Week 4 rooting guides

BC survived Maine 22-16 without a single touchdown from inside the 20. Virginia Tech brings Brent Pry, 3-0 against the Eagles, back as its defensive coordinator.

Lopa's NCAA-leading fifth interception carried Cal past Wagner 49-7, but the ACC's worst running game means Friday against Clemson still runs through the secondary.

Tait Reynolds and Chad Morris found something after the break against UNC. A 10:30 p.m. Eastern kickoff in Berkeley is the worst place to need that again.

William & Mary hasn't played Duke since 1955 and just gave up 428 rushing yards. Duke is off after Saturday, so Week 4 is the last live look at Eget's receivers and the new front before Georgia Tech.

After 585 yards to SMU and 567 to Alabama, the scoreboard won't tell you anything the defense doesn't.

Tech got its first two takeaways of 2026 against Mercer and scored on both.

Louisville is 1-0 in the ACC after beating SMU 41-31, but the defense gave up 479 yards and now gets Gio Lopez with Tayon Holloway's status unsettled.

CharMar Brown and Josh Moore are gone for the year. Central Michigan is the last chance to find out who else can play before Clemson and Notre Dame.

The Wolfpack outgained and out-possessed Vanderbilt before a fumble at its own 5 ended it. App State visits Raleigh Saturday with NC State a heavy favorite.

North Carolina blew a 17-6 halftime lead in a 28-20 loss at Clemson. The bye week arrives with a fourth-down call, missed tackles and a new defensive play-caller to sort out.

Damon Ferguson Jr. won ACC Rookie of the Week while Ja'Kyrian Turner sat. Bucknell is a near-certain Pitt win, but it still settles who carries the ball.

SMU outgained Louisville and lost 41-31. Now Casey Woods brings Missouri State to Dallas, with Wake Forest and Central Michigan carrying real ACC-title weight Saturday.

Duke ran for 268 yards on the defense Stanford was supposed to trust. Now a 3.5-point favorite with the nation's 134th-ranked run defense visits Stanford Stadium.

Syracuse is idle at 1-2 after losing 27-13 at Pitt, and Fran Brown has not said whether Steve Angeli or Amari Odom takes the first snap at UConn.

West Virginia blitzed Beau Pribula on 21 of 37 dropbacks and Noah Josey never came back from halftime. Delaware is the only week Virginia gets to put the line back together.

Virginia Tech is 3-0 and headed to Chestnut Hill, where Pry's defense has to be better than it was at Maryland and Grunkemeyer has to keep the ball away from BC.

Lopez threw for 312 yards and three touchdowns against Miami while taking about 20 hits. At Louisville, the protection and the penalties decide whether he has to do it again.

Army beat Temple 14-13 by hoarding the football. Friday at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN, against the 113th-ranked defense in the country, the Black Knights get the same chance.

Khamani Alexander ran 13 times for 18 yards in Boone. Now the post-Chance Williams backfield faces a Louisiana defense that just held UAB to 74 rushing yards.

Griffis took every App State snap, then lost the first quarter to Emory Williams in a 20-17 win at ODU. Saturday at 4 p.m. on ESPN+, ECU still has not explained the switch.

Three first-quarter picks beat FIU 16-10 while the Air Raid went scoreless. At 0-3 ULM on Saturday, Owls fans should watch whether Veltkamp scores without short fields.

Stokes went 26-of-32 with four touchdowns in a 45-21 win over UT Martin. The bye leaves the offense's fixes and the defense's missing disruption both unproven until Charlotte.

Woodson's high ankle sprain points the UAB start toward Jackson Gutierrez, whose relief work at FAU produced the passing numbers Navy's offense has been missing.

Torrance Burgess Jr. ran for 214 in a 49-35 loss. Houston Christian, whose front Rice gashed for 465 rushing yards, is the last check before Tulsa.

Jacurri Brown ran for 128 and threw for 121 in a 28-21 loss, and Fresno State's staff has spent the week drilling its eyes against the option.

The Bulls scored 59 on Delaware State and their coach said they lost half a game. Bowling Green's run defense is the place to fix that.

Temple blew a 14-point lead at Toledo and gave up 536 yards. Army, which held the ball 15 extra minutes last November, visits Lincoln Financial Field on Friday.

Semonza scored twice at Kansas State and still got sacked six times. Southern Miss, 116th in scoring defense, comes to Yulman where Tulane hasn't won this series since 2002.

Dexter Williams II starts again with Baylor Hayes doubtful, and Tulsa's run-heavy offense and elite defensive numbers meet their first Power Four test since Week 1.

UAB lost 21-14 at Louisiana with 74 rushing yards and nothing on late downs. Navy visits Friday on ESPN with the American's 13th-ranked pass defense.

Brandon Tucker Jr. knocked Arch Manning around and Jeff Traylor called it championship defense. Texas still ran for 228. Colorado State visits the Alamodome at 11 a.m. on ESPNU.

Fifita broke Nick Foles' Arizona passing record in a 42-17 win over Northern Illinois, but four sacks and a 52-yard touchdown over a backup corner set up the trip to Washington State.

ASU heads into its only bye at 2-1 with a defense carrying an offense that has not been efficient and clean in the same game.

Baylor opens Big 12 play against Colorado at 11 a.m. on ESPN2 with DJ Lagway cleared after two missed games and a safety group Aranda has already flagged.

LJ Martin's three first-quarter touchdowns carried BYU past Colorado State 41-23, and the bye leaves Big 12 help from Iowa State and Cincinnati as the week's real business.

JC French threw 43 times to dig Cincinnati out of a 28-7 hole. Kansas State allows 85.7 passing yards a game. The Bearcats need the ground game back.

The Big 12 opener at Baylor asks whether Julian Lewis and a 5.5-per-carry run game can hold the ball on the road.

Willie Fritz said his DBs missed easy tackles at Texas Tech. Georgia Southern threw for 244 against Clemson, and that's the whole reason this 3 p.m. trip has any tension.

Aiden Flora ran for 194 yards in a 55-7 win over Bowling Green, but No. 15 Utah arrives healthy Saturday while Jaheim Singletary's status stays unresolved.

Kansas outgained Arizona State 414-228 and still lost 24-17. With no game in Week 4, the repairs are running back depth, the center snap and third down.

Avery Johnson ran for 152 yards against Tulane. Now Nate Woody's Cincinnati defense gets a turn at Kansas State's Big 12 opener.

Drew Mestemaker set a Cowboys efficiency record against Murray State. Now the Cowboys have to block Jaylen Thomas and Nate Gabriel to make any of it count in a Big 12 game.

TCU beat Arkansas State 31-7 to close non-conference play and opens Big 12 season at UCF on FS1. Here is what to watch and what to root for in Week 4.

Texas Tech closes nonconference play against Sam Houston's 345-yard passing offense, the cleanest look yet at whether the Red Raiders' pass defense is actually closing.

Duke Watson's 177-yard night carried UCF past Georgia State 44-30. TCU visits Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on FS1, and the run-first plan meets a Big 12 defense.

Utah's 33-0 shutout of Utah State was built almost entirely before halftime. Iowa State, where the Cyclones won late in 2024, asks for four quarters.

Alley's blitz beat Virginia. Oklahoma State's front and passing game are built to answer it in the Big 12 opener on FS1.

Champ Smith's first start, Renfro and Knapik banged up, and Houser's first two sacks of the year, the Illini line is the story in Columbus.

Daley and Wyatt watched the 38-0 shutout of Western Kentucky from the sideline. A judge may rule the day Northwestern and Aidan Chiles come to Bloomington.

Michigan is the first Big Ten front that answers the question.

Malik Washington threw for 359 yards and Maryland still lost to Virginia Tech. The Big Ten opener against UCLA asks whether anything around him works.

Michigan's fumbles handed UTEP a 14-7 lead before the rout. Iowa's defense won't give those points back in a game the market prices near 21-17.

Nebraska comes to East Lansing unbeaten and favored by 4.5 after Notre Dame held the Spartans to 44 net rushing yards and zero after halftime. Saturday, 5 p.m. ET, BTN.

Seattle, a 9.5-point line and Darius Taylor's open status decide whether that travels.

Jamal Rule's 55-yard opening-second-half touchdown capped a 34-7 win. Now Nebraska takes its run-first formula to East Lansing, where it has lost twice by three.

Bloomington asks for offense earned the hard way, with the offensive line unsettled and Chiles facing Indiana a third time.

The Buckeyes buried Kent State 59-3 and went 1-of-8 on third down. Illinois is the first Big Ten front that will tell you which number is real.

McClellan broke his foot in warmups, Messiah Hampton answered against Portland State, and now a thinned Oregon offense has to hold up in the Coliseum.

Quinton Martin Jr. went from no offensive snaps at Temple to 100 yards against Buffalo. The Big Ten opener asks whether 304 rushing yards meant anything.

Purdue scored 38 at UCLA and still lost by 14. Now the Boilermakers host No. 3 Notre Dame with the defensive play-calling job publicly unsettled.

Ten turnovers in three games put Rutgers at 0-3. Howard visits Piscataway on Friday night as the softest possible setting for Dylan Lonergan to play mistake-free football.

UCLA's ground game and third-down conversions beat Purdue 52-38, but 378 passing yards allowed and 12 penalties are the problems that travel to Maryland on Saturday.

Rutgers gained as many yards as USC did, Riley was not pleased at all, and Oregon comes to the Coliseum Saturday. What Trojan fans should watch.

The Huskies scored 48 on Eastern Washington and still flagged themselves 101 yards. Minnesota visits Husky Stadium Saturday night with a poll return on the line.

Colton Joseph and Tyrell Henry carried the 54-10 win over Eastern Michigan while the run game stalled. Whether Abu Sama plays at Penn State decides what Wisconsin actually is Saturday.

The Blue Hens beat Coastal Carolina 22-14 behind Minicucci and Wilson, then got their clinching score off a muffed punt. Charlottesville tests both halves of that.

FIU outgained Florida Atlantic 357-258 and lost the Shula Bowl 16-10 on three first-quarter interceptions. LIU is the last chance to prove the giveaways are fixable.

Middle Tennessee comes to Jacksonville on Saturday knowing exactly what a healthy Gamecocks backfield can do to it. That backfield no longer exists.

Tennessee ran for 268 yards on the Owls a week after Georgia State ran for 230. Arkansas State's backfield is depleted. Saturday tells you which fact matters more.

Liberty routed Ball State 51-15, the biggest win of Jamey Chadwell's tenure. Thursday night at Coastal Carolina, on ESPN, it finds out whether that travels.

Middle Tennessee upset Nevada 27-20 behind Antonio Martin and a turnover-free Roman Gagliano. Now comes the CUSA opener at the team that has swept the series.

The Bears gained 506 yards on Marshall and scored 24. At No. 22 SMU, with Kendrick Raphael waiting, that math does not survive.

The Aggies host New Mexico at 1:30 p.m. MT on CBSSN with the Roaster on the line, an explosive passing game meeting elite coverage, and a finishing problem still unsolved.

Sam Houston takes a 345.7-yard-per-game passing offense to Lubbock against a Texas Tech secondary giving up 272.7 a week, as a 37.5-point underdog that has covered every time out.

Glenn threw all 32 passes in the 38-0 loss at Indiana while Rodney Tisdale Jr. recorded nothing. Mercyhurst is the first calm setting to learn what WKU's staff actually prefers.

Broughton's knee, Roggow's relief work and Poffenbarger's eligibility limbo leave Akron's Week 4 starter unknown against a UNLV defense that gave up three straight touchdown drives.

The Cardinals were flagged 11 times again in a 51-15 loss at Liberty. Kent State, allowing 43.7 points per game, is the most forgiving road test on the schedule.

Iowa State ran for 365 yards on the Falcons. Homecoming at Doyt Perry comes down to whether the front seven can hold a gap.

Elijah Holmes's knee kept him out at Penn State, Jason Wright's first start produced 60 passing yards, and Robert Morris is the last stop before MAC play.

CMU beat Wyoming by running on 59 of 66 plays. Mario Cristobal has already named those runs by name. What that leaves to watch at Hard Rock Stadium.

Three straight starts have gone backward, and Lindenwood is the first opponent that will not excuse it.

Kent State opens MAC play at noon Saturday against Ball State, which enters 1-2 like the Flashes but plus-one in turnover margin while Kent State sits at minus-three.

UMass trailed Stonehill 7-3 with four first-half first downs before a 33-0 run. Now the Minutemen open MAC play at a shorthanded Sacramento State, 9 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

McComb threw for 334 yards at Cincinnati and Miami still scored three second-half points. Homecoming against UConn is where the finishing gets fixed or doesn't.

Vezza started and Davis finished at South Alabama with Poulos out again. Stonehill week is Ohio's last chance to settle the job before MAC play.

The Hornets host UMass on Saturday in their first home Mid-American Conference game, a week after North Dakota State led 28-0 inside 19 minutes.

Toledo's defense needs a boring Saturday against San Diego State. Week 4 is a chance to make the ordinary ones.

The Broncos' defense keeps trading ground yards for third-down stops. Boise State brings a better run game to Waldo Stadium on Saturday.

The Falcons piled up 207 rushing yards on North Dakota State mostly while trailing. At Nevada, with Navy coming to Falcon Stadium a week later, the early drives are the story.

Alejado threw 45 times against New Mexico State and left with his arm in a sling. Two weeks later, nobody has said a word about it, and Hawai'i is a road favorite anyway.

Three second-half giveaways cost Nevada at Middle Tennessee. Now Air Force and its 319-yard rushing attack come to Reno, where every lost possession costs double.

The Lobos lost 14-6 at Oklahoma without a passing touchdown, and Jason Eck still won't say who starts the Rio Grande Rivalry game at New Mexico State.

NDSU is idle before Wyoming visits Oct. 3, so the week's outside business is Wyoming and Old Dominion, and the second-half question Polasek and Hayes raised themselves.

The Huskies led Arizona 10-0, then scored nothing for three quarters of a 42-17 loss. Georgia State's 92nd-ranked run defense is the softest front Telly Johnson has seen.

San José State is idle in Week 4 after a 26-10 loss to Fresno State. The bye is about whether Luke Weaver's four picks were execution or something deeper.

The Rebels are heavy favorites at Akron, but Arnold's protection is still unfixed and Akron may not be good enough to tell UNLV whether it is.

Both UTEP touchdowns at Michigan came off Wolverine fumbles and short fields. Oregon State's 111th-ranked defense is the first chance to score without that help.

Hughes' two fourth-quarter picks sank Wyoming at Central Michigan. On the 101st Homecoming, Hawai'i throws it, and both Cowboy outside corners are hurt.

Boise State survived South Dakota 38-24 on the strength of Dylan Riley's fourth quarter. Now it has to start faster in Kalamazoo, with Broc Lowry waiting.

BYU ran for 332 yards in Fort Collins. Now the Rams travel to San Antonio with Hauss Hejny a game-time decision and the run defense trending the wrong way.

Rice's triple option asks Fresno State's rebuilt secondary to win a completely different way Saturday night.

The Beavers ran for 144 yards and converted 8 of 14 third and fourth downs against Montana. Now they take that to UTEP without a settled center.

Javion Kinnard's 251 all-purpose yards kept SDSU's offense alive against James Madison. At the Glass Bowl, the Aztecs need more than one runner.

Burgess and the Bobcats ran for 337 yards against North Texas.

The quarterback job is the unfinished part of that sentence.

WSU ran for 316 yards on Duquesne with a reshuffled line. Arizona allows 75.7 rushing yards a game, and Jack Stevens is 1 for 5 on field goals.

Florida State converted eight of 15 third downs on a defense that had allowed one in 23. South Carolina arrives Saturday to see whether that was a blip.

Silverfield rotated KJ Jackson and AJ Hill against Georgia and liked neither. Tulsa arrives 3-0 with the nation's No. 7 scoring defense and no excuses available.

Seven sacks, five in the fourth quarter, cost Auburn a comeback against Florida. Now three names are competing at guard with Vanderbilt coming to Jordan-Hare.

Florida is 3-0 and ranked No. 21 with No. 4 Ole Miss coming to the Swamp Saturday. The pass rush travels; the 231.7 yards a game the secondary allows is the problem.

Oklahoma's pass rush arrives in Athens a week after Georgia's line finally cracked, plus four outside games that move the bye and SEC math.

Kenny Minchey was 14-of-18 with no turnovers in the upset at Texas A&M. South Alabama won't punish Kentucky the way A&M could, which is exactly the point this week.

Texas A&M scored 49 in Baton Rouge last October. LSU returns home 0-1 in the SEC, without Spears for the year and without Trey'Dez Green, needing points before halftime.

Trevion Williams is out for the season, Missouri brings the offense that ran for 300 yards on the Bulldogs last November, and Davis Wade hasn't hosted an SEC win since 2022.

Jamal Roberts has carried Missouri through three games without Ahmad Hardy. Now the Tigers take a 3-0 record Drinkwitz called unsatisfying into Mississippi State.

Now the Sooners go to Athens as an 18% underdog, with South Carolina worth watching later.

Chambliss threw for 363 against LSU but faded after halftime, Kewan Lacy's shoulder is a game-time call, and Florida is favored anyway.

Sellers threw for 282 yards and two touchdowns against Mississippi State, then gave the game away after halftime. Alabama just allowed 471 yards. Saturday, 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.

DeSean Bishop's hip, a three-way tight end rotation and Faizon Brandon's two fumbles shape what Vols fans should watch when No. 1 Texas visits a checkered Neyland.

What Texas fans should want Saturday in Knoxville and around the SEC.

A&M moved the ball on Kentucky and scored 21. Now the same aggressive decision-making goes into Tiger Stadium at night, without Terry Bussey.

Vanderbilt is 3-0 after a final-snap fumble return beat NC State. Now Jared Curtis makes his first road start at Jordan-Hare, where the Commodores won in 2024.

The Mountaineers escaped Charlotte 26-21 on an onside-kick recovery. Now comes Carter-Finley, a two-touchdown spread, and a series they have never won.

Trey Owens threw for 133 yards at TCU without a turnover.

Coastal's 22-14 loss at Delaware came from fumbles, flags and a muffed punt. Now Jamey Chadwell's Liberty team is a road favorite at Brooks Stadium on Thursday night.

The Eagles ran for 182 yards at Jacksonville State and still lost 31-27. Now No. 25 Houston visits Paulson with Ashton Hollins's shoulder unresolved.

The Panthers held their first two opponents to 84 and 72 rushing yards, then gave up 304 at UCF. Saturday's opponent ranks 138th in rushing offense.

James Madison is 3-0 and a heavy favorite at Old Dominion, but the Dukes' own coach spent Saturday night talking about red-zone penalties and sacks.

Lunch Winfield ran in both Louisiana touchdowns against UAB and threw for 110 yards. A Charlotte trip that only exists by accident is where the passing game can come back.

Tech got within 29-19 at Baylor with its backup quarterback and lost anyway. Six red-zone trips, three touchdowns, and a bye week before Army on Oct. 3.

Marshall survived Missouri State 30-24 on a fourth-and-goal deflection after allowing 320 passing yards. Now a top-3 FCS passer named Pennington comes to Huntington.

Now James Madison, 4-0 against the Monarchs in the Sun Belt era, opens conference play.

Jared Hollins won his first career start against Ohio while Bishop Davenport sat. Which one takes the snaps at Kentucky is the week's real question.

Hampton's hand knocked him out against UConn, so Lyddy starts at Tulane against Will Hall, with a defense that forced nothing and gave up 213 rushing yards.

Troy held Missouri to 224 yards without a sack or takeaway and lost anyway. At Utah State, Donnie Smith and the front need pressure to turn into possessions.

UL Monroe outgained SE Louisiana 511-279 and lost 38-35. Against 13.5-point favorite FAU on Homecoming, ball security is the whole story.

Nolan James Jr. earned a share of RB1 with 26 carries at Michigan State, and the Irish still averaged 3.7 per carry. The long run has not shown up.

UConn rolled Southern Miss 48-20, but eight flags for 74 yards held flat, and the coach who went 3-1 against Miami (OH) at Toledo says that is the thing that swings Oxford.