By now, you already know what’s in store today. Week 4 brings the most loaded college football slate in recent memory with six ranked-on-ranked matchups along with a Florida State vs. Clemson clash that feels like it should be.
There’s going to be great football to watch from morning till night, so buckle up and stick with us for the entirety of this epic day.
Here’s what we’re watching closely on Saturday (all times Eastern, odds via BetMGM):
Time: Noon | TV: ABC | Line: FSU -2.5 | Total: 55.5
Clemson opened the season with an ugly loss at Duke, but has the chance to prove it should still be considered among the elite programs in the country when it hosts No. 4 Florida State. Clemson has won seven of the last eight ACC titles but has fallen short of CFP expectations in recent seasons mainly due to a lackluster offense. While Clemson lost in Week 1, FSU posted an impressive 45-24 victory over LSU and now sits at 3-0. A visit from FSU represents a major step up in competition for the Tigers and marks the first time that Clemson is an underdog at home since 2016.
Time: 3:30 p.m. | TV: ABC | Line: Oregon -20.5 | Total: 70.5
Deion Sanders and Colorado will face their biggest test of the season by far on Saturday with this trip to Eugene to face Oregon. The Buffs won just one game last fall but are off to an electrifying 3-0 start under Sanders’ guidance. His son, Shedeur, is putting up incredible numbers at quarterback but the Buffs will be without two-way star Travis Hunter for several weeks after an injury sustained in the double-overtime win over Colorado State. Oregon, meanwhile, is also off to a 3-0 start with wins over Portland State, Texas Tech and Hawaii. Through three games, quarterback Bo Nix has thrown for 893 yards and eight touchdowns while completing 77.6% of his attempts.
Time: 3:30 p.m. | TV: Fox | Line: Utah -4.5 | Total: 52.5
UCLA has been flying under the radar in a loaded Pac-12. It did not take long for five-star true freshman Dante Moore to step in as the Bruins’ starting QB. He has had a few learning moments, but he’s also shown what made him such a coveted prospect. However, UCLA’s competition through three weeks hasn’t been very strong and Utah’s Rice-Eccles Stadium has proven to be one of the toughest road venues in the country. Dating back to the 2018 season, Utah has won 28 of its last 30 home games. And to make things tougher on UCLA, the Utes could see quarterback Cam Rising make his season debut after he suffered a torn ACL in last season’s Rose Bowl.
Time: 3:30 p.m. | TV: CBS | Line: Alabama -7 | Total: 55.5
What is going on with Alabama? The Crimson Tide struggled mightily on offense in a 17-3 win over South Florida as the quarterback snaps were split between Tyler Buchner and Ty Simpson. Neither were impressive, and now Nick Saban said he is going back to original starter Jalen Milroe for the SEC opener against Ole Miss. On the Ole Miss side, Lane Kiffin is desperately hoping to get a win over Saban, his old boss. The Rebels have been dealing with some injuries in the early going but quarterback Jaxson Dart looks much improved compared to last season.
Time: 7 p.m. | TV: Fox | Line: OSU -3 | Total: 57.5
The two teams that remain in the crumbling Pac-12 are looking to compete for the conference title before the league disappears as we know it. Oregon State is coming off a 10-win season and is off to a strong start in 2023 with dominant wins over San Jose State, UC Davis and San Diego State. The Beavers brought in Clemson transfer QB DJ Uiagalelei in the offseason to elevate a run-heavy offense. Washington State is also off to a 3-0 start. The Cougars blasted Colorado State on the road and upset Wisconsin at home before taking care of Northern Colorado over the weekend. Cameron Ward is underrated among the many great QBs in the Pac-12 and he has been excellent in his second season at WSU.
Time: 7:30 p.m. | TV: NBC | Line: OSU -3 | Total: 55.5
Ohio State coach Ryan Day is 48-6 since taking over as the full-time head coach, but losing to Michigan in back-to-back years and coming up painfully short in last year’s CFP semifinal puts added scrutiny on him. The Buckeyes are off to a 3-0 start, but working in new starting QB Kyle McCord has been a process. How will he handle his first raucous road environment? And on the other side, this is one of the biggest games at Notre Dame Stadium in years and a major opportunity for second-year head coach Marcus Freeman. The Irish are off to an impressive 4-0 start in 2023 led by transfer QB Sam Hartman, who’s been a major upgrade at the position compared to past years.
Time: 7:30 p.m. | TV: CBS | Line: PSU -14.5 | Total: 40.5
Is this the year Penn State can get back to the top of the Big Ten? The Nittany Lions won the Big Ten back in 2016, but it was the only time the Nittany Lions have gotten past Ohio State and Michigan in the Big Ten East under coach James Franklin. The offense, with first-year starting QB Drew Allar, sputtered a bit in the 30-13 win over the Illini, but the defense forced five turnovers. There could be similar opportunities ahead for the defense with Iowa coming to Happy Valley for the annual “whiteout” game. The Hawkeyes are 3-0, but their offensive woes from recent seasons have not gotten much better. Transfer QB addition Cade McNamara hasn’t looked 100% after hurting his quad during preseason camp and now tight end Luke Lachey is out after suffering what appeared to be a serious leg injury in Week 3.