Ranking college football's seven best team performances of Week 4

College football's Week 4 slate produced impressive blowouts and some thrilling finishes. Amid the rubble, let's address the seven best team performances from the weekend in CFB. Starting with...

1. Indiana Hoosiers (4-0)

Result: Iillinois 10 at Indiana 63

Old Dominion could be a juggernaut after hanging within 14 points of Indiana in the season-opener, because since, the Hoosiers rattled off three more wins with final scores of 56-9, 73-0 and 63-10, the most recent coming in a Saturday evening showcase against an alleged top-10 college football team in the country. Well, it was IU who clearly asserted themselves as such vs. an Illini team that was strong a year ago, returned a ton of pieces and was out to a playoff-hopeful start in 2025. Illinois didn't stink out of nowhere, it's just that Indiana might be as good or even better than their playoff squad a year ago. That's their best win of the Curt Cignetti era, by far.

2. Texas Tech Red Raiders (4-0)

Result: Texas Tech 34 at Utah 10

At home and receiving the full complement of ESPN's College GameDay picks, Utah let down in a huge spot and against a backup quarterback for much of the day. The Red Raiders came in as underdogs, jumped on top of the Utes early, suffocated Devin Dampier, lost their own starting QB Behren Morton, and continued to kick tail for the entire afternoon. Texas Tech built a Big 12 champion-level roster and are performing like it through four weeks of the season. They ought to be 6-0 heading into a huge matchup at Arizona State in October.

3. Michigan Wolverines (3-1)

Michigan Wolverines quarterback Bryce Underwood (19) hands the ball off to running back Justice Haynes (22) | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Result: Michigan 30 at Nebraska 27

Nebraska appears to be a professional outfit out on the football field this year, featuring a rising star QB, a terrific top wideout and better coaching than the program has had in a decade, yet Michigan still found a way to stiff-arm the Huskers away from grabbing their first AP Top 25 victory since 2016, a sentence that's hard to believe even as the words are coming off the keyboard. Shucks for Matt Rhule and co., but credit the Wolverines and stand-in head coach Biff Poggi for hammering the ball down Nebraska's throat on the ground to get the win. Justice Haynes added just shy of 150 yards and one touchdown with nearly nine yards per carry to lead the squad.

4. Oklahoma Sooners (4-0)

Result: Auburn 17 at Oklahoma 24

Trick play controversy or not, Oklahoma held off a solid Auburn squad to add a second notable victory to their early resume. John Mateer captained the ship with some late scoring drives and may have found a first mate in Isaiah Sategna III who made nine catches for 147 yards and a touchdown, one week after racking up close to 100 yards vs. Temple. If Oklahoma can find consistent weapons for their dynamic QB, plus the defense they already have in place, this is a Sooner squad that can and will challenge for the SEC championship.

5. Arizona State Sun Devils (3-1)

Result: Arizona St. 27, Baylor 24

The Sun Devils responded huge in their second true road game of the season, flipping the script from narrow defeat in Starkville to buzzer-beating victory in Waco. ASU's lefty boot, Jesus Gomez, knocked in a field goal as time expired following a heroic game-winning drive by quarterback Sam Leavitt to get the Devils in position to steal one at the buzzer. For Baylor, the roller coaster continues as they have two home loses but a huge road win over SMU as well.

6. Vanderbilt Commodores (4-0)

Result: Georgia St. 21 at Vanderbilt 70

College football is awesome because you have sentences like... "Vanderbilt scored 70 points tonight for the first time since it beat Tennessee 76-0 in 1918." You know, back when the Spanish Flu and World War 1 were big talking points at the Nashville pubs. Seriously, though, Vanderbilt is one of the most experienced football teams in the country and have done nothing short of dominating every foe they've faced through September. By my estimation, the 'Dores are +139 on the scoreboard in four contests.

Vanderbilt scored 70 points tonight for the first time since it beat Tennessee 76-0 in 1918, per Vanderbilt communications. pic.twitter.com/MhWC3YvVNp
— Joey Dwyer (@joey_dwy) September 21, 2025

7. Ole Miss Rebels (4-0)

Result: Tulane 10 at Ole Miss 45

The Green Wave buried Northwestern and took down Duke in the first three weeks but bent the knee to a superior Ole Miss team on the road. Lane Kiffin might have a new QB1 in Trinidad Chambliss, another dual-threat athlete under center, just like Austin Simmons, but so far, the backup has stepped in to be even more productive than the starter. The Rebels aren't totally dominant, but a somewhat-rebuilding group in 2025 already has decent wins over Kentucky, Arkansas and Tulane for an undefeated start.