Photo Credits: Getty Images
By Colin Bish, Sports Staffer
I would have never thought that an NFL Sunday would be even crazier than a college football Saturday, but here we are. Four blocked field goals, all in the fourth quarter, in three different games? That’s something you see on Saturday afternoons.
But Week 4 of college football still leaves a lot to talk about.
Before we do, I want to remember UCF assistant coach and former Appalachian State head coach Shawn Clark, who passed away unexpectedly this Monday. I wish nothing but good health and a bright future for his family, players, fellow coaches and all the lives he touched.
The Good:
Hoosiers Roll the Illini, Back in CFP Conversation
Indiana University’s head coach Curt Cignetti put it best, “we broke their will,” and boy, did the Hoosiers ever. It was too easy for Indiana all day, rolling past #9 Illinois 63-10. It was a thrashing on all cylinders.
The Hoosiers started the game with a special teams touchdown, as junior All-American cornerback D’Angelo Ponds gave Indiana a 7-0 lead. The offense was flawless against a solid Illinois defense, junior quarterback Fernando Mendoza led the charge, completing 21 of 23 passes for 267 yards and five passing touchdowns. Along with the passing game, the running back trio of Kaelon Black, Roman Hemby and Khobie Martin combined for 36 rushes, 261 yards and three touchdowns.
The defense also showed out against senior quarterback Luke Altmyer and company, holding the Illini to 161 total yards of offense and 1/10 on third down. Compared to last year, the Hoosiers have a much tougher road to the College Football Playoffs, but if they play with at least 50% of what they did on Saturday, they easily get back in.
It’ll have to start this coming weekend as they face a tough road test against the always scrappy Iowa Hawkeyes.
Eric McAlister’s Big Day Jolts TCU Past SMU
In the final edition of the Iron Skillet rivalry between the Southern Methodist University (SMU) Mustangs and the Texas Christian University (TCU) Horned Frogs, TCU took final bragging rights in a 35-24 win.
It was an overall tough matchup for TCU Head Coach Sonny Dykes’ squad, yet the same can’t be said for senior wide receiver Eric McAlister. The focus would mainly be on TCU’s junior wide receiver Jordan Dwyer, a stud transfer from Idaho University, but that left the door wide open for McAlister to come out of nowhere. He had just five receptions in the Frogs’ first two games, but would torch the Mustangs with eight catches for 254 yards and three touchdowns on the day. Also, don’t gloss over junior quarterback Josh Hoover, who had an outstanding performance with 379 passing yards and five touchdowns.
Now 3-0, TCU has placed itself in a solid position to make noise in a wide-open Big 12, and they’ll have a chance to turn up the volume when they take on defending conference champs Arizona State University this Friday.
Texas Tech Makes Big Statement Without Behren Morton
As mentioned, the Big 12 is relatively wide open as of now, but Texas Tech University and the University of Utah battled for an early statement-making game Saturday afternoon.
It started as a defensive war of attrition, both sides holding each other in check outside of an early Tech touchdown. However, things turned sour for the Red Raiders as they lost their starting quarterback, senior Behren Morton to a head injury in the third quarter.
Even while leading, Tech wasn’t exactly sitting comfortably. Morton had thrown two interceptions before exiting, and they surrendered multiple penalties, particularly false starts. Now, freshman quarterback Will Hammond had to step in and lead the charge, and he answered the call. After Utah cut the lead to 13-10 via a Wayshawn Parker touchdown run, Hammond found Terrance Carter Jr. for a 24-yard touchdown reception to make it 20-10. The Tech defense wouldn’t let the score rattle them, holding the Utes in check as Texas Tech added two more touchdowns. Hammond finished the day 13 of 16 passing for 169 yards and two touchdowns, securing the 34-10 win for Tech. Joey McGuire and his team made an early statement in Salt Lake City, and with two great options at quarterback backed up by a much better defense than we’ve seen in years past from the Red Raiders, they’ll be a fun team to watch as the season progresses.
Memphis Edges Arkansas in Thriller, Now Primed for CFP Berth
I swear, the Group of Five Playoff representative changes faster than my Cleveland Browns change quarterbacks. This week’s intriguing prospect was the University of Memphis, sitting at 3-0 with a chance to bolster its resume at home against the University of Arkansas. However, things got off to a bad start when the Razorbacks went up 28-10 in the second quarter. However, the Tigers answered quickly as senior quarterback Brendon Lewis found senior wide receiver Cortez Braham Jr. for a 38-yard touchdown before the half ended. This score proved to be the jolt that got Memphis going.
Memphis’ defense bore down on Arkansas in the second half, allowing just three points after their disastrous second quarter. The Tigers’ offense chipped away at the lead slowly until junior running back Sutton Smith scored on a 64-yard run, giving Memphis a 32-31 lead. Arkansas drove down the field, looking to take the lead with a field goal, until sophomore defensive back Chris Bracy recovered a fumble to seal the Tigers’ victory. With an extremely favorable schedule on the horizon, Memphis Head Coach Ryan Silverfield’s team looks like it could easily be in the mix for a CFP berth.
The Bad:
Auburn Offensive Line Spoils Arnold’s Revenge Bid
Auburn fans will cry wolf that the refs screwed them in this game due to Isaiah Sategna’s “hideout tactic.” Basically, the OU receiver faked like he was going to the sideline only to stay on the field and catch a 24-yard touchdown. What should’ve been a penalty was not called on the field, but was called out by the SEC. However, to hit you with the cold water: calls get missed. And this miss was absolutely devastating for Hugh Freeze’s Tigers. There are things in football that you can’t control, so you only focus on what is controllable. I don’t think Freeze could control his offensive line, which gave up nine sacks against the Sooners. Auburn quarterback Jackson Arnold, who struggled last year at OU, played a great game in his return to Norman. And it could have ended in an upset victory had his offensive line held up. Unfortunately, they collapsed like a Jenga shack, failing to protect Arnold as Auburn came up short on the road 24-17. The Tigers look much more competitive than they have in years past, but if they leap forward, they need to fix that offensive line.
Even With Sellers, South Carolina Falls to Mizzou
I noted last week that the Gamecocks had a scary task on their hands going into Missouri with their backup quarterback, Luke Doty. Heisman contender LaNorris Sellers was questionable after a head injury against Vanderbilt, but he was cleared and able to suit up on Saturday. And he had a good game, completing 18 of 28 passes for 302 yards and two touchdowns. But Sellers, even if he ripped off the suit and became Superman himself, couldn’t have saved his team from a 29-20 loss. The defense was thrashed on the ground, as the dynamic duo of Ahmad Hardy and Jamal Roberts combined for 214 rushing yards. Even quarterback Beau Pribula added 72 on the ground along with his 171 yards passing. The Tigers’ defense struggled to hold Sellers through the air, but had no issues stopping the run. SC finished with a whopping -9 combined rushing yards. It’s a great sign that Sellers played so well after the injury, but you will never see a team win a football game with negative rushing yards. Now sitting at 2-2, South Carolina is in crisis mode and may be out of a Playoff spot in mid-September.
“Fire Fickell” Rings in Madison as Wisconsin Falls to Maryland
While the Badgers didn’t start in the preseason Top 25 like South Carolina, they also started 2-0 like the Gamecocks did. Then they were punished by Alabama on the road in Week 3. Things got even worse on Saturday as Maryland came into Madison and dominated Wisconsin, 27-10. Terrapins quarterback Malik Washington continues to shine, completing 18 of 34 passes for 265 yards and three total touchdowns. He’s got Maryland 4-0 after the win, and they won’t face a ranked team until Indiana comes to College Park on November 1. Keep an eye on these Terps. But also take your eyes off Wisconsin, because things aren’t looking too bright. That always sturdy Badgers defense can only do so much with an offense that goes 3 for 17 on third down. Are the students’ chants for Luke Fickell to lose his job a bit harsh? Maybe. But it’s indicative of frustration from the Badgers faithful; Wisconsin football in the 2010s was always a consistently great program, but the 2020s have been mediocre, to put it best. Fickell needs to find some type of fire to latch onto because once the fans’ patience runs thin, the athletic department follows suit.
Golden Bears Lose Their Shine vs. San Diego State
California had quietly been putting together a solid 3-0 start to 2025. Star freshman quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele (quite the tongue twister) looked great in wins over Oregon State, Texas Southern and Minnesota. The Cal defense allowed just 10 points in the first three games. Longtime head coach Justin Wilcox was slowly building up a young team with a lot of potential, aided by an extremely favorable conference schedule. Until they ran into their final non-conference opponent, San Diego State. The Aztecs shut out the Golden Bears on their home turf, 34-0, with the defense holding Sagapolutele to 17 of 38 passing for 208 yards and two interceptions. Both teams were virtually neck-and-neck in yards, but Cal quite literally fumbled multiple opportunities. A 19-play, 75-yard drive in the first quarter ended with 0 points after an incomplete pass on fourth-and-goal. Then, there was a missed field goal to keep the Bears scoreless in the second quarter. And the cherry on top: two defensive touchdowns in the third quarter; a 35-yard fumble return by SDSU’s Dwayne McDougle and a 97-yard pick-six by Chris Johnson. Cal can always turn things around, especially with their favorable conference schedule, but this was a hard hit to take, especially for a freshman quarterback like Sagapolutele.
The Ugly:
Illinois’ CFP Hopes Dashed Horrifically in Primetime
I already touched on Illinois above when discussing Indiana, so I won’t be too long with this (hopefully). But what a fool I was to think the Illini could make a Playoff appearance? Yikes. Junior quarterback Luke Altmyer was completely shut down by the Hoosiers’ defense, while his offensive line did him no favors as well. The defense went missing so fast it’s already got a search party looking for them; sources tell me they’ve unfortunately found no traces. I imagine the disappearance was out of shame, especially when you give up 63 points and nearly 600 yards of total offense. Now I see why Bears fans refrain from putting their hopes into the team every year.
After Last Year’s Upset, Wazzu Thrashed in Apple Cup
Washington State made some waves last year with sophomore quarterback John Mateer as their starter, including an early-season upset over Washington. But now, Mateer has left for Oklahoma, leaving the Cougars feeling blue. The Huskies got sweet revenge on their archrival by way of a 59-24 thrashing Saturday. Freshman quarterback Demond Williams Jr. completed 16 of 19 passes for 298 yards and four touchdowns, while leading the team in rushing with 88 yards on 13 carries and a touchdown. Head coach Jedd Fisch’s offense put up 52 points despite holding the ball for just 24 minutes, totaling 473 yards and going 8 of 9 on third down. It was an absolute drubbing of Wazzu, now sitting at 2-2 with little hope left in the season. Long live the Pac-12.
Belichick and UNC Once Again Trounced by Power Four Team
Safe to say that the “Darth Belichick” experiment in Chapel Hill is not looking promising. Despite two turnaround victories against Charlotte and Richmond, North Carolina was dominated again by a Big 12 squad, this time Central Florida. Knights sophomore quarterback Tayven Jackson totaled 289 yards and two touchdowns on offense, leading UCF to a 34-9 win. The Tar Heels just look bad. Their offense is putrid; it doesn’t matter if they put sophomore quarterback Gio Lopez or senior quarterback Max Johnson out there, they can’t save that dumpster fire. Even the defense, which looked to have turned a corner the last two weeks, got shredded by head coach Scott Frost’s offense. They can’t get takeaways, they don’t stop the pass, the run defense is ineffective; it’s all not good. I know it’s year one under Bill Belichick, the six-time Super Bowl champion head coach from the New England Patriots now leading UNC. But just know he’s under a bigger microscope due to that legendary NFL pedigree. Things can always turn around, but definitely not this year. If this is how they look against other Power Four squads, I dread to see how that conference schedule is going to play out.
Clemson’s Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Season
I don’t know, guys. I just don’t have a clue. Clemson outgained Syracuse in yardage, and the Tigers still lost, this time at home. Now Orange head coach Fran Brown has more bragging rights for not only getting Syracuse into the ACC championship last year, but also beating Clemson on their home turf. Junior quarterback Steve Angeli played lights out, throwing for 244 yards and two touchdowns before leaving with an Achilles injury that will sideline him for the year. Thankfully, freshman backup quarterback Rickie Collins steadied the ship and preserved a 34-21 upset for Syracuse. But my God, what happened, head coach Dabo Swinney? A No. 4 preseason ranking to 1-3? Heads will roll, but I’m not sure if it’ll be Swinney’s. The offense is to blame, as they’ve had a rough start despite a talented roster. The defense is loaded too, but didn’t impress against the Orange. I really don’t have anything left to say. I just can’t believe I keep kicking the Tigers while they’re down, again and again. Just win so I can say something good for once.
Questions for Week 5:
Will Bama Make a Statement in Athens?
Last week, I talked about how Alabama had a great bounce-back effort against Wisconsin. I also talked about Georgia’s insane come-from-behind win in Knoxville against Tennessee. Both squads being on a bye this past Saturday, they’ll be well rested for Saturday’s primetime clash in Athens. But the question will come down to whether the Tide can handle the Georgia crowd. As we saw in Week 1, Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer’s offense struggled on the road in Tallahassee against Florida State, but they’ve gotten much-needed tune-ups at home. Junior quarterback Ty Simpson and freshman wide receiver Ryan Williams are going to have to come through for their squad, while the offensive line needs to keep that scary front seven in check. The defense has looked better as well, but Georgia looked strong against Tennessee. These two legendary programs come together at the peak of their play this season, but the stakes are much higher for Alabama. Winning this game means the Tide are still a top-notch program. Losing? They may be relegated to the good, but not championship-level territory.
How Will Dante Moore Fare in Happy Valley?
College GameDay arrives in Happy Valley for this week’s top-10 matchup between Oregon and Penn State. While questions have been raised regarding the Nittany Lions’ offense, there can be no doubt about their defense. They haven’t faced a great offense yet, but last year showed how dominant the unit can be even after losing players like linebacker Abdul Carter. However, we have not seen Oregon sophomore quarterback Dante Moore in this situation. The UCLA transfer finally had his chance to start after backing up Dillon Gabriel last year, and he’s made the most of it. He’s made early Heisman waves by throwing for 962 yards, 11 touchdowns and one interception in four games. He’s backed by an elite offensive line that has allowed just one sack in four games. But Penn State’s defense is a totally different beast. Not to mention the White Out crowd. It’ll be a task Moore has not seen before, but if he and the Ducks come through, it’ll be a victory for the ages.
Can LSU Ride Week 4 Momentum Into Oxford?
Head coach Brian Kelly and LSU finally had their offensive breakthrough, dropping 56 on Southeastern Louisiana. It may not be the strongest opponent, but games like these are big confidence boosts, especially when your offense hasn’t taken off. LSU did so at the right time, as the Tigers go on the road to take on No. 13 Ole Miss. The big matchup to watch will be the Rebels’ offense against the Tigers’ defense; sophomore linebacker Trinidad Chambliss has slotted in comfortably in place of Austin Simmons. Meanwhile, the Tigers haven’t lost a step defensively. It’ll be quite the battle between head coach Lane Kiffin’s offense and LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker’s crew. Still, junior quarterback Garrett Nussmeier and the offense will be a big focal point. Ole Miss has shown in the past, particularly their 41-35 win over Arkansas, that the defense has weak spots. If Nussmeier can exploit those weaknesses, LSU will have a great chance of leaving Oxford with a victory.Does Illinois Rebound Against the Trojans?
As mentioned above, Illinois is in a bad spot following their thrashing at the hands of Indiana. But they’re not completely dead in the water. They have a chance to rebound positively against a surging USC team. However, seeing that defensive play last week, the Illini will need their A-plus game to stop head coach Lincoln Riley’s offense. Sophomore quarterback Jayden Maiava continues to dazzle, while senior running back Waymond Jordan remains reliable in the run game. Not to mention Altmyer and the offense desperately needing a jolt after last week’s dud. They have a tough task with the much-improved Trojans’ defense. It may not be the same dominant unit from the early 2000s with Rey Maualuga and Taylor Mays, but they are still a tough group. With their backs against the wall and Playoff hopes on the line, the Illini need to rise to the occasion
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