Seven games featuring top 25 teams made for one of the most exciting days in a long time when it comes to college football. The final weekend of September sets up an October that should be filled with more parity than any season in the sport’s recent history. Here are our biggest Week 4 takeaways.
1. Ohio State wins the day
It may have been ugly, but the Ohio State Buckeyes scored a top 10 win on the road at the last second against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in one of the greatest games ever. They should now be good until their finale against the Michigan Wolverines. The Penn State Nittany Lions won a top 25 game too, and the Maryland Terrapins are undefeated, but both have to visit OSU.
2. Notre Dame, Clemson coached away games
Notre Dame abandoned the run with the ball and the lead and then rushed three when OSU had a 3rd and 19 with seconds left. The Clemson Tigers abandoned the run up two scores, allowing the Florida State Seminoles back in it, and they lost in overtime by calling two pass plays on 3rd and 4th and 1. These mistakes are inexcusable. College Football coaches continue to show their low IQ levels.
3. Is the FSU-Miami rivalry back?
By hook or crook, Florida State is 4-0 with three Power Five wins. The Miami Hurricanes are also 4-0. Could they be on a collision course to face each other in November with both teams undefeated. Is a once great rivalry going to be restored? It’s possible, but both teams have to get past one more undefeated school, which leads to our next point.
4. ACC basketball schools are football powers?
FSU has to beat the Duke Blue Devils at home, and Miami has to beat the North Carolina Tar Heels on the road, before the two face off. Yes, Duke and UNC are both undefeated right now. The Louisville Cardinals head into October undefeated as well. Three basketball schools in a conference hanging on by a thread are making a push. Will this last?
5. Undefeated Pac-12 teams are still flying under the radar
Cameron Ward and the Washington State Cougars are getting no respect, but in the de facto two-team Pac-12 title game with the two remaining programs, he led WSU to a win over the undefeated Oregon State Beavers Saturday. Meanwhile, the Utah Utes beat the UCLA Bruins. Both teams are undefeated and getting little attention, and Utah is the defending Pac-12 champion. Don’t sleep on them.
6. Back to reality for Colorado
Speaking of undefeated Pac-12 teams, the Oregon Ducks took a hammer to the Deion Sanders and Colorado Buffaloes story, winning 42-6. Colorado’s resume was overhyped by beating two overrated Power Five schools. Prime is still building something, and he’s great for college football, but CU was never built for a team like Oregon just yet.
7. Georgia, Michigan, USC and Oklahoma have still proven nothing
You will see in the upcoming top 10 that the Georgia Bulldogs, Michigan Wolverines, USC Trojans and Oklahoma Sooners are all absent. That’s because the top 10 is based on resume. Not one of these teams has played any high-caliber opponent just yet, and that didn’t change on Saturday. It’s an embarrassment to college football that none of them have played anybody of value.
8. Alabama QB situation is settled but not good
Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide don’t have a good quarterback, but Jalen Milroe is their best option. They do have a really good defense, evidenced by their 24-10 win over Lane Kiffin’s Ole Miss Rebels, so if Milroe can just move the ball and not turn it over, they could actually turn this thing around. Don’t write Saban and co. off just yet.
9. Heisman race
1. Cameron Ward, QB, Washington State
2. Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington
3. Caleb Williams, QB, USC
4. Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas
5. Jordan Travis, QB, Florida State
10. Top 10
1. Florida State
2. Texas
3. Ohio State
4. Utah
5. North Carolina
6. Penn State
7. Oregon
8. Washington State
9. Miami
10. Washington
