College football Week 4: Recaps, highlights, rankings and scores

Midnight is knocking here on the east coast and the night slate is winding down. Here’s how things shook out:

No. 10 LSU cruises past No. 23 Texas A&M

No. 23 Texas A&M was no match for No. 10 LSU in Death Valley. The Tigers steamrolled the Aggies 35-6, despite Trey'Dez Green’s absence and Sam Leavitt’s sidelining injury.

Despite Leavitt’s pain, he managed to go 17-of-23 for 312 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.

Backup QB Landen Clark took over for Leavitt in the second half after the Tigers held a commanding lead. The FCS Elon transfer went 0-5 through the air, but added 41 yards and two scores on the ground.

LSU’s defense had solo tackles from 16 different defenders, holding Texas A&M to just two field goals.

No. 20 Oregon keeps playoff aspirations in reach

No. 20 Oregon and No. 12 USC went back-and-forth throughout the night, but the Ducks came out on top, winning 41-27 in their fifth straight win over the Trojans.

Dylan Raiola stepped in for Dante Moore after the Ducks’ starting signal caller was transported to a local hospital following a grueling hit in the first half.

The Nebraska transfer went 19-of-25 for 289 yards and two touchdowns, stepping up in a potential must-win game for Dan Lanning's squad.

Both Jamari Johnson and Dierre Hill Jr. recorded over 100 receiving yards, with Hill picking up an extra 63 on the ground for two touchdowns.

The Ducks ran down the clock, finishing things off with a 2-yard touchdown from Jordon Davison and a game-sealing interception from Koi Perich.

No. 24 Mississippi State survives No. 19 Missouri

No. 24 Mississippi State outlasted No. 19 Missouri in Starkville, winning 31-24 in the most exciting game of the ranked-vs-ranked buffet we had today.

Before we dive into the game action, let's take a quick look at the historical significance of this win for Mississippi State.

The Bulldogs had not beaten a ranked team since 2014. The Bulldogs now have two SEC wins in two weeks. They had two SEC wins over the previous three seasons combined. And for maybe the craziest stat, Mississippi State is 4-0 for consecutive seasons for the first time since 1944-45.

But this historic win wasn't without drama as Missouri had a Hail Mary attempt to force OT that came up just short—rather surprising based on how the first three weeks of the season delivered jaw-dropping finishes.

And of course, there’s great numbers on the field:

Mississippi State quarterback 'Super' Kamario Taylor has surpassed 1,000 yards for 14 touchdowns on the season so far. Taylor went 27-of-38 for 312 yards and three touchdowns tonight.

Taylor has thrown three touchdowns in four straight games — a program record.

Missouri’s Cayden Lee recorded 135 yards on nine receptions for two touchdowns

The Bulldogs' Fluff Bothwell had 25 carries for 122 yards and a touchdown.

But, there’s oen stat from tonight that stands out above the rest — the Bulldog faithful set a world record, ringing 41,819 cowbells simultaneously. Time to party in Starkville.

We're 30 minutes deep into a loaded late night window. But unfortunately, injuries have been the headline as we start to close out Week 4's Saturday.

No. 20 Oregon leads No. 12 Southern Cal, 13-10

Oregon’s Dante Moore underwent a grueling collision early in the second quarter, shaking up teammates and fans alike.

Moore was stabilized on the field and transported via ambulance to a nearby hospital. Reportedly, he was able move his fingers and feet.

Nebraska transfer Dylan Raiola took over for Moore, bouncing back with a score shortly after the Ducks’ starting quarterback was carted off. Raiola and Evan Stewart threw up “fives,” showing their support for Moore.

No. 10 LSU leads No. 23 Texas A&M, 14-3

LSU’s Sam Leavitt was seen limping to and from the huddle before halftime, undergoing some hard hits throughout the first two quarters.

Even without star tight end Trey'Dez Green, Leavitt has gone 8-of-12 for 152 yards and a touchdown thus far. The Tigers lead 14-3 at the half in Baton Rouge.

LSU's Deuce Geralds has been keeping Texas A&M’s Marcel Reed in check, recording five total tackles and a sack. Reed has gone 7-of-15 for 75 yards and no touchdowns.

We certainly have a night ahead of us.

Three of today’s six ranked matchups are slated for tonight’s window, so let’s talk about them.

No. 10 LSU vs. No. 23 Texas A&M

In a day chock-full of top-SEC clashes, this game will be a great way to tie it all together.

With both teams coming off pretty significant losses, this game means a lot.

The Aggies, who lost 31-21 to an unranked Kentucky team last weekend, will head to Death Valley to face off against LSU.

The Tigers fell 32-24 to Lane Kiffin’s ex-program, Ole Miss, in Oxford in Week 3’s spotlight game.

LSU needs quarterback Sam Leavitt to step up to the plate when it comes to moving the football through the air, while Texas A&M needs Marcel Reed to be a weapon on the ground.

Regardless, it should be a good one, and the stakes could not be higher with both teams needing to avoid a second loss in four weeks to keep their CFP hopes alive and well.

No. 12 Southern Cal vs. No. 20 Oregon

Oregon has won the past four games over USC, taking eight out of the last 10 matchups.

Both teams have struggled against unranked teams, with Oregon losing 39-31 to Oklahoma State and USC narrowly escaping Rutgers, 42-35, last week.

A second loss would put the Ducks well behind the sticks with preseason CFP aspirations, while the Trojans can pick up a signature resume builder heading into the middle of the season.

No. 19 Missouri at No. 24 Mississippi State

In an effort to break the world record for most cowbells rung simultaneously, this game in Starkville is bound to get loud.

Each team is undefeated, but Mississippi State’s offense stands out.

Averaging 544.7 yards per game, the Bulldogs are second in the FBS in offensive yardage, backed by quarterback 'Super' Kamario Taylor, who has 832 yards for 11 touchdowns so far.

Missouri has lost their last five road games against AP-ranked teams.

What an afternoon in the Swamp.

No. 21 Florida steamrolled No. 4 Ole Miss, 52-28 in Gainesville, improving to 4-0 on the season.

For the last few years, Florida has had a tough ride. The quarterback room was rarely stable, coaching pressure never let up and their SEC schedule was simply unforgiving.

The last time the Gators began their season with four wins was in 2019 under Dan Mullen, who was fired in 2021 after the team unraveled.

Billy Napier was brought on to rebuild, but fell short, posting a 22-23 record in his four seasons with Florida.

But this season’s turnaround has been one Gators’ fans have wished for on birthdays candles and loose eyelashes.

In his first year of coaching the Gators, John Sumrall came to Gainesville to “win championships,” rebuilding a Florida team that only won two conference games last season.

With the help of offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner, who led Georgia Tech’s offense last season, Sumrall has developed a mean looking Gators’ backfield.

Jadan Baugh and Duke Clark each notched over 100 rushing yards during today’s win, in which five different Gators found the end zone.

While we’re only four weeks into the season, Baugh has already put up some impressive numbers with eight touchdowns and 458 yards, and has not shied away from hitting the Heisman pose in the paydirt.

Not only are the Gators’ backs a threat, but signal caller Aaron Philo is, too, on the ground and through the air.

In a desperate search for players and coaches they can build around, the Florida Gators have found its matches.

Florida still has yet to face off against some of the SEC’s biggest giants including Texas and Georgia on the road.

“We’re still not a finished product,” Sumrall told ESPN in a postgame interview.

All in all, this team will be one to watch in the coming weeks.

If you are going to the Big House this season, don't leave early.

The Wolverines are yet to leave Ann Arbor this season, hosting four-straight home games—three of which were decided by one score, two decided with zero seconds left and one with negative one second (or positive one).

But this time it's the Wolverines that fall on the wrong side of the game-clock as Iowa QB Hank Brown found WR Reece Vander Zee in the left-corner of the end zone to walk-off Michigan 20-19.

However, this wasn't the only magic the Hawkeyes needed to beat Michigan in the Big House for the first time since 2010. On the play directly before the game-winner, Brown targeted his big tight end Addison Ostrenga 30 yards downfield who showcased incredible control to haul in the tipped ball from the Michigan defensive back.

If we weren't talking about Iowa, the next stat I'm about to share would come at a great surprise. Michigan out-gained the Hawkeyes 429 to 285 yards including an almost 100-yard difference in the ground game. But like I said, it's Iowa.

The Hawkeyes head into Week 5 with their first 4-0 start since 2021, but Kirk Ferentz's squad has an even greater matchup looming with Ohio State next week. At least this one will be in the safety of their home stadium as Iowa will try to go Big Ten blue-blood hunting for consecutive weeks.

In all of the action so far today, there’s been a few individual performances that have really stood out. Let’s break them down.

Mason Heintschel, Pitt

If you don’t already know him, get familiar with Mason Heintschel. The Pitt signal caller threw for six touchdowns in today’s 59-0 win over Bucknell.

Oh, and it’s his second time this season doing just that.

That’s right — Heintschel threw seven touchdowns for 453 yards, going 31-of-41 in the Panthers’ 59-14 win over Miami (OH) earlier this season.

Heintschel is the first player in ACC history to throw for over six touchdowns in multiple games in the same season and the first FBS player to do so since C.J. Stroud and Bailey Zappe in 2021.

Jeffrey Overton Jr., Virginia Tech

In by far his best performance of the season, Overton Jr. rushed for 209 yards and a touchdown in Virginia Tech’s 21-14 win over Boston College today.

The 5-foot-9 sophomore more than doubled his rushing total on the season, entering today's game with just 200 yards through the Hokies first three games.

And James Franklin's squad needed him today as his 76-yard rushing touchdown late in the fourth proved the decider in a close win against the Eagles.

This is the first time since 2017 that the Hokies have improved to 4-0 to start the season.

Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State

It's early, but it's hard to imagine we won't see Jeremiah Smith in New York City come December for the Heisman ceremony.

Smith nabbed four touchdowns for 217 yards on 12 receptions in Ohio State’s 42-19 win over Illinois earlier today — all three stats marking career-highs for the already decorated wideout.

Oh, in case you aren't convinced yet, after breaking the Buckeyes' career receiving yards record last week, he eclipsed 3,000 career yards this week. It's only Week 4. We very well could see a 4,000-yard career in just three seasons at this pace.

Colin Simmons, Texas

The Longhorns’ defense held on in today’s 20-17 win over Tennessee in Knoxville, backed by star edge rusher Colin Simmons.

Simmons recorded five sacks on the Volunteers’ true freshman quarterback, Faizon Brandon, tying the Texas program single-game sack record. The Longhorns recorded 10 sacks as a unit on the true freshman.

We’re about halfway through the afternoon slate of Week 4. Let’s catch up on some of the biggest storylines as teams head into the locker room.

No. 21 Florida leads No. 4 Ole Miss, 17-6

No. 21 Florida leads No. 4 Ole Miss 17-6, with the Rebels coming off a national spotlight win over Lane Kiffin’s LSU team.

The Gators have 233 yards of offense so far, compared to Ole Miss’ 148.

Expectations are high for Pete Golding and Trinidad Chambliss, who’s been struggling with a bout of injury, so stay tuned in as to what goes down in the Swamp this afternoon.

Rebel's star running back Kewan Lacy is on the sideline in the swamp, and his absence is taking a clear toll as the Gators are out-rushing Ole Miss 133 to 60 yards behind 83 and 2 scores from UF's Jadan Baugh.

No. 18 Michigan leads No, 17 Iowa, 10-7

If you don’t have the battle between No. 17 Iowa and No. 18 Michigan on your radar, it’s a good one.

The Wolverines lead the Hawkeyes 10-7 going into the half, backed by Bryce Underwood’s 162 yards through the air.

As for the other ranked games, No. 2 Georgia, No. 15 Utah and No. 25 Houston are all in firm control of their unranked foes, but we'll keep you updated if one is able to mount a comeback.

Stay tuned for more updates as we transition into tonight’s primetime matchups.

We are underway with our four midday games, and they are certainly not to be underestimated.

No. 2 Georgia vs. Oklahoma

For the second time ever, Oklahoma will take on Georgia. The first and only time these teams met was to ring in the new year on Jan. 1, 2017, when the Bulldogs barely snuck by the Sooners in a 58-48, double-overtime thriller in the College Football Playoff semifinals.

Today marks the first time Oklahoma has played a game in Athens and its first matchup against Georgia as an SEC team.

No. 4 Ole Miss vs. No. 21 Florida

Ole Miss is coming off a stellar win over LSU in the Lane Kiffin return. They now turn their focus to the Florida Gators. The last time these two teams faced off, Ole Miss left with a 34-24 victory.

One name you won't see on the Ole Miss offense is No. 5 running back Kewan Lacy. Lacy has been a key part of this undefeated Ole Miss team, but the Rebels will be in The Swamp without him as they look to hand the Gators their first loss.

No. 15 Utah vs. Iowa State

Utah heads to Iowa State hoping to keep its perfect record going after three dominant performances this season. After defeating Idaho 66-15 in their season opener, the Utes have continued to stay solid.

Iowa State hopes to repeat its last matchup against Utah. The Cyclones won 31-28 in a close game in 2024 after Utah missed a late field-goal attempt.

No. 17 Iowa vs. No. 18 Michigan

This undefeated Big Ten matchup that will be a must-see, as the Iowa Hawkeyes head to the Big House to take on Michigan.

The Wolverines, coming off a big win over Oklahoma earlier in the season, have kept the momentum going. The Hawkeyes are also coming off a dominant 55-0 win over Northern Iowa.

It's been almost three years since the Wolverines and Hawkeyes have met. Michigan came out on top, winning 26-0 before going on to win the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.

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