RADIO
Week 3 of college football left a lot to be desired in terms of big games. Week 4 has the opposite issue. There are too many games to watch.
With this in mind, we could not narrow the list down to five. So instead, we will be looking at seven games from this week worth peeking at.
From Notre Dame looking to beat Ohio State for the first time since 1936 to Colorado looking to finally defeat a good team, this week will have a lot of action. So let us look! Rankings listed are via the coaches poll.
No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes vs. No. 9 Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Betting Lines: Ohio State -3.5 (-104) -- Over/Under 55.5 O/(-110) U/(-110)
While Ohio State comes into this game with a perfect 3-0 record, it has not been overly impressive early in the season.
Covering in just one of its three games and only going over the total in one game, the Buckeyes are hoping that finally naming Kyle McCord the official starter will allow for more continuity in the scheme. While offensive coordinator Brian Harline has been trying to develop both McCord and Devon Brown, the offense has taken a hit. Brown, more of a runner, has a completely different game plan than McCord. This has made a mish mash out of practices.
Being able to focus just on McCord will allow Marvin Harrison Jr. and company the ability to find a better connection -- something Ohio State will need heading into South Bend to take on its first real opponent of the season.
Notre Dame has finally found a quarterback in Sam Hartman. Since coming over from Wake Forest, Hartman has been the best signal-caller since Brady Quinn at Notre Dame. While the young receivers have not fully integrated into the offense yet, an early season schedule that included Navy and Tennessee State allowed them to become comfortable.
In his first four Notre Dame starts, QB Sam Hartman…
-64-of-90 (71.1%)
-265.3 passing yards per game
-13 TDs, 0 INTs
-2 rushing TDsHis passer rating of 217.81 is No. 3 in the country. His 11.8 yards per attempt is tied for No. 4. His QBR of 89.4 is No. 6.
Truly elite. pic.twitter.com/QSYzR6NVxB
— Tyler Horka (@tbhorka) September 17, 2023
Hartman has 13 touchdowns to zero interceptions this season for the Fighting Irish and the defense, especially the secondary, has stepped up. The secondary will be key against the Buckeyes in this matchup as they bring in the best one-two punch at the position in the nation with Harrison Jr. leading the way alongside Emeka Egbuka.
Betting: ND +3.5, Over 55.5
No. 16 Ole Miss Rebels vs. No. 12 Alabama Crimson Tide
Betting Lines: Alabama -7 (-110) -- Over/Under 55.5 O/(-110) U/(-110)
Lane Kiffin really needs to be quiet. He loves to poke the bear and it does not work out for him on many occasions. Although, it is quite humorous.
Alabama comes in with its lowest ranking since 2015 -- something Nick Saban is aware of. And surely mad about. After cycling through three separate quarterbacks in the first weeks of the season, Saban has finally settled on Jalen Milroe. While this may not be the result the fans wanted, it is the correct choice as Milroe was the only quarterback with the ability to move the team down the field.
Tyler Buchner, the Notre Dame transfer, started Week 3 against the South Florida squad which was entirely overmatched. Despite this fact, USF held Buchner to less than 90 yards passing before being pulled for Ty Simpson, who fared no better in a dreadful 17-3 win in Tampa Bay.
With Alabama struggling, Kiffin should have just shut his mouth. Instead, he has angered the best of all time and it could turn out bad for the protégé.
Lane Kiffin says the Alabama-USF film looks like Tide corners coach Travaris Robinson -- not DC Kevin Steele -- was calling plays.
Nick Saban says it's Steele. Kiffin says he saw what he saw and everyone knows everyone.
This game is going to be wild.https://t.co/MEd4bciiTI pic.twitter.com/ORIFGVGcHF
— Andy Staples (@Andy_Staples) September 19, 2023
Ole Miss has been solid so far this season with a 3-0 record and a renewed faith in quarterback Jaxson Dart. In a 48-23 victory over Georgia Tech Saturday, Dart threw for 251 yards on just 10 completions. During the Ole Miss win at Tulane in Week 2, Dart threw for 267 yards on 17-of-27 passing. While the volume is not heavy, this is how Kiffin and the Rebels want this offense to function, and it is doing so at an elite level this far into 2023.
Alabama and the defense it brings will be far different and more talented than anything Ole Miss has faced so far. The likes of Dallas Turner and Kool-Aid McKinstry will force Ole Miss to be far more precise than it has been in early games. 17-27 and 10-18 in the pass game will not be effective against this Crimson Tide defense.
If Kiffin wants to win this game, he will need to outcoach Saban. Not just make him mad. We will see if he can do it.
Betting: Alabama -7, Over 55.5
No. 22 Iowa Hawkeyes vs. No. 7 Penn State Nittany Lions
Betting Lines: PSU -14.5 (-110) -- Over/Under 40.5 O/(-105) U/(-115)
Is Iowa going to score in this game? This is the real question in this matchup.
Penn State and its defense has been dominant early in 2023. Manny Diaz has the unit clicking and Iowa, despite the edict for Brian Ferentz, has yet to prove it can do anything on offense.
Iowa scored 41 points last Saturday. This was due to the elite defense making short fields normal against an outmatched Western Michigan team in a 41-10 victory. Short field or not, Ferentz now needs just 23.8 points per game to keep his job. But after this game, this number will again rise greatly.
Abdullah Carter and company will make this a dismal day in State College for the Iowa offense. While the Iowa defense will be able to contain Drew Aller and the Nittany Lions offense, it will not be enough in what will be an UGLY, sloppy game for both teams.
Do not expect a lot of scoring as the two best units on the field will be the defenses of both teams. And as always, expect this one to be close to the end.
Betting: Iowa +14.5, Under 40.5
No. 19 Colorado Buffaloes vs. No. 11 Oregon Ducks
Betting Lines: Oregon -21 (-110) -- Over/Under 70.5 O/(-110) U/(-110)
After three weeks of victories, Colorado will face its toughest competition in Bo Nix and the Oregon Ducks.
In what could be the highest-scoring game of the entire week, coach Prime and the Colorado Buffaloes will take its show on the road to Eugene.
Shedeur Sanders has had a remarkable season thus far. He is a contender for the Heisman Trophy and has thrown for more than 300 yards in all of Colorado’s games. This will become more difficult this week after the injury to Travis Hunter on a cheap shot from Colorado State in the Colorado 43-35 double-OT win.
Hunter will be out three or four weeks and this game, followed by USC traveling to Boulder next week will be a rude awakening for Prime. If Colorado can win one or both games, the mindset around the team will change from an early season story to a real contender for the playoffs.
Oregon, despite a shaky game in Lubbock against Texas Tech, has been rolling early in the season. As normal, the Ducks played an easy non-conference schedule outside of Texas Tech. Portland State and Hawaii had no matches for Oregon and the combined score of 136-17 was proof.
BO NIX WITH A DIME FOR 6 🔥
(via @oregonfootball)
pic.twitter.com/5XR4rRYzXT— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 17, 2023
While Colorado will put up a fight, it will not be enough against a more talented Oregon team that has true playoff aspirations in the second year of Dan Lanning. Expect the duck mascot to get in a ton of push-ups by the end of this game.
Betting: Oregon -21, Over 70.5
No. 3 Florida State Seminoles vs. No. 23 Clemson Tigers
Betting Lines: FSU -2.5 (-105) -- Over/Under 55.5 O/(-105) U/(-115)
This game lost some of its luster after Clemson lost in Week 1 at Duke. But it is still a matchup of the two favorites in the ACC.
If Florida State wants to return to the top and replace Clemson once again as the top dog, it will need to come into this game and dominate the way it expects to. Clemson and coach Dabo Swinney have been slow to adjust to the new college football. This stubbornness has and will cost them. Now and in the future. Things change and the unwillingness of Swinney to change will be his undoing.
Florida State and quarterback Jordan Travis limped out of Boston College with a win which was far closer than anyone expected. After entering the game Saturday as a 27.5-point favorite, the Seminoles barely came out with a two-point win. And this only came because of a dumb facemask penalty which gave the Seminoles a first down and the ability to run out the clock -- the 18th and most costly foul for the Eagles. This could have just been the wake-up call Florida State needed. It will need to play up every week and not play to its opponents.
It’s been nearly 9 years since Florida State last beat Clemson😵💫
Is the losing streak ending on Saturday?🍢🐅 pic.twitter.com/Kjm0lZ3l5F
— College Football Report (@CFBRep) September 18, 2023
For the first time in many years, it can be said that Florida State is on a similar talent level to the Clemson Tigers. It has the better QB, and the offensive line of Florida State should allow the run game to get going. A return of FSU could be in the midst, and this could be the coronation.
Betting: FSU -2.5 Under 55.5
No. 25 UCLA Bruins vs. No. 10 Utah Utes
Betting Lines: Utah -4.5 (-110) -- Over/Under 51.5 O/(-104) U/(-118)
While Utah QB Cam Rising’s potential debut will be a key to this game, so will the ability of UCLA QB Dante Moore to perform in his first real hostile game in college.
The true first-year Moore will face a crowd in Salt Lake City which he has never been accustomed to. There will be more fans at this game than there will be at all of UCLA's home games this season. After coming in and taking over early in his first year, Moore has proven to be talented and capable.
With 615 yards, seven touchdowns, and just one interception, Moore has given the Bruins a quarterback to replace Dorian Thompson Robinson, who is now with the Cleveland Browns. While the UCLA defense is still a work in progress, Moore has led UCLA to an undefeated start and a top-25 ranking.
Utah, the two-time defending conference champions, will come into this game ready to show UCLA that it is far from ready to compete in its final year of the conference.
While both teams are leaving the conference after this season, only one can leave a winner. Kyle Whittingham is the better coach and has the better roster -- not to mention the home crowd advantage in this one. Moore has been good thus far. But this will be a different environment and he will struggle mightily this week. Look for him to come down to earth while the Utah defense smoothers the Bruins in this one.
Betting: Utah -4.5, Under 51.5
No. 15 Oregon State Beavers vs. No. 25 Washington State Cougars
Betting Lines: Oregon St. -2.5 (-120) -- Over/Under 56.5 O/(-110) U/(-110)
The two teams that remain in the Pac-12 next year (for now) will face off in Pullman on Saturday. I am hoping the Washington State fans cheer as loud for the Beavers as they do for the Cougars in this one. Both teams deserved better in realignment and both teams deserve to be applauded for what they are doing.
Both teams come into this game undefeated and ranked. Washington State has far outpaced its expectations for this season while Oregon State, with new QB DJ Uiagalelei, is exactly where most expected them to be at this point.
While Washington State was able to gain a victory against Wisconsin 31-22 at home after a win in Madison in 2022, the Beavers have played a much easier schedule so far.
Games against San Jose State, UC-Davis and San Diego State have barely prepared Oregon State for Pac-12 play. But it has rolled in all its games winning 123-33 and comes into this game winning nine of its last 10 games overall with one of the best offensive lines in the nation.
Washington State and quarterback Cam Ward have also been rolling this season. While the defense has been as stellar, allowing 67 points in three games to Colorado State, Wisconsin and Northern Colorado, it has been great on offense and has not scored fewer than 31 points in a game.
Pac-12 Performance Spotlight:
Cam Ward threw for 327 yards and totaled 5 touchdowns in a 64-21 rout of Northern Colorado
— WestCoastCFB (@WestCoastCFB) September 17, 2023
Ward, a transfer from Incarnate Word before the 2022 season, has nine touchdowns and zero interceptions while throwing for 986 yards in three games this season. The Cougars want to throw the ball first and run the ball second. This is the opposite of what Oregon State wants to do and it will make for an interesting matchup of styles here.
This will be an exciting game and will be a key game to determine if either of these teams can compete with Washington, USC and Oregon for the conference in the final year.
Betting: Oregon State -2.5, Over 56.5
