, Texas A&M’s offense has generally struggled to find traction this season. Its offensive unit ranks just 81st in PFF grade. The Aggies also slot outside the top 90 FBS teams in yards per play and EPA per play. They’ve recently dealt with injuries to key players such as running back Jamarion Morrow and wide receivers Ashton Bethel-Roman and Terry Bussey, the latter of whom is out for the season.
Meanwhile, LSU boasts an extremely talented defensive unit that ranks 17th in the nation in PFF grade despite last week’s loss to Ole Miss. Led by star edge rushers Princewill Umanmielen and Jordan Ross, the Tigers’ defensive line has been a particular nuisance for opposing quarterbacks. If quarterback Marcel Reed and the Aggies can’t find their rhythm this week, their season could spiral out of control.
Predictions
The Aggies have a serious Marcel Reed problem right now. LSU bounces back at home thanks to its passing game and pass defense.
LSU’s defense has been a constant for it so far this season despite the magical efforts of Trinidad Chambliss last week. Expect a bounceback against a struggling Aggies offense.
No. 17 Iowa Hawkeyes at No. 18 Michigan Wolverines (3:30 PM ET on CBS)
Storyline to know: Can Michigan fully put Week 1 behind it?
Michigan needed a controversial Hail Mary to beat Western Michigan in Week 1. Even with a win, the Wolverines dropped from No. 16 in the AP poll to out of the top 25 altogether.
The Wolverines were able to climb back into the ranking with a 17-10 victory over No. 11 Oklahoma in Week 2. But many are still questioning Michigan’s legitimacy in the College Football Playoff race. The Wolverines have an opportunity to silence many of those critics with another top-20 opponent in Iowa this week.
Matchup to watch when Michigan has the ball (Max): Waiting on Bryce Underwood to turn the corner
Bryce Underwood wasn’t just the No. 1 recruit in the 2025 high school class; he was one of the highest-rated quarterback recruits of all time. But it’s fair to say that he hasn’t quite lived up to that billing a year and change into his collegiate career. So far, Underwood has 15 big-time throws, 21 turnover-worthy plays and just a 70.4% adjusted completion rate.
He now must face one of the best defensive coordinators in the nation in Phil Parker and Iowa’s stingy pass defense. The Hawkeyes are currently the best team in college football in terms of EPA per pass allowed (-0.443) and are second in the country with only 3.1 yards per pass permitted.
Matchup to watch when Iowa has the ball (Dalton): Iowa’s rushing offense vs. Michigan’s run defense
Unsurprisingly, the Hawkeyes’ offense is carried by their excellent ground game. Standout offensive linemen Kade Pieper and Trevor Lauck have led the way, as Iowa so far ranks among the top five teams in the nation in yards per carry, yards before contact per carry and explosive runs. Four different Iowa running backs have already rushed for over 120 yards this season.
Michigan counters with a stout run defense that has allowed just 3.5 yards per carry in 2026. The Wolverines are also one of just eight teams, with another being Iowa, who have not allowed a rushing touchdown this season. Star linebackers Nathaniel Staehiling and Troy Bowles will be put to the test against Iowa’s elite run game. It should be noted, though, that the Hawkeyes ran for just 93 yards against their only Power Four opponent, Iowa State.
Predictions
This game should be ugly. In what could be a defensive slugfest, give me the home team in Michigan to squeak out a win.
There’s a good chance that this game sets offensive football back a few decades. The Wolverines get an ugly win at home.
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