College Football Week 4 Watchability Guide: Ranking the Deepest Group of 2026 Games So Far

We finally have a slate that has you covered all afternoon and evening on Saturday, with six ranked vs. ranked matchups on the docket. Here’s how you should prioritize what to watch.

Dante Moore and Oregon face off against undefeated USC in one of Week 4’s most important games. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

As we sit here in late September, it’s hard to imagine that we’ll get a game that delivers on expectations quite like LSU at Ole Miss did last weekend. But the best part of college football remains the unexpected, meaning there’s plenty on the horizon that we can’t even predict yet. 

And that said, the Week 4 slate keeps the momentum rolling, especially in the SEC. 

Six matchups feature a pair of ranked teams this weekend, with four of those games coming in the conference where it just means more. Ole Miss and LSU will try to move on from the emotional Lane Kiffin Bowl, while Texas goes on the road to protect its No. 1 ranking. Plus national title contenders Indiana and Georgia finally face teams that will make them play four full quarters and two Group of 6 favorites face off. 

Here are the top 10 games of the week, ranked by which you should prioritize once the action gets underway.

Honorable mention: Wake Forest at No. 16 Louisville, Kansas State at Cincinnati, No. 15 Utah at Iowa State

No. 10: Northwestern (2–0) at No. 5 Indiana (3–0)

Friday, 8 p.m. ET, Fox

This game won’t take place at The Library, but instead in front of a raucous Hoosiers’ home crowd on Friday night. And it’s time for the defending champions to prove they can make a run again instead of beating up on the 135th toughest schedule in the country. Indiana's nonconference opponents are a combined 2–7 and have scored an average of 5.3 points on the Hoosiers, but Northwestern, led by Michigan State transfer quarterback Aidan Chiles and Chip Kelly’s revamped offense, stands to change that.

The Wildcats (45th in FBS in scoring offense, 21st in yards per play) turned heads with a smackdown of Colorado, and even though there was a fair amount of turnover luck, David Braun’s program could be better rounded than was expected over the summer. Still, the Hoosiers are much better on the offensive and defensive lines and could dominate if the first three games didn’t make them complacent—and something tells me Curt Cignetti will make sure that didn’t happen. It’s unclear if this game will stay close, and it wouldn’t be surprising if it wasn’t, but we should get a much clearer picture on what exactly these teams will be this season. 

Curt Cignetti and his undefeated Indiana squad will get their first power conference test against Northwestern on Saturday. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

No. 9: Oklahoma (2–1) at No. 2 Georgia (3–0)

Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN/Disney+

Speaking of teams we know nothing about, it’s time for the Bulldogs to play a full four quarters. Gunner Stockton finally had to play in the second half against Arkansas, but still didn’t need more than 13 attempts and 10 completions to take down the Razorbacks. Georgia also led 38–3 before allowing two late touchdowns with backups in the game, so there’s reason to believe the Dawgs’ offense, currently averaging 59.3 points per game and 8.8 yards per play (both first in FBS), is the most dominant unit in the country through three weeks.

This matchup will be drastically different, with the Sooners’ stingy defense coming to town. Say what you will about John Mateer needing crowd noise to help him find open receivers, but Oklahoma’s defense (fifth in points allowed) is still excellent and capable of slowing down just about anyone. The two contrasting styles should be a fun chess match to watch. 

No. 8: Oklahoma State (2–1) at West Virginia (3–0)

Saturday, 7 p.m. ET, FS1

This Big 12 clash in Morgantown features the most intriguing quarterback matchup of the week between the Pokes’ Drew Mestemaker and the Mountaineers’ Michael Hawkins Jr. The former built off of his bounce-back performance against Oregon to throw five touchdowns and just two incompletions in a little more than two quarters against Murray State and is starting to look like the player we saw light up scoreboards at North Texas. But it’s Hawkins who’s been one of the real breakout stars of 2026 now that he’s in Rich Rodriguez’s system.

West Virginia runs the ball more than any non–service academy (54.3 attempts per game, 3rd in FBS) and Hawkins and running back Cam Cook form the two-headed monster taking the bulk of the carries. The pair combined for 246 yards and three touchdowns on the ground in the road upset of Virginia last weekend, which suggests the blueprint of only having Hawkins throw the ball when necessary can work against power-conference competition. Neither defense has been particularly sharp, so expect the points to come early and often from the two elite play-makers behind center.

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No. 7: Boise State (2–1) at Western Michigan (2–1)

Saturday 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2

Boise State deserves an award for this nonconference schedule, which already featured top teams in the Big Ten and the American as well as a top-10 FCS team in South Dakota. Western Michigan is the last piece of the puzzle and a win would solidify Boise atop the Group of 6 playoff race going into Pac-12 play. Quarterback Maddux Madsen (610 yards, four touchdowns, zero interceptions) looks healthy, but it’s really running back Dylan Riley who seems poised for an even bigger year in 2026 having already rushed for 454 yards (third in FBS) on 7.3 yards per carry through three games. Saturday will present his toughest opposition, however, as the Broncos of Kalamazoo showed how tough they can be against the run in the opener against Michigan, especially in the red zone. Shoutout to Boise State head coach Spencer Danielson, who did elite misdirection/Group of 6 advocacy work this week by calling Western Michigan “an undefeated football team.” Hopefully the folks in Ann Arbor didn’t take that too personally. 

Dylan Riley has exploded out of the gate for Boise State in 2026. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

No. 6: No. 17 Iowa (3–0) at No. 18 Michigan (3–0)

Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS

This game might be close but it’s going to be an absolute slog. Iowa is first nationally in points allowed per game (4.3) and yards per play allowed (3.2). Michigan isn’t far behind, ranking 22nd (13.0) and eighth (3.8). Plus, the quarterback play on both sides has left a lot to be desired through three weeks. But there’s no denying that this game might have serious ramifications down the line if either of these teams want to try and sneak their way into the College Football Playoff as the Big Ten’s fourth or fifth team.

Expect Michigan to approach this game as it did with Oklahoma, when Bryce Underwood had more carries than passing attempts and just nine team completions compared to 41 team rushing attempts. Whichever team wins the possession battle and turnover margin, as the Wolverines did against the Sooners, will be in a solid position to pull out the win. Just don't expect to watch a shootout—this is the Big Ten as the college football gods intended. 

No. 5: No. 1 Texas (3–0) at No. 14 Tennessee (3–0)

Saturday, 12 p.m. ET, ABC

The battle for orange uniform supremacy in the SEC lands in Knoxville, where the Vols have quietly gotten off to an impressive start. True freshman 18-year-old quarterback Faizon Brandon looks poised and in control, but it’s Tennessee’s run game that’s popped off the page. The Vols have averaged 298.7 yards across the first three games, the most of any non-service academy, and are led by a two-headed attack from DeSean Bishop and Daune Morris, with Brandon also adding a significant threat with his legs. Even Georgia Tech was no match and gave up 299 yards on the ground, but the Longhorns are in a much different tier defensively than the Yellow Jackets. Texas’s ability to contain Bo Jackson was a pivotal reason for its miraculous second-half comeback on Ohio State and there’s reason to believe the defense can do the same against Tennessee. Keep an eye on future first-rounder Collin Simmons, but also interior defensive lineman Hero Kanu, who’s got 2.5 tackles for loss in three games. 

No. 4: No. 23 Texas A&M (2–1) at No. 10 LSU (2–1)

Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, ABC

This is the game for teams that desperately need to put last week behind them, even if it’s for different reasons. The Aggies played flat-out awful at home against Kentucky and got embarrassed by first-year head coach Will Stein. Marcel Reed was inaccurate and indecisive and the usually steady defense gave up 28 straight points in less than a quarter and a half. LSU, on the other hand, just needs to get over the emotions that came with Lane Kiffin’s return to Ole Miss. The environment and the stakes were supercharged and the letdown that followed an almost-comeback was heavy. But back at home against a team that looks considerably worse than the Rebels should be a good spot for the Tigers. Good luck, and very likely good riddance to the loser of this game. Both programs still have Tennessee, Alabama and Texas on their schedules, which means one of these teams might very well be out of the playoff picture permanently at the final whistle on Saturday. 

After Lane Kiffin and LSU’s loss to Ole Miss last week, Saturday’s game against Texas A&M has huge College Football Playoff ramifications for both sides. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

No. 3: No. 19 Missouri (3–0) at No. 24 Mississippi State (3–0)

Saturday, 7:45 p.m. ET, SEC Network

If Iowa and Michigan is the game in Week 4 that might determine the Big Ten’s fourth-best team, then that’s what this game is in the SEC. What will happen in Starkville will just feature far more offense and a lot more cowbells. The nod goes to Mississippi State, which already notched two impressive road wins over Minnesota and South Carolina, and also features the better quarterback in Kamario Taylor. I don’t know whether the Bulldogs will be able to limit some of the better offenses in the SEC, but I don’t think Missouri is quite in that tier, even if Austin Simmons has looked more in control through the first three games of 2026 than he did last season at Ole Miss. Plus, it might not matter if Mississippi State is going to rank in the top 10 in scoring (10th) and yards per game (2nd) all year and Taylor’s breakout makes me think that’s a real possibility. 

No. 2: No. 20 Oregon (2–1) at No. 12 USC (4–0)

Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, NBC

It’s time to put Gary Patterson’s defense in SoCal to a real test and no, Rutgers doesn’t count. Dante Moore and the Ducks had their get-right game, an 84–0 shellacking of Portland State, which should set the stage for this old Pac-12 showdown. This game should be a shootout between Moore and USC’s Jayden Maiava, but if Oregon fancies itself a real title contender, its defense will need to step up to the plate. Giving up 554 yards to Oklahoma State and 27 points to a Boise State team that had less than 300 yards shows that the Ducks are susceptible in more ways than one. Yes, Moore needs to be more consistent and show that he’s taken a step forward if Oregon is to be a true contender. But I think the rest of the group has serious questions to answer as well, and there’s not better time than a conference road game against a top 15 team in the country. It’s a bummer that we likely won’t see USC freshman Trent Mosley, who’s doubtful to play with an injury, but USC seems to have a never-ending supply of receivers to fill the gaps. 

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No. 1: No. 4 Ole Miss (3–0) at No. 21 Florida (3–0)

Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC

There’s plenty to say about Ole Miss slaying the Lane Kiffin dragon and Trinidad Chambliss rising to meet the challenge one again and how tough the Rebels are in the trenches. But I want to focus on what’s happening in the Swamp, which has a chance to be really special this year. Jon Sumrall will get the bulk of the attention, and he should, but so should former offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner, who’s cooked up quite the offense early on. It helps to have perhaps the best running back in the country in Jadan Baugh (458 yards, 8.5 yards per carry, eight touchdowns). And yet what he’s done to replicate the best Yellow Jackets’ offenses with a steady, but not overworked quarterback in Aaron Philo could go down as one of the coaching jobs of the year.

The Gators are averaging 54 points per game through three weeks, and though two of those games against Florida Atlantic, the 44-point outing against Auburn showed that Faulkner’s system can be replicated and successful in the SEC. The defense will need to be better to slow down Chambliss, but for the first time this decade, Gainesville has something brewing that’s really worth getting behind.

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